I've been taking oxy-ir (20mg) for 5-6 years now for neuropathy in my feet (I'm diabetic for 20+ years). I've seen my Doctor about weaning off these med's and I have a schedule to follow and I currently take 4 (20mg tabs) throughout the day. It's going to take me 6 months to get off these. I tried to go by half my dose say, 2 a day and had terrible side effects, like I was jumping out of my skin, very agitated, and couldn't stay sitting for more than 30 seconds, jumping around like a jumping bean! Horrible, horrible stuff to try to get off of. I'm trying very hard because since I've been on this stuff, I'm not the same person, your world becomes lazy and hazy........I now realize I have to deal with this pain and get back to the "old" me.....and I'll do it!!!!!!! Also, very disappointed that my Doctor introduced this med. to me, you get hooked really quick & thank God I'm not the type that needed more and more.....because at times, I must admit this dose was not doing it anymore for me, your body gets used to the same dose and then you don't get the desired "effect" or "feeling" anymore. I refused to take another, and another, etc. I'm not the most "healthiest" person either, had a liver transplant 17 years ago at the age of 29 (from a childhood virus that attacked my liver), diabetic and suffer from alot of aches and pains....I will be 45 in July and need to feel better mentally because this stuff is hard on the body....BUT I'm alive and making the most out of everyday that I have, for each day is a bonus for me. Oxy's are not always the BEST answer, research on-line, there are different alternatives out there, be the best you can be and don't let oxy's take over your life!

I had been taking MS Contin 60 mg 2 tabs 4x a  day as well as Actiq 400mcg up to 5 a day for secere pain from Lupus and Fibromyalgia.  But after 9 years and a variety of dosages the meds just stopped working.  Now my Doc is giving me Oxycontin 20 mg 2 tabs twice a day as well as Oxy IR 5 mg 3 a day as sell as Soma, Xanax, and a long line of other meds.  Now he wants to try something called Kadian , bu I keep hearing how theser drugs arer highly addictive, mood altering and all these other horror stories.  All I can say is they numb the pain but I dont feel woozy or anything from them. the Actiq pops are a fentynl lolipop it helped ease the pain but it destroyed my molars and now I need extensive dental work.  Recently I caught one of my oldest sons friends tryingt to steal a few of my Oxycontins, I called the kids mom and they tested him and now he is in rehab.  I'm no girl scout I used Coke recreationally when I was younger before I got sick, but I just dont get how the pills I take are so addictive, when I dont get any mood altering feelings from them.  Maybe its my brain chemestry or because I am so used to stroing pain medication. I asked my son about his friends drug use and he said that there are Pharm parties where kids bring whatever pills they find in their parents medicine cabinet and take them, he said his friend would crush the pills and snort them.  I had my sons hair tested and thankfully he tested negative.  But it makes you think.  Now I put all my meds in a lock box and only I know the combination.  Good luck to you.
Kim

Like J said tell the doc, exactly what I did. They should help you taper off if that is what you really want. Remember you gotta want it too.

Allen

Well bro, I like you have the worst pain known to mankind afte the doctors accidently blocked the femoral artery in my right leg after an angiogram. They should have cut my leg off because they also let part of the clot go down into my calf. That killed my ankle, and foot, and gave me a nerve disease called RSD.

They kept telling me it was in my back, and sent me for back surgery, but thank God they didnt do any surgery, but im still in great pain. Anyways, all that to say I can get any pain meds, and was on ms contin 150 - 180 mgs a day, with 8 - 10 norco 10/325's a day, along with ativan 3 times a day. Well everything was hunky dory until my doctor decided not to accept my insurance anymore. Now no doc wants me, and no more pain meds.

Didnt know I was physically addicted either, until I ran out! After c/t w/d's I decided im not gonna tempt fate, and let that happen again. Sooooo no more meds!

I would do same if I was in your shoes. You never know when things are gonna change for the worst. Maybe im the only one with bad luck, but then again im not the only one here either.

They can say what they want about pain meds, but I always had to increase my dose, and soon would be too high anyway. Better to kick than have that monkey on the back!

Hope that helps ya decide.

Allen

I just posted for the first time today as well. Read my story and the encouagement evryone has given me. I'm on my fifth day of withdrawal from percocet and vicodin average about 18 a day. And a lot of the times the stronger doses like 7.5 mg percocet. All I can say is this if you really want to quit we will all be here for you. However the decision to quit is yours alone. And I pray that you make the right choice. If you really want to quit then try. Let your doctor know what you intend on doing for he might suggest an alternate in your pain management.
God bless you Jason