I broke my arm over the weekend, and the doc gave me a Percocet prescription (5/325), which I have been dutifully taking every 6 hours. How much of an effort should I make to stop taking it? I figure it’s still needed, but I haven’t exactly pushed it because I’m not a fan of pain.
I have a good 40 pills left, since the orthopedic surgeon re-prescribed it, “just in case”.
Well, it’s a Schedule II controlled substance, if that tells you anything. Yes, it’s addictive, as addictive as any other opioid (although Percocet specifically has acetominophen in it, too), and yes, you should keep taking the pills for pain relief, because you heal faster if you’re not in pain. Have you ever had other opioids in the past, and did you go into withdrawal and start doctor-shopping and forging prescriptions when they ran out? If you didn’t have any trouble with other opioids or opiate derivatives, then you shouldn’t have any trouble with Percocet.
How did you break your arm, if I may ask? (Although if it involved naked dwarves and green jello, I don’t think I wanna know…)
Snowboarding. I got to ride the little sled all the way down the mountain. NOT as cool as it looks.
Very addictive, trust me, I speak from experience.
How does oxycodone differ from hydrocodone (Vicodin)? Does one last longer, or provide greater pain relief?
IANAD, but my understanding is that you make more difference that the drug itself. Have you ever been addicted to anything before? Do you think you have an addictive personality? Are you currently enjoying it a bit much?
Everyone is different. But I wouldn’t sweat it too much. I have been on it more than once and never had problems going off. (I am much more addicted to sugar than any other substance I can think of.)
You’re unlikely to get an actual physical addiction at that dosage and frequency. However, it can certainly activate a psychological dependence in susceptible individuals. Worry if you find yourself taking it to change your mood, not your pain.
As opiates go, oxycodone is a stronger pain reliever than hydrocodone. Opiate addicts tend to value it more highly than hydrocodone too, as it gives most addicts more euphoria.
It’s in the same league as morphine, demerol, dilaudid, and fentanyl in terms of potency for pain relief and ability to cause euphoria in those inclined to euphoria from opiates. In general.
I was just thinking about asking a different painkiller question, but since this is here I’ll hijack it.
Ketarolac - I was given some this stuff back in '99. All I’ve read about it says “do not use for more than 5 days”. Is this per lifetime? In a row (with how much time in between?) or what? The stuff kicked ass, IIRC - killed the pain and gave me change. What is it and why are they so jumpy about the 5-day thing?
Thanks
Ketorolac, trade name: Toradol, is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug similar to ibuprofen, aspirin, and a host of others. But this one, while an excellent pain reliever given as an IV or IM injection, or as a pill, is particularly harsh on the kidneys when taken for sustained periods of time. Hence the warnings to not take it so often or so frequently.
I’ve had patients who needed it 3 or 4 times a month. That’s about as often as I was comfortable with giving it to them. But it’s safe to go on again, if in the past it was beneficial.
Don’t take it with other NSAIDS (ibuprofen, aspirin, etc).