Oxycontin Damaged My Teeth (Page 3)

Has anyone else known oxycontin to rot the teeth? I used to be on vicodin until my doctor told me I needed to switch to a morphine based meds. She put me on ms contin but I had problems with it so she put me on 80mg oxycontin. Eventually my body built up a tolerance so she kept raising it, i have am now on from 4-6 per day of the 80mg tabs. It scares me that this is what rotted my teeth because only 5 yrs ago i had only 2 cavities that needed filling and then only 1 yr after going on the oxycontin i had to have all my top front teeth pulled as they where rotting from the inside out the dentist said my mouth looked like a heroin addict's mouth looks. He said it was shocking to him that normally he only saw such damage from someone who abused drugs with so much dental damage, but i have never done any street drugs and have only take my meds as prescribed to me. Now i have lost 80% of my teeth and as a beautiful 41 yr old mother its devastating. I cant afford dentures and sure cant afford implants like i would like to have. I am a single mother and refuse to date because i have lost my teeth now, i had beautiful teeth before i started on the oxycontin and only 2 small cavities that needed filling. Does anyone else have this same problem and if so why hasn't the company making oxycontin warn patients of this possible problem?

If i had known this would cause me to lose most of my teeth i would have never agreed to go on it. Of course my family doctor who has been prescribing them tells me she hasn't heard of any other cases, yet when i researched the med online there where others like this why hasn't something been put in the warnings about this med, i sure would have preferred to have lived in pain the rest of my life rather than lose my teeth and be unable to even eat now. My health has gone downhill fast as i cant even chew foods necessary for good health. All I can eat now are yogurts, and liquid type of foods which isn't much. My kids are 7 and 9 yrs old and they watch me cry when we go out to eat and they order steak, and i can smell it but can't order one as i know i wont be able to chew it. This is so devastating for me. I want teeth so badly if i could wish for anything in life besides not to be poor anymore it would be to have a full set of real teeth or implants but i could never dream of having them, and i don't know anyone out there willing to just help me get any either. I have always helped others all my life, but cant even help myself, i have had to have 29 surgeries now since 1991 when a drunk driver hit my car and caused me major injuries with my lower back and knees, i have had a full lower back fusion and 8 arthroscopic knee surgeries until a year ago they finally had to do a full right knee replacement and now they are talking about doing my left knee soon.

So my life has been up and down with surgeries and i would go thru one more surgery just to have teeth implanted if i could. but i could never afford it, but i would like to know why these drug manufacturers are making a medication that could cause teeth to rot like this without warning us patients or even warning the doctors about it. This is just terrible of them i think, as now i am the one paying for this by having no teeth to eat with at such a young age now. I am a vibrant young 41 yr old at 5'3, 120lbs, slim woman, nice looking too as i was a model in my younger days, so i keep my looks up. But to have no teeth now... I never smile anymore, I am to ashamed to smile even though it wasn't my fault i lost my teeth. I think they should pay for me to have new teeth but no one wants to admit that the med causes it, but my diet wasn't the problem back when i started the medication and i wasn't drinking coca-cola either or doing street drugs so i know that wasn't the cause either. The only thing that changed within one year to cause this was starting the oxycontin medication. Well, if anyone out there can help me let me know thanks.

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David, Look at reply # 28, Angela posted her info on my space..

PHN

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I HAVE NO DOUBT OC WILL RUIN YOUR TEETH .I AM IN THE PROCESS OF GETTING IMPLANTS RIGHT NOW AND EVEN WITH GOOD INSURANCE IT WILL COST 10 G +OUT OF POCKET.JUST AS YOU I WOULD OF NEVER HAVE TAKEN THE SCRIPT FROM MY DR HAD I KNOWN.GOOD LUCK YOU ARE NOT ALONE IN THIS

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heh i wish i could afford them but i cant being on SSI and being a single mom i can barely make ends meet at bill time so its a far off dream to be able to ever get the implants, but i can dream right.

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I was on your side 100% till I read your myspace-you not only ask for free services on here & talk like a begger but you did the same thing on myspace-asking men for gifts etc-crying about your hard life-you are the only one that can change your life-not strangers that you beg for free stuff-sorry I don't feel bad for you anymore !

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Anyone else feeling bad for Angela check out her link on myspace, I think we will all know we have been had by her & her cries for free help- it's like a puzzle easily put together! Don't be fooled by her anymore & play into her game of sympathy !

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i dont cry about my hard life i only tell the truth about my life, i did live a life of abuse and was tortured a child i am not begging anyone on myspace at all, i dont beg, and i havent ever asked anyone for gifts i simply say that it would be nice to be spoiled for once in my life with all i have gone thru. you obvioulsy have no idea how hard of a life i truly have lived until you have walked in my shoes do you. i dont think you have any room to talk until you live my life do you.

