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Day 7: When will this turn a corner? Please help!!!!
I took 40 mgs of oxycodone for 8 years; prescribed by my doctor for severe arthritis in my back. Pharmacies
shorted me pills, there were days I took more than i should, yada, yada, yada. I finally said "no more!" and I tapered quickly down to 10 mgs a day; it was AWFUL and i experienced all the initial W/Ds during the taper.
Finally I was down to 10 mgs a day...and I jumped. Here is my BIG question: Why do people say that the wds' "peak at day 3?" That has NOT been my experience. I have felt like CRAP every day and this is day 7.
I cannot sleep without taking clonopin (Prescribed). Blinding headaches, nausea, really bad cramping in my stomach, the runs, and at night, the pain in my legs is so bad I just sob.
This is day 7. It is NOT any better than the 1s, 2nd or 3rd day. What gives? Please someone, help me understand; I'm getting desperate!
I have had IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) for all my life so I know my tummy issues are probably exacerbated by that but this is just too much. I feel like I want to die.
Will this EVER get better?
shorted me pills, there were days I took more than i should, yada, yada, yada. I finally said "no more!" and I tapered quickly down to 10 mgs a day; it was AWFUL and i experienced all the initial W/Ds during the taper.
Finally I was down to 10 mgs a day...and I jumped. Here is my BIG question: Why do people say that the wds' "peak at day 3?" That has NOT been my experience. I have felt like CRAP every day and this is day 7.
I cannot sleep without taking clonopin (Prescribed). Blinding headaches, nausea, really bad cramping in my stomach, the runs, and at night, the pain in my legs is so bad I just sob.
This is day 7. It is NOT any better than the 1s, 2nd or 3rd day. What gives? Please someone, help me understand; I'm getting desperate!
I have had IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) for all my life so I know my tummy issues are probably exacerbated by that but this is just too much. I feel like I want to die.
Will this EVER get better?
Best Answer
Thank you so much for this advice. I've tried he Lidocaine patches on my upper back and they did not work. But I will def try the other products you mentioned.
Heat patches used to be a regular thing for me before getting on opiates. I'm gong to try them again. They are so expensive...maybe I can find them online.
Thanks Again!
Heat patches used to be a regular thing for me before getting on opiates. I'm gong to try them again. They are so expensive...maybe I can find them online.
Thanks Again!
I stand corrected; the (-) enantiomer of thebaine is inactive. I was thinking of the (+)enantiomer at high doses acting like the poison strychnine. (and bringing on convulsions--yikes).
It IS amazing that there are so many forms of opiods. I'm also reading that there have been 17 different types of receptors discovered. One paper claims that mu receptors aren't involved at ALL with oxycodone, and that is kappa, but this study has fallen under scrutiny.
I remember going to the Bahamas over 10 years ago and being shocked to find you can buy Tylenol #3 over the counter. I was on a cruise, and the American were scoffing this stuff up like crazy. Yes, I did buy a bottle, but I never took it (I had yet to start taking opiates)...it was more of an oddity to show my friends, and then it was stolen during a party (go figure.)
It IS amazing that there are so many forms of opiods. I'm also reading that there have been 17 different types of receptors discovered. One paper claims that mu receptors aren't involved at ALL with oxycodone, and that is kappa, but this study has fallen under scrutiny.
I remember going to the Bahamas over 10 years ago and being shocked to find you can buy Tylenol #3 over the counter. I was on a cruise, and the American were scoffing this stuff up like crazy. Yes, I did buy a bottle, but I never took it (I had yet to start taking opiates)...it was more of an oddity to show my friends, and then it was stolen during a party (go figure.)
Stay with the exercise if you can. It really became a focus for me in the months after I quit, and has sustained me over the past few years in situations where I might have turned to pills.
I always thought that (+)- enantiomer was used to make Oxy and the (-)- was simply inert...which I can recall being intrigued by at the time. Just random chance around molecular structure! What I find most interesting is that thebaine is one of the many alkaloids found in the poppy plant, and is not one that was typically used as an analgesic - morphine and codine being what have been used back into antiquity. Seems strange to me that this one plant would produce so many varieties of molecules that fit into pleasure receptors in mammalian brains.
