Purdue Pharma faces its first OxyContin class-action lawsuit after an Ohio District Court of Appeals affirmed certification of a lawsuit brought by more than 1,000 Ohioans that claim they were injured by the drug maker’s highly addictive painkiller.
The lawsuit accuses Purdue Pharma and Abbott Laboratories of irresponsibly marketing the controversial painkiller to Ohioans for wide use “despite knowing that OxyContin was unsuited for most patients.”
“Class certification is the only way these victims will be able to fight the defendants and protect their rights,” said Stanley Chesley, the attorney representing the plaintiffs.
“Purdue and Abbot knew that OxyContin was the equivalent of morphine and yet it marketed OxyContin as if it were little more than a simple pain medication instead of a dangerous narcotic, even more dangerous than heroin,” he said.
(via The Associated Press)
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How do I manage to withdraw from my oxycontin? I take a 20 and a 10 2x/day..am 80 years old with back fracture pain I will always always just have….My doc. is trying to remove a 10mg. pill 2/day, for about a month, then reduce another 10 for month til I am off…but it has been three days and I am not sure it is working..I am scared, shakey, and very anxious! I want to know more
TO ETHON,
I have successfully withdrew from OxyContin. I began taking it about 2 years ago due to herniated discs degenerative disc disease a hairline break in my back (that went undetected) due to other injuries I faced in a car accident in 1991. —It also didn’t help that I was already a recovering addict. After abusing the drug,(snorting it) and finishing mny monthly prescription in 2 weeks with a (1 month subscription. I knew I was hooked and couldn’t stop…What was worse is that I didn’t want to stop. I thought that my pain was my (cross to bear) in life and that I always would have to use narcotics for relief…I have 3 children 7,4 & 2 and I also worried about them finding me dead…at my computer or on the couch in the morning with (remote control) in hand while the TV was on…DEAD…..
I OFFER YOU HOPE….I INVITE YOU TO CALL ME….I CAN HELP YOU RECOVER FROM IT…..I DID AND SO CAN YOU!!!!!–FOR ME a 12 step program works…I’m not saying this is the route you have to take..but YOU CANNOT DO IT ALONE…I HAVE MORE PAIN THAN GOD SHOULD ALLOW..TRUST ME..There are alternatives..MY PAIN LEVEL IS MUCH LOWER –I’m NOT PAIN FREE. I HAVE TOWORK AT PAIN REDUCTION EVERY DAY…BUT IT HAS GOTTEN BETTER TO THE POINT THAT I CAN LIVE A RICH AND REWARDING LIFE…..respond to my e-mail address rjscott10@attbi.com…leave your number I’ll call you or visa versa…together we can overcome this horrible addicition ONE DAY AT A TIME…I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU AND ANYONE ELSE WHO NEEDS HELP GETTING OVER ADDICITION TO NARCOTICS ETC….Robert Scott
I have a spinal colom injury. I have severe pain in the morning and at night time. I have 3yr and 1yr old. I recently have been going to a pain management dr. I started on the lowest oxycodone then in 2 month now up to 2 20mg oxycodone 3 times daily and 30 mg of Avinza. I would say you rapidly become tolerant to oxycodne. Any questions about this or any other drug feel free to email me.
I purchased oxycontin off the street for thirty dollars a 40 mg pill. I cant stop taking them Ive lost my wife my children my house all of my savings im going to kill myself icant live in this hell anymore.
My brother is prescribed 160mg. oxycontin 2 times a day. Along with antidepressants, muscle relaxers, percocets,and sleeping pills. I informed his Dr. that he was injecting the oxicontin after he was hospitalized for a week for a severe hand infection. I feel the Dr. is as much to blame for this addiction as my brother but I don’t know how to report him. He actually increased the dose after the hosp. stay he was only on 80mg. prior to that. Any suggestions?
to anybody who lost a loved one to this drug, how are you coping ? its been 4 mounths since my brother and only true friend died and i still carry a heavy heart and every day i wake up is a challange. please help.
this is to the people who say that they need 4or5 80s in the morn and aft. and eve. well all i can say is abuse, you guys and girls are obviously not taking your meds as prescribed. trust me i know i to was abusing my meds for a few years. and when you do that (crushing,snorting,shooting) what ever it is that you did, it just blows the whole purpose of time release! thats your own fault that now you need so much, if you would have taken them as prescribed you would not require more to get the same relief. trust me my body is fucked up. but the bottom line is you abused and now you blame the company. well ill tell you now that i take my meds the way there prescribed i live a wonderful semi-painfree life. and those of you who have already blown the purpose of time release i sugest you quit trying to get high and think more about life and the help that doctors try to do for us,they only go by what bwe tell them so if you say im still hurting and they up you, well all your doing is hurting yourself your making you body more and more dependent on these opiates. all im saying is if taken right they are a life saver to me.
thats after i quit abusing. so my advice to everyone is TAKE AS PRESCRIBED before you ruin it for people who are serious about there pain management.
my dr [rutledge] putt me on ths oxycotin for my back in 2001 and recently closed his practice .he gave me a three month supply and told me to go to my family dr to have them rite it for me .nobody will touch it .i hurt constantly and yet there is no help .ive had five back surgeries and am going thrue a masectamy now and wonder how much more pain i can stand before i say to hell with it and call life quit. my babies are the onr thing that keeps me going and on days that doesnt seem enough
My mother was prescibed oxycontin for moderate back pain years ago. She became addicted and told her doctor about her addiction and her doctor stopped prescribing it, instead of weaning her off…my mother was in so much pain and had very bad withdrawls that I witnessed. She commited suicide in June 2002. She was only 45, I now take care of my 15 year old little sister. I had a lawyer, and he just called me a few days ago and said he changed his mind, he doens’t want to take the case after reviewing it for 2 years! Does anyone know how I can get into a class action? I live in Pittsburgh, Pa. My email address is jjoy4@aol.com. Thank you.