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I know to well about abuse as I was a victim through my whole childhood & yes you do beg-you mention things you want wishing someone will give it for you-get real-you are the only one that can change your life-no one else can do it for you ! Ever hear that song if you haven't listen to it-life is too short ! & the pic on your site is over 20 years old-don't be ashamed anymore-live your life & be happy you have beautiful kids & you need to set an example for them !

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i do not beg you obviously have my site mixed up with someone elses, i ask for those to donate not to me but to my charity that i own and run, i want others to donate used computers to my charity you obvioulsy dont read very well, and the photo that is 20 yrs old is only on the opening page if youi had bothered to review my pics under my albums you would see the recent photos of me in there too i have dates on them so i look almost like i did 20 yrs ago , i think i look very good for being 42 yrs old and having had 29 surgeries and already died one in surgery ok, you obviously have an issue with me and my page maybe its jealosy i dont know but your attitude is horrible towards me for no reason, i am the most kind and caring and generous person you would ever meet.

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Dear Angela C.
I am writing this because your comments were heart rendering. So here is what you can do, Acupuncture. I know it sounds crazy and I did not believe in any procedure that did not have some scientific foundation, until I ran out of options myself. It works. Along with the massage theropy and herbs prescribed. Most(here in the U.S. all are medical professionals) are degreed. Your teeth rotting is an imbalance in minerals and how your body handles this problem. Pain managment with acupuncture is very effective the massages are very relaxing and also help in the pain managment. The herbs do increase your energy level. Like I said I am not into homeopathic medicine but the results made me a believer. Your HMO will give you about 6 to 12 treatments. After that get your lawyer to put the pressure on them. You will recieve results immediately. I'll be praying for you; RevrnRob

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except i dont have an HMO, i have full medicaid and they wont pay for anything as to what they call experimental at all, you should have seen how hard they fought when they realized they had to cover my back surgery i lay in a hospital bed with a ruptured disk for 2 weeks before they finally agreed to have them remove it thats what caused me permanent nerve damage now i have MS but you cant sue the government you know so i cant sue them for permanently damaging my back by them taking their time to authorize the back surgery.

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Angela- I am sorry if you think I am being mean to you I am trying to get a point across to you. In life we just can't sit back & wait (as you refer 2 in myspace) for your knight in shining armor to come & fix your problems, yes you have medical problems we all know that you have made that clear- you have internet that is how you were able to write your long post, google- check all different search engines & try to find someone or a dental school that are more then happy to do such procedures as you want done. The implants that you speak of, even at a dental school - at least here, are still very expensive- dentures may be the most affordable procedure for you to get at this time.- At least you will have teeth it is better then none- I have dentures & I am going to be honest with you- they look wonderful but if you have a bad gag reflex like me they will have to shave some off of the back & you will lose the suction that holds them in & then you will end up like me & have to use denture grip ( I hate it). & the bottom dentures are painful to wear- I wish someone had told me about that before I got them cause I talked to people over the past 5 years since I have gotten them & not 1 person I have spoken to all say the same thing- they can't wear the bottom denture as they are very painful except when they go out somewhere such as a fancy party etc- none of them wear them even to work- you can wear the top & unless someone is right up close to your face they will never know that your not wearing them- you could find a dental school & start off with just the top denture for now, then at least you will be able to still chew food a lot better then you do now- I know what you are talking about when it comes to eating out with your children & you can't even enjoy a meal only soup-etc. I hope this info has helped but unless you have a lot of money or can get a loan implants are way too expensive- at least with dentures u can eat better & will have a beautiful smile again & that will make u feel so much better about yourself- I really do wish you well & hope you do get dentures at least for now !!!

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Hey, I was replying about the lose of teeth due to the use of oxycontin. I was shot in 1975, had spinal meningitis. Temp was very high, I also was on oxycontin for several years. 2 - 80mg a day from 2000 - 2006. My teeth also where in good shape but, have since had to have all but 2 lower teeth pulled. I got upper plate and lower bridge. I was told due to high temp in 1975 my teeth where cooked from the inside out. I am 51 and am in good shape but, the tooth lose was very tough to deal with. Maybe the meds had something to do with it. I feel this needs more study asap.