I always thought that (+)- enantiomer was used to make Oxy and the (-)- was simply inert...which I can recall being intrigued by at the time. Just random chance around molecular structure! What I find most interesting is that thebaine is one of the many alkaloids found in the poppy plant, and is not one that was typically used as an analgesic - morphine and codine being what have been used back into antiquity. Seems strange to me that this one plant would produce so many varieties of molecules that fit into pleasure receptors in mammalian brains.
Hi hun
Now is the time for you to start using some non-opiate ways to combat your pain. At Walgreens you can get a roll-on called Stop Pain...it is something like $10 but works really, really good. Thermacare heat patches for when you hurt and are on the go.
From your doctor....lidocaine patches .... wonderful, absolutely wonderful and Voltaren Gel. The patches are used 12 hours on, 12 hours off (I use tegaderm patches from Amazon to hold them on my skin good)...you can also cut them down to size if it is a small area you are wanting to medicate. The gel is great except I wear those surgical gloves to rub on......it doesn't wash off easily and I don't want it to get into food and stuff.
Just a few things for you to think of in addition to things like acupuncture, therapeutic massage, etc. If you can get those things it will help a great deal....in face without the patches and the gel and my handy dandy shoulder heating pad I would not be able to work :-)
Hugz you are doing great!!!
Now is the time for you to start using some non-opiate ways to combat your pain. At Walgreens you can get a roll-on called Stop Pain...it is something like $10 but works really, really good. Thermacare heat patches for when you hurt and are on the go.
From your doctor....lidocaine patches .... wonderful, absolutely wonderful and Voltaren Gel. The patches are used 12 hours on, 12 hours off (I use tegaderm patches from Amazon to hold them on my skin good)...you can also cut them down to size if it is a small area you are wanting to medicate. The gel is great except I wear those surgical gloves to rub on......it doesn't wash off easily and I don't want it to get into food and stuff.
Just a few things for you to think of in addition to things like acupuncture, therapeutic massage, etc. If you can get those things it will help a great deal....in face without the patches and the gel and my handy dandy shoulder heating pad I would not be able to work :-)
Hugz you are doing great!!!
I didn't mean that I went back to hydrocodone during these past 18 days. No, I tried doing it a year ago.
I'm totally clean. 18 days. Wow. I think the corner, a MILD corner, turned for me on day 16.
I'm totally clean. 18 days. Wow. I think the corner, a MILD corner, turned for me on day 16.
Well I'm at day 18 today, and I feel 50% better than I did at day 9. I can't say I'm back to normal...I'm definitely NOT.
Still having diarrhea every morning, but only 1-3 times and then it stops.
Still having intense back and chest pain, but I can't trust that this is REAL pain, and not just my brain screaming for opiates. Those mu receptors take time to regulate.
I have a degree in chemistry and I've been studying the chemical structure of oxycodone vs hydrocodone; since I tried going BACK to Hydro and it didn't do a thing to me..it was like eating sugar pills.
The ONLY difference between the two is that on C-14 (the 14th Carbon atom) with Hydrocodone, the C is bonded to a Hydrogen atom, and with oxycodone, it is bonded to a hydroxyl group (OH). Wow. I mean...Wow.
Just that difference, that TINY difference in molecular structure is so profound on our brains.
And there is more (I know, chemistry is boring, but I used to teach it and I think its fascinating...its' how our world works...that and physics, which I also love!) Oxycodone is made from thebaine. Thebaine has two enantiomers (the word means mirror images...the best example is your hands...they are exactly the same structure, but you can't place one on top of the other...they mirror each other.)
One enantiomer of Thebaine is poison, the other makes oxy.
Science is so cool. We need to understand more about why these drugs do what they do. I'm convinced that some day, modern pharmacology will be able to produce an opiate that doesn't produce euphoria. THAT'S the kicker.
Oxycodone doesn't just make physical pain go away. IT MAKES EMOTIONAL PAIN GO AWAY. And you'd have to be nuts NOT to want to live without emotional pain. After all, who wants to feel bad on the inside too?