I have read alot of your statements and have gotten quite a variety of opinions, and what I have to say to encourage all you people some will probally not understand. My wife was prescribed oxycotin 3 years ago to take the place of spinal nerve blocks that the dr. could no longer give because of the created scare tissue which prevented the dr. from being able to get a needle though the muscle to continue the nerve blocks.My wife 2 weeks later found out about the effects of oxycotin, like many of you have stated the dr. never explained these effects to my wife nor did she even sign the form that the dr. had for her to sign because my wife was not out of her sedetion to do the last nerve block.When she realized this drug was addictive she knew she had to do something, so she tried to get off of the drug on her own and she realized that she couldn’t thats when she turned to God, now my wife is a christian and was saved in the early 90’s but this time she stepped totally on faith with a lot of prayer and she had me take her to the beach for a week in feb.she took her clothes,food, and most important her bible!!!! Gods word; she came back home at the end of that week and she has never taken oxycotin again.I know this sounds too simple but through GOD all things are possible, and my wife did not get off the drug on her own it was GOD who gave her what she needed.This is not the end of a horrible ordeal, because like many of you she went through withdrawals, it caused her to go through 12 different meds.for all kinds of problems from paranoia to ashma all because of a cronically sprained ankle that had to later have surgery anyway, what a wast of time, money,pain and suffering because of a dr. not informing patients of possible dangers. I understand what some of you have, and are still going through, although I personally have never beed addicted, I watched my wife go trough it, all i can say is if you have never been saved and don’t truly know Jesus Crist as your Lord and Savior you need to first give your life totally over to Him then ask Him to take this drug away from you and he will deliver you from this. This is not magic it’s a relationship you enter into with GOD and like all relationships you have to work hard to make it work.Gods word says he will take care of his own, that is those who have accepted Him as Lord and Savior,He also said that being a child of God you will go through suffering in life just as Jesus did, only Jesus suffered and died so that we might have everlasting life. This life is only for a short time and then we all will die, the most important question is where are you going when you die? Heaven with peace, love, no more pain and suffering living with GOD for eternity or HELL where the pain and suffering will be so bad that your worst day on earth compared to HELL would be a walk in the park. I’m not trying to scare you ,but I want you who are not saved to realize that GOD loves you and don’t want you to suffer anymore, and I don’t know what God has in store for you, thats something that you need to get into His word every day and in prayer everyday to find out, He will let you know but you have to make the first move to let Him know you want Him in your life.Go to matt.7:7 this is just one of many of Gods promises, read hebrews chapter 11 the hall of faith, these are just a couple of many, many scriptures that Gods word has waiting for to read and believe, and apply to your lives. I hope this will help you get through you terrible ordeal and I will pray for all of you. You have tried all the rest now try the BEST” GOD” He will not fail you! God loves you! 2 ricky
There is a legal prescription drug that not many people know about called Suboxone. Suboxone will COMPLETELY remove ALL Oxycontin withdrawal symptoms in ten minutes, and remove ALL craving for drugs FOREVER.
Please let me from people who have sucessfully de-toxed from Oxycontin. Thanks Lyn
ok, now i understand that a lot of peoples lives have been destroyed or ruined, as you all put it, by oxycontin & the company that makes it. but let me ask you something, do you know anyone who has OD’d from tylenol? or asparin? do you blame the mfg of those over the counter drugs? or what about the people who have died from cough medicine, trying to get high? do you blame those companies? NO OF COURSE YOU DONT because those medicines have valid uses and they were not intended to be abused in such a way that people die. oxycontin is the same way… but since they throw the word ‘narcotic’ on there then people get scared. i am not trying to downplay anyones experiences, and i truly sympathize with many of the situations posted… but COME ON people… you CANNOT blame Perdu Pharm for people abusing oxycontin!!!!! we all are in control of the descisions we make… including how we take our medicine. i know MANY people’s lives that have been saved by oxycontin…. a good friend of mine would have killed himself long ago had it not been for oxycontin. i just wanted to post my 2 cents… everyone seems to be looking for someone to blame and the mfg seems like the easy choice…. but just as tylenol is not responsible for someone who has liver failure due to too much acetametophine, perdu cannot be blamed for people not taking their medicine correctly. and, as far as drs being at fault… it is THAT type of thinking that is making it hard for people who deserve pain relief to get the proper medication…
ok, now i understand that a lot of peoples lives have been destroyed or ruined, as you all put it, by oxycontin & the company that makes it. but let me ask you something, do you know anyone who has OD’d from tylenol? or asparin? do you blame the mfg of those over the counter drugs? or what about the people who have died from cough medicine, trying to get high? do you blame those companies? NO OF COURSE YOU DONT because those medicines have valid uses and they were not intended to be abused in such a way that people die. oxycontin is the same way… but since they throw the word ‘narcotic’ on there then people get scared. i am not trying to downplay anyones experiences, and i truly sympathize with many of the situations posted… but COME ON people… you CANNOT blame Perdu Pharm for people abusing oxycontin!!!!! we all are in control of the descisions we make… including how we take our medicine. i know MANY people’s lives that have been saved by oxycontin…. a good friend of mine would have killed himself long ago had it not been for oxycontin. i just wanted to post my 2 cents… everyone seems to be looking for someone to blame and the mfg seems like the easy choice…. but just as tylenol is not responsible for someone who has liver failure due to too much acetametophine, perdu cannot be blamed for people not taking their medicine correctly. and, as far as drs being at fault… it is THAT type of thinking that is making it hard for people who deserve pain relief to get the proper medication…
My sister who was 48 and have severe back pain was prescribed oxycondone 40 mg by her doctor and we found her dead just yesterday July 4 and whe died in her sleep . The coroner said her heart just stopped. Can anyone contact me I am very confused as well as upset. I live in Illinois. She was diabetic since 12 and had a kidney transplant in 1995 and only 1 leg and just a couple of toes left on her remaining leg. I dont understand how this could happen. Her nephrologist prescribed this for her due to severe back pain from a fall in the hospital a few weeks before this. She was not planning on going to bed and dying. I was in the hospital having a hysterectomy and my Mom and sister called me and found her dead July 4. The coroner said she had only taken 2 of the 40mg oxycondone she had picked up the Fri eve prior. Can anyone help me I need support.
I was addicted to oxycotten and finnally went to rehab on my own i was put on methadone in liquid form….PLEASE TAKE MY ADVISE….Do not take methadone to get off oxycotten the withdraws are way worse than kickin heroin or any other drug..Heroin makes you go thru a week of withdraws,Methadone has withdraws that last months if you dont believe me look up some HORROR storie on the web before you try to kick one drug by substititute it with anoyher one. My suggestion is to give the oxycotton to someone who will only give you a little bit at a time to wing you off. Dont make the mistake I did just be strong and being family orintated helps.