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i completely agree i think that the makers of oxycontin dont want customers knowing that it can cause teeth loss or they would put that in their descriptions and side effects of the med which they dont do everyone says well they warn of the dry mouth but i think legally they should be required to spell it out clearely for all customers by stating that in their warnings to the med they should have to state that this may cause total tooth loss which they havent done that. i wish there was an attorney out there that could take my case for me and sue for my tooth loss as i was never warned by anyone not the hospital and not the 20 doctors i have been to since starting this med no one has ever said that it caused tooth loss , they all said that they didnt know of any pain that would cause tooth loss i think they are all covering it up and trying to keep it hush hush about how much damage it does do to teeth. had i known i could loose my teeth i would never agreed to go on it, and of course once i started it my body got addicted to it, now they say if i go off of it that it would cause me much worse problems than my being on it, as i have seizures and if i go off i could develop my seizures back again that i used to have too. so i think that the makers of oxycontin should have to pay for me to have dental implants as i had perfect teeth before is started this med with only like 2 small cavities in them, i have a beautiful photo of me holding my sons with nice teeth on my refrigrator i look at everyday that was only 6 yrs ago too, then in only 6 months of starting this med i my teeth where being destroyed from the inside out my dentist said he had never seen anything this bad except in persons who did street drugs like herion or cocaine he said that he only saw the rotting from the inside out in those type of persons and he asked me if i did street drugs and i told him NO i didnt do street drugs i was only taking the meds prescribed to me which was my oxycontin, he was shocked he said oh my gosh he didnt know that it would destroy teeth like that he himself said they should have some warning on there about that, and i told him i know they should cause i would have rather suffered in pain and tried something else for pain rather than to have lost all my teeth. now i cant eat properly my health is much worse cause i cant eat healty foods i have to eat everything that is soggy or extrememly soft and most times soft foods are fattening foods too. so i have gained some weight on my small frame and its hard for me to have any extra weight on me with my arthritus it wears my joints down and hurts. my doctor says i really do need the implants quickly before i end up dying from not eating properly but i cant find anyone out there to help me financialy to get the teeth i need. plus i havent smiled in 5 yrs now i am to ashamed to smile because i believed the doctors when they said that oxycontin was the safest pain medication out there i was lied to or they where misinformed by the makers of the drug. i think the drug company doesnt want everyone to know what type of damage this med can do to the enamel in teeth so they are trying to blame it on others environmental factors when in reality its all due to the medication completely, seeing i have nice teeth for years then in 6 months of taking this med my teeth where so weak that even in the process of eating a soft sandwich my front top teeth just broke in half from being so weak form the meds stripping the teeth of all their calcium and enamel was so weak too. this is not right that the drug company is not required to put that warning on their med and that they are not requiring the pharmasist to tell the patients this before they fill the med and they arent required to have the doctors to tell their patients that they may end up loosing their teeth if they take this med i think if there is any attorney out there that wants to take my case i am prepared to fight this thru all the way up until the law makes them change their warnings to keep the other patients from having to go thru what have theres got to be someone out there with lots of money willing to help me willing to help an honest, loving, kind and generous single mother ME in helping to get some teeth so i can chew foods again and my health wont keep deteorating so fast, my kids want to see me healty too.

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Angela,

I came across your postings as a result of searching for user comments by users of Oxycontin. The more I read, the more incredulous I became. This can't be happening to one person in one lifetime, I thought.

I'm very sorry that you've had to endure so much pain; I wish I could wave a magic wand and make it all go away for you. But I can't.

All I can offer you is some potentially useful information about dental restorations that would cost about one-third the price of what is typically charged. I live in Arizona and like a great many people here, my wife and I go to Nogales, Mexico to have our dental work done. We both have had some pretty involved dental work done, including root canals, gum surgery, crowns, implants, etc., with great results. The dentists in Mexico are all US-trained and their equipment is the same or better than anything I've seen in the US! They have patients from all over the US who fly into Tucson or Phoenix, stay for a few days or a week in a motel in Nogales, AZ, get their work done and go home. The husband of my ex-high school girlfriend from NJ needed a lot of work that they couldn't afford, so he finally came and had a whole mouth rebuilt in a week! And he got away from the snow as well.

If this is something that might work for you, let me know in a reply and we can figure out how to give you more details in a less public forum.

All the best.

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Yes,I'm on 80mg 4 times a day for the last 2 years.I've lost 3 molers so far,when I ask the doctors if this is from the drug,they all play dumb.My teeth are very hard,and I didn't have any of these problems before taking this poison.If I stop,I can't sleep for days because of the pain,it's a catch22,sorry about your health and your teeth,Darren.

