I have been on percocet for the better part of 2 years for a chronic TMJ condition but not untill after spending 10 years experimenting with all the NSAIDS my doc could give me. There was Naproxen, Celebrex, Vioxx, Arthrotec, Advil you name it. Only after they did damage to my stomach did my Doctor put me on narcotics first stop was tylenol 3's they didnt work too well and when I had to start taking 2 my Doc put me on Percocet 5/325. After about a year and a half of this he suggested Oxycontin. I take 20mg twice a day and I have the percocet for breakthrough pain. Bishop I know you were asking how to approach your Doc about these? Well you could use the Tylenol factor this is what made my Doc suggest them to me I was taking too much tylenol. I have not had a problem with the Oxys at all. They dont kill all the pain but then again what painkiller does? As long as I have quality of life I am more than happy. There is a surgery that " might" help my jaw condition with long physical therapy after but after reading what my friends on the TMJ board I dont know if its the best idea. I have read Stacys post as well and he had to be abusing them very badly for this to happen because taking them as directed doesnt kill you. She also said he had been clean for 3 months therefore his body wasnt even used to the dose he took before quitting and he was ok...he was like a narcotic virgin again for lack of a better word and that dose killed him because his body was no longer tolerant. I hope the ones that abuse the oxy or think about it will read her post before they do because thats why she posted it to help someone else not suffer the fate of her husband. God bless you all, may he give everyone the strength to fight thier demons.
Luv
Autumn.