Trying for an increase. Wish me luck!!

[krinkov]

Ok. About 8 months ago, my doctor raised my dosage to 1-30mg oxycodone hcl tab every 4 hours. This placed me at 6 pills a day. But, he only gave me 140 pills for the month. (For you math illiterate, that's 40 pills short) He did this thinking that I wouldn't need 6 pills day for every day.Like I said, I've been at this dose for about 8 months. I'd really like to be upped to the full 180 pills per month. Do you guys think this is a reasonable request? He's normally been a very leneant doctor. I don't get lectured by him or anything like that.
So, am I OK, or am I asking for too much? Your advice is appreciated!!

Krinkov

[Spikey]

I think that's reasonable to ask, I would just say that I was using all 6 most everyday and it would be nice not to run short. Can't hurt to ask if he's a nice guy.

Spikey

[I-Nod]

Good Luck!! :D







I have a doctor like that... would tell me to take something every 6hrs, but only prescribes 3 a day. Guess there's only 18hrs in his day, or he doesn't factor in sleeping hours. Who knows? Probably just bad at math...

[jersey_emt]

I think that's reasonable to ask, I would just say that I was using all 6 most everyday and it would be nice not to run short. Can't hurt to ask if he's a nice guy.

Spikey

I wouldn't say that I run short. I would say that most days I need all six, but that I only take five because I do not want to run out. And that it would be nice to be able to take one pill every time I have pain instead of having to 'pick and choose' when to get good pain relief.

[lilred0005]

Good luck! Yeah, I'd definetly ask especially cause it has been 8mos & if he's a good Dr. then he should understand the issue of tolerance. I also wouldn't say that you're runnin out, just that it would be nice to have a little extra for those rough days. Take care & let us know how it goes.

[taj]

I wouldn't say that I run short. I would say that most days I need all six, but that I only take five because I do not want to run out. And that it would be nice to be able to take one pill every time I have pain instead of having to 'pick and choose' when to get good pain relief.

+1

[Shadowsblaze]

I would also say that the duration is a little over 2 hrs and that you are starting to get chilly at aroud 3hrs. and over night is particularly bad, that when you wake in the morning, after an uneasy sleep your eyes are watering alot.

[krinkov]

I would also say that the duration is a little over 2 hrs and that you are starting to get chilly at aroud 3hrs. and over night is particularly bad, that when you wake in the morning, after an uneasy sleep your eyes are watering alot.

What do you mean? I'm not quite catching your drift. Sorry. :(

[Thebane]

I would also say that the duration is a little over 2 hrs and that you are starting to get chilly at aroud 3hrs. and over night is particularly bad, that when you wake in the morning, after an uneasy sleep your eyes are watering alot.

I think he's saying you should claim to be having w/d symptoms to get an increase. That seems like something a pain patient should never do to me though. If you eyes are watering and you actually have pain it should be magnified from the w/ds and that should worry you more than a runny nose. I'm assuming that's why no one recommends this. Also, if you're stable on one pill every 4 hours you shouldn't really be getting withdrawals symptoms before every dose.

[Shadowsblaze]

I misread, I thought he was taking ir's, these were methods I used to get increase It worked for me. I receive over 300.

[krinkov]

I misread, I thought he was taking ir's, these were methods I used to get increase It worked for me. I receive over 300.

Yes, this is for the IR's.

300!!! Holy shit!! I thought I was doing good at 140! Damn!! I've got work to do. :D

[jersey_emt]

Yes, this is for the IR's.

300!!! Holy shit!! I thought I was doing good at 140! Damn!! I've got work to do. :D

You should ask about getting a controlled-release drug for around-the-clock pain and an immediate-release drug for breakthrough pain. You can say something like, "I'm getting tired of having to take pills every four hours, especially when you need to get up in the middle of the night to do so."

You seem to be stable on 140mg/day (140 30mg pills every 30 days = an average of 140mg per day). The doctor might put you on OxyContin 80mg twice a day (160mg/day) and some Percocet or Roxicodone for breakthrough pain.

Controlled-release drug + immediate-release drug is the best combination for pain.

[EleusisII]

I think he's saying you should claim to be having w/d symptoms to get an increase. That seems like something a pain patient should never do to me though.
IDK about that, tolerance and dependance are a natural consequence of that much oxycodone.
Sounds a little exagerated though. Even when I take 300mg a day or more, it takes at least 8 hours before I start feeling it mildly.

It's a surefire way to be put on Oxycontin though, which you don't want.

OC80 * 2 = 160mg a day
Roxi30 * 6 = 180mg a day

Roxicodone, 30 mg... 5$
Oxycontin 80 mg... 15$
20 mg of oxycodone extra? Priceless!

[nycjrt]

just make sure you take off the vulcan ears before the appointment:p
seriously though, good luck!

[pokergooch]

Take them as prescribed. when you run out, call the doc or take the bottle into the pharmacy. I'm no pharmacist or doc, but If they write 6 per day and you are 40 short for the month, someone has some explaining to do. If he wanted you to take the 140 for the month, he should have written it for that.

I would call the doc and explain the situation. Sounds like hes a good guy. but you know him best. This could be a sticky situation..

PG

[krinkov]

You should ask about getting a controlled-release drug for around-the-clock pain and an immediate-release drug for breakthrough pain. You can say something like, "I'm getting tired of having to take pills every four hours, especially when you need to get up in the middle of the night to do so."

You seem to be stable on 140mg/day (140 30mg pills every 30 days = an average of 140mg per day). The doctor might put you on OxyContin 80mg twice a day (160mg/day) and some Percocet or Roxicodone for breakthrough pain.