Cervical fusion c6 & c7 oxycontin for two years, up to 80mg three daily. I want to stop and scared, the withdrawal is bone crushing leg pain etc. I have hepatitis c and know this is killing me. Can’t eat, sleep or have any normal type of lifestyle. I could withdraw myself if the dosage was not in a 80mg tablet form, the problem is that you would need to reduce dosage, but how can you when the pill cannot be broken? Think about how the purdue boys had to think long and hard to figure out how to keep a person taking their “lifesaving drug” right! Yep I was the person who thought it was a lifesaver too, but now that it has got control over my every emotion, feeling etc. I think its the most wicked drug ever produced, its worst than CRACK in my opinion at least most of the crackheads eventually quit but no, not this drug, I am reading where people are losing their homes, retirement everything for this pill. Then I read about the people like me who thought it was a lifesaver. Just wait, you will have exactly the same feelings as all these other suffering people have. Then you won’t be singing praises to the oxycontin for its lifesaving abilities. It has life ending abilities too and they are not being addressed like the so called professionals should be addressing them. So what am I to do? No money for detox, insurance will not pay for nothing but these one thousand plus per month prescriptions of death…. Pray O’yes thats the best one, all the hours I have layed in the fetal position praying for the pain to go away, I got my doubts about tender mercies and such. Well thats all the venting I have about this lifesaving drug oxycontin. Hope you people addicted can get your lives back, I am just now going to try and hope I can get my life back. Best of luck and GOD BLESS
Can someone help me? I was prescribed oxycontin 3 years ago for a back injury from a car accident. I was on it for 18 months. I have been off of it (came off on my own, with no help from a dr.)for about 18 months. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. Since then, I have a lot of trouble with my memory. I cannot remember a lot of things (mainly short-term) and people in my life get frustrated with me. Is there a medical reason how this drug may have affected my memory? Please someone respond – this is very important to me. Thanks so much.
Is there anyone in Louisiana or Mississippi that handles oxycontin lawsiuts. I have lost everything due to my addiction to oxycontin. PLEASE HELP!
I started taking oxy about 10 months ago. I was taking 40 mg 3x’s a day. I decided that it was too dangerous and wanted off. So, being stubborn, I just stopped all of the oxy and percocets. I am in a living hell. My family and children are also in a living hell. I have had flu like symtoms, chills, sweats and all over. I just called my pain dr and asked for relief of somekind, I feel like a failure. He gave me percocets, so that I can make it thru the next week at least enough to get out of bed.
I am just now beginning to learn about oxycontin and how dangerous it is. My brother hurt his back three years ago and waited for almost two years for workmen’s comp. to “o.k.” surgery, which he had a year ago. During the time he waited for surgery (and after) he was put on oxycontin. He was putting on a program where the doctors tried to wean him from the drug after the operation, and he had a horrible time– very sick. During the first week of January he called the family to say that he had taken the last of his oxycontin, and would not be getting any more of it. It was the last we heard from him. He committed suicide on Jan. 14, 2004.
We are still overwhelmed with grief. This drug must be stopped. At the very least, it should be illegal for a patient to go through withdrawals without being monitored in rehab or somewhere. My brother lived alone, and far from us– and had I known then what I know now, I never would have let him deal with going off that drug by himself.
I have been taking oxycotin for the last 6 years and I too got hooked on them. I was prescribed oxycotin after nothing helped the pain I suffered from HIV related arthritis and severe neuropathy in the hands, legs and feet.
I was taking 40 mg twice a day with percocet and fenatyl patches.
I started taking the oxycotin more and more frequently because my body began to crave it sooner than the time prescribed for it to be taken. I would have panic attacks, stomach cramps, severe leg pain, flu like symptoms and feel like every nerve in my body was being pulled through the top of my head.
After 6 years I realized I was indeed no better off than a crack addict and knew that in order to continue my life I would have to stop taking the oxycotin.
I got off of it myself with God’s help and a lot of suffering from the sever withdrawl symtoms. I went without sleep for almost an entire week while suffering from the side effects of withdrawal.
There is a prescription drug that is not near as addictive as oxycotin and it is called Kadian, it too contains morphine but substituting it for oxycotin made the withdrawal symptoms much less, remember I am no physician but I was presribed this by one to help me break the viscious cyle of oxycotin addiction.
I have no been free from all pain medications for the last five days and am happy to say that I finally think I have beaten oxycotin addiction. This was the hardest thing I have ever done in my life. I still have flu like symptoms and severe pain in my joints and legs but I would rather live like this than count the hours down to the next oxycotin pill or pills.
My withdrawal symptoms are slowly residing but I know I will never be free of this drugs hold over my consciousness and craving addiction.
I threw all of the pills away after my second day of being free from them so I would have no way to get to them. I flushed them down the toliet so that my life would not go down one. This was the most rewarding experience of my life, even though I know I would still have the cravings.
At least now I can leave the house and not have a panic attack if I forget my little pill box full of oxycotin. I used to get miles down the road and have actually turned the car around after being over 200 miles from home to go back and get my little “friends” call oxycotin.
You too can kick this habit, but it will not be easy, it will be the hardest thing you have ever done in your life. Going cold turkey is not the answer but a slow tapering and with the help of other less addictive opiates and God’s help you can kick it for good.
Believe me I know the power of oxycotin addiction. After 6 years on the drug I wonder how much damage has been done to my system. I know all about the memory loss, forgetfullness, and lack of being in the moment due to oxycotin addiction. I lost 6 precious years of my life due to this drug. I am now taking more of an interest in things I neglected during my addiction. I have begun an exercise program, I am cleaning up the mess I made of my life finacially, I am talking to my friends and family more and I am less dependent on others for support and taking care of the day to day things in my life.
You can get back to a somewhat normal life but you will have to go through hell to get it back, but believe me it will be worth the trip because you will never appreciate life more than you do after you experience the hell of withdrawal from this horrible drug.
Life is to precious to waste it on this drug. Going through withdrawal will make you realize just how precious life is and that sometimes you have to literally ” Go through Hell to find Heaven.”
I pray that all of you who are addicted to this drug will try and get off it for good.
You have to have strength in yourself and believe that their is a higher power than yourself to help you through this journey to recovery, but it can be achieved with a strong will and the helping hand of God or whoever you believe is responsible for our being here in this universe.
I call it faith in one’s self and being one and part of God.
No one person or rehab can get you off this drug unless you believe in yourself first. You must believe it can be done and repeat it to yourself over and over until you know it will be done.
My prayers are with all of you who are addicted or were once addicted to this powerful drug, I too am one of you and know your pain.
May God and inner strength be with you all!
