DOSE:	40 mg	oral	Oxycodone	(daily)
		oral	Alcohol

BODY WEIGHT:

210 lb

[Erowid Note: Interactions between opioids and other drugs can be very dangerous. By some estimates, over 95% of opioid-related deaths involve an opioid combined with at least one additional medication or drug, most commonly a sedative or depressant (alcohol, benzodiazepines, or another opioid).]
So although an occasional dabbler in all types of things, I'd say my behaviour across the years could best be described as 'moderate' - fairly regular drinker of alcohol and enjoy hash weekly or so. Once a year or so I'd maybe have a few lines of coke with old buddies. That sort of thing.

On a trip December last year to the US (I am in UK) I developed serious back ache and the week away was not fun at all. Was quite worried about the flight home so I mentioned to a colleague that I was going to head to the pharmacy - one can always rely on the US for much better OTC stuff.

Instead, he rummaged in his bag and handed me a small pale pill, and said just drop this before security and you'll be fine. Didn't think much of it but did as he said.

It was an oxy and suffice to say the flight was a joy. No pain, and together with a couple glasses of beer it was by far the most enjoyable flight ever. Happy, loving the music on my iPhone, films great and generally I felt on top of the world. Worth noting I'd never taken any opioid before.

Didn't think much more of it until the colleague pinged me a few weeks later and said he was coming to the UK. My back was still a bit sore so I asked him if he could get me some of that 'great stuff'.

He arrived and handed me a box of 50 x 20mg. And so it begins.

First Friday - thought I'd have a half before going out. Bit difficult to half but I got there. Felt mildly high, was more sociable than usual and also slept so well after a few drinks.

You can guess where this went. Weekends went to Thursdays and Sunday, by now was a whole one around 5pm. And then daily. Seemed so beneficial in many ways - appetite regulation, I drank less, more productive, friends noticed my improved mood.

Then > lockdown. Another carton had arrived from my collegue and although I was still working (from home) like many others I was gloomy and negative. So 2 x 20mg a day just seemed to take the edge off. I could get up and get on with things without a problem. I've never suffered from depression in a clinical way but I was probably in that state without acknowledging it.

So April > August this pattern continued. Worth noting the dosage did not go up (I have a a senior job and for financial reasons I cannot risk losing it).

But I did begin to think I was developing a dependency. I was useless from when I woke to about 11am which I popped the first pill. So I had a week away booked with my partner and son and I decided to not take any with me.

It was not a fun week. Although I could function I felt pretty bad the whole time (improved a bit towards the end). Headaches, body aches, negativity, lack of motivation, depressed, problems sleeping, restless leg etc.

The drive home could not come quick enough, and of course fairly quickly the whole routine started up. The first pill but flooded me with good feelings - even better than before as I'd been without for a week. But the experience had scared me and in the end I realised I had to quit.

The taper down was not too painful - I went from 40 > 30 > 20 > 10mg a day over a 3 week period. I then took 3 days off work and went to another UK city to rest and walk and so on.

2 weeks later (clean) and I feel very much like my old self. Life is still routine and somewhat boring but I've not thought about those little pills for over a week (until I decided to write this).

My point is this : I am reasonably well off, middle aged and in many ways life has been kind to me. Nevertheless I think I was on the edge of developing a real addiction so wanted to point out that this drug does not discriminate so please use real caution folks.

Exp Year: 2020	ExpID: 114834
Gender: Male
Age at time of experience: 50
Published: Oct 19, 2020	Views: 4,922
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Oxycodone (176) : First Times (2), Addiction & Habituation (10), Hangover / Days After (46), Retrospective / Summary (11), Various (28)