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MedHelp Member's Question

Percocet side effects and withdrawal, please help!

by nancy, Jun 16, 2000 12:00AM
I have been on Percocet for 4 months for a herniated disk.  I was taking half a day, then one a day, then up to 6 a day.  Then I started having awful side effects.  My back pain got worse, my tongue was swelling some, and had stomach pain too.  Then I had my lumbar injection and the pain got worse.  I am scared this is an allergic reaction.  I had my lumbar steroid injection, and the pain got worse, so my Dr prescribed Tylenol 4.  I haven't taken the Percocet in over a day now, as it has scared me.  I took the Tylenol 4 only twice yesterday.  Last night however, I woke up drenched in cold sweat.  Is this from stopping the Percocet?  My bowel movements have even changed color to a lighter shade, and that's what scared me too.  I am trying to get off these myself, and want to know what I am going to end up going through.    Do I need to not take the Tylenol 4 too?  Now, I am scared to take anything, but also don't want to die from taking the Percocet when the pain gets bad.  If a take half a Xanax, will that help to get through this?  This is terrible, and I don't wish this on anyone.
Member Comments (91)

by steve, Jun 16, 2000 12:00AM
Hello: Sounds like withdrawal to me. I have been there and done that. Percocet, actually it's the asprin in the percs that hurts your stomach.  Tylenol 4 can be hard on the stomach too. I'm no doctor, as for what you will go through if you stop. It will be uncomfortable for a couple of days. Then you should be fine. I have major back problems myself so i've been through taking opiates(that's what percocet is) and it's hard stopping them. You also have to take more everyday because your tolerance builds. So now I'm not taking anything, I would rather deal with the pain then deal with drug addiction. Even if you don't get mentally addicted, sooner or later you will become physically dependant.  It's a catch 22.         Did you tell your doctor about your concerns?  Hopefully he knows what he;s doing.



                                        let me know what's happening.                        

                                         Steve

by Mike to Brighty, Brian et al, Jun 16, 2000 12:00AM
Percocet has Acetaminophen - NOT Apsirin. That's PercoDAN.

by cper, Jun 16, 2000 12:00AM
Are you kidding me?



You are saying that people who take opiods for chronic pain are drug addicts?



Man you are whacked!!

by Brian Stevens, Jun 16, 2000 12:00AM
your right on when you said that taking a opiate for chronic pain is not the same as addiction.  Many of the symptoms can and are the same such as tolerance and dependence.  Drug addicts and chronic pain patience  Are as different as ketchup and mustard.  Not much of a correlation but you get my drift.

by bob, Jun 16, 2000 12:00AM
Nancy I know you must feel terrible but it sounds like this opiate thing is something new for you. You spoke more of your concern about drugs than your back pain. I think this is a good sign. If you had a bad withdraw problem you would not have to ask you would know exactly what it was.I ran into serious problems with a percocet type drug as well.I also had some very strange reactions to this medication ie bowels; tongue; pins and needles etc.I hope you make the right decisions regarding your condition at this point.I have to go to a clinic when I finish tapering off a little bit more. This is something I dread doing and its all because I was not looking where I was going.I fell in a hole tore a tendon had surgery got addicted to oxycontin and now I just feel terrible. I hope you feel better and please watch where you are going. Bob

by nancy, Jun 16, 2000 12:00AM
I still feel awful.  Took a nap, and woke up drenched in cold sweat.  I don't have the shakes outside, but feel them on the inside.  I feel completely drained.  I decided to stop them myself, because I am afraid I was having a bad reaction to the Percocet.  I took them for the pain, not for them to take over me.  This is terrible, but I've gone 19 hours now without Percocet or codeine, and hope I can make it.

by bob, Jun 16, 2000 12:00AM
Hang in there girl you will be ok Bob

by Mike to Brighty, Brian et al, Jun 16, 2000 12:00AM
This might not fly with some of you, but if you really want to know if you're "hooked" - take your usual dose of Percoset and see if you feel better. If you do, it's withdrawal. If you don't, it's something else.

by Nancy to Bob, Jun 16, 2000 12:00AM
Sounds like we were having the same kind of reactions to the drugs.  That is what scares me, the fact that the reactions were making me feel as worse as my pain.  As for the pain, I don't know what to do, but hang in there, as I am trying to do til the opiates get out of my system.  I hope you have luck as well.  This is HELL.  This forum is great, at least others can relate to what I am going through and share our experiences.

by Nancy to Bob, Jun 16, 2000 12:00AM
I have thought of that idea, trust me, but why go through the chance of adding more side effects again, plus putting opiates back in my system.  Trust me, the idea has crossed my mind all day....just take half a pill and see if it helps.  Then (I hope it is my better sense) takes over, and I put it back in the bottle.

by bob, Jun 16, 2000 12:00AM
Nancy I would just like to say that when i take the oxycontin i feel almost as bad as i do when i dont. That is the reason i am trying to quit. it seems that until i am free there will be no peace. I am at 70mg per day when i get to 30mg i will be treated as an out patient. The hospital where i work is in need of my services and i cannot get any time off. Its going to be rough but it just has to be. You will feel better in a few days. I am hoping by July 1st that i will be free of opiates. keep posting Bob

by To Nancy from Elizabeth, Jun 16, 2000 12:00AM
Nancy, if your strong enough to do it the best way is to taper of the meds. a few days at a time. I was taking hydrocodne, it's pretty much the same as percocet just not quite as strong, I went to my M.D. and he gave me 40 tabs to taper off. I started off with 2tabs  3 times a day for 7 days then 1 tab 3 times a day and so on. If you can do that it is so much better, I tried to just quit(cold turkey) and the withdrawls were so bad I did not even last 24 hours! good luck whatever you do, and to everyone here as well!!!

by Nancy to Bob, Jun 16, 2000 12:00AM
well, here it is almost midnight.  I am cold all the time, but guess it will get better.  I wish they had a chat room here, would be lots easier to talk to everyone.  I keep lying down, but can't sleep, stomach