Such a stigma with this addiction...it has to be stopped. I am a warm, caring, compassionate person. I make friendly easily and I am the first one to say "I'll help!" when someone is in need. And yet, I'm an opiate addict. Imagine that.
My mother thinks I'm a total junkie. And that my doctor is an evil mad scientist who wanted to trick me into getting dependent. To her generation (the 1950's) anyone who uses these types of drugs are sick, evil, demented.
The movie "The Man with the Golden Arm" features Frank Sinatra as a great poker player (that's the arm part) who is also battling heroin addiction. Its' a very old movie. He detoxes, by the way, in ONE night. And then he's fine.
Remember that episode of Seinfeld where Elaine has to stay with her boyfriend, who got addicted to heroin? Again...ONE night of throwing up and chills and he's ALL BETTER. What total crap.
More needs to be done to educate the public about these drugs. To educate DOCTORS about these drugs. My God, my own PCP, whom I adore, wanted to initially put me on a FENTANYL path. I only said "NO" because I knew what it was, and that it's nasty to get off of.
Heck, when I told him I was tapering to 10 mgs a day and then jumping, he said "I don't think you'll have any withdrawals..if you do, they will be mild." I asked for a script for Clonidine, and he said "Not necessary"
Well he was singing a different tune when I called him on day 7 sobbing like a maniac. And he DID prescribe the Clonidine, finally. General practitioners, internists, etc., have NO BUSINESS prescribing opiates more than a week or two after surgery. That's my opinion.
This is an incredible journey. As I write this, the pain in my neck, back and chest are really intense. But I'll take it. I'll take it because it is real, and I want to live a REAL life.
Thanks for letting me babble folks.
Still having diarrhea every morning, but only 1-3 times and then it stops.
Still having intense back and chest pain, but I can't trust that this is REAL pain, and not just my brain screaming for opiates. Those mu receptors take time to regulate.
I have a degree in chemistry and I've been studying the chemical structure of oxycodone vs hydrocodone; since I tried going BACK to Hydro and it didn't do a thing to me..it was like eating sugar pills.
The ONLY difference between the two is that on C-14 (the 14th Carbon atom) with Hydrocodone, the C is bonded to a Hydrogen atom, and with oxycodone, it is bonded to a hydroxyl group (OH). Wow. I mean...Wow.
Just that difference, that TINY difference in molecular structure is so profound on our brains.
And there is more (I know, chemistry is boring, but I used to teach it and I think its fascinating...its' how our world works...that and physics, which I also love!) Oxycodone is made from thebaine. Thebaine has two enantiomers (the word means mirror images...the best example is your hands...they are exactly the same structure, but you can't place one on top of the other...they mirror each other.)
One enantiomer of Thebaine is poison, the other makes oxy.
Science is so cool. We need to understand more about why these drugs do what they do. I'm convinced that some day, modern pharmacology will be able to produce an opiate that doesn't produce euphoria. THAT'S the kicker.
Oxycodone doesn't just make physical pain go away. IT MAKES EMOTIONAL PAIN GO AWAY. And you'd have to be nuts NOT to want to live without emotional pain. After all, who wants to feel bad on the inside too?
Such a stigma with this addiction...it has to be stopped. I am a warm, caring, compassionate person. I make friendly easily and I am the first one to say "I'll help!" when someone is in need. And yet, I'm an opiate addict. Imagine that.
My mother thinks I'm a total junkie. And that my doctor is an evil mad scientist who wanted to trick me into getting dependent. To her generation (the 1950's) anyone who uses these types of drugs are sick, evil, demented.
The movie "The Man with the Golden Arm" features Frank Sinatra as a great poker player (that's the arm part) who is also battling heroin addiction. Its' a very old movie. He detoxes, by the way, in ONE night. And then he's fine.
Remember that episode of Seinfeld where Elaine has to stay with her boyfriend, who got addicted to heroin? Again...ONE night of throwing up and chills and he's ALL BETTER. What total crap.
More needs to be done to educate the public about these drugs. To educate DOCTORS about these drugs. My God, my own PCP, whom I adore, wanted to initially put me on a FENTANYL path. I only said "NO" because I knew what it was, and that it's nasty to get off of.