Steve
I sympathize with all of you with your pain and having to take a pain medication and going through the addiction. I am a chronic pain person it has been 5-yrs now my pain Dr has tried all kinds of procedures and they did not work. I was given dilada which I did not like, then they tried that pain patch witch made me so sick, in search of something for my pain we tried oxy I did not like the way they made me feel I did not take but maybe 3 of them so then the dr said lets try methodone I have been taken methodone 3ys now. I feel the methodone has ruined my life it’s suppose to be the most addicting one and take the longest to get off of. My hair is falling out so bad it never did before. my mouth is so dry I am always at the dentist now, I am always so tired I fell asleep twice while driving, I can not remember anything anymore. I just want the old me back. I have isolated my self I am so depressed I told the doctor that I want off of this methodone now. He put me on avinza 60 mg 24hr release. I pray and hope it’s not as addicting as oxy and methodone. If anyone has any info on the Avinza please let me know. I don’t even want to take these narcotics but due to the severe pain I am in I have no choice. I guess in a way we should be thank full that there is something to get rid of the pain for us people in pain it’s ashame that the pain pills are so addicting and ruin our lives.
Marie
My mother-in-law was put on oxycontin after a car wreck. Since then her doctor has changed and she is on morphine. If someone could let me know what the different side affects are I would love to hear from you.
My husband was prescribed oxycotin for a job related injury in 2001. This injury turned into a bladder problem, so he continued to take oxycotin. The more time he took it, the more he needed it to function daily. He got sick in Jan 2003 and became dehydrated. After receiving treatment at our local hospital, he came home and took his medication as usual. He went to bed and never woke up. He died Jan 14, 2003. Leaving me a widow at 30 with two sons to raise on my own. If there is a lawsuit ongoing, I would love to get in on it. Anyone with info? I live in Georgia.
With these class action suits the lawyers get rich and you get $12.00
I noticed a lot of things on this discussion but alot of it sounds like everyone trying to make a buck. People seem to think if they ever took an oxycotin they deserve money.
Other people feel that since they went threw withdrawal the deserve a payout.
If you take any narcotic long enough you will become addicted. If you become addicted you will go through withdrawl.
Oxycotin is not special. It is not more or less addicting than other narcotics. There are just more cases of oxycotin addiction because it is the most widely prescribed for long term chronic pain.
It doesn’t matter if it oxycotin, morphine or dilaudid. The result is the same, addiction if you take it long enough.
Steve says that Kadian is less addicting. Well that may be for Steve but for me Kadian is much more addicting that oxycotin, I need to take a much higher dose and the time I stopped taking Kadian I went through severe withdrawal. I do not have these problems with oxycotin.
I have had pain problems for many years. I have been taking narcotics for pain control for a year now. Becuase I have been taking the narcotics for so long I am addicted. However it causes me no problems. I take my medicine as prescribed. i do not increase my dosage.
Where before I would lay on my bed hoping/waiting to die, with oxycotin I now work and have a social life.
Oxycotin has both saved and given me a life.
I don’t know why some of you have problems. The vast majority of us don’t have problems. I think it is shameful that many of you are demanding the drug be taken off the market just because some of you can’t handle the drug.
Most of us have no problems with the drug, use it responsibily, and would not be able to function without it.
Some of you even seem to blame the drug when it is easy to see the person’s problem had nothing to do with the drugs.
A small amount of you even seemed to be jumping on the lawsuit bandwangon hoping for a payout because your stories certianly don’t make any medical sense.
Those of you who had problems through no fault of your own, I feel sorry for.
Those of you who either had problems becuase they didn’t take the time to become well informed about something that was going to be so important to your well being, or those of you whom could not control yourselves, you only have yourself to blame.
Some people also seem to think that the treatment so be perfect. It won’t be. There will be problems with the treatment. For me the small amount of problems with the treatment is better than the large amount of problems with the constant pain.
I reserched my medical problem and then researched the treatment choices. I know what to expect with my treatment and have had no surprises.
All I ca suggest is that we all become as informed as we can about our treatments so we can make good choices.
Remeber no one forced us to take oxtcotin for treatment. Plus the vast majority of us who did choose to take oxycotin are very happy with our treatment and realize it is the only way we can function.
I don’t think it is fair for the people who can’t handle oxycotin demand it be taken off the market when many of us who use it responsibly need it to survive and function.
Thank you
doc cut me off/6 80mg aday plus 5mg break throw pain 4xs day to 30mgs metadone and 5mg oxy codone imgpoing 6throwseriouse wityh draws i need my meds back please help me
I hurt my back in 1997 and for the first three years the Drs thought it was in my legs finally after countless Drs I had one do a MRI and by then I had went from hydro thru them all the the way to oxy80s three times a day I didnt know who I was or what I was doingso I begged to get off they kept saying wait for the pain to get better but my brain was telling me I hurt worse than I did.I finally found a Dr to get me off of them BUT I WANTED TO DIE! But Im still here I hurt around the clock some times I ask myself why did I get off of them ?I have 6 grandkids that I want to watch grow and sometimes no matter how bad the pain is I get in My car and drive 300+miles one way to see them.If it wasnt for them and my dog who has been at my side through all the surgerys laying in bed he was there to give me a reason to smile.I hope that people can try to focus on what they love to help with the pain I know its easier said than done But I LIVE IT EVERYDAY!
After reading most of the comments, I do not feel so alone. I began taking the oxycontin three years ago. I have been off of it for 8 months. I am on Morphine 80 mg twice a day and then 60 mg. at noon. To say that morphine cuts through the pain is a joke. When I was on the oxycontin 60 mg 3xs a day I had no pain. I injured my back in 92, fragmemting my disc’s and then the surgery’s to help correct the problems. With degenerating disc desease, it has only gotten worse though the years. I just loved the pain free days with the oxycontin. I met someone and began living with him. He started stealing my meds.(He also suffers from chronic pain and on morphine at the time) I had never in my life gone through withdrawls (tho only to cigs and chocolate). What you go through with oxycontin is so unbelievable. (And of course I couldn’t tell my doc of meds missing, and getting a new refill, I couldn’t afford it) Was it a wake up call. Then after awhile the amount I was taking wasn’t enough. God help you if were late taking the meds. This by getting off of your schedule I would start to go through withdrawls. My jaw would clench tightly, sneezing, stomach cramps twitching hands and feet. This with just being late. Luckly my insurance wouldn’t pay for oxycontin. That’s when I was switched to morphine. I was givin the equivilant of what I had received on oxycontin. I still went weeks of withdrawls while on the other opids. Why I am telling others this is because of the dangers. I took my meds when I was suppose to. And yet it became evident it wasn’t enough. I may not like the morphine but at least I feel in control again of my body.
Anything going on in the state of WA.?
Posted by: Beth on Sept. 12, 2004
My brother in-law is addicted to Oxy and he introduced the drug to my sister. My sister is now 7 months pregnant and still taking them. Oxy isnt as big of a problem for those who actually can read the label opposed to those who buy it from you. Because amny of you sell the drug illegally my nephew will have some birth defect. I hope all of you who sell Oxy go to prison when you get caught. It carries the same sentence as dealing heroin. I know it’s not your fault she chose to take them but it is your fault for dealing.
