The active ingredient in OxyContin is oxycodone but OxyContin (a brand name derived from "oxycodone continuous") has a time-release mechanism, which means the drug is released in the body over a period of time and patients have to take the drug less often. Regular oxycodone is an immediate-release drug, an opiod narcotic painkiller used to treat moderate to severe pain.

Oxycodone is 14-hydroxydihydrocodeinone, a white odorless crystalline powder which is derived from the opium alkaloid (See below), thebaine. * The substance obtained by air-drying the juice from the unripe capsule of the poppy, Papaver somniferum. It contains a number of important alkaloids, such as morphine, codeine, heroin, and papaverine. The growing and transportation of the poppy as well as the manufacture of drugs from the juice are controlled by national and international laws.

********************

Those now trying to stop taking Oxycodone are finding it extremely hard. The withdrawals can be more than some people can take. Doctors are jumping on a new drug they are offering their patients to help with the Oxycodone addictions. Many times the side effects of this new drug called Suboxone can be just as bad as the initial drug itself. Caution is ADVISED:

Suboxone Side Effects

Generic name: buprenorphine / naloxone

Overview Side Effects Interactions For Professionals More...

Note: This document contains side effect information about buprenorphine / naloxone. Some of the dosage forms listed on this page may not apply to the brand name Suboxone.

Some side effects of Suboxone may not be reported. Always consult your doctor or healthcare specialist for medical advice. You may also report side effects to the FDA.

For the Consumer

Applies to buprenorphine / naloxone: sublingual film, sublingual tablet
Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction while taking buprenorphine / naloxone: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
Like other narcotic medicines, buprenorphine can slow your breathing. Death may occur if breathing becomes too weak.
Call your doctor at once or seek emergency medical attention if you have:

extreme drowsiness;
loss of coordination, weakness or limp feeling;
blurred vision, slurred speech, thinking problems;
weak or shallow breathing;
nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
pounding heartbeats or fluttering in your chest; or
withdrawal symptoms--diarrhea, vomiting, shaking or shivering, runny nose, watery eyes, muscle pain, and feeling very hot or cold.

Common side effects may include:

headache, mild dizziness;
numbness or tingling;
drowsiness, or sleep problems (insomnia);
stomach pain, vomiting, constipation;
redness, pain, or numbness in your mouth;
feeling drunk; or
trouble concentrating.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. Source: DRUGS.COM

OXYCODONE SUPPORT GROUPS -

I am going thru the same thing. I was taking up to 500mg of Roxy's per day. I almost lost everything including my life. Just recently I got a Staph infection in my hip which required emergency surgery to save my life. After I decided to come forward and get help my Dr had me taking 4mg of Suboxone 4 times a day or half a film 4 times a day. I was a Zombie! I had extreme headaches and would fall asleep if I sat still for a second. I lost my sex drive, energy levels were so low I didn't want to get out of bed and for a father of two and a husband of an amazing wife I had to make a change. I took my detox into my hands and lowered my dosage to 2mg 4 times a day then 2 mg 2 times a day then as needed when I had bad cravings so I wouldn't use. I am still having a really hard time staying sober even though I almost lost my life to Staph which was related to bad needle practices. Thankfully I didn't catch any other life altering diseases, like AIDS oh HEP A or B and many other possible diseases. My heart goes out to you. Good luck and stay the course. Send me a personnel message if anyone would like to chat and help each other thru this very tuff time.

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By GripIt-RipIt on Sat, 08-25-12, 19:05

I am like you two, in one body. I had a near fatal dirt bike accident in October 2010. Been on pain killers ever since. Started out with a little MS Contin and Norco for BT, but you know the story...tolerance...increase...tolerance...increase, but i was always using my RX up too quickly and going in early. I eventually tried almost every opiate in the book, MS Contin, Norco, Fentanyl patch, Percs, vics, dilaudid, roxies 15, and ultimately Roxy 30's. I would take 20 or more a day! Long story short, over the course of about 18 months I developed an addiction the completely controlled me. Every day, every thought, every minute, was based on my pills. I am sure you can relate. How i differ is that i finally just threw in the towel. My wife knew the whole time and it was slowly killing us. I gave in, and checked in. Told my boss on Aug 2nd and i was in detox facility the next day. Took the suboxone schedule for five days and went home. They only used suboxone to get me threw the acute withdrawal, which was [cannot even decribe how miserable]. the Post Acute phase is what i am dealing with know, like you, depression, fatigue, insomnia, etc. again, you can relate. I will say, i have forced myself to eat right, walk at least 20 minutes each morning, and drink plenty of fluids. It has really helped shorten this phase for me because i have read it can take many weeks or even months to get back to "normal". Normal for me is high i thought. But now i know normal is coming because each day i get a bit better. I can function again and actually accomplish things around the house without a handful of oxy. It's inspiring to think how bad i felt a week ago, or two weeks ago. What i am trying to say is to hang in there, its a war not a battle. Each day is a battle, you just have to win one at a time and the war will be over soon.