Heck, when I told him I was tapering to 10 mgs a day and then jumping, he said "I don't think you'll have any withdrawals..if you do, they will be mild." I asked for a script for Clonidine, and he said "Not necessary"
Well he was singing a different tune when I called him on day 7 sobbing like a maniac. And he DID prescribe the Clonidine, finally. General practitioners, internists, etc., have NO BUSINESS prescribing opiates more than a week or two after surgery. That's my opinion.
This is an incredible journey. As I write this, the pain in my neck, back and chest are really intense. But I'll take it. I'll take it because it is real, and I want to live a REAL life.
Thanks for letting me babble folks.
COMMUNITY LEADER
I will almost bet between the diarea and lack of appetite...your probably dehydrated! When u start those protein shakes i think you'll feel a difference. I lost 10-15 lbs between jan and feb b/c of the constant #3's. And i can so relate to the excercise....for years i did pilates, running, aerobics, weight training, and during w/d i felt like my muscles were atrophing??? Im at 9 months now, and yes, have put on a few lbs (definatly not muscle, lol)...but i do excercise 5 days a week again. Just not as intense as before. Those pills definatly made us superhuman! Hang tight...your going to be there soon enough and you will feel the difference for sure. Different doc here but my w/d was long, but worth every minute of feeling ******!!!!
Thanks, Pat. I'm hypokalemic (low K) genetically ( my father is too) so I have prescription strength potassium pills, and I've been taking them...today is the end of day 12 and I DO feel a tiny bit better.
BUT.
The pain that I took the opiates for in the FIRST place is back. Costochondritis. It is an unusual condition where the muscles and tendons that hold your skeletal frame together get swollen and inflamed. I studied piano from age 6 to 18...and I type for a living. There may be a genetic component; who knows. It can mimic a heart attack, and about 8 years ago I spent 3 days in a Cardiac Intensive Care Unit just to rule out that I WASN'T having a massive myocardial infarcation.
My heart was fine. My chest and the muscles and tendons that make it up are NOT. So I called my doctor AGAIN (he must be getting sick of talking to me) and said "What the HELL am I going to do?"
My spine is involved; I have severe degenerative disk disease in C3-C7.
Sigh. So we went over the options. He said: 1. I could put you back on opiates (NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO) yes, it would make the pain go away, but it is such a rough existence. Chasing the pills; finding a pharmacy that HAS them, what happens if I hit a weekend and run out. It's just a horrible life. An awful, tense, horrible life where you are chained to the pills...knowing that if you run out, take more than you should, get shorted, have a mistake at the dr.'s office, ANY number of things, you will start to withdraw. And I cannot, will not, go thru this again.
So...option #2: go see a back specialist. My doctor was sour on this idea. He basically said "if you go see a back surgeon, then will tell you that you need back surgery." It might work, or it might not. And it means at LEAST six months (probably longer) OUT OF WORK.
I am self employed and the bread winner for my whole family (my husband and daughter). I have to work...so there is
Option 3: Get a physical therapist/personal trainer and build my core...my upper body...so that I can find a natural way to cure myself.
I'm going with #3. Plus yoga, acupuncture, and anything else I can think of.
I dont' want surgery, and I don't want to go back on these pills. I actually feel a sense of satisfaction that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Tomorrow: Day 13!!!!
BUT.
The pain that I took the opiates for in the FIRST place is back. Costochondritis. It is an unusual condition where the muscles and tendons that hold your skeletal frame together get swollen and inflamed. I studied piano from age 6 to 18...and I type for a living. There may be a genetic component; who knows. It can mimic a heart attack, and about 8 years ago I spent 3 days in a Cardiac Intensive Care Unit just to rule out that I WASN'T having a massive myocardial infarcation.
My heart was fine. My chest and the muscles and tendons that make it up are NOT. So I called my doctor AGAIN (he must be getting sick of talking to me) and said "What the HELL am I going to do?"
My spine is involved; I have severe degenerative disk disease in C3-C7.