My father was prescribed oxycontin a few years ago. After he started taking them everything was great. He lost 150 pounds because he was able to be active again. He had bone spurs on his spine. Then everything went down hill. He started abusing them and shooting up. He became deppressed and drawn away from his family. We finally lost our house and my parents got divorced. They ruined our life.
How do I find out more on who is doing the lawsuit. I live in Kentucky and my story is as horrifying as the others listed. Thank you
who is running the class action suit my wife was doing 150 pills a month and had to be put in a rehab to get off now her memory is realy bad and cant have any pain meds see had cancer and got addicted please respond with info on law firm handleing case also would like to go after doctor
I’VE BEEN READING COMMENTS AND AM NOT SUPRISED ON HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE SUFFERED. MY HUSBAND DIED APRIL 5, 2004 HAD BEEN ADDICTED TO OXYCONTIN OVER 4YRS. LEAVING ME WITH TO BOYS TO RAISE. HAVING WORKED IN THE MEDICAL FIELD FOR OVER 20 YEARS KNOWING AND WORKING AROUND DRUG ADDICTS IT WAS A USELESS BATTLE I FOUGHT TO GET HELP FOR MY HUSBAND. I FEEL THAT IF CLASS ACTION IS THE ONLY WAY TO SHAKE UP THE DRUG COMPANIES/PHYSICIANS THAT OXYCONTIN IS A NARCOTIC THAT WHEN PRESCRIBED NEEDS TO BE MONITORED CLOSELY. WHATS THE NEXT STEP???
My daughter who is 9 yearsold had a broke arm. She went to visit her grandma and grandpa. Her grandpa takes 200mg of OxyContin a day. Well she was complaining about her arm hurting so hey gave his 9 yearold grandaughter some OxyContin. Shortly after this I arrived to pick her up. Her eyes were rolling back in her head, she was out of it and I watched her every second until it had wore off. I later found out that it was not her medicine making her feel this way. It was his OxyContin that could of killed her. He did not know that he was wrong because he was so messed up on OxyContin. My message is to let you all know that if you have loved ones on this drug than watch them carefully.
To Ethon,
Ethon I hope this gets to you very soon. My wife does a lot of internet searching on this topic and I do not, but she has to be able to work off site from her office and has the chance to check out many things that I don’t.
Oxy !! That is the worst medication and I have been addicted as well. I was one of the test patients / subjects that was given the option to try it out for free when it came out a number of years ago. At first I thought like many that it was going to do the job but I had no idea that it was so terribly addictive. Prior to that I was on MS Contin and had to stop cold turkey prior to my second hip replacement surgery. It was one of the prerequisites that my surgeon made me do including a month long session with a shrink.
My story started back in 1986 when the head of my left femor collapsed while I was out jogging along the water at the beach. I had to drag myself home on my hands and knees and took about twelve Advil before the pain subsided. December 1987 I had my first hip replacement on my left side. The pain never stopped….Weekly and monthly visits to that surgeon were nothing more than him trying to convince me that it was all in my head. Finally in 1995 I started seeing other so called experts but they really didn’t want to touch me because the x-rays weren’t convincing enough. All of the doctors I had seen in 1995 felt that I would be better off staying with my original doctor so in December of 1995 he took me apart just to look around but proclaimed that everything was ok. I continued to get worse until October 2003 when I found a new Asian doctor here in Torrance, California that had done hundreds of revision hip replacements. It took him 60 seconds to see why the implant failed and showed me and my wife how the cup portion of the implant had been drilling a massive hole into my pelvis and left me with a paper thin medial wall that had to be rebuilt with donor bone. I now have what looks like a half of a softball cup and a femoral stem that almost goes to my knee. Eight hours in that number three surgery. The right hip failed this May 2004 when he installed a total hip on that side.
During all those years I have taken thousands upon thousands of OxyContin but I can tell you that there is a way to get off that crap if you are interested, and a way to control your pain as well. We are all brothers and sisters in this pain medication merry go round, I know that in my heart after reading your April 2004 letter.
Try giving Dr. Rick Chavez a call at 310 798-1633. He is in Redondo Beach California and is treating me with a new non-opiate medication that can dextox you off the Oxy. May God be with you.
I entered the class action suit in wv over two years ago and there is nothing going on. I am still addicted and I am sitting here in withdrawl at work right now. IT SUCKS. Because my doc would not up my dosage when I needed more I added methadone from the street and failed a drug screen and was cut off of it. In the last year I have spent over 60,000 dollars on it on the street perdue phrama needs to go to hell.
I have read through most of these stories, and it is a very sad thing when someone loses their life to a substance. However, for everyone who started out on Percocet, etc, and went to Oxycontin, and then often to some other pain medication in an attempt to free themselves from the prior one, I can’t help but cover my eyes and shake my head. READ!!..READ!!..As ridiculous as this may sound, if you properly researched and read about Percocet, you’d realize it contains the exact same active ingredient as Oxycontin (oxycodone). For those of you who claim your doctor mislead you into taking this drug; for you I say READ!! READ!! You all seem to have the ability to post on this website, which leads me to believe you have access to the internet. Now I know there is a lot of crap out there on the Internet, but if you search enough you’ll find valid reports on any controlled substance. Especially those Scheduled by the government…This should be an obvious prerequisit before injesting ANY SUBSTANCE, (Including food, enough McDonalds and other fast foods will cause similar liver and heart problems). Like I said, I empathize with those of you who have suffered, and for those of you who have lost family members or close friends. However I also understand that some people are going to be in pain for the rest of their lives due to some injury or another. Opiates, opioids, analgesic pain relievers of all types, give them long periods of relief. Even if this relief is followed by extreme pain when your use is discontinued, you would have never had any relief if it weren’t for the medicine. Self Control is a huge issue that is being lost throughout the masses. We lay the blame on everyone else but ourselves, and feel that we dont have the intrinsic power to stop using a drug. Do you not lift your hand to put that pill in your own mouth? All decisions in life can be tough, (except what ice cream flavor to choose)and some decisions become EXTREMELY difficult when physical, emotional, or other factors come into play (withdrawal). However you ultimately MAKE YOUR OWN DECISIONS. So if you’d like to practice Autonomy like our forefathers had envisioned, then please READ!! READ!!. Educate yourself, its a powerful tool, and this will help you through many life issues. Please dont think that I am downplaying anyones misfortunes, and I understand that people have been conditioned though whatever outside factors to have a weakened will power. However if you dont give up, and work on it, you can improve your will power…at will…free will..what a concept. Goodluck.