Never let good enough, be good enough.

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By fitness4life on Sun, 08-26-12, 17:27

I done a lot of research and talked to my doctor about the supplement 5-HTP. I started taking it and felt better soon after (couple of days). low serotonin levels is linked to depression, lack of motivation, strong sugar and carbohydrate cravings. the supplement is a serotonin precursor. I just take 50mgs per day about a hour after taking the suboxone. if you are already taking an antidepressant then it's a good idea to talk to your doctor first. Taking the two together could cause Serotonin Syndrome, which is very serious. I'm not as fatigued as i once was but i'm still lacking motivation on a daily basis. my doctor did increase the suboxone to 6mgs a day vs 4. that has helped BUT i cannot take all 6mgs at once. it makes me pretty sick and very tired. I still get pretty tired if i sit down for longer than 10 minutes. it's just weird for me considering I was very energetic and peppy before i started using. I do feel like i am in a much better place mentally than even a few weeks ago. Physically i'm finally getting stronger and more fit. I have to work out in the early evening to avoid being tired during the afternoons.
If i had only known the consequences of taking perks/roxies. it's crazy how quick one's tolerance builds up and a full blown addiction is in your face. I wish you guys the best of luck with your recovery!

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By tashalynn23 on Mon, 10-08-12, 12:43

Can you take the 5htp while pregnant? I have been using for about three years and my story is very similar to all of yours. I recently found out I am pregnant and immediately went to the doctor to get on suboxone. I get very bad headaches, but overall I feel better because now I dont have to spend all of my time figuring out where i can get more pills from,and i dont feel the guilt I felt at first for using while pregnant. I actually lowered the dosage i am taking on my own because the headaches were so terrible. And as for not having energy, it is very hard to tell if it is because of the pregnancy or the suboxone. honestly i dont feel normal but i am pretty sure i dont know what normal is after spending so many years high on pills. it takes a long time to regain what has been destroyed or lost...

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By clean4good on Thu, 10-11-12, 10:30

FITNESS4LIFE == I experienced a little bit of "all the above". I am on a Lexapro which has been helpful I belive during my recovery. I do not believe in the "quick fix" of a 5 day run with the Suboxone. Personally I would suggest more outpatient follow up therapy with Suboxone. The Suboxone does not give us the same Euphoric "high" as narcotics but it does make you feel better. I have noticed when missing a dose by mistake that I felt down, emotional, tired, and unmotivated. The medication was still in my system, I by no means was in "withdrawl" but still felt blah. Sounds like to me you are suffering from some depression and definately withdrawl. Stay focused get out there and find a good doctor who is approved to prescribe Suboxone and take your recovery slowly and seriously. It is certain that a long term treatment plan is more effective then the short term "quick fix". Quick fix will work for some but I tend to lean toward the majority and the facts. The last thing you want is to relapse back into taking narcs to "take the edge off" the withdrawls. I have rambled on here with my personal opinions, I hope this is helpful, if not for you, for me, and perhaps for someone else. Part of our treatment is getting on here and talking about our experiences good, bad, and indifferent. * I am not a physician and do not suggest any of this as medical advice, simmply from person in recovery to another*

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By msrobin315 on Sat, 10-20-12, 21:49

I have been on suboxone 8mg 4 times a day for almost 2 yrs....I will say I think I have just covered up one addiction with another.....idk....