Sigh. So we went over the options. He said: 1. I could put you back on opiates (NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO) yes, it would make the pain go away, but it is such a rough existence. Chasing the pills; finding a pharmacy that HAS them, what happens if I hit a weekend and run out. It's just a horrible life. An awful, tense, horrible life where you are chained to the pills...knowing that if you run out, take more than you should, get shorted, have a mistake at the dr.'s office, ANY number of things, you will start to withdraw. And I cannot, will not, go thru this again.
So...option #2: go see a back specialist. My doctor was sour on this idea. He basically said "if you go see a back surgeon, then will tell you that you need back surgery." It might work, or it might not. And it means at LEAST six months (probably longer) OUT OF WORK.
I am self employed and the bread winner for my whole family (my husband and daughter). I have to work...so there is
Option 3: Get a physical therapist/personal trainer and build my core...my upper body...so that I can find a natural way to cure myself.
I'm going with #3. Plus yoga, acupuncture, and anything else I can think of.
I dont' want surgery, and I don't want to go back on these pills. I actually feel a sense of satisfaction that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Tomorrow: Day 13!!!!
Make sure you are drinking lots of fluids and taking potassium pills. You may be dehydrated. I drank a ton of gatorade and took potassium on top of that. If your potassium is low you will feel like crap.
I'm on day 12 and I wish I could say there was a HUGE improvement, but truthfully, it is still pretty awful. I didn't get restless legs until last night...wtf?
And my tummy? OMG. I have Bentyl, hyoscyamine, you name it. None of it does a thing. I've been getting hungry, but anything I eat makes me double over with stomach cramps. I'm starting protein shakes ONLY today.
If I only had a crystal ball when I started taking opiates, I would have said NO but at the time, my doctor thought it was the "only solution left." And back then I believed the "3 day lie" (I don't want to discourage anyone on here from quitting, but for ME, symptoms didn't peak at day 3...in fact, I don't think there has been a peak. It's been a struggle every day. But I'm proud of myself.)
What scares me so much are the esophageal spasms. It is the worst pain I've ever felt. BUT...if the opiates were masking my symptoms, it is better I know what I'm dealing with. I have a full endoscopy/gastrocopy scheduled for October 30. I hope the pain doesn't mean there is something very bad going on.
Sigh. Okay, Day 12: Here I come...please God, go easy on me today.
-Robin
And my tummy? OMG. I have Bentyl, hyoscyamine, you name it. None of it does a thing. I've been getting hungry, but anything I eat makes me double over with stomach cramps. I'm starting protein shakes ONLY today.
If I only had a crystal ball when I started taking opiates, I would have said NO but at the time, my doctor thought it was the "only solution left." And back then I believed the "3 day lie" (I don't want to discourage anyone on here from quitting, but for ME, symptoms didn't peak at day 3...in fact, I don't think there has been a peak. It's been a struggle every day. But I'm proud of myself.)
What scares me so much are the esophageal spasms. It is the worst pain I've ever felt. BUT...if the opiates were masking my symptoms, it is better I know what I'm dealing with. I have a full endoscopy/gastrocopy scheduled for October 30. I hope the pain doesn't mean there is something very bad going on.
Sigh. Okay, Day 12: Here I come...please God, go easy on me today.
-Robin
Ask your doctor for some Bentyles. I've spelled that way way wrong...but it's a stomache medicine. It really really helped me. I still take it from time to time when I get stomache issues.
Everyone is different durring detox stage. I came off an extremely high dosage of oxy. And I didn't feel good for awhile.....once I got past the week mark I just knew I was gonna be ok..I wasn't. So I said 10 days....still was weak. What really helped me was protien shakes. You can get them at Walmart, target, cvs...I drank three a day. Cause food was not gonna happen. Every time I ate I got sick...severe stomache issues. And, I got so,e b12.
I had to tell myself it's ok not to be ok....I accepted that I had been on medicine for 8 years, so I wasn't gonna just jump back...I am not a pop up toy..so I just kept going thru one bad day after enough...it wasn't easy my friend. There were many a times I would get discouraged and down....but each day that went by I told myself I had to be doing something good.
Also, I started thinking HEALTHY...took out trying to feel good, or feel normal. I just wanted my health back. About 7 days in I started forcing myself to do some exercises...it really made a difference.