I was prescribed fentynal patches 25mgs 1 patch to be taken every 2 days and have been on them for 2-3yrs to help with chronic pain post cervical cancer treatment.
When they are almost run out i get the withdrawals described on your web site and am very worried as my memory and concentration is poor. I would like to know what is the best way to come off them and has anyone had experience of ‘SUBOXONE’ as one person mentioned it seems to be some kind of miracle cure
!!! My doctors have been very good to me but i am ignorant of the side effects
Thanks
I am writing not because I want to join a lawsuit but because I have read all the stories and they make me cry.
My mom was perscribed oxycontin (5-20mg in the am and 4-20mg in the pm) with 8 percoset a day breakthrough for cronic back pain. She was also diagnosed with COPD. The doctor has her also taking nurontin (sp), effexor(anti-depressant) Zanex(sp)also anti-depressant, welbutrin(to help her quit smoking)also anti-depressant, a sleeping pill and I am not sure what else. Anyway, my mom has always been the matriarch of the family and she was very much in control of herself (and most of the family). She was very active and full of love for my dad and her kids and grandkids. Over the last 2 years, I have watched my mom dissapear behind something that I don’t even recognize. She says some of the most hurtful things and she gives affection only to her 8 cats(which she would never allow in her home 2 years ago ) She has really changed totally. My dad manages her meds so I know she is not overdosing(what is perscribed by dr). Yet she can’t keep focused long enough to make a shopping list(if she knew what to put on it), She eats Ice cream cones in a big sugar cone(2 gallons every 4 days)alone. before that it was doughnuts by the dozen. She won’t eat meals anymore, just junk and only certain things. When she started these meds she had an inhaler to help her breathing(albuteral) now she is on oxygen 24 hours a day (and still smoking). She thinks she is just fine. She doesn’t see that she isn’t ok and she won’t hear our conserns. She thinks we are just trying to control her life when we say she can’t drive and offer to help. She doesn’t sleep at night, only a couple hours from 10 to 12am. Then she is awake all night. She has burnt holes in everything because she has altered states of consiousness(sp) in fact one night she burt a whole in her oxygen hose and turned it into a torch. She has burt herself(3rd degree) and didn’t feel it. Dad can’t sleep at night cause she isn’t safe for her or anyone else. She tells him he’s useless because he goes to sleep after my brother(33) gets up in the morning and sleeps until noon. My whole family is worried sick. To add to the stress, the dr released her to go back to work this week(as a cashier in a major dept store) and I’m really scared for her, she thinks she can drive herself to work (35 miles down a curvy, cliff road)(a real car???) I don’t know what to do and I don’t know where to go for help. My dad has talked to the dr. and told him that she talks to herself and fades in and out, has hallucinations and carries on conversations that she thinks we know what she is talking about(she acts crazy). She is a Christian woman with strong beliefs and who dissaproves of drug abuse and she really can’t see what this has done to her. I am really sad to think that my youngest child (3 mo)will never have the grandmother that my 11 and 12 yr olds used to have. If you know how I can help get mom back to herself, please I could use any info. Thanks, Tearful in CA
I was put on oxys for premint nerve damage and i had alot of prbolems while takin it and after taking it i would like to know what i can do about this law suite.
All of the stories I have read are very sad and disturbing I myself had been involved in an auto accident I had never as much as taken a tylonyl and I went to an ER Dr. who had writtten me a prescription fro 20 mg oxtcotin and as any other script given to me by a Dr. I had it filled are we ot supposed to trust our educated Dr’s before I knew it I couldn’t get out of bed without a pill nor could I go to sleep with out one I was a very active christian and a room mother for both of my childrens grade school classes needless to say I quit attending both I didn’t even communicate with my normal friends any longer my ex-husband who knew all about opiates I also trusted (how dumb can one be) encouraged me to continue use because he also got high for free he was stealing my medication and I was so fogged I didn;t even realize it. He began to bring around bad people and worse drugs and of course being fogged I used them also my own fault no-one elses I am an adult. after 3 years of drug use I got arrested many people do not believe me when I say I am very thankful for the arrest because I had got so bad I lost my job, house, and my babies. Only to use as another excuse to get high on my prescribed medication and any thing else I could find to take away the pain. I used to think I was a very strong person only to find out how weak I truely am mentally I had a life of hell as a child and allowed my self to continue as an adult. So being arrested was the very best thing that could have ever happened to me. I had no choice but to quit which eventually I began to think clearly again and woke up to realize I was an active addict. On september 20th I celebrated 2 years of being clean and sober. For that I am very proud of my-self I have gotten my babies back and I am back to work trying to go back to school which I also gave up when I started my drug abuse I have 2 jobs and a home for me and my children I also have met the most wonderful man in the world who is very supportive in my recovery. There are success stories out there but you have to be willing to wake up and realize what is more important to you. I can never thank my porole officer enough or the arresting officer for saving my life(I truely believe they did) I also know that I can never take any narcotic or my addiction will only begin again and I know I am not strong enough to come this far ahead again for all of those people who think there is no hope please just believe and begin to pray because their is and god will answer all our prayers in his time. I wish every-one who is trying to kick the oxy monkey the best of luck and pray that they will one day have a success story to tell like mine.
Listen first of all, I don’t need anyone preaching to me about the drug oxycontin. I feel bad for those lives got out of control due to the fact that if you are a chronic pain sufferer, then you have those who abuse it who are trying to make a buck from some lawsuit, well I am not even going to respond to that. My thing is, myself and my wife and son moved from NJ to WV, and Lauren my wife was on two 40mg’s a day of oxycontin, and she didn’t abuse it, crush it, or anything else. The problem is that she has chronic pain that will be there for life and she cannot find a Doctor here that will prescribe her the oxycontin’s it because the Doctors are scared. So now what should she do? She has to suffer in pain taking so much less of a different medication that can hardly get her out of bed. And the one Dr. she was on the phone today her Pain Management DR said I will give you SOMA a muscle relaxer, she doesn’t need that for a degenerating disc disorder. Now for some people this drug is a life saver, and for others feel that is terrible, but the bottom line is look at the bottle, and read your paperwork from the pharmacy you will see the ingredient in it Oxycodone, same as percocet without the acetametaphine. So she doesn’t need all the acetametaphine anyway, she needs the 80mgs of oxycodone and we can’t find it here. Here doctor in NJ said take all your prescriptions with you that he had given her all of her MRI’S with you and have the Dr. of your choice call me if they have any questions about your history and what kind of patient she was. So if anyone knows of any Doctors or pain clincs close to the Mid-Ohio Valley are to where she can see a legitamate DR for treatment, please email me ASAP, my name is Scott, and in the email Mention that this email pertains to the link that I am responding too! People don’t take away a drug that works for others and make them suffer for some really bad decisions that other people made that didn’t even need the medicine!!! Please I can’t help Lauren find a Dr. so if anyone knows, please email me anytime, and we will talk, thanks again,
Scott and Lauren in WV, Vienna!