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By fitness4life on Tue, 11-27-12, 19:34

I just posted my tapering experience on another thread. I thought i was rambling on mine, lol...I'm doing so much better. In short, my dose was way too high. I have lowered from 6mg to 2.5mgs in the last ten days. My taper plan is pretty simple and i've read many success stories from folks who used a similar plan. I've felt BETTER with each drop. NO side effects whatsoever. Here's the thing, we all have different body chemistry, there is no set taper protocol for everyone. It really needs to be tailored by your body and how your feeling mentally and physically. Im glad that i sought out treatment but i tell ya, Sub really effected my health way too much. I had every and any side effect possible from it. My body has always been very sensitive and i have no idea how i done my doc for the amount of time i did. looking back, i wasn't even using to get high but to stay out of withdrawal. oh well, here i am feeling much better with every dose i drop. Attitude plays a huge part in this. Try your best to be positive, if you feel like youre taking too much Sub, your ready for a drop. worse case scenario, you'll have to take a small amount if you did drop too fast. but i've read and am going by the no more than 20-25% reduction every 4-7 days, 2 weeks, or 1 month). I've dropped every 4th day and haven't had a bad day yet. there are too many horror stories out there, educate yourself about the med, and just listen to your body. Again, i feel better and better on a lower dose.

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By ablake29 on Thu, 03-14-13, 10:45

Hey fitness4life, I too, was VERY active in my health and fitness before my addiction occurred. I was playing roller derby, starting to get into power lifting, jogging daily, and wanted to be a parent. Damn injuries and genetics and choices. Even as an educated social worker, I developed an addiction to pain meds. I was put on Suboxone and have been on it for nearly two years now. I attempted once before to titrate and was successful with my schedule but then hurt myself again and needed pain medication support. So instead of pain meds, my doctor increased the Subs. I am now actively working on decreasing my dosage, again. But to respond to your questions/inquiry...I have also felt that fatigue and loss or lack of self motivation. I use to have vigor for life. Now I just want to play on the computer and watch tv. I work very hard to keep myself accountable to personal and daily goals. I want to feel successful so I make sure my goals are obtainable and reasonable. Even if it is just one thing. Anyhow, I just read one of the responses here, about 5htp. So I am going to try that. Also, I have had HORRIBLY STRONG cravings for sugar and carbs and nicotine. I am hoping and praying that as I decrease and titrate from Suboxone these other cravings will too, decrease. As an aspiring power lifter, sugar and nicotine was not part of my life...when i think back to who I was before the addiction, I feel hopeful that that person is still me. I have been extremely curious to know if others have experienced these intense cravings and feelings....?

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By strong on Sat, 03-30-13, 16:06

I have been taking 1 1/2 a day now for a year and now my Dr.has lowered me to 1 one day and 1 and a half the next. He gave me two weeks two weeks for change but ever since the first chance I have kept a headache, no energy and j6st ill. I think I am moving down to fast has anyone else had this problem. My Dr. said everyone has done fine with this but not everyone's the same.

Aere

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By Fayth68 on Sat, 04-13-13, 11:48

Hi,
I started on Suboxone 4 weeks ago after taking pain pills for 7 years for health problems. I am sure I took almost all of them out there. I went through a week and a half of withdrawl before starting the Suboxone. I take 4 milligrams in the a.m., 2 milligrams in the afternoon and 2 milligrams at night. I have been lucky. Suboxone has really been a big help. Right now I don't have any cravings. I attended a daily 4 hour counseling session for 4 1/2 weeks. Now I go once a week and attend NA and AA meetings 4-5 times a week. The Suboxone has also helped to manage my pain better than the pain pills. I concentrate on one hour at a time.

Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent
~Eleanor Roosevelt~

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By BHMelvin on Thu, 04-18-13, 10:07

I started taking suboxone about 3 years ago. Prior to that I had an addiction to percocet due to multiple surgeries and problems with severe headaches. Initially, suboxone seemed to be a good answer for me as it took away my cravings for percocet and allowed me to have a more normal life. But, the longer I took it the more I noticed my personality changing. I use to be a very motivated person. I have 3 graduate degrees and was very involved in my profession. Since suboxone, I have become very depressed and have little interest in anything. I have quit my job and barely make it out of the house. The only thing I want to do is lay on the couch and read or watch tv. I am very unhappy and miss my old self. I also have a lot of problems with anxiety. I started out at 16 mg of suboxone and have titrated down to 7 mg, but don't feel much better. I am finally biting the bullet and going to detox and rehab. I feel like this is my last chance. I can't stand my life and want my old self back.

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By Johnsit99 on Sun, 04-21-13, 12:06

I've been on the subs for 4 months. I have experienced The sweating at night an lack of motivation for a while now. Has anyone actually been succeful on this therapy. I just wanna read one success story. Good luck to all of Yao.

