I need a plan

[oxypen]

I have 58 20 mg oxys left and I'm looking for a plan to get off these killers. I've tried to taper off of them before but couldn't.  I'm pretty determined to get this done now, I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. As a matter a fact, all the joy of living is gone and if i don't do something soon, I'm not sure what I'll do.  I feel horrible, I look horrible, my body is all swollen which I think is from the oxys, and I've lost all my drive to do anything.  I go to work and go home an dcrawl in bed.  I am a cancer survivor (which started me on oxys) and it was nothing compared to this addiction. I've been reading posts for about a week now and think everyone onhere is awesome and I'm so glad to have found this.  I have everything from the Thomas Recipe so am ready, just need the guts to do it.

[alexandra fox]

lots of good advice given already, here are a couple more thoughts:

In my experience days 2.3.4 are actually worse than day one, so would it be feasible to work Wednesday and take your last dose half way through the day and work Thursday (day 1), take Friday off (day 2), and Weekend (day 3 &4, usually the worst of the lot) with perhaps an option to either come home early on day 5 Modnay, or not go at all? I absolutely understand the pressure of leaving work unattended, and the practicalities that life demands. Also, have you explored all the possible options about getting a substitute principal for your role for a short period, as would have to happen if, for example, you broke all legs and arms, or were completely debillitated by something? I imagine that there must be some kind of alternative plan in place since all sorts of misfortunes happen do happen - the only difference with this one is that you are choosing the timing.

I am thinking to myself that detox is demanding enough without the constant niggle of work duties and having to go back while still sick playing on your mind. Our chances of success are maximised when we make our burden as light as possible. Again, I do realise that obligations are quite constiricting, and I'm sure you have thought carefully about it - but did want to add my bits.

Please keep posting, let us know how you are doing, and all the very very best!
alex

[Calzy]

I just want to encourge you to start your detox and get this horrible part of your life behind you. I believe you can quit these pills and still get up with your work, just try to take off time when you can. It's a god time of year You can tell everyone you have a cold you just cant shake to hide the w/d's and try to work the Thomas Recipe, hots baths, rest when you can and is there is someone close that you can trust to be by your side for support you WILL get thru this. I dont think you can get Suboxone there yet and Methadone is another battle you might have to fight to get off, so just get your will power in order and try to work a Higher Power to help you thru this. You are a cancer survivor and you will beat this too and unlike cancer, you wont die from the w/d's!  I made a mess of my life from addiction but i'm 3 months clean and i would not trade that for anything. Good Luck and keep posting.

[NautyOne]

I am worried a bit about you.  Oxy is very difficult to withdrawal from.  Depending on the person, i've heard others like you say it can be really, really bad.  I don't want to sugar coat this for you.  I don't know if you will be able to do this without telling someone......especially the hubby.   I pray it's not too bad for you, but be prepared cause it could get rocky.  Please keep posting, and I wish you all the best.

Nauty....................

[Savas]

Argh...cat got inventive with your name by walking on keyboard as I hit post. I didn't know they could type. Now if only it made sense...perhaps it's a new prediction via Nostradamus!

[Savas]

Typically the "stuck in bed" symptoms should be over in three days, with the fourth having you feeling like you "could get out soon". After that...well, it varies according to you. There are treatments that can help speed the process up. Have you seen the amino acids posts and those on nutrition and withdrawal? Every little bit helps to get you over the whole thing. Your body is like a fine tuned machine that's in a delicate state from being out of whack at that point. The tiniest things can help or create problems.

Hey, when I was a kid, I was in the Principal's office at least once a week! I always had a solid defense prepared.  I was lucky, he was a great guy who was fairly amused by my "innocent" antics and gave me tons of leeway. Every conversation started out with;

"Okay, now this was technically NOT my fault...you have to look at the situation from all sides" or something like that. :)

[nelly1313]

Yeah I was taking between 120-320mg of oxy's a day for almost 7 yrs and a little less along with other for 5 yrs prior. Every one is different on how long it takes to remove from the body, but it will typically last atleast the worst5-10 days. About 1 wk roughly.  I by the way am in rn school right now and I have been in the medical field for 12 yrs, so I do know some things on prescription pills and how the body works. The job situation you have is going to be the toughest obstacle that you meet as far as detoxing is concerned. I do work all night tonight but will be available all weekend Sat and Sun.  I will check my e-mails before I leave for work this evening, so if you want e-mail me directly, just leave a clue to who you are so that I dont think it is some junk e-mail.. Do you know if you have any dr.s that prescribe Suboxone around you? You can find out by going to www.suboxone.com they can help you locate a dr. But I am not sure if you would want to go that route b/c eventually you would have to deox off of them.  My doc told me that I can stay on them as long as I need to, even life if needed. Right now that is my only option.. I began to feel normal 20min-1hr after the first dose. It was God send for me. Whatever route that you chose to follow, I will help you in any way that I can.  I know what you are going through and feeling right now and it is not easy by any means. Just e-mail anytime day or night. Ill leave about 10 tonight(central US time) and be home around 8 in the morning, but will check my messages periodically. No problem about the help anytime you need it I will be here.God bless and good luck.