I lost over 15 pounds durring detoxing off those awful oxys. I know how you feel...I wanted to pull my hair OUT!!
I know you want to feel good right now. I know that you told yourself just three to four days and you'll be better...and now your frustrated. But, I think when you look at how long you took the medicine, and what dosage....you'll see that a week off is a blessing in itself. And use that to keep moving thru.
Dose that make sense?
Also, fresh air and sunshine will help. It will get better...you will get healthy. How's the depression? I
Get some shakes...and those tummy pills
Everyone is different durring detox stage. I came off an extremely high dosage of oxy. And I didn't feel good for awhile.....once I got past the week mark I just knew I was gonna be ok..I wasn't. So I said 10 days....still was weak. What really helped me was protien shakes. You can get them at Walmart, target, cvs...I drank three a day. Cause food was not gonna happen. Every time I ate I got sick...severe stomache issues. And, I got so,e b12.
I had to tell myself it's ok not to be ok....I accepted that I had been on medicine for 8 years, so I wasn't gonna just jump back...I am not a pop up toy..so I just kept going thru one bad day after enough...it wasn't easy my friend. There were many a times I would get discouraged and down....but each day that went by I told myself I had to be doing something good.
Also, I started thinking HEALTHY...took out trying to feel good, or feel normal. I just wanted my health back. About 7 days in I started forcing myself to do some exercises...it really made a difference.
I lost over 15 pounds durring detoxing off those awful oxys. I know how you feel...I wanted to pull my hair OUT!!
I know you want to feel good right now. I know that you told yourself just three to four days and you'll be better...and now your frustrated. But, I think when you look at how long you took the medicine, and what dosage....you'll see that a week off is a blessing in itself. And use that to keep moving thru.
Dose that make sense?
Also, fresh air and sunshine will help. It will get better...you will get healthy. How's the depression? I
Get some shakes...and those tummy pills
Hi everyone, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL THE REPLIES. I'm crying as I write this out of gratefulness. I'm on day 9; yesterday, I finally took Immodium (loperamide) and the constant diarrhea stopped. My stomach still hurts a lot, but I am just trying to keep positive.
I have a strong support system; a daughter (grown) and husband who love me and have been there for me every day. Also, I have no way to relapse since my doctor is the one who prescribed the pills (and was thrilled when I told him I wanted to stop.) and I wouldn't even know where to go to buy them off the street. I don't mean to sound like I'm better than anyone; I'm NOT...this drug is the DEVIL. I will never, and I mean NEVER take another narcotic again. I will take the pain over oxy's.
I barely remember days 1, 2, 3, 4...and the diarrhea didn't even start till day 4. My daughter tells me I was a freakin' mess days 1-3, and then I've gotten a littel better every day; its' just hard to see when you're in the middle of it.
It's so weird how these pills take over your life. I hate them so much. And I"m proud to be on day 9. But I gotta be honest, I still don't feel normal. I'm not even sure what 'normal' is after this long. I'm 52 years old, have no health problems, (except a thyroid issue I take meds for.)
Oh...one more thing I should mention. I have always been an avid exerciser, but now I realizes the oxy's were giving me a false sense of my own abilities. I would pop 30 mgs and then do an HOUR of HARD exercise on an elliptical trainer and thing I was Queen of the Aerobic. Hah! I took a peek at some forums for bodybuilders and was SHOCKED at how many of them work out high as kites.
Apparently opiates are VERY popular with the bulging muscle types. I've gotten on the elliptical twice in the past 9 days and did a grinding 30 mins. It was absolutely horrible. Even scarier was my recovery time. Which SUCKED. My pulse stayed above 110 for hours.
I told my doctor and he put me on Clonidine immediately and told me to back off the exercise. Just light walking. Jeezus.
I guess the moral is: I took oxys' for 8 years. They screwed my brain big time. I"m not going to be normal again in 8 days.
But I'm getting there.
I'm a tough chic who has been thru a lot in my half century on earth. I was severely abused (sexually, physically, def emotionally) as a child and I made it thru that. I went thru 17 years of therapy to get over what my parents did to me (esp my mother, who is a sick sociopath).
No little pink pill is going to ruin my life. NO way.