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By mrubano on Sat, 05-11-13, 08:10

Hello,
Suboxone has been a lifesaver for me and many others.
Yes, the dosage needs to be correct. The doctors tend to give more mgs than needed, but that is better than not enough.
After 4 months, you are at a place where you can SLOWLY cut you dosage.
For me, too much sub kept me from sleeping and gave me palpitations.
Again, for me, taking sub multiple times a day was no good, never slept, and sweat when sleeping. Now, I take when I wake up, and thats it. If I take even a small dose after noon, I don't sleep well.
What was your DOC (drug of choice)?
and, how much sub are you doing each day, and how often?
Here to help!

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By Fayth68 on Sat, 05-04-13, 09:39

In my situation when I was on pain medicine I had no motivation, I hardly slept and my depression was terrible. With the Suboxone I now have energy and motivation and I am sleeping like a baby.
I think it affects everyone differently.
Maybe doseages need to be adjusted to fine out which doseage is right for you.

Nobody can make you feel inferior without your consent
~Eleanor Roosevelt~

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By mrubano on Sat, 05-11-13, 08:14

OH, I just saw your previous posts.
You should try taking your daily dose at once, in the morning.
After 4 months, you are not sweating from detox from the oxy, it's the sub.
The 1/2 life of sub is so long that once a day is fine.
Actually, most doctors are starting to tell their patients to dose once a day.
Good Luck,

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By StraightCashWavy on Fri, 05-10-13, 00:23

dude be careful with suboxone...all you need is like 2-3 strips(pills)..let me explain why..
1)Suboxone is 100 times stronger than smack
2)It can be ADDICTING (so please use it to get off and not to substitute one habit for another)
3)If you take it for more than a week you will get suboxone withdrawals (which last 7-14 days) trust me i know what im talking about dont take this as a joke you will suffer...
A lot of people i know who took subs for too long actually went through "suboxone withdrawal" which took a very long to go away due to a VERY LONG HALF-LIFE...most of them went back to H because instead of suffering for 2 weeks from suboxone withdrawal they could just suffer for 3-5 days coming of H cold turkey.
NOW HOW TO TAKE IT
WAIT UNTIL YOU ACTUALLY START FEELING SICK BEFORE TAKING SUBOXONE!!!
1)12-24 hours after your last dose of H.
2)Take 1st strip of Suboxone and cut it in 2pcs.(1 half in the morning....another half at night) DONT TAKE THE WHOLE THING 8mg is too much!!! DONT LISTEN TO WHAT DOCS ARE SAYING, THEY JUST WANT YOUR MONEY!!!
3)Next day..take your 2nd strip and cut it into 4 pieces..this should last you 2 DAYS...1 pc in the AM 1 in the pm.
4)After you finished your 2nd strip...3rd strip should be cut into 6 pieces, and that should last you 3 days..same pattern as last 2 strips you took (1 in the am and 1 in the pm)
5)After you finished your 3 strips you should be feeling ok..little to no dope sickness...
PLEASE GIVE THIS A SHOT..ITS WORTH IT BELIEVE ME.
hope all of you guys get better stay off this evil drug its only going to ruin your life and everyone who is around you.
GOD BLESS YOU

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By Shell81 on Sun, 05-12-13, 22:08

I have a couple questions since u really seem to know what ur talking about ... I was on and off Vicodin for about 7-8 years bc of back pain and gallbladder disease pain ( I have no ins so haven't been able to really address those issues) my previous doc decided to put me on tramadol so that I wasn't on a narc .. Well I had been on that for the past three years and towards the end I got very little pain relief from the tram but did develope an addiction to it ( my doc also told me tramadol was not addictive ) NOT TRUE !!! I tried to get off of the tram cold turkey and the wd was horrible , worse than anytime I got off opiates .. Anyway I went to a doc to help me get off the tram , he suggested suboxone , he said bc I wasn't on a narcotic that he wants to do a 30 sub program and then have me off of it .. Since I have started the subs ( besides the first day in the doc office) I have had migraines everyday , usually eccedrine would take care of that ( I do suffer from migraines to begin with) my stomach has hurt , felt almost bloated and gassy , also nauseated .. I am going to mention this to my doc but now I'm really worried about when the 30 days is up and I have to get off the subs , I assume he is going to tapper me off but I saw how bad it was when my husband tried to get off thenm ( he was on subs for a much longer time , had gotten addicted to pain meds and u know how the story goes , went from pills to dope ) but anyway I'm freaked out that when it's time to get off the subs for me it will be bad , my husband ended up having to go back on the subs bc even after 3 weeks he was still having horrible withdraw , couldn't work , do anything , he couldn't function .. Any suggestions on how I should do it , should I try to get off them sooner than the 30 days ? Any suggestions r greatly appreciated .. Thanks so much