I have been on this drug since 1997, I would like to filed againstnthis and joint in to the suit. in kentucky. please let me know sometime
I lost my Best Friend, Tristin, to OxyContin on February 28′04. She did not overdose, she took them as prescribed, but … she died from “Oxycontin Toxicity Death.” I’m not sure if any of you have heard about this or not, so I pasted a site for you to go and read about it. Just copy and paste it in your site address spot. Here it is.
http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugs_concern/oxycodone/oxycontin7.htm
Here’s just a few lines from this report.
“The toxicology reports alone do not discriminate between the presence of any one specific product of the 59 Schedule II oxycodone-containing products available in the United States. However, there are currently only a limited number of single entity oxycodone products that do not also contain the pain relievers acetaminophen (the active ingredient in Tylenol® ) or salicylates (aspirin). Of the 7,185,000 prescriptions of these single-entity oxycodone products sold in 2000, approximately 5.8 million were for OxyContin® – 81.4% of the single entity product market. In addition, the oxycodone product Intensol® (20 mg) and an oxycodone generic product (30 mg) are the only other dosage forms containing oxycodone in excess of the standard dosage strengths. There were approximately 24,000 and 1,000 total prescriptions of these two products, respectively, dispensed in 2000. With these facts in mind, any oxycodone positive toxicology without the presence of acetaminophen or salicylates was categorized as an “OxyContin® likely” death. Oxycodone-positive autopsy reports that described tablet contents in the gastrointestinal tract that, upon analysis, could be identified as OxyContin® were re-categorized by DEA as “OxyContin® verified” deaths. Of the 949 complete ME reports received by DEA and using the above criteria, 146 deaths were categorized as “OxyContin® verified” deaths; 318 deaths were re-categorized as “OxyContin® likely”. The remainder were categorized as undetermined deaths (i.e., DEA was not able to determine whether or not OxyContin® was involved in the deaths). These data suggest that 49% (464 out of 949) of all oxycodone positive toxicology reports were likely related to the specific oxycodone product, OxyContin® . In addition, 15% of all oxycodone positive toxicology reports received were verified to be OxyContin® (146 out of 949). This ongoing effort will continue to collect and analyze reports received from the MEs. DEA can verify 146 deaths in which OxyContin® was the direct “cause of” or a contributing factor to the deaths; an additional 318 deaths lacking acetaminophen and/or salicylates in the toxicology findings most likely involved OxyContin® , as well.”
Like a said, these are just A FEW facts from the report.
This drug is awfully dangerous. It doesn’t matter how much you READ, you never think that YOU would ever become capable of getting addicted. Tristin didn’t even have the time to get addicted to them. The toxicity of this drug got to her first. There’s a reason that good christian people, good mothers, good fathers, people with NO PREVIOUS DRUG PROBLEMS get addicted to this drug. It’s not because they had drug problems in the past, it’s not because they wanted to. I am not blaming doctors for this drug, but I really wish more doctors would step up and help get rid of this drug.
All of my hope is with every one of you that is on Oxy or that have a family member on it. Not only if there’s an addiction problem, but just if you’re simply using Oxy. Please keep the OxyContin Toxicity Death in mind and speak with your doctor.
Feel free to email me anytime. This email is not meant to be malicious or hurtful, it’s more for help. I would give ANYTHING to have read something like this when Tristin was prescribed her Oxycontin. Please check out the site that I pasted as well!
Please take care!
Amanda, Canada
I am trying to find out if this was the firm that I had been signed on to for the oxy-contin settlement..I am involved in one of them and am unable to find the phone number to the case. This was advertised in the newspapers to join a class action suit for oxy-contin..would you please let me know if this is where I was signed up? Or are you able to tell me where I signed up? Thank you
I too, like so many others have been through the entire scenario of the effects of oxycontin, as others ,I had filled out a form with an ohio attorney,in Cincinatti,and as others,cant remember who! And have not heard a thing about the class-action suit? What do I do find another attorney? Please help us all!
I have Degenerating Disc Disorder. At first Oxicontin was Haven-sent, for the first year I went from 10mg 3X aday to 20mg 4X aday and for the first time for years I could go places without any pain. In my second, third and fourth years I climbed to 140mg 3X aday. From my second year to my fourth year I don’t remember a whole lot, I feel I lost those years. I have a 15 year old son who plays Football, Baseball and throws the Disk/Shotput. I’ve never seen him play any of his sports. Last year I decided I had to get off this or I’ll miss the most important times of his life. in Decenber of last year, I went “Cold-Turkey” and stop taking my Medication (Oxicontin). I now know what “Hell” will be like. I went through 10 days of “Withdraws” and I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy. I don’t know how I feel about the Law Suit, because it was my Doctor from a “Pain Management Office” that prescribe it to me and kept upping the dosage. I stop going to Pain Management Doctors because they kept wanting to “TRY” this and that on me and nothing seem to work.I’ve gone back to my Family Doctor now and he’s gotten me on 100mg of Duragesic (Patch form) every 72 hrs, Neurontin 1600mg 2X daily and Ultram 100mg every 6 hours. Now, this dosn’t releive the pain as good as Oxicontin but I won’t get hooked on it nether. As far as the law suit goes I think, if the Drug Manufactors didn’t give the Doctors kick-backs or (Incentives) to prescribe their Medications to their patient, I don’t think I would have been taking as much as I was taking. I still live with pain but I can tolerate it more knowing that I’m not addicted to these Medications.
