Can I crush Oxycontin pills?

23 Jan 2008

I'm sure no doctor or pharmacist told you to crush Oxycontin or even half it, doing so will compromise its time release and turn it into immediate release (IR). They make Oxycodone IR, but only up to a 30mg pill, it's also available in a liquid form known as Oxyfast.
I'm betting if you tell your doctor what you're doing you're going to get the evil eye, so watch out, you don't want flagged.

Why not chew up some food then pop it in your mouth and swallow whole?

24 Jan 2008

If you are only taking 20mgs a day then ask the doctor to order you oxycontin 10mgs.That way you can take 10mgs rwice a day.Don't ever crush or cut these pills as you can suddenly od on them.Good luck... Dave

P.S. There is also liquid opiates andor suppositories the doctor can order you... Dave

24 Jan 2008

No, the DR did not tell me to crush the oxycontin, I started the crushing when I was taking the lortab, for the oxycontin I just break in half and try to swallow with food, my problem is the spasms I have in my throat, I have them all over as well, and it is so hard to take pills. I have severe MS so it is not like I am an addict, most of the time I fight to not take my pain meds. Best to probably ask for lower dose that is not ER. I have only been taking the oxycontin for 3 days, and I think that my dose is too much, so I break it in half. Thanks for the help.

24 Jan 2008

What is flagged? My DR knows that I half the oxycontin, she is a pain specialist, my neurologist knows as well, they both warned against it because of it entering my bloodstream too fast, so next appointment I should have the dose lowered or changed to something less dangerous at least!

24 Jan 2008

Being "flagged" means an alert put in your records for potential drug abuse, but in your case, and I know it was an honest mistake or ignorance on how controlled release medication works, doctors will still sometime be suspicious, I don't think you need to worry about that though.

For someone who has difficulty swallowing pills like you this is why they make liquid oxycodone (Oxyfast). In the future, say if you should go back to hydrocodone, you should ask if the drug is available in capsule form, that will save you from having to crush your medicine. Hydro/apap is avail in 5/500mg caps by the brand names of Stagesic and Hydrocet. It's also available in Oxycodone IR but only in 5mg caps.

You may even want to consider taking Morphine CR such as Avinza or Kadian since they come in capsules.

Dave (mpvt) also had a good idea re the suppositories, actually almost any pill can be inserted rectally, and you actually get more pain relief, administered via rectum delivery (for real)!

25 Jan 2008

Also the bioavailability is higher for suppositories then taking opiates orally except for methadone as it is about 90% oral compared to I.V. methadone which is one reason it is so successful in opiate addiction recovery... Good luck... Dave

Remember to ask your doctor for 10mg oxycontin instead of the 20mg.That way you won't have to cut them in half.Good luck and be careful... Dave

26 Jan 2008

Thank you all so much. I had a visit with my DR today, and she has changed my medication to liquid oxycodone, I am no longer taking the oxycontin at all. They were rather suprised that I asked to be taken off of it. The suppository idea was good too, but I think this way is better. LOL! Thanks again everyone!

5 Nov 2009

That guy with the straw is surely a rolling stone oxycontin has a coating on it which allows it to slowly release med into your body the straw and its all at once not a good idea

29 Nov 2009

Of course, you CAN crush oxycontin pills. There are VERY RARE circumstances in which this would be indicated. Crushing the pills will compromise the time release nature of the drug, and you get the full dose effects at once... that could lead to a lot of bad things... overdose, addiction, tolerance, etc. I have had Crohn's disease for 25 years. Missing my entire large intesting, and about half my small intesting (53 surgeries). When I took oxy, they would literally pass through me whole (short bowel syndrome). In addition, I only absorb about 60% of ANY med I take. Crushing was my only option. but I had to crush, then take a little at a time (over the dosing period). If you DO NOT have these symptoms, then take them as prescribed.

6 Jan 2010

MA Momma can you hook a brother up? I have MS as well but the doc will only give me 5s.

20 Jan 2010

You should never crush oxycontin as they are a time release tablet and will release the full dose... Likely resulting in a burst of pain relief more than required and not lasting the amount of time that you need... This generally leads to using more and eventually addiction like the one I am dealing with right now... Before you know... You will be crushing 80mg trying to get the relief from a pain that used to just require a time released 40mg.

27 Jan 2010

NO the risk of overdove is to high when you crush a timed release pill. Change medicines or lower your dose to 20mg. pills. The immediate release Oxy's and Morphines are real small and easy to take sounds like the 30's would work for you even the 15's. Good Luck

9 Jun 2010

I had a doctor tell me to cut time release oxycontins in half and just take the half he said it's no more dangerous than vicodin or percocet as long as you don't take to much. Basically if you take the crushed oxycontin with some tylenol your basically just making your own stronger percocet prescription just with less tylenol. So as long as your not taking 20mg's you should be fine just be careful though. Good luck

1 Sep 2010

its not good for you to put them in your milk. Crush them up real fine, and roll up a dollar and sniff the s.o.b. OMG, its a epidemic for a reason- almost instant pain release. And if you get pills with a time realse capsule suck it off, dry it out, crush that baby up. Roxy 30s taste lot better than oxycodone 40 or 80 but u sniff one 80 your in heaven in about 5 minutes.

2 Sep 2010

Almost all of the previous answers have been right on. The company that produces Oxycontin, Purdue, has changed the chemical properties and a person can no longer cut, crush or dissolve the pill AT ALL. They did this so no one can abuse the drug any longer. Trust me, all you can do is swallow the pill whole now.