GOOD POST!!! Good questions, I've always wondered the same thing as well. Do you know how much medication that woman took to make her pass away?
I, myself, and really low bodyweight and my doc doesn't think its an issue and neiter did other docs in my past as well. I think its based more of a tolerance level. Mine is really low and everything gets to me so I can only take so little even though I'm in so much pain because the side effects are enormous.
But anyway, good question and I hope you get some good replies.

I watch that show too, and have also seen other news reports and tv shows where people have died accidentally by overdosing on pain meds or from mixing medicaitions.

I'm so afraid this will happen to me, because when I'm in pain I'm desperate for relief. I haven't been able to talk to anyone about this before.

I havent either if you would evr like to talk whitedolphin Im here. I also just want relief I get such bad pain in my pelvic area that i have told both my dr and my counselor that some days I just want to take a knife and rip it all out. I had pain so bad this morning I took 3 oxy tried to sleep and a bath when that didnt work. Its really rough when you just want relief but im scared of how much i take. i cannot even take the fentanyl patch my dr gave me for my pain. I was actually in the hospital when heath ledger overdosed and i was so freaked out i wouldnt tell my nurses when i was in pain I would just lay in my bed and cry and scream. they got so mad at for it. so did my hubby they told me not to worry about it. but i am going to talk to my dr about this this week. thank you guys for all your replies

sometimes i take 3 percs in a night, i worry more about all the tylenol than drug, i think many people take more than 15mg of oxycodone?Im so sick of tkaing pills, i think about going on a time released pain med?

do not take more than your script says. If you need more, talk to your doctor about increasing the dose first and do not mix OTC (over the counter) meds or other meds with your meds from your doctor without checking to see if there could be an interaction between them. My mother thought she could take more than her script was written for while using Demerol... she died in 1984 from an overdose. These meds we take for pain low down the central nervous system. The more you take .... then you go to sleep and stop breathing. Just check with your doc first before you take more than you should. :) i hate to lose anyone else I care about if you know what I mean? :) Many pain drugs have high amounts of Tylenol in them and can cause severe kidney an liver damage as well over a long period. Just things to keep in mind.

Im sick of taking pills too. I would ask my dr for a time released but simce my nerve block my oxy is only for breakthrough but i have had my cycle for two weeks or so now a long time and the pain gets so so bad and i bruise and hurt so bad when i have it so i take my oxy about 3 times a day. I just worry about how much is too much? They never say but to take two pills every 4-6 hours. i get so confused.

The longer you take the meds, the higher your tolerance will become. Eventually, you'll have to keep upping your dose in order to feel any relief. If I have the opportunity to lie in bed all day, I skip my Oxycodone in order to prevent this.

I agree with Willow54. Never take more or less then what is prescribed to you or mix meds without consulting your Dr. first. I even give my pharmacist a phone call before taking anything over the counter.

I want to thank everyone for their comments but I was wondering of how much of a med is too much. I understand that you can become tolerant to a med. But why do people overdose? Is it because they are not used to that doseage? I am very sensitive to my meds and i was very sick and dizzy on the fentanyl patch. I am not taking more than prescribed or mixing my medicaitons I have spoken to my dr about what i take and the pharacist. I was just watching this show and it just really made me think of what could have caused her death. All i know is she was trying to control her pain and took so much that she fell asleep and stopped breathing on her hallway floor. It really scares me because I do care about so many of us in the group this group is full of so many people that is why i thought i would ask.

I strongly recommend that you speak to your doctor and ask him what the maximum dosage is for you. Some people can tolerate a higher concentration than others. Yes, your weight is taken into consideration [think about the anesthesiologist asking about your weight so he can dose you accordingly] but you should never go above the recommended dosage of your doctor. He knows your history. If you need more than your recommended dosage you may need to change medications as you may have developed a tolerance to the med at the recommended dosage. Good luck.

Their are deaths due to taking painkillers and sometimes the media doesnt tell the whole story.
In austalia their were some kidney failures due to the drug preetixge.The media blamed the drug yet the media failed to let people know that these people were in their 90's and had liver failure.
Some people that are taking the right dosages do die, some people arent able to take such high dosages and that sometimes when taking one drug and other drugs the drugs sometimes intereact and do kill people.
their was a doco in thrid world counties that arent in pain but paid by the drug companies to take the drug and see how it goes.Sometimes the people die from that and from intactions from other drugs.
When ever i take a new drug i always look it up on google and what it interacts with.
Some people think the drug isnt working them take another dose and another till they do od from the drug.

A good movie to watch is called side effects it's about how the drug companies push their drugs

(As for fentynel, I had same reaction, just not a drug I can take (patch)
As to how much is too much? I second those who say more than prescribed although at one point I was taking up to 14 grains of codeine durng waking day. There is another issue besides how much is too much? As you take more you may become foggy and forget you have already taken your meds r how much you have taken.
leej

Megan, I can relate to what you are asking. I have a VERY high tolerance to meds and the doctors actually have yet to find the right med at the right dose for me. I have a script for oxycodone 15 every 6 hours. It doesnt help me a bit and although I am not saying its right at all, I have taken 2 15mg tabs 4 hours apart,and although it did help just a bit more I still didnt get much relief. But some people would be over the top with it. I got a script today for 40mg Opana ER every 12 hours and Opana 20mg(2 10 mg) every 6 hours,and Soma 325 every 12 hours along with my Lyrica. I had a problem at the pharmacy and havent had the Opana filled yet but we shall see. If anyone takes this I would like to hear what dose combination works for you,just out of curiosity. I have taken 20mg Opana before with 10mg ER and it helped after a few weeks but then I had to switch pain docs and he took me off it completely. Now I am changing docs again(thank God) so I am trying the Opana again at a higher dose. Sorry if I got side tracked I just wanted to explain that unfortunately none of us react the same to meds. I think it depends on the med and the persons' ability to metabolize the med. I am praying that the new dose works because Opana by far has been the first med that came close to helping me,and trust me I have taken alot of stuff at pretty high doses and dont feel anything. I have heard people say how high they get from their meds but I NEVER get that feeling(good thing). I do understand it though when people take more than prescribed, it is frustrating to be undermedicated. Still it is best to work close with your dr to find the right med with the right dose.
I just know I will hear crap for this, but I am just being honest. Hugs and understanding

definetely talk with your Dr. everyone is different. People develop differant tollerance. I have been oxycontin (generic oxycodone for 7 yrs due to many surgies most recent having both knees replaced. I take 100mg 3x per day. This could very easily kill most if not alot of people, I have developed a very high tollerance and am so anxious to get off all of this garbage. I would much rather be taking my herbal meds. Who's to say that person didn't have some sort of unusual allergic reaction. So I quit babbling here. ALWAYS FOLLOW DRS INSTRUCTIONS IF IN DOUBT CALL A PHARMASCIT OR IF YOU DON'T HAVE A 24HR PHARMACY IN YOUR AREA YOU CAN ALWAYS CALL THE LOCAL HOSPITAL AND ASK TO SPEAK WITH A DR OR NUSE, THEY WILL HEP YOU. BEST OF LUCK TO YOU.

this episode was on again this morning and the woman was on 10mg of methadone and had (i might spell it wrong) but she had disingrate disc disease from a previous car accident and hurt her neck. the night she fell into the coma she had taken 2 different anxiety meds, 2 different antideppresants, and numerous methadone pills. so i just ask those all here to please talk to drs and pharmacists about any interactions and precautions. i go tomorrow to the dr. this pain is going to keep me up all night i think. i really really hate neuropathy