AboutDr Alan Galbraith Expertise I can answer most questions on drugs, both medical and "recreational". Answers can be given in either technical or layperson terminology. My main areas of interest are psychiatric, gastrointestinal and cardiovascular drugs.
Experience I have been a university lecturer/head of department for almost thirty years, but am now retired. My research interests were alcohol, smoking and cardiovascular disease.
Organizations Institute of Biology, London.
Publications Principal author of "Fundamentals of Pharmacology" 4th Edition published in November 2003 by Pearson Education, Australia.
Expert: Dr Alan Galbraith Date: 5/4/2004 Subject: advice for pain managment
Question Hi there. I'm at 34 year old female who had an ileostomy two weeks ago at Cedars Sinai Hospital in L.A.
My Dr prescribed oxycodone elixir (10 ml) per every 8 hours exactly one week ago. Prior to that I was injected with oxycodid shots. The Dr also prescribed percacet as needed which I've taken 3 times a day.
The medicine runs out 4 days and she is switching me to Hydroc (generic for Vicodin).
In your opinion, should I be "tapered off" the oxycodone or is it safe to go from "once every 8 hours" directly to Hydroc only "every 4-6 hours as needed"?
Thanks for your time.
Answer Dear Stacia
I am glad you said "In my opinion" as the treatment of pain with narcotics is not yet an exact science.
In my opinion!! Hydroc or hydrocodone is very similar in both effectiveness and potency to oxycodone and works in exactly the same manner. I do not know the reasons why your doctor is changing you to hydrocodone but I assume she has good reason. In view of these facts I do not think you need worry about tapering off the oxycodone. Just go straight to the hydrocodone and I doubt you will have any problems. When used for pain these drugs very rarely cause addiction, its only when they are used for pleasure that the problems of addiction may arise. When you comne to get off the hydrocodone, tapering the dose is a good idea.
