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Oxycontin Withdrawal Symptoms - Can anyone help or recommend...
by danny, Oct 21, 1999 12:00AM
Can you help, please?
My doctor prescribed Oxycontin almost 2 years ago for extreme pain in my upper & lower back and sinuses. I've lived w/this pain for almost 2 years prior and tried every non-prescription medication to get any relief. I was taking 8-12 Tylenol everyday plus Afrin every 4-6 hours. The Tylenol was killing my liver and the Afrin gave me a rebound affect. I visited my Doctor and he started me on Oxycontin.
When I began taking the medication, the dose was 2X20mg tablets per day and it did the trick. As time went on that dose was no longer effective, therefore it was gradually increased. It's been a little more than two years since I began taking the medication and I'm now taking enough Oxycontin to kill a horse. My current dose is approx. 350-400mg per day - yes, that much! However, it too is starting to become ineffective. I've seen many doctors in an attempt to find the source of the pain so I could take care of it once & for all and get off this medication.
I own a business that keeps me busy 17 hours a day, 6 days a week and I've been working these long hours for almost 4 years now. I love what I do so the time flies by. But, since the Oxycontin worked so well, for so long, it gave me an excuse to avoid the time off needed to visit more doctors. I finally made the time to visit various specialists to find out that my sinuses are a mess and my neck & back need work as well. I'm scheduled for sinuplasty in next month to correct my severe sinus problems and I'm currently going through more tests for my neck & back pain.
This is all in an attempt to fix these problems once and for all so I can get off the Oxycontin. Not only is it expensive but I'm sick of taking the pills. I recently tried to stop taking them for a day and I visited what I believed to be the bowels of hell! I got extremely nauseous, w/heavy sweating, hot & cold flashes, uncontrollable coughing, diarrhea, insomnia, rapid heartbeat, watery eyes, excessive yawning, and depression - the worst feelings I've ever felt. It got so bad that I seriously contemplated ending it just so I wouldn't feel this way anymore.
Even though I've read, in your forum, that a lot of people go back to the medication just to get relief from these horrible feelings of withdrawal, that's what I ended up doing! I spoke w/my doctor about this and he explained that these are expected narcotic withdrawal symptoms and I shouldn't have tried to stop cold turkey! The way to handle it is to slowly taper down the dose until I can stop w/minimal side effects. The problem I'm having now is that the tapering of the medication, even when I cut it by only 40mg per day still gives me some of the side-effects, although not nearly as severe. I'm dealing with it because I MUST get off this stuff. But, I'm hoping there's something that'll help with this overall feeling of ****!
I have to say that this is the worst time of my life! I've worked so hard to build my business and this medication has compromised all of my efforts! Had I known this was possible I never would've began taking the medication. It's partly my doctors faulty for allowing me so much of it but I blame myself because he didn't force it down my throat. I took a few days off and researched the medication via the Internet to see if anything could be done to ease my symptoms? I've read forums such as yours, and though I now know I'm not the only person going through this, I wouldn't wish these feelings on my worst enemies. Thank God there are forums such as yours, now if I could only find ways to help with the withdrawal symptoms I would be even more grateful.
Are these symptoms life threatening? Is there anything that'll help with any or all of them? Can anything be done to avoid them at all? I have yet to find any information as to how to get any relief? I'm willing to do whatever it takes. I called the local Rapid Detox facility to get more information. They wanted almost $4000.00 of which I don't have for the treatment. They require it to be paid in advance, making it impossible for me to afford.
Can you help? Thanks for reading this booklet; I wanted you to know as much as possible. If you have any help, ideas or information, please email me with it at ***@****
Thanks in advance!
My doctor prescribed Oxycontin almost 2 years ago for extreme pain in my upper & lower back and sinuses. I've lived w/this pain for almost 2 years prior and tried every non-prescription medication to get any relief. I was taking 8-12 Tylenol everyday plus Afrin every 4-6 hours. The Tylenol was killing my liver and the Afrin gave me a rebound affect. I visited my Doctor and he started me on Oxycontin.
When I began taking the medication, the dose was 2X20mg tablets per day and it did the trick. As time went on that dose was no longer effective, therefore it was gradually increased. It's been a little more than two years since I began taking the medication and I'm now taking enough Oxycontin to kill a horse. My current dose is approx. 350-400mg per day - yes, that much! However, it too is starting to become ineffective. I've seen many doctors in an attempt to find the source of the pain so I could take care of it once & for all and get off this medication.
I own a business that keeps me busy 17 hours a day, 6 days a week and I've been working these long hours for almost 4 years now. I love what I do so the time flies by. But, since the Oxycontin worked so well, for so long, it gave me an excuse to avoid the time off needed to visit more doctors. I finally made the time to visit various specialists to find out that my sinuses are a mess and my neck & back need work as well. I'm scheduled for sinuplasty in next month to correct my severe sinus problems and I'm currently going through more tests for my neck & back pain.
This is all in an attempt to fix these problems once and for all so I can get off the Oxycontin. Not only is it expensive but I'm sick of taking the pills. I recently tried to stop taking them for a day and I visited what I believed to be the bowels of hell! I got extremely nauseous, w/heavy sweating, hot & cold flashes, uncontrollable coughing, diarrhea, insomnia, rapid heartbeat, watery eyes, excessive yawning, and depression - the worst feelings I've ever felt. It got so bad that I seriously contemplated ending it just so I wouldn't feel this way anymore.