Controlled-release drug + immediate-release drug is the best combination for pain.

I also get 15 100mcg/h fentanyl patches every month along with the Roxicodone. ;)

[krinkov]

just make sure you take off the vulcan ears before the appointment:p
seriously though, good luck!

:D

[Thebane]

IDK about that, tolerance and dependance are a natural consequence of that much oxycodone.
Sounds a little exagerated though. Even when I take 300mg a day or more, it takes at least 8 hours before I start feeling it mildly.


Like you said, 8 hrs. for withdrawal for you. I just find it hard to believe someone who took that script as prescribed would feel withdrawals when taking a pill every 4 hours. Of course the doctor thinks this is the highest amount of opiates he's ever been on, if I was a dr. I'd think he was taking something else if he felt withdrawals 6 times a day every time he hadn't dosed in 3-4 hours. Maybe I'm wrong, and I'd be a lot more likely to believe the story if he'd been on the same dose for more than 8 months. But I don't see how you go from getting pain relief taking a pill every 4 hours to withdrawing every 4 hours on the same dose in 8 months, unless you take it in a way different than it's prescribed.

And, again, I'd think if you had pain issues you'd tell the doc you were in agony because the pain-relief was wearing off. Mentioning withdrawal symptoms instead would throw up a red flag if I was the doc that 1) their pain must not be that bad if the worst symptom of no opiates they feel is a runny nose and 2) being pre-occupied about withdrawals screams junkie to me more than CP patient - if you take the meds as prescribed you're never supposed to be in withdrawals except maybe in the morning if you're only on IR meds.

I'm not saying no one feels withdrawals 4 hours after taking oxy, I'd just be suspicious if I was a doc and someone claimed to, because I think it's highly unlikely if they took the meds as directed - and, even if it did happen, I'd expect them to complain about the pain rather than a runny nose. And I'm pretty sure most CP patients say to tell your doc you're in pain, not that opiate withdrawals are interfering with your life.

And I don't doubt your story Restharrow, I'm just saying in my mind there's some issues with telling your doc that, but most docs could very well not think twice about it.

[Uncle Wiggly]

^^^ I agree with Thebane. I wouldn't mention withdrawals if I were you. Besides your BT meds you're supposed to be wearing a 100Mcg Fentanyl patch every 48 hours and that would negate abstinence syndrome. I would approach it from a pain management point-of-view.

[roxi*stardust]

Like you said, 8 hrs. for withdrawal for you. I just find it hard to believe someone who took that script as prescribed would feel withdrawals when taking a pill every 4 hours. Of course the doctor thinks this is the highest amount of opiates he's ever been on, if I was a dr. I'd think he was taking something else if he felt withdrawals 6 times a day every time he hadn't dosed in 3-4 hours. Maybe I'm wrong, and I'd be a lot more likely to believe the story if he'd been on the same dose for more than 8 months. But I don't see how you go from getting pain relief taking a pill every 4 hours to withdrawing every 4 hours on the same dose in 8 months, unless you take it in a way different than it's prescribed.

And, again, I'd think if you had pain issues you'd tell the doc you were in agony because the pain-relief was wearing off. Mentioning withdrawal symptoms instead would throw up a red flag if I was the doc that 1) their pain must not be that bad if the worst symptom of no opiates they feel is a runny nose and 2) being pre-occupied about withdrawals screams junkie to me more than CP patient - if you take the meds as prescribed you're never supposed to be in withdrawals except maybe in the morning if you're only on IR meds.

I'm not saying no one feels withdrawals 4 hours after taking oxy, I'd just be suspicious if I was a doc and someone claimed to, because I think it's highly unlikely if they took the meds as directed - and, even if it did happen, I'd expect them to complain about the pain rather than a runny nose. And I'm pretty sure most CP patients say to tell your doc you're in pain, not that opiate withdrawals are interfering with your life.

And I don't doubt your story Restharrow, I'm just saying in my mind there's some issues with telling your doc that, but most docs could very well not think twice about it.
^^^ I agree with Thebane. I wouldn't mention withdrawals if I were you. Besides your BT meds you're supposed to be wearing a 100Mcg Fentanyl patch every 48 hours and that would negate abstinence syndrome. I would approach it from a pain management point-of-view.


I agree 100% with both Thebane and Wiggly. Krinov is on Fentanyl patches so saying he is having w/d from the Roxicodone is STUPID. Secondly, there is no way someone taking their dose every 4 hours is having withdrawal symptoms 3 hours after dosing. The half life is around 3.5 hours so it hasn't even started to leave your system at that point.

A patient in pain would be way more worried about the pain they are experiencing when the medication starts to wear off than they would watery eyes or a runny nose, come on.

Just for the record, Shawdows, don't try that with any other doctor because you will be more likely to get the drug seeker label than more pills. You're lucky you have a very naive doctor.

Krinov, just tell your doctor that you are having more frequent episodes of b/t pain the past 2 months or so. And ask if it is okay to take them more frequently than you are. If he says yes then ask him about increasing the quanity to reflect the more frquent dosing.

[krinkov]

Well guys, I went and no luck. He said he doesn't want me taking anymore now. Oh well. I tried.

Krinkov

[EleusisII]

What did you say? What did he say? A little more information? Maybe you can draw the whole visit in Paint and post it?

[losangeleslifer]

Well guys, I went and no luck. He said he doesn't want me taking anymore now. Oh well. I tried.

Krinkov

Anymore what? Oxy? Can you be a little more specific Krink?