Dear byebyeluv, I am so sorry to hear about your sister. I didn't realize that one Oxy is equal to 16 percocets. My son was addicted to Oxy and he ended up robbing a Walgreen's to get the drug, etc..... You can read my profile for the rest of the story. He's now in prison. He said he had not got arrested that he's sure he would have overdosed and died. That's scary as my husband and I didn't even know he was hooked on Oxy. He didn't live with us. My son just turned 30 this past July. I'm like you that so many people don't realize the real dangers with Oxy. My son used to crush them up and snort them. This is a great site to give your advice or to ask questions. It's been a life saver for me since my son got arrested in May 2008. Take Care. Love, Georgia

I am right there with you. Oxycontin is hurting more people than it is helping, period. My son is working at getting his life back together after becoming addicted to legal Heroin, or Oxycontin. I get mad every time I think about it.

Your sister is ok now and is feeling peace and love. Please, please somehow find that for yourself. OXY is overtaking so many people right now and I bet if half of these people knew what it was and what it could do before the first time they took it and they loved there selves then they would of NEVER touched it. EDUCATION is the key. Keep up the good work!

So sorry about your little sister. I can pray for some peace for you. My husband is an addicto of oxycottin and I've seen him so loopy, high and this is aroundmy 3 kids. I take care of them 99% of the time but would panic if he had to watch them. He has gone in and out of theapy programs but never stuck with it. It's been my entire marriage and I'm sick of it. I cried to him and stood beside him. Showed him statistics of what could happen, forgave him, went to meetings with him, got us out of debt from pills by getting part time work, etc...I feel I've done all I could and this past time I said I have to leave and was walking--and now he is in therapy and 30 days clean. He is in Greenbriar and can only hope and pray he stays in it. I want to share with him this story so he can see what can happen. Again I'm so sorry. Hugs.

Purple.. Greenbriar isn't going to help him..seriously..you are enablling him to stay hooked and it sounds like he is doing this rehab to please you.. what life lessons are you kids getting? That mommy stood by our dad when he was wasted.. or that our dad isn't present for us and we're not worthy of his attention or love.. God wouldn't want you to suffer these ills.. you can pray for him while he's in rehab or just 30 days clean..what about you Purple? do you think God is going to reward you b/c you hung in there? God gave his only son so that we wouldn't have to suffer. are you suffering?

why are these legal drug pushers(doctors) allowed to prescribe drugs to young adults . Oxy, I thought was originally given to cancer patients in their last stage. the DEA must do more about this. we're seriously losing the battle against drugs . I wonder if we could get as many people as possible to get on the DEA'S ass, if things might just change a bit.

I am so so sorry about your loss. I can not imagine what you are going through. I know of quite a few people who are addicted to oxycontin and it is such a sad situation. I hope that you are doing okay and think it is so wonderful that you have taken time to help others who may be going through the same situation you are. God Bless you!

So sorry for your loss- my niece was taken from us in April due to opiate abuse. It started with pain pills- nobody realizes how dangerous they are.
Let me clarify this for all of you:
The most commonly prescribed percocets are 5mg. Oxycontin comes in 10,20,40,60,and 80mg. So if someone is taking Oxy 80's, it is like taking 16 percocets and for someone who is not used to that, it is deadly, as the poster stated.
It is hard to imagine that most people do not know these kind of things- It is so important to educate yourself on what your loved ones are abusing, please take the time to learn!!!!!!!!!

I am so sorry for your loss. My A is an addict and it all started with Oxycontin too. He has made the switch to heroin and is now 13 days sober. I am grateful for his sobriety, and only hope that it will stick this time. He has been thru 3 rehabs, 5 detox and a 3 weeks stay in the phsyc ward. This pill, this disease leaves a huge path of distruction with everything it touches. My prayers for all those who have lost, all those suffering and all who struggle with sobriety!

What kills me are the drugs taken off the market such as Vioxx, Meridia and Serzone for being dangerous..The article I read stated that Serzone had caused hundreds of cases of liver failure and at least 21 deaths. That's a drop in the bucket compared to what Oxycontin has contributed to. Oxycontin has hurt waaay more people than it's helped so why is it so available?

I am so, so sorry for your loss - But, if someone is going to abuse drugs, they'll find a way. I don't seel it, give it away or any of that. I just know that after a lifetime of chronic pain, Oxycontin - the original oxycontin - has been a life-saver for me.

Should I have to be in constant, horrible pain because people have chosen to abuse the only drug that helps me?

byebyeluv, I can't imagine what it's like to lose a loved one to this drug. I am so sorry.

You are right that this is a very dangerous and highly addictive drug. Last year my son was using OxyContin and was up to 80's, snorted, mixed with other drugs. It's a miracle he's still alive.

You say that if you know then what you know now, she would still be alive. You have to stop believing that or the guilt will eat you up. If you had known, you would understand what many of us in this forum had to learn the hard way. There is absolutely nothing you could have done to stop her from using this drug. If there were a way, we would have found it.

There was a recent change that my son told me about. They added something to the drug that makes it turn to gel if a person snorts it. Then it's not absorbed. He said he heard that kids from the high school that are addicted to Oxy are now turning to heroin as a substitute. That backfired, at least for the current users. Maybe it will at least stop the new users from starting.

Purple-I saw the note above about Greenbriar not helping. Of course it can help people who are truly interested in recovery. From what you've been posting recently, there are some very positive signs with your husband and I hope things continue to go well.

Oxy kills individuals---It also kills families of the addict. My niece's son overdosed on oxy---was in coma for days---now needs 24/7 care from the brain damage.

Purple, my heart tells me that you may be hanging on to your husband and marriage to long and for all of the wrong reasons. If your codependence makes you too sick to protect your children from the horrific fallout of having addicted parents, you will feel guilt all of your life, as I do.

I am so very sorry for your loss. My 29 year old little sister is addicted to Oxy. We have cut her off financially. I miss her and I grieve for the life that she has wasted. We don't even know where she is right now. Everyday I wonderif she is safe. It breaks my heart into a million pieces.

Where is the criticism for each of the doctors who prescribe oxy to people who shouldn't have it, in ways that it shouldn't be prescribed. In Australia, specialist pain management doctors screen people for risk of abuse first. They provide proper information to the patient to enable an informed choice. Long term opioids used to be only for terminally ill people, but in 1997 the US pain medicine association announced that it could be used for "non malignant pain", ie chronic pain that wasn't terminal.

Prescribing a pill is easier than getting to know a person and co-ordinating a multidisciplinary approach to their pain management with physical therapy, on the job changes, psychology etc. You need to focus on the regulation of doctors and educating them, not patients who are not supposed to have to do the doctor's job.

People with an addict in the family or who have personal risk factors for abuse should not take oxy.