quick pharmy question

[Platinum Pete]

A friend of mine at work was given a few Oxycontins by another friend who has a perscription, but is worried about taking them because he once had a mildly bad reaction to Morphine about ten years ago. The reaction to Morphine was localised swelling in the arm after the morphine was put in his IV while coming out of surgery.
Should my friend not take the Oxycontin?

[13]

My question is ... why was this not discussed with an actual pharmacist that can give you a good answer to this?

[crashnburn'd]

because he wasn't actually perscribed

[yooper]

I would tell your friend to stop by the local law enforcement office and ask an officer on duty. They have experience with those kinds of things.... There are some people out there who intentionally misuse pharmaceuticals and I'm sure if there are adverse side effects, the cops may have seen or heard of them. Also, your friend should take the pills with him and show them to the officer.... they may come in various dosages and if he saw them first hand, he would have a better idea of what he is dealing with.

[Platinum Pete]

I saw all the quick replies and hoped they'd actually be useful. I must be on drugs.

So, is it safe for my friend to take one of these pills in a controlled environment? Can he pour some beer in with a pill?

[TWINS]

Wheres Jack Osborne at when you need him?

[marshalolson]

how *mild* of a reaction did *your friend* have?

my guess is they upset the stomach lining, so snorting them would be the best choice

[Conundrum]

Can he pour some beer in with a pill?

Sure he can. Actually, if he really wants to get fucked up, the tablets are water soluble so he could mainline it. The next fastest way for oxycontin abusers to get high is to crush it and snort the lines-there are many tiny blood vessels in the nasal cavity that will absorb it.

I think dropping it in a beer is the best idea. It is documented that people have suffered complete liver failure from 400 mg of codeine/oxycodone and two beers.

Awesome.

He's already had a reaction to morphine which is an opiate derivative as is oxycontin. Tell your "friend" to leave it alone and go by some herb.

[berko]

oxycontin is a very close cousin to heroin and just as addictive. Many people have OD'd on the stuff.

The main side effect of opiates is respiratory depression, aka stopping breathing. Alcohol magnifies the respiratory depression making it much much easier to stop breathing.

Localized swelling does not sound like a sytemic allergic reaction and prolly wont have prob with oxy.

I would tell your friend that if he was hell bent on taking said pills to proceed with caution. Might be a very good idea to have someone keep an eye your friend in case of OD.

[yooper]

Is complete liver failure bad?

[tetsuma]

S/he shouldn't take them. Send em to me.

Really, if he had a bad reaction (albeit, localized) to an IV of morphine, I would suggest being careful w/ oxycodone. It's likely that the IV leaked a bit, and he had a mild reaction to that. I certainly would not crush them and inject them; under normal circumstances I wouldn't; but with his history of potential reactions, definitely not.

Oxycodone is poorly soluable in alcohol, so don;'t try to dissolve it in booze. It is soluable in water, however. Depending on the size -- they should indicate on one side, the mg (10, 20, 40, 80, the 160s were discontinued) -- he might start by swallowing 5 mg (5 mg is the normal percocet/percodan dosage). If he doesn't react to that, he could try intranasal admin or swalling a larger dosage. Remember, cutting them viiolates the sustained release characteristic, and will cause them to be fully/rapidly absorbed.

Another thing is just hang on to them until he needs them -- sprained ankle, etc. They are really effective pain killers and last for 8-12 hours.

[danadog]

So nurse girlfriend, asks why does he want to take said drug?

[Powdurr]

because he wasn't actually perscribed

What's your point? Call them and ask them, they won't ask for a prescription or anything.

[RootSkier]

Put them in your first aid kit for when you need to suck up your broken leg and hike out or die slowly in a blizzard thinking about how many poor decisions you have made.

[BobMc]

It worked out really well for my previous employer, I'd highly recommend taking them. After he can't afford the Oxy anymore heroin is readily available and harmless.

BobMc

[crashnburn'd]

What's your point? Call them and ask them, they won't ask for a prescription or anything.

My point was, he probably didn't call or visit the pharmacist because he wasn't given the drugs by a pharmacist. However, this is just speculation on my part, as I'm not the one taking the drugs.

I realize I could have let the person who can give a definitive answer answer the question, but since I love speculating about topics that I have no knowledge of whatsoever, what fun would that be for me? (this is a rhetorical question, so no need to answer)

[Platinum Pete]

Some serious caution being thrown at these things. That makes we wonder just how much fun they are.
My friend is not one to party much with drugs and all I know is that Rush Limbaugh and some no-name celebs got into rehab with these things. The last thing I'd want for myself or my friends is to be lumped in with those people for any reason.
Kudos to tetsuma, Conumdrum, and berko for providing real info. The rest of the generalised naysayers would probably have the same advice if I asked about cigarrettes, but I know where I am and who I'm requesting comments from.

Seems to me snorting and injecting fall into categories of drug use my friends and I generally want to avoid, but then again I have a split opinion on smoking weed vs. smoking crack, so methodology is a questionable qualifier.

The suggestion to put the pills into a first aid kit has merit. What about the allergic reaction to morphine, sounds like it could complicate the situation - not to mention the clouding of judgement and depressed respiration in a cold climate. Anybody tote these in with their sam splints and band aids?

[Z]

how *mild* of a reaction did *your friend* have?

my guess is they upset the stomach lining, so snorting them would be the best choice

bwaaaahah...I have no idea if you are serious but i now need to clean the PBR off my computer screen.

[joshbu]

It's also worth noting that opiates are notorious for the constipation side effect. Make sure to tell your friend that something like docusate sodium could save hime/her some pain on the pot 2 days later.

[RootSkier]

Yeah, giving Oxycontin in the BC to a seriously injured person who is allergic to morphine is probably not recommended.

However, if I broke my leg and was sitting around waiting for a rescue, or, god forbid, being dragged out on some field-rigged sled GIVE ME THE FUCKING DRUGS!!!!!!

[LAN]

Make sure to tell your friend that something like docusate sodium could save hime/her some pain on the pot 2 days later.

Colace is child's play!

[RootSkier]

Now that brings a whole new meaning to "HUGE DUMP"

[Lone Star]

I think dropping it in a beer is the best idea. It is documented that people have suffered complete liver failure from 400 mg of codeine/oxycodone and two beers.

I think I'd have liver failure from all the acetaminophen that is packed in with that stuff way before I could get 400 mg of oxycodone into my body.

[gimpy]

like someone else said, i'll bet the swelling your bro had from the morphine IV was from some leakage where the drug didn't go into the vein. if he was allergic to it there'd be more severe symptoms. i'd keep a couple in my 1st aid kit but they wouldn't stay there long enough to be there when really needed. i'd say its ok to take em but start small. some people have a real high tolerance for opiates while others really don't and they're usually the ones who accidentally o.d. the time release coating can be easily rubbed off w/ a wet paper towel/tissue and then crush it and whiff it. 20 mg is enough for a nice buzz. or so i've heard

[TWINS]

I just got done talking to Larry Hagmans liver.It said that your Friend should take the Med with a shot of Bourbon.