God Bless All of you.
and my name is,
Robin
I have a strong support system; a daughter (grown) and husband who love me and have been there for me every day. Also, I have no way to relapse since my doctor is the one who prescribed the pills (and was thrilled when I told him I wanted to stop.) and I wouldn't even know where to go to buy them off the street. I don't mean to sound like I'm better than anyone; I'm NOT...this drug is the DEVIL. I will never, and I mean NEVER take another narcotic again. I will take the pain over oxy's.
I barely remember days 1, 2, 3, 4...and the diarrhea didn't even start till day 4. My daughter tells me I was a freakin' mess days 1-3, and then I've gotten a littel better every day; its' just hard to see when you're in the middle of it.
It's so weird how these pills take over your life. I hate them so much. And I"m proud to be on day 9. But I gotta be honest, I still don't feel normal. I'm not even sure what 'normal' is after this long. I'm 52 years old, have no health problems, (except a thyroid issue I take meds for.)
Oh...one more thing I should mention. I have always been an avid exerciser, but now I realizes the oxy's were giving me a false sense of my own abilities. I would pop 30 mgs and then do an HOUR of HARD exercise on an elliptical trainer and thing I was Queen of the Aerobic. Hah! I took a peek at some forums for bodybuilders and was SHOCKED at how many of them work out high as kites.
Apparently opiates are VERY popular with the bulging muscle types. I've gotten on the elliptical twice in the past 9 days and did a grinding 30 mins. It was absolutely horrible. Even scarier was my recovery time. Which SUCKED. My pulse stayed above 110 for hours.
I told my doctor and he put me on Clonidine immediately and told me to back off the exercise. Just light walking. Jeezus.
I guess the moral is: I took oxys' for 8 years. They screwed my brain big time. I"m not going to be normal again in 8 days.
But I'm getting there.
I'm a tough chic who has been thru a lot in my half century on earth. I was severely abused (sexually, physically, def emotionally) as a child and I made it thru that. I went thru 17 years of therapy to get over what my parents did to me (esp my mother, who is a sick sociopath).
No little pink pill is going to ruin my life. NO way.
God Bless All of you.
and my name is,
Robin
hi never again, trust the process and hang in there. ive had withdrawals that turned the corner at six days, seven, eight, ten (ive been through a lot of them). I have only had the experience of it getting better earlier on with relapses of short duration and less intense use. you used for a long time. you might have to wait a little longer. you just need to keep hoping that the next day is the one that's going to be better. and one day it will happen! don't give up, it will get better.
Hi there, Oxycodone is an extremely strong drug, and taken daily for 8 years will leave you feeling pretty bad when doing a taper plan and jumping.
Withdrawals can start within hours of your missed dose right up to 1 week.
My w/d from heroin would start in 12 hours, my brothers w/d from oxy's wouldnt start until he was clean for 7 days.
So, we are all different for sure.
Give yourself at least another week to see a difference, but nobody knows when you will feel better, till you feel better.
But on the upside, you have 1 week clean, that deserves a lot of credit.
Congratulations, and yes, it really does get better : )
Withdrawals can start within hours of your missed dose right up to 1 week.
My w/d from heroin would start in 12 hours, my brothers w/d from oxy's wouldnt start until he was clean for 7 days.
So, we are all different for sure.
Give yourself at least another week to see a difference, but nobody knows when you will feel better, till you feel better.
But on the upside, you have 1 week clean, that deserves a lot of credit.
Congratulations, and yes, it really does get better : )
As far as the vit/min go we all have to test ourselves out on what will work and what will not..I knew which one helped me with sleep & anxiety after weeks of taking them and the ones that helped with energy. I also stick with the plant based vit too. And yes my DR knows every single natural med I take as so does my Heart Dr..There are many DR out here that do not believe in the natural way of healing. This has been a subject talked around here with many of my MH Friends for a long time. Protein powder with berries was a great one for me because it has amino acids in it plus other vit. However vit/min do not kick in right away..This is why it is so important to eat very Healthy so you can get the vit/min from food too. The BIG thing is TONS of water and you can add things to it and also electrolyte Powers as well. I also drank alot of the Tonic water too. You just have to test it all out. There is SO much too the vit/min and also the oils like Magnesium etc. The Magnesium, Potassium, Ds & Calcium have been God send for many at night for the restless legs and for sleep along with Anxiety..These calm the muscles and such down. You will figure it all out.