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I read your letter last night and I understand, I recently went off all addictive prescription medication 4 to be exact it was hell, and I went to a new dentist that understood all the problems and my teeth are terrible I have to have some major work on them due to the dry mouth I am glad I have insurance but recently I found out that if you do not have insurance the local county hospital provides services but they just pull teeth,so I research more and found out that if you find a dental school where people r in training they can help so look for a dental school I heard they provide good service let me know

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57

Ellie Zarrabian, Ph.D. Says:
Sun, March 8, 2009

Hi all,
I had a chance to read all the discussions posted and wanted to say that I really appreciate how honest people are and how supportive of one another. It's great knowing that we can reach out to each other with out ever even having met each other.
I am a therapist and a holistic healer. I've been asked to join this listserve to offer support to people who are dealing with pain (physical or emotional) and to help out if I can. In reading many of these posts for the past couple of weeks I can tell you that there are many things in common with what people are saying about these meds, whether they are used for dealing with physical pain or emotional pain like anxiety and depression. Many of these meds can be of help at times, sometimes these meds can help bring people back from the dead, but other times, they cause tremendous amounts of pain and suffering because of the side effects. Most of you are right that these side effects are either not properly disclosed to the public or they are not tested long enough and the makers don't know the side effects themselves and unfortunately innocent people end up becoming guniea pigs.
Because of these terrible and at times life altering side effects, I always encourage people to do a lot of investigating and research before taking these meds and get second and third opinions before choosing to take them. But more so, I always advocate looking into alternative routes first when dealing with pain. Someone else also mentioned it...look into acupuncture, herbs, and an amazing technique called MBSR (minfulness based stress reduction). It's a meditation program (NOT medication) that was taught by this guy called Kabat Zinn to patients suffering from severe chronic pain and results over the years have shown to be very positive. These are all natural ways to deal with pain without having to resort of meds. It is also important to take care of the emotional and psychological pain that is inflicted after a trauma like car accident, surgeries, abuse, rape, death of a loved one, etc. Dealing with the emotional and psychological pain can help release the mental anguish and allow more joy and happiness to come into your life so that you can enjoy life as well. But many people try to do that with meds as well and again the vicious cycle of becoming dependent on these drugs and the side effects kick in. Psychotherapy and holistic healing are wasy to work with releasing mental trauma without resorting to drugs. Please feel free to respond to my post. I'd be happy to answer any questions.

Ellie Zarrabian, Ph.D.
California, United States
http://www.centeronpeace.com

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My husband became disabled due to an auto accident. His doctor put him on narcotic prescriptions. Five years had passed. His doctor had cut him without reason. My husband was not abuseing or selling his medications. My husband later found the doctors in our area were cutting patients for fear of lawsuits. It was stated that he no longer needed medication, but was permantly disabled. How is this possible? My husband had never done drugs and only every few years (new years eve) would have a drink. I would feel comfortable in saying that he is now a drug addict. Doctors like to prescribe medications to help keep you as a patient. They also tell you that withdrawl only lasts five days. My husband suffered for weeks and felt withdrawls for months before he went to the streets for dope. I do not blame him for what he has to do. He now has to take a chance everyday to find a drug just to maintain what the doctors had done to him. What is worse...Take a medication to replace the drug? Or take the original drug? We both have sympathy for people that were pushed to this extreme! As far as the teeth...FIND AN ATTORNEY! My husband had recieved a different card off of his doctor (he specialised in it) on the last visit......REHABILITATIVE MEDICINE. We found out what that meant. We also found out that all doctors are required to study this to some degree. We also found an attorney who showed us of examples of this happening all over the country. You will be suprised what your doctor (?friend?) put in your medical files. And if he specializes in auto injuries, you are going to be suprised! I would start cutting the dose of the pain medication. If you continue to ask about your teeth, you will be cut off by your doctor. They do know eachother and you will have no luck doctor shopping.' You just might be out on the street looking for a substitue drug to keep you from being sick and possibly commiting suicide!

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To Jessica- what your husband dr did was wrong by all means- drs have a responsibility to their patients & to cut someone off like that is criminal. I really feel bad for what your husband went through & still is-drs are suppose to lower the dosage of the med & not just cut them off for no reason- I hope you sue the pants off of this dr & turn him in. He should not even be able to practice medicine. Best of luck to you both as it is just as hard on you to have to care for him & watch him suffer. God bless

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I agree about the holistic i was doing that working with herbs and teas and such before i was put on the meds, but my doctor talked me into trying them, i was on vicodin but it started to damage my liver they said so when i finally agreed to try the oxycontin it was a miracle for me but soon turned into the biggest devastation with regards to my teeth, but i do agree those that are considering trying it dont let your doctor talk you into it unless you have absolutely no other resorts and you have as many surgeries and pain as i have had, but i wanted others to know that they will destroy your teeth even if your doctor tells you it wont , they are lying to you, it does destroy your teeth but every attorney i contact they tell me they have never heard of oxycontin destroying teeth, they say that all doctors tell them that it doesnt damage teeth that i had to be doing something else to destroy my teeth at least the ones in my area say that, and i have contacted lots of them, but then they want to talk to my doctor and i dont want to get cut off either seeing its the only thing that is working to keep my pain down too. so i feel horrible for your husband too that he has to resort to the streets, i do thank god everyday that my doctor at least doesnt fight to much with me over this, but my medicaid does, they fight with me every month about them not feeling i need it, but my doctor has stood up for me everytime on this matter. thank god

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