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By mrubano on Mon, 05-13-13, 06:19

Hello Shel81,
First of all, if your dose of suboxone is too high, that may facilitate the headaches. Also, most doctors are suggesting that the patient takes the subs once a day, not 3 times a day like it used to be. The 1/2 life of suboxone is very long, no need to take multiple times a day.
You are correct when saying that coming off the subs is very difficult. I tried for a long time and failed.
Personally, I have succumb to the fact that I will be on Suboxone indefinitely. In all actuality, what's wrong with that? It is better than going back to the street drugs, BY FAR!!
There are reasons to be on pain meds... to be out of pain! That is why the make pain meds.
My wife has a bad back, really bad. Without pain meds she would be on disability. Obviously, she is addicted to pain meds. She is considering going on buprenorphine (Subutex)for pain. She has tried my suboxone and it worked well for pain. She like the fact that it is 1 pill or strip a day.
You may want to consider going on buprenorphine.
Subutex is just buprenorphine, no naloxone, so the pain relief is supposed to be better than suboxone, which contains naloxone.
Keep in mind, after years of taking pain meds your brain changes. It stops producing the endorphins that make us happy.
When I was off all meds I was very depressed. I went almost a year perfectly clean. But in that year, I don't think I smiled once. I was on pain meds for 20 years, I damaged my brain.
I found a wonderful doctor through HealthGrades.com <-- Great site, and very accurate.
Even my doctor said, don't fix what aint broken! If you doing well on the subs, don't change it. What's the alternative?
Allot of folks say that the doctors want to keep you on the subs so they earn money. That is not the case with my doctor. He is my GP too. As long as I stay clean,which I have, and intend to, I only have to see him every 4 months at $100. I am going to ask him to put me on buprenorphine because of the cost difference. Now that suboxone is finally generic, my meds are down to $180 a month (from $425), but generic Subutex, which is buprenorphine would cost me $80 a month ( http://www.goodrx.com/buprenorphine/price )<-- another GREAT site)
My point is... maybe the years on the meds has also affected your brain. If you are still in pain, you may want to try buprenorphine. It would act as a dual purpose for you. If it makes your life better, why wouldn't you?
Granted, you will be addicted to the buprenorphine, but I don't see that as a bad thing. I know some folks do.
Suboxone has changed my life for the better, by far!! There are always narcotics in my house because of my wife and I don't even think of taking one because of the suboxone. I have never taken another narcotic since the first day I started the subs. It's been 2 years this past April 18th.

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By Edeisel on Mon, 05-13-13, 07:50

Let me start by saying I have learned all these lessons te hard way. Lesson one: I stayed on Suboxone for a year straight just like my Dr told me. The only problem is that Suboxone is one of the most power narcotics known to man. So I went from taking 12 30mg Roxys per day to a damn Suboxone junky. My advice to anyone that gets on Suboxone make sure you only stay on them for 3 to 4 days only!!!!! The detox from Suboxone is way worse the coming off Roxys. By the way your dr will over dose you. Take half of what they tell you to take. Lesson 2: if you really want to come off dope then don't just get Suboxone to help with the days where you can't find dope or don't have any money to buy dope. I started using subs when I either ran out of money or dope. Which is the worst thing to do. Now you can get high and don't get sick. That lasted for around six months. I felt so empty and alone even though I have a wife an two kids I felt like I didn't belong. I still am getting shit from wife about my past mistakes. All you can do is move on and hope that you haven't lost all your family and friends along the way. I still think about getting high alot. I don't know if that will ever go away. But you will start feeling better when all these chemicals are out of your body. Good luck

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By ltLOVE63 on Tue, 05-21-13, 22:27

Excellent advice.... Doctor's are highly over dosing Suboxone.. A addict has no problems letting you know if they think they need more... People REALLY NEED to realize that Suboxone should ONLY be used for help weening off... OR you'll find yourself in the same situation you started with IF NOT WORSE..

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Thursday, December 1, 2016

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Thursday, May 30, 2013

OXYCODONE & OXYCONTIN

Suboxone Side Effects

For the Consumer

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SOURCE: http://oxycodone.supportgroups.com/sg/oxycodone/suboxone-side-effects