While I understand that many of you feel out of control in your lives, most especially concerning your pain management, it seems to me that in many cases (certainly not ALL, there are indeed several of you that are just plain drug-addicted, and taking advantage of the pain management so many of us desperately need, and seek… only to be denied because of people who abuse the medications given them… so those of us in TRUE need suffer needlessly… 50-90 MILLION American’s alone!) well, it seem’s that in many cases your doctors have not described or explained TOLERANCE and DEPENDENCE of pain meds, rather than allowing you to believe you have an ADDICTION problem. Of course if you use pain medications of the narcotic persuasion, you will develop a dependence on them, just as a diabetic will on insulin… as a person suffering from depression will develop a dependence to Zoloft… a person with a seizure disorder will develop a [dangerous] dependance to barbituates or anti-convulsants [in cases like this it is of essential importance to be properly weaned with medical supervision]; when discontinuing any of these, you will have withdrawls and that is why there is a very real need to WEAN off of these meds over time. This is, again, called chemical DEPENDENCE… and there is no shame in being dependent on medication if it is required to allow you to live a comfortable, more active and full life. Tolerance is the reason many of you require more and more medication over time… this is also normal, typical, and to be expected. With opiods, it is common to develop tolerance, and in some persons it develops very quickly. It is unavoidable, UNLESS your doctor knows how to ‘holiday’ you from your medication periodically in order to allow your body to lower it’s tolerance to the drug. This can be acheived many ways, and in most cases withdrawls can be avoided… both in circumstances of ‘holiday’ and in circumstances of ‘cold-turkey’. There are many Over-the-counter medications known to help with withdrawls… Immodium caplets are actually and opiod that does not cross the blood-brain barrier. If taken in doses higher than normally required for diareah, such as 5-6 pills at a time, it will feed the opiod receptors while allowing your body to clear itself of the drug you are normally on- both physically and mentally. Nyquil, and other cold medicines, such as Robitussin, contain a substance called DXM, which is a cousin to morphine. Again, both this drug, along with the tylenol in these medicines, and of course the sleep aids like diphenhydramine (benadryl), will help your body to rest; Nyquil, etc, will also provide you with substantial pain relief. I am a chronic pain patient who is on 50mcg Duragesic every 48 hours. In most active adults, as many pharmacists will concure, Duragesic indeed wears off after 48 hours. This is NOT tolerance related, it is due to the drug initialy being intended for use in geriatrics or immobile cancer patients. People who are more active of course metabolize the drug more quickly, so it gets both in and OUT of your system more quickly. Many doctors do NOT realize this… however, many pharmacists do… mine is involved in a group of pharmacists that are trying to get the manufacturer to change the prescribing information for this drug. The poing of my personal info is… I have been on this dose for almost a full year… with NO need to be upped to a higher dosage, because I know how to take periodic breaks from the medication, as does my doctor. I will allow my patches to remain on for 72hours plus, and use NO breakthru meds in order to achieve this… I also utilize TRAMADOL, another medication that is NOT a narcotic, but does feed opiod receptors to reduce withdrawls. If you can get your doc to give you this drug, prescription only, between this, the immodium and Nyquil you may be able to escape ANY withdrawls at ALL, even from oxy. In the very least, it will take the edge off for sure.
As for methadone, well that is a drug often not metabolized properly by patients, particularly women. If you feel like you can’t escape a fog while on it, you need to have bloodwork done, perhaps in the ER, to ensure you dont’ have toxic buildup in your blood… if so, it could actually overdose you. This happened to one of my online-pain-support-group friends. It was awful… she could have died. Not to scare you , but please consider at least checking your blood levels to be safe. I again recommend a NEUTRAL environment, NOT your normal prescribing doctors office, just in cane something is wrong and you doc gets nervous about being honest, be on the safe side.
TO SANDI, WHO’S MOM WAS ON OXY AND WELLBUTRIN, AND NEURONTIN *AND* EFFEXOR, ETC…
There is a VERY real possiblity that your mom’s fog is due to the Nuerontin, more than anything. That stuff, along with Topamax, leaves one in a total HAZE. I could not wake up while on it… it’s meant to be for people with seizure disorders, there is NO evidence, nor is it approved for by the FDA, that it helps Chronic pain. As for her being on TWO different anti-depressants in ADDITION, well, THAT could be it too… especially with effexor, as that is one of the old-timers that makes many people sleepy as all get-out. In addition to the Oxy, of course, it is NO wonder she is a zombie… she is overmedicated in many ways, very likely.
Like stated above by many, there are inherent risks in long-term, long-acting opiod therapy. One of those risks is of course dependence. This is truly not grounds for suing the manufacturer. In fact, it is actions like this, as well as the few above who stated ‘I want to go after the doctor, too…’ that keep people like me, or those others in chronic, unbearable, daily agonizing chronic pain… pain that makes us want to die rather than deal with it any longer… well, it’s these frivolous lawsuits against especially the doctors that scare physicians out of their skin, and render US with nobody willing to treat us. And why? because so many people either don’t educate themselves about the risks involved, and or how to wean off these meds, and avoid tolerance… but because THEY DECIDE… many times consciously, to ABUSE the drugs in order to get high… whether taking too many pills, or being REALLY stupid and biting into them (and I have never had oxy, so I can’t even imagine this) well… it’s actions like this, that ruin what is a helpful, life-saving drug for those who are really in need of a medication that powerful and potent… all because you either enjoyed your high a bit too much, or because you were not responsible enough to realize perhaps you should not be taking this type of strong medication… or because you have a history of alcohol or drug abuse you failed to disclose to your doctor… or because you did not take the time to slowly wean yourself off the meds to avoid the hell of withdrawl… whatever the reason, can none of you be responsible adults, in charge of your own choices? It says on the prescribing info of EVERY narcotic that you MUST use caution in weaning off these meds after use of 2 weeks or longer… why do you not talk to your docs about it when you begin treatment? Why do you think yourself entitled to MONEY because YOU ended up with an addiction problem because YOU chose to abuse your medication, and take it other than as directed?
Further, in almost 90% +++++ of ALL oxycontin overdoses… in nearly ALL of them, there are OTHER narcotics and drugs, such as cocaine, crack, heroin, pot, amphetamines, etc, found in the finaly toxicology screen… and in most, there is ALSO alcohol involved in ADDITION to the Prescribed AND illegal narcotics. How is Purdue responsible for your deadly speed-ball mix of meds with liquor and street drugs?
They are not, that is the bottom line.
For those with addiction problems, my heart goes out to you… but you are in the wrong place, placing blame on others. You have nobody to fault but your addiction, which is a medical illness, you must seek treatment for. Do so immediately, instead of wasting time placing blame…
Moreover, have some empathy for those of us living in HELL every day of our lives, in excrutiating, debilitation P_A_I_N with little to NO treatment or pain medication, because our doctors are so burned out on prescribing to those who turn out to be drug-seeking addicts, that they won’t help those of us with legitimate chronic, intractible pain.
Dependence on a medication HELPS YOU TO GET ON WITH YOUR LIFE…
Addiction to a medication ALLOWS YOU TO ESCAPE FROM YOUR LIFE…
THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE… EDUCATE YOURSELVES, AND YOUR LOVED ONES.
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