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Posted 4/2/2009 5:35 PM (GMT 0)
I found this site about 3+ weeks ago as I had went to try & fill my script for one-hundred & fifty 30mg oxycodone's & had to go to four pharmacies before I was blessed to find some. I came home & got on the internet & googled oxycodone shortage & was like...WOW!!!...I could not believe this was going on nationwide.

Well I thought I am just gonna have to move up to oxycontin & the Percocet 10's since I was told by different pharmacist that this problem will probably linger for at least a couple months. Well the last thing I wanted was to go on oxycontin as I was wanting to hold off on that strong of medicine until it was a must. Well I am a praying man. I used to be a Pastor of a small pentecostal church in my area until my disabilities just kept me from being the Pastor the people needed, I am also a single father raising a teemage daughter by myself so I really started praying & asked the Lord to help me make the right decision on my meds as I have severe chronic pain. Well after alot of prayer I kept thinking about that verse in Phillipians where it says "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me".

So yesterday I went to the Dr. & we talked & I could have had any pain med I wanted basically since he knew about the shortage. But I said I think I want to cut down from taking five 30mg oxycodone's a day to taking 12 10/325 perc's a day wich is a 30MG loss of medicine each day & the Dr. was glad to oblige. So I went & got my Perc's filled today & I take 2.5 four times a day & 2 at bedtime. Now that may not seem like much to some people but losing 30mg's a day is to me & since joining this board I mostly read & have seen that there are alot of great people out there in the world going thru similar things as myself.

So I said all that just to ask you when you say a prayer please remember me as I know I can get through this with the help of Jesus & people's prayers. And I think it is very nice that there is a website like this where I can ask people who understand to say a prayer for me because some people don't understand & think your some kind of drug addict. Well I am just a regular guy & would love for this medicine taper to work out for me.

And I don't want to offend nobody, if you don't believe in prayer that is ok, just wish me luck.

Thank you all for reading & thank you for alot of encouraging posts that I have read on this website...they really do help.

Have a Nice day :-)

Posted 4/2/2009 6:09 PM (GMT 0)
drbrosco

Some people think you're a drug addict? How terrible.You need to educate them.

I hope your tapir works. You are strong minded and brave. I hardly think you
would offend anyone!

I wish you the best. You can do all things.

Pamela
Posted 4/2/2009 6:50 PM (GMT 0)
ummmm I have a question. How is anyone able to take a half a percocet? It doesn't have a score line or at least neither of the oxycodone apap (?) and the endocet version that I take are small white or yellow tablets that are a cylinder shape. Don't think I have seen one that could be cut, but I could be wrong and if I am please let me know.

Best wishes

Scarred
Posted 4/2/2009 7:24 PM (GMT 0)

Scarred_for_life said...
ummmm I have a question. How is anyone able to take a half a percocet? It doesn't have a score line or at least neither of the oxycodone apap (?) and the endocet version that I take are small white or yellow tablets that are a cylinder shape. Don't think I have seen one that could be cut, but I could be wrong and if I am please let me know.

Best wishes

Scarred

They gave me the yellow endocets today that are 10/325's & I just snap them right in two. If you snap the yellow endocets look at the side that is imprinted 10/325 & snap it right on the 3 & you should get perfect halves every time.

If you look at the Mallinkrodt 10/325's they are scored in the middle. And are a little easier to snap in two, as I use to get them a long time ago before I started the 30's 

Posted 4/2/2009 11:08 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Drbrocsco,
You are aware that oxycodone is the main ingredient in Percocet and Oxycontin aren't you? I am happy that you decided to cut down on your pain meds, but do you think that this new dosage is going to work for you?
I tapered myself off Oxycontin/oxycodone a while back. It can be done. Did your doctor discuss using a reasonable amount to decrease your meds by every few days? That's the easiest way to taper without causing major withdrawal symptoms.
Anyway, I will send up a few prayers for you , along with sending you strength to get through this taper....I hope that you find that lessening your dosage covers the pain that you are in.
Sandi
Posted 4/3/2009 12:14 AM (GMT 0)

mrsm123 said...
Hi Drbrocsco,
You are aware that oxycodone is the main ingredient in Percocet and Oxycontin aren't you? I am happy that you decided to cut down on your pain meds, but do you think that this new dosage is going to work for you?
I tapered myself off Oxycontin/oxycodone a while back. It can be done. Did your doctor discuss using a reasonable amount to decrease your meds by every few days? That's the easiest way to taper without causing major withdrawal symptoms.
Anyway, I will send up a few prayers for you , along with sending you strength to get through this taper....I hope that you find that lessening your dosage covers the pain that you are in.
Sandi

I think I may have come off the wrong way by using the word "taper". I have severe chronic pain that is going nowhere & i have to have pain meds just to move. Yes I know all about oxycodone as I studied it extensively when I first got hurt 7 years ago so I knew what I was getting into. I may never get down to less than 25mg's a day as my pain may not allow for me to go further. But I took this amount of perc's for a year or so before moving up to the 30's.

