Yet another Oxycodone abuser

Hello,
I first went on percocet and vicodin for pain after surgery a few years ago. I am now 33 and for the past few years have been using oxycodone with my friend who has chronic back pain and gets way more prescribed than he needs to manage the pain. We “party” on it daily. We crush up 40mg oxycontin tablets and snort them. My daily dosage varies between 15 and 70mg depending on the supply available. When the OC tablets run out we fall back to 10mg percocets until he gets the next OC prescription. Despite this relatively lavish drug addiction I am able to maintain a successful professional career. The opiates can be energizing – keep the work blues away, etc. The downside is I might look a bit strung out now & then. Cutting back on dosage can be uncomfortable. I’ve tried to quit a few times, but when a new OC prescription comes in it is sooo alluring – I just cannot say no. I am beginning to worry about major health issues if I am unable to stop. In the last 9 months I’ve gained 14 pounds. I’m using more and more in the AM hours instead of waiting until afternoon or evening and I think its reducing my metabolism. In the last few weeks I’ve felt like something is wrong with my heart. Its hard to describe, but its like it has to work harder or I’m more aware of it beating for some reason. I’ve looked up symptoms of reduced heart function and I don’t fit with those. Maybe its hypertension or something?
-remains-o-day

What you need is to go into treatment! Not just Methodone or Suboxin but mental help too.Also you may need to stay away from the people you are doing drugs with the temptation may be too great when you see them doing it. It makes the differance between stopping for a short time and stopping for good. It is a very hard thing to do and is so mentally challenging, but you do not have to reach rock bottom to know you need help. You seem to know you are headed in that direction so before you lose everything you worked so hard to get. This could happen if you are in an accident and test positive for something you have no script for or are caught with the pills on you. There is a modern day witch hunt going on and even people who have a valid script for opiates are going to jail!

I feel for you but this is one of the reasons people who really do need pain medications face so many problems getting the help they really need and then facing harsh critics when they do. I am a pain paitent with dextroscoliosis in the t-spine with herniations and arthritis in my cervical spine. I have every right to receive pain killers but I have to go to a doctor far from my house, keep my meds a secrect from my friends and family because even though I need these meds to function like a normanl person (ie sitting, moving, facing light) they accuse me of being a drug addict!

Sorry if I sound preachy but I really feel for you and know what you are facing. I went into the hospital for depression once and they refused to give me my pain meds I went through withdrawls and only received help when I accused them of predjudice and they actually saw without my meds I had too much pain to get the mental help I needed.

Take care of yourself.

LMR is right. You need help bro. I also hate hearing stories like these because I am chronic pain patient with similar problems as LMR. I do have to disagree with LMR because although there is a modern day witch hunt going on for this stuff it is a witch hunt for two kinds of people... people who abuse this and doctors who are stupid when writing prescriptions for it. Doctors through the years have been scared to write perscriptions for opiates when there really is no need to be. For people who are in pain doctors should write script for the meds people need and keep a close eye on the patient, it may be more work for the doc, but people need the relief they need. 10% of america has an addictive personality, meaning the other 90%, when perscribed pain medicine and taking it as prescribed will NOT become addicted. all of this crap about if you are opiates you will become addicted is bullshit. people will more than likely become dependent on the drug but dependence and addiction are two totally different things. one a lot more serious than the other.... LMR when you say that you hide taking your pain medicine from your family that is bad. it is quite sad you need to hide such a huge and debilitating thing such as chronic pain from your family... are you sure you aren't just hiding an addiction problem?