For any average, monthly prescribed oxycontin user, how many pills would they be prescribed a month? How often are they allowed to refill? When being started on oxycontin, what is the general starting dosage? And how quickly can the dosage rise?
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For any average, monthly prescribed oxycontin user, how many pills would they be prescribed a month? How often are they allowed to refill? When being started on oxycontin, what is the general starting dosage? And how quickly can the dosage rise?
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Oxycontin IS a maintenance medication and SHOULD be used for chronic pain only. Disregard the previous answer.
Oxycontin is an extended-release medication that is prescribed in 12-hour intervals, therefore as long as you only need to take one table to achieve the required dose, a month’s supply will always be 60 tablets.
Oxycontin is a Schedule-II controlled substance and therefore not refillable at all in most states. Each fill requires a new written prescription from your doctor. Assuming the first fill is for 30 days (The maximum allowable quantity of a Schedule-II in this state), your doctor/pharmacy/insurance will usually allow another prescription to be filled after 25 to 27 days.
Oxycontin comes in 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 60, and 80mg tablets. If this is the first extended-release opioid you will be taking, then you will usually start with a lower dosage. Your body will quickly build up a tolerance to this medication and will require a higher dosage to maintain the same level of pain-control. Therefore the dosage increase may be fairly rapid. Consequently, when one is taken off of this medication, there will be a weaning process.
Hope this helps.
As curious as this question is… I do have an answer.
Oxycontin is not a "refill as needed" medication. Even if it was used for chronic pain (which I do not believe it is) the patient who the script is written for cannot refill more than a certain number of times as indicated by the prescribing physician.
I can’t tell you exactly how many pills are in a monthly supply but I would safely assume that taking into account the pills main use there are at least 30 pills. As for dosages your question sounds like you are relating it to an allergy medication or one you would take frequently and long-term. This is not a healthy long-term medication and starting dosages would be "as needed" per to the pain the patient is in.
Just my idea, hope it helps.