I was just saying that I had to make a change because no pharmacy in the area has the pills I was taking (30mg oxycodone tabs) & I was thinking I was gona just go up a notch to Oxycontion along with some perc's for BT pain. But I decided I wanted to cut it down a notch & see if I can deal with it painwise by taking 12 of the 10/325 perc's a day. It has been a real painful day already, that's why the thread started asking for prayer.

Thanks & Have a Nice Night!

Posted 4/3/2009 4:01 AM (GMT 0)
Hi drbrosco!!

And I am so proud of you! It's hard to make the decision that you did and frightening also. To know that you don't have as many pills in the bottle as you used to take courage and faith, both of which you possess. I know you'll make it because the folks here have faith in you. I sure do!

Feel free to email me if you want of if things get rough,
Chutz
Posted 4/3/2009 4:44 PM (GMT 0)
Hope things go good with you on lowering you medicine doseages..
Keep us posted and I hope you have no bad withdrawals...
{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{HUGZ}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
Posted 4/3/2009 10:26 PM (GMT 0)
I did misunderstand what you were saying. We haven't had any problems with the shortage here, thankfully, since it is my breakthrough med , along with the fentanyl patch now.
I tried to lower my dosage at one point, wanting to see if I could manage the pain without pain meds.....I did it successfully but found out that my pain levels were not going anywhere but up and stayed there.....so I had to go back on meds.
I wish you lots of good luck as you do this and hope that your pain levels will stay at a manageable level.
Sandi
Posted 4/4/2009 2:12 AM (GMT 0)

 

drbrosco
Wow, whenever we Cper's start even thinking about coming "down" on our meds it's a big deal!!  Most of us have been going through this for years and can't function well without our pain meds.  So even though it may not seem important to some people, I know it is, and I give you MAJOR PROPS!!  Just remember that you can always go back "UP" if it gets too bad.. There is NO SHAME in admitting that you need help...and you always have "US" to talk to...

 

So, that being said...if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, I have very broad shoulders.  smilewinkgrin

 

Me.

Posted 4/4/2009 4:00 AM (GMT 0)
I can only echo what Rhonda has said. You are to be commended for what you are wating to do. However, if the pain is too great, then you may have to change back. Good luck...Susie
Posted 4/4/2009 3:26 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks everyone for the kind & encouraging words.

I have already been able to tell I have a bit more pain but I have had no withdrawls even though I have taken some form of oxycodone every day of my life for the past 7+ years.

 My worst time was this morning as I hadn't taken no pain meds since about 11PM last night & stayed up till 4AM & didn't wake up until 9:45AM. My back was in the worst pain it has been in for a long time & I thought I was gonna have to yell for my daughter to get up & get my pills as I didn't think I was gonna be able to get up, but thank the Lord I finally did. Guess I am gonna have to keep a few pills at my bedside now. But I usually get up at 6:30AM to take my kid to school so it probably won't be much of a problem, she is starting spring break this week though.

To the poster who said they have no problem getting their 30's you are sure blessed. My Dr. even told me his office called nearly every pharmacy in the area (wich is alot of pharmacies) just to find one of his patients some medicine & when they did they was only able to get her a partial script. So those pills are still very scarce here. My pharmacist told me they were supposed to get a bottle the 27th & it never showed up. I sure feel sorry for people who are not getting their meds filled because there isn't none to get. Makes me upset at the FDA for not even considering us people who are in chronic pain when they made their move. Even my Dr. said, "what did they expect, for everyone to just go into withdrawls".

Well everyone have a great weekend & I will say it again, this is a great website, as I never dreamed something like this exsisted, Thank God it does :-)

Posted 4/4/2009 4:20 PM (GMT 0)

drbrosco
I posted that I didn't have any trouble getting my Oxycodone 15 mg. for the past couple ogf months..I had trouble one time and had to get Percocets 10 mg/325.  I didn't like them as well, they didn't help much with the pain.

Just remember that it doesn't make you weak if you have to take a pill...it makes you weak if you let others dictate how you treat yourself...We are not weak!!!  You are not weak!!

Keep the faith,

Me.

Posted 4/4/2009 8:40 PM (GMT 0)
I've not been posting much as I'm not feeling so hot so I apologize for not welcoming new members. I spoke with my cousin, who's a pharmacist, last night and asked her about the shortage and she said one manufacturer was completely shut down because of production problems & violations. So I have a hunch this will get worse before it gets better.

PaLady
Posted 4/7/2009 2:06 PM (GMT 0)
Hey Scarred_for_life, you were wondering about cutting a Percocet in half. There is several cutters and crushers out there available. One is the Ultra Pill Splitter By Apex Healthcare Products. You can find that on Amazon.com Byt the way, I sent you an email concerning some other info. My first name is George so you know that the email is from me. I'm new here to the forums and thought I would try and start off in a helping way. Please let me know if the info. I sent you helps. Have a great day!
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