Hi Jim & Anyone that can help. This forum has helped me so much over the years and so have you Jim.

I'm an old Poster from 1999 to 2005, new name. Not a banned member, just wanted a change as my life has changed dramatically.

Hoping someone can answer this for me about the difference between Oxycodone Apap and Oxycodone HCL? I posted in CP and got "0" responses. I understand though, but really would like to know.

I've searched the net for info about the differences, but couldn't find anything. I know "Oxycodone Apap" is the generic for Percocet and "Oxycodone HCL" is the generic for Percolone, OxyIR, Roxicodone(from the pharm pamphlet). Well, I was told Oxycodone HCL does not have tylenol in it. Well, wouldn't that be considered Oxycontin then? Because, Oxycontin is Oxycodone without tylenol?

I am in pain mgmt(6yrs) due to a cervical and lumbar fusion and have alot of residual pain. I take Oxycontin twice a day 60mgs, and in between doses, I take 3 Percocet 7.5/325 on a schedule, not as BT meds. The Pharmacy was short on my Percocet this month, but only by 10 pills. I was told something about the "warehouse where it comes from was short on supply for some reason" and they won't be getting more for another month. I think someone messed up. I really don't know though.

So they substituted with my Doctors approval for my 3rd dose of the day, for the last 10 days, Oxycodone HCL, even though its only 5mgs and not the 7.5 I take.

What really is the difference, does anyone know, besides not having tylenol in it and it being only 5mgs? And, I honestly would have thought it would be considered Oxycontin as I said, due to having no tylenol, but Oxycontin doesn't come in 5mg tabs. These 10 Oxycodone HCL have the same warning though as the Oxy, saying, "Do not crush or chew". It kinda makes me wonder, with all the warnings about too much tylenol, why not give pain patients who take meds with tylenol, the Oxycodone HCL med for BT?

Any thoughts? I'm confused and always leary of what different or new meds I take, if its okay to. I know my Doc okay'd it, but still, I always double check and I have never heard of Oxycodone HCL. The Pharmacist kinda just shrugged her shoulders when I asked and my Doc is now on vacation. I just don't want to take something I know nothing about with my other meds. Over cautious? Yeppers, because I had a med mix up once already from that Pharmacy, I don't want another.

Thanks,
Feebs

I just did a quick search, and I found that apap is immediate release and hci is controlled release. I'm sure Jim will be here soon to help out. Also hci has aspirin. Don't know about apap. Tough to find stuff, since all the 'Get Drugs With No Prescription' sites keep coming up LOL. I would think substituting one for another has serious consequences, since they both react differently in their dosing.

Marmar

Oxycodone Apap, is oxycodone HCL with tylenol (Percocet, etc) and Oxycodone HCL is the same thing without the tylenol - pure oxycodone (OxyIR, Roxicodone, etc). HCL just stands for Hydrochloride (oxycodone hydrochloride), the way the oxycodone base is formulated - it's referred to as the hydrochloride salt of oxycodone, but don't worry about that, it has nothing to do with salt like table salt - just a way the oxycodone is produced so it will be stable and will dissolve well and get absorbed effectively. Most oxycodone is produced as oxycodone HCL

Oxycontin is also oxycodone HCL - but it is time-released. It is available in 10, 20, 40 and 80mg tablets (also used to be 160mg). If you are getting a 5mg tablet, it is immediate release oxycodone HCL, the same as Percocet - only without the tylenol. If you feel the tylenol helps, you can take some plain tylenol along with the oxycodone HCL (don't exceed 3000-4000 mg a day of tylenol - the less the better because tylenol can be hard on the liver) - but don't take tylenol along with oxycodone apap since you'll get getting a double dose of tylenol!

Pure immediate release oxycodone HCL isn't made in 7.5mg strength in the US, so that's why they gave you 5mg - but they should have allowed you to take 1 1/2 tablets of the 5mg so you'd still get 7.5mg. There is no danger to breaking or cutting an immediate release oxycodone tablet in half - they just put those "don't crush or chew" warning on all opiates now so that people don't try to abuse them and get a rush by doing that.

As far as marmar's answer-it's not quite right (Sorry marmar- no offense, just want Feebs to get all the facts straight-OK?) : The HCL has nothing to do with aspirin or controlled release, and apap has nothing to do with immediate release (it refers to tylenol), although controlled release oxycontin doesn't contain apap so if you're getting oxycodone apap you know it's immediate release. And there's no substitution going on here, since oxycodone apap and oxycodone HCL have the same main active ingredient - oxycodone HCL. The only difference in your case is no tylenol, and the lower strength (ask your doc about taking 1 1/2).

This can be confusing and all those darn internet drug suppliers makes it hard to find accurate info. Try drugs.com next time rather than a Google search.

Jim

Marmar and Jim, Thank you very much for you help! You both have always been very helpful.

Marmar, I know what you mean about those sites that come up. Thats all I got when I tried my own search and I tried so many different ways to look it up. I was getting so frustrated with that. I appreciate your help on my behalf by trying to look up the info for Me. Thank you Kindly.

Jim, Thank you! Now I feel alot better. It just confused me because of the Oxycontin is Oxycodone with no tylenol, so I thought maybe it was the same and time released. Good to know that it is no different than my percocet, it just has no tylenol. Phew! I was afraid to take it until I knew. My own pain mgmt doc is away as I mentioned and his nurse does not return phone calls. I wish I knew why he didn't prescribe those as 1 1/2, but I assume because it was just 10 pills and my last percocet dose of the day, he probably thought nothing of it or was to busy to even realize that. I can't thank you enough for explaining it to me and putting my worried mind at ease.

Thank You Both for your help and glad to be back here amongst friends.

Feebs

jim,,,,, oxy ir comes in caps also....

Yes it does indeed. I think that's the only way it comes. I used to use it for BT pain and capsules where the only brand formulation of it.

Jim