[oxypen]

thaks for all of your suggestions.  Is that what you withdrew from? oxys?  and it took 30 days? OMG!  It will be really hard for me to take time off.  I'm a principal of a school (I know, crazy!) and I'm really busy right now.  I could take a couple of days off but there is no one to replace me and if I do that I will just be overwhelmed by the work I missed when I return.  I'm going to start today, mabe not even taper, because that will just prolong it.  that will at least give me the weekend and I could take a couple of days next week.  My doctor is away on a leave himself right now because his wife is sick so I would have to go to a clinic if I needed any meds.
Will you be online this weekend?  I'm going to need all the help I can get.  I'm really scared about this, but I do believe in God, so i will be praying!  Thanks again for all of your support!

[nelly1313]

I forgot to tell you, that sweeling that you are experincing now probally is the pills. When you take large amounts of opiods it slows down the entire body system. You could be storing excess toxins and urine in your kidneys or the kidneys are just overwhelmed by the pills that they are not working properlly. One problem that I have experienced since I've stopped taking Oxy's is severe,chronic constipation. I used opiates(mostly) Oxy so long that my bodies digestive system has naturally slowed down for good, the dr.s think. I have to use presciption laxatives every day and I still only go once every1-2 weeks.  That is very very painful. My body did however go through the swelling that you have been experiencing, thats what I was told by Dr.s was the reason(the pills..) But I am not a DR.

[nelly1313]

Hey I suggest you take an unpaid medical leave if at all poss. Do get your chores and household,bills,groceries,etc. done before. Stock up on Gatorade(for the diarreah), benadryl or sleeping pills, Imodium AD, Tylenol or Aleve for the body soreness, and lots of clean sheets and blankets for the sweats and chills that you will experience..This may take some time, unlike other opiates,it can take up to 30 days for the physical withdrawals of Oxy's to go away. That  all depends on usage history.  You will be very agitated(kicking,flopping,etc..)along with the other unpleasant effects of detox. If at all poss. try to get a blood pressure cuff so that you can take your blood pressures frequently. You may experience fever after a few days, that is normal too. Just say a lot of prayers if you are spiritual, if not just deal with it. This is going to be very unpleasant.  That is why after time & time of myself trying to wean off of oxy's I couldn't succeed!  I went the Suboxone route,and have had a very "normal" and stable life since day1. There is also medical detoxes and rehab available if you have health insurance or enough out of pocket cash. One major thing is that you need to make the Dr. prescribing the pills aware that you cannot get off of them. A lot of times they will help. They usually wont label you as a bad person either. But if you don't let the dr. know then you will never succeed. I know..... You will call or go see the dr. when the withdrawals feel like you are dying or wish to be dead. But if you let the dr. know they might come up with a good plan and they might even prescribe some meds to kinda help with the withdrawals. Good luck and if you have any ?'s e-mail me 24-7. I can give you some support. You are about to go through one of the hardest and most uncomfortable things in the world!!!

[nelly1313]

Hey I suggest you take an unpaid medical leave if at all poss. Do get your chores and household,bills,groceries,etc. done before. Stock up on Gatorade(for the diarreah), benadryl or sleeping pills, Imodium AD, Tylenol or Aleve for the body soreness, and lots of clean sheets and blankets for the sweats and chills that you will experience..This may take some time, unlike other opiates,it can take up to 30 days for the physical withdrawals of Oxy's to go away. That  all depends on usage history.  You will be very agitated(kicking,flopping,etc..)along with the other unpleasant effects of detox. If at all poss. try to get a blood pressure cuff so that you can take your blood pressures frequently. You may experience fever after a few days, that is normal too. Just say a lot of prayers if you are spiritual, if not just deal with it. This is going to be very unpleasant.  That is why after time & time of myself trying to wean off of oxy's I couldn't succeed!  I went the Suboxone route,and have had a very "normal" and stable life since day1. There is also medical detoxes and rehab available if you have health insurance or enough out of pocket cash. One major thing is that you need to make the Dr. prescribing the pills aware that you cannot get off of them. A lot of times they will help. They usually wont label you as a bad person either. But if you don't let the dr. know then you will never succeed. I know..... You will call or go see the dr. when the withdrawals feel like you are dying or wish to be dead. But if you let the dr. know they might come up with a good plan and they might even prescribe some meds to kinda help with the withdrawals. Good luck and if you have any ?'s e-mail me 24-7. I can give you some support. You are about to go through one of the hardest and most uncomfortable things in the world!!!

[Savas]

I'd try to get as much time off from work as possible, even a few days. Make sure your fridge is stocked with foods you think you can handle during that time. Make sure they're things that are easy to throw together! Get all the little jobs out of the way you can before hand (laundry, etc).

Pre-pay or arrange to pay any bills that you can. Basically, try to plan as if you were going away for a while. This will help take the stress off of you that the outside world can inflict. You want to be able to be left alone. At the same time, if there's someone you can contact in an emergency to offer support, let them know and have them in "standby mode".

I'd also try to find some task you can do to distract yourself during the first week (games, rent a bunch of movies, full body contact karate, anything! :)  )

Hopefully, all this won't be necessary. But it's good to have it set up just in case.