Candace Says:
I was just wondering what the difference between Oxycodone and Hydrocodone, it seems to me they both have the same ingredients. Why Oxy or Hydro, what does this mean?
No, they are not the same, Hydrocodone is a strong narcotic, but Oxycodone is much stronger, and both work differently for different people. Some people do better and get better results from on or the other.
Oxy is also available by itself in tablet or capsule form from 5mgs to 30mgs, Instant Release, and from 10mg to 80mgs in a controlled release form, as well as the forumulations that couple the instant release Oxy with Ibuprofen,Aspirin, or Acetaminophen.
Hydrocodone is not available by itself, or in a controlled release form, it is only available with other augmenting and buffering ingredients like Aceta, Aspirin or Ibu. You can also only get it in a max of 15mgs.
If you have sleep apnea and you need a pain med during sleep hours, Hydrocodone seems to affect sleep less. So I take 1 Oxycodone every six hours during the day, and if it's night I take Hydrocodone. I have constant pain and discomfort on right side after suffering a stroke in 2003. I take the lowest dose of each. I can feel somewhat normal with it. Each day my right side feels as if you coated it with Ben-Gay and then sat down in fire ants. Some days are better than others, but it is usually my day everyday. Hope this helps.
5
Verwon Says:
[Moderator]
Wednesday, 8/2/2006 8:31:10 AM
Frank has provided some good advice here, Oxycodone is well know, and warned about in the advisory leaflets, for causing dream disturbances and nightmares. I know it sure drove me crazy until it wore off. I was waking up all the time, thinking AH it was just a dream, oh good LOL!
So those with sleep problems already, from pain, insomnia, or whatever, might not want to rely on it as a before sleep pain med, and may want to speak to their docs about something else.
I have knee pain caused from broken pieces of cartliage getting lodged in my knee. which is best for pain hydrocodone/ apap 7.5 or oxycodone /apap 5 mg.-325 mg.
To Verwon, If that is the case I wonder why my MD prescribed me some Oxycodone 5mg/325 to help me sleep because my pain would not allow me to. I slept like a baby after taking two pills every 12 hours for almost a month. I also must say that since I have stopped taking the med. I did have a little bit of a withdrawl, but it is also over and done with. While I am still in pain a little, at least I am no longger addicted which I thought I was becoming. That med can get you real fast and make you want more and more.
Mr Davis, In my opinion, The Oxy would be better. But DON'T take my word and run with it. ASK your MD as everyone has different effects to MEDS such as OXYCODONE,PERCOCET, and the like. Like myself, OXY just made me sleep better at night. I didn't get high or drowsey or any of the warning sign effects. But I know some people that swears that two pills at once and they fill light headed and dizzy. GO FIGURE?
Hydocodone and Oxycodone are similar in structure and are derived from the Thebaine which coms from Opium. If we look at their names; Oxycodone can also be referred to as Hydroxycodone. Now you have Hydroxy and Hydro, but I would suggeset those who are interested do a Google on this. What is different is Oxycodone is metabolized by the body differently than Hydrocodone and provides better pain relief. While there slight are differencest my experience is Hydrocodone pain relief is more closely related to Codeine in its and it has a ceiling efect on pain relief. What I am saying is you will NOT get any more pain relief by taking 20 mg as opposed to 10 mg of Hydrocodone. This is like Codeine where taking 120 mg will not provide any more pain relief than 60 mg. Oxycodone has a higher pain threshold and increased pain relief can be expected for doses as high as 40 mg while anything above 40 mg of Oxycodone is not going to provide more pain relief. We often are prescribed 10 mg of Oxycodone and yet it still has the ability to provide more pain relief at higher doses. In fact Oxycontin 80 mg, the strongest available single dose will initially release 40 mg and over the next 8 hours release the other 40 mg. Noteworthy is the codone in Hydrocodone and Oxycodone. Both are structured around the codeine molecule. Codeine is actually dervived from Morphehe by methylization. This is why codeine is sometimes described as methyl-morphene. With this said, Oxymorphone, Morphene and Hydromorphone are the Morphene equivalents and these three opiates are very potent. I was once prescribed Oxymorphone for severe migraine headach and will have to say it was the most potent pain medication ever provided to me. Recently the FDA has approved an oral version of time released Oxymorphone called Opana.
Hydrocodone is not as powerful as Oxycodone because Hydrocodone is a man made synthetic version of Oxycodone. They are both strong and effect people in different ways. I get a 100mg dose / capsule of Hydrocodone that also contains 100 mg of Tylenol. Its compounded / made, locally by a pharmacy that has a license to make compounded meds. Im told its ER but there is no way since its a powder in a gel capsule. My insurance company pays for it and it comes to about $1.00 per capsule. There are no markings on the capsule and it comes in a cardboard punch out dispensing board. They can make them just about any size they want up to a certain limit. Mine is 100mg of ER Hydrocodone. I take 3 per day or 300 mg's / started at 30mg 6 years ago.the doc will not write for oxycontin for good reason but I feel the Oxycontin is a much better drug because its time released but its abused more than any other drug. 12 low back procedures & chronic pain with no hope of getting better / so im told
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