Oxycodone addiction - How Long?

I had back surgery to have an implant put in called a Lumbar Dorsal Column Stimulator. It is a lifesaver and I strongly recommend it to anyone who can qualify for it.

My question: Before receiving this implant I was put on oxycodone 40mg 12 hour time release. I have been taking it for about three and a half months. I am done with this drug and want to walk away from it. How long does it take to become addicted to this?

Thank you.

tony is right, everyone reacts different and you need to talk to ur doc and he will help minimize withdrawl symptoms. also, remember there is a difference between withdrawl and dependance, withdrawl is mental- lik if ur not in pain but still taking the meds b/c u think u need them, whereas dependence is a physiological reaction- ur body is used to the meds and is therefor dependant on them... u get withdrawl from either, but i was on oxycodone and oxycontin for much longer and did not have either problem... but anyway u cant just stop cold turkey just in case ur body is dependant, which no one can really know... but they best way to get off opiod meds are to step down... like if u normally take 4 pills a day go down to 2 a day for a while then 1 a day then every other day... something lik that but only ur doctor will know the best way to step down for the amount of medication ur taking, so i really agree that u should go see him, or just call his office and ask! hope this helped, glad ur doing better and hope u do well getting off the pills!

 Hi Mr.Majik,

 

   Welcome. Very glad to meet you. I dont know much about addiction depedence. But, I do know, when I was put on one of my mdeications I was told that the dose had to be slowly increaded, adn when it was time, it would be slowly decreased as well. He then told me the exact same things about the differances between addiction and dependence that Mr Mcguire, and PA lady said. Literally. You doc will know the safest way, to go about it. And I think it is REALLY awesome that your stimulator is working so well

 

*huggs*

dani

Again Mr Majik,
Addiction is the continual use of medication despite negative consequences. If you have not taken more medication than you were prescribed, or abused the medication by other means of delivery, etc, stolen, gotten arrested , etc, you are not addicted. You are physically dependent. Big, huge difference.
Your physician will discuss a realistic time table to stop the medications, but generally, medications are lowered a percentage of your current dosage every few days or weekly, depending on how your body responds to the dosage adjustment.
How long it will take depends entirely on how fast your PM doctor wants to reduce your dosage at a time, and how your body responds to each decrease. It may be as little as two weeks or a month. Again, it depends on the arrangements that your PM is comfortable with and how you respond to it.
Best wishes,
Sandi

Hi Mr.Majik!

I don't really have anything new to add...I think the questions and points I were going to make have been well said already. I just want you to know that I hope your SCS continues to work well for you and that you did qualify for it. It can make the difference between a reasonable quality of life and none at all. You will be fine when your doc slowly takes you off your pain medication....not to worry. And with as long as you've been taking them I doubt it will take very long.

Chutzie

I want to thank everyone, and I mean everyone, who took the time to post here. This forum is so full of informative and caring people.

One thing that Chutz mentioned a couple poses above this one is SCS. I do not know what that acronym represents. I suspect it is the Lumbar Dorsal Column Stimulator but do not see where the first "S" comes from.

God bless you,

Steve

Almost forgot....

Welcome to HW...  Hope you stay around we would be happy for you to join our family.

Laurie

I've seen it as Spinal Column Stimulator and as Spinal Cord Stimulator.

I have been diagnosed with a significant inflammation of the nerve root at L4-L5 and we think as the cause of the thigh pain I have had for nearly 3 months !! It is very sharp and at its worst when I stand up or sit down, but worst of all when I try to find a sleeping position. Finally...after Tylenol 3000mg...did nothing, I am taking oxycodone 5 about 5 times a day...and it also does nothing !! When the office opens, I am going to report in and hopefully will get a larger dose. I am a quite active 71 yr. old female...but my Internist is so afraid of the dosage to be used on ''geriatric'' patients and also of the potential of addiction. I am to have a MRI tomorrow and then very likely an injection of cortisone/lidocaine in the spot...and up to three times if needed. After that....surgery.

I am thinking of stopping all the meds and just having a frozen Margarita three times a day...more fun and I bet, more positive results....just kidding of course, but I am quite frustrated.

I have read in the past about narcotic pain-killers and someone please tell me if this is true or not. The ''narcotic'' knows the brain is registering pain...and it works on that pain...as long as the pain is there. But...when the pain is gone and the narcotics continue, they instead affect general physiology which leads to addiction.
The conclusion was: that one can use narcotic pain-killers as long as there is legitimate pain....when never after that point.
What do you all think on this?

So Tired, welcome to the forum. We do invite all new members to make an intro post so that all members will see it & be able to say hello & welcome aboard. If you can copy & paste what you have written above it would make a perfect intro post.

You have posted on a very old thread that has not had any activity in quite some time. We prefer to keep the older threads off of the main page. I will lock this so others do not post here. Look forward to seeing you again.