Even though I've read, in your forum, that a lot of people go back to the medication just to get relief from these horrible feelings of withdrawal, that's what I ended up doing! I spoke w/my doctor about this and he explained that these are expected narcotic withdrawal symptoms and I shouldn't have tried to stop cold turkey! The way to handle it is to slowly taper down the dose until I can stop w/minimal side effects. The problem I'm having now is that the tapering of the medication, even when I cut it by only 40mg per day still gives me some of the side-effects, although not nearly as severe. I'm dealing with it because I MUST get off this stuff. But, I'm hoping there's something that'll help with this overall feeling of ****!
I have to say that this is the worst time of my life! I've worked so hard to build my business and this medication has compromised all of my efforts! Had I known this was possible I never would've began taking the medication. It's partly my doctors faulty for allowing me so much of it but I blame myself because he didn't force it down my throat. I took a few days off and researched the medication via the Internet to see if anything could be done to ease my symptoms? I've read forums such as yours, and though I now know I'm not the only person going through this, I wouldn't wish these feelings on my worst enemies. Thank God there are forums such as yours, now if I could only find ways to help with the withdrawal symptoms I would be even more grateful.
Are these symptoms life threatening? Is there anything that'll help with any or all of them? Can anything be done to avoid them at all? I have yet to find any information as to how to get any relief? I'm willing to do whatever it takes. I called the local Rapid Detox facility to get more information. They wanted almost $4000.00 of which I don't have for the treatment. They require it to be paid in advance, making it impossible for me to afford.
Can you help? Thanks for reading this booklet; I wanted you to know as much as possible. If you have any help, ideas or information, please email me with it at ***@****
Thanks in advance!
in the same boat. i couldn't believe i wasn't reading about me. small business-4 kids and no time to do anything. was thinking about methadone through a fluke online. work hard-no time for any playing -need hepl too
i fully sympathize with your dilemna but
sometimes it is time to face facts. the
facts may not be pleasant. from your
description of your pain i suggest that
you contact a rheumatologist or a pain
specialist. you are describing something
that sounds very much like a condition
called fibromyalgia. it is over all
muscle pain and muscle spasms and there
are many symtoms. it is very under diagnosed. it is diagnosed mainly by eliminating everything else. tests usually include thyroid, lupus, arthritis, and more. there are 18 tender
points on the body and you must have 11 to be diagnosed with fibromyalgia. it can have many symtoms but pain is the most prevelent. you may need pain killers the rest of your life. it is not something anyone likes to face, but many
of us have had to. research fibromyalgia
on your web and see if you fit the criteria. if so, suggest it to your doctor. they don't like to diagnose it
because though not fatal it is not curable at this time. it is legal grounds for disability from the government also. some have mild enough
pain to allow them to work, while many
others cannot. i hope this helps your
search for help. sincerely, Nora
I will email you, I have been to this hell.
I'd be happy to guide you the best I CAN (suggestion
insights/experiences/etc...)
The tappering off is the slow painful way to go
BUT there's non-nargotic things to help you along.
Your up against a double whamy
1) the initial reason for needing it
2) And the fact that there is no easy way out -for sure-
not at 350-400mg a day.
Do you have insurance ?
also I notice this post from a couple of months ago
maybeee you've solved your painful problem?
Christophe
over a period of 3 weeks, with the doseage decreasing each week.
ALSO it helps if you have someone you can trust (spouse,parents),
giving you your dosage each day, that way you can't take more
than you should each day (it's that will power thing), because I would just take more if I hurt, thus making it impossible to taper down. It's the ONLY thing that finally worked after 3 years of fighting with it!! I still have strong cravings for it
though, it never really ends.
I was shocked to see that someone is going through the samething I am. I am now on Oxycontin 40mg 2XDAY. That's what I'm prescribed at least. Like you, they started me on the 10mg and worked myself on up to this. Of course, need less to say, I am taking so much more than I am supposed too. I even started buying them of the street.
My diagnoses is: degenerative disc disease, which has caused me 5 herniated disc in my lower back. I was born with this bone disease that no one can put a name on. I have went through physical therapy, radiofrequency ( they burned all the nerves in my back), steriod injections and just anything that they could think of. The pain management clinic ran out of help so they just keep my on the pills. As long as I take them, I can be a mother, college student, and socialize somewhat. Without them, I cripple up and can't hardly walk or function at all. It has consumed my life in so many ways. But without them I couldn't have a life. I don't know what to do. I also got so desprate, I started all the alternative medicine, like acupuncture and herbs.
I have tried everything, so I feel helpless. I spend all my extra money for the extra pills I have to buy off the street (which is about $160.00 to $200.00 a day). I just got through making it without my pills for two weeks. I guess I spent almost $2000.00 just in the last two weeks just to make it to my doctors appointment. When I run out, everyone suffers in my family. I go through the awful withdrawls, then I have the excrutating pain, and also really bad panic attacks because I don't have any. I am driving my mother up the wall. The doctors have had me on some kind of pain medicine since I was 14. I am now 27, with two kids. I can't draw disability and can't work long enough hours to support me and my kids, so I go to school and live off my pell grants.
Help!!! I am living a nightmare with no possible way of waking up. My email is ***@****. If anyone has any information or just support, please email me.
Danny, I know what you are going through. Maybe we can support each other and find some help somewhere. Thank you for speaking out. I am sure there are plenty of us out there with the same nightmare.