I would not put a Time limit on things here. I went through many different physical stages for months and then the mental came in later. I did come c/t off 3 meds at once so it made it a bit more intense and longer..It did take me almost 2 years for my Brain Chem, Hormones etc to balance out..BUT I was also told by a Dr that it would due to all my 40 years or so using and drinking off and on until the last 16 it was every day..Just have more Patience and give it some more Time. Some drugs take longer to detox out then others. Some are so synthetic that it seems to take forever.
My concern would be that you also set your self up for some aftercare. When we do not feel good and run out of patience we feel like tossing in the towel..Please do not because you are so close and you should be coming back down the hill. I sure wish you the best and just know we have opiate receptors in our stomach as well..So on top of your IBS you will have to give the receptors time to clear up let alone in the Brain. As the Brain heals it also will send some false singles to your body. You will start to feel better as the Brain balances out too..I found this one to be 100% true as I did go to my Dr and told him I had all over pain in my 6month that I have never felt before. He said it is Somatic Syndrome meaning the Brain is healing as it sends cross singles out..SO hang tight and try not to give in..I will send a Prayer out to you.
It took me a long time to even kick into my detox. I did however come off of a 12 year ride with Methadone & 2 other meds and before that it was oxys and hydos. Do Not Give Up..YOU will be getting better with Time..
Bless
PS. I did not ever do the receipt on here but we sure could add some more in and take some out. Like I said you will discover what works for YOU!!!
I would not put a Time limit on things here. I went through many different physical stages for months and then the mental came in later. I did come c/t off 3 meds at once so it made it a bit more intense and longer..It did take me almost 2 years for my Brain Chem, Hormones etc to balance out..BUT I was also told by a Dr that it would due to all my 40 years or so using and drinking off and on until the last 16 it was every day..Just have more Patience and give it some more Time. Some drugs take longer to detox out then others. Some are so synthetic that it seems to take forever.
My concern would be that you also set your self up for some aftercare. When we do not feel good and run out of patience we feel like tossing in the towel..Please do not because you are so close and you should be coming back down the hill. I sure wish you the best and just know we have opiate receptors in our stomach as well..So on top of your IBS you will have to give the receptors time to clear up let alone in the Brain. As the Brain heals it also will send some false singles to your body. You will start to feel better as the Brain balances out too..I found this one to be 100% true as I did go to my Dr and told him I had all over pain in my 6month that I have never felt before. He said it is Somatic Syndrome meaning the Brain is healing as it sends cross singles out..SO hang tight and try not to give in..I will send a Prayer out to you.
It took me a long time to even kick into my detox. I did however come off of a 12 year ride with Methadone & 2 other meds and before that it was oxys and hydos. Do Not Give Up..YOU will be getting better with Time..
Bless
PS. I did not ever do the receipt on here but we sure could add some more in and take some out. Like I said you will discover what works for YOU!!!
COMMUNITY LEADER
I want to reiterate what Purfectly said....I included pure bee pollen granuales in my detox and they did help. I just took them by the spoon full.
COMMUNITY LEADER
For sure everyone is different...you tapered which is good, but sometimes it really takes time. I wonder if length of time used has anything to do with this b/c I've read some people's w/d off of suboxone and they were like 10 days kind of thing and mine was 3/4 weeks!!! Which drove me crazy.
Remember why your doing this...it won't last forever, it can't, so keep that in mind. I remember writing that I felt like I was "dancing" with Satan during my w/d...it was hard and NO ONE here is going to tell you to suck it up b/c it's not easy...but you need to keep in your mind why your doing this and try to see the goal at the end. There is a light at the end of that tunnel, even if you can't see it yet, it's there, and you must be on the home stretch I would assume. Have you been around anyone that has any type of stomach bug recently?
Remember why your doing this...it won't last forever, it can't, so keep that in mind. I remember writing that I felt like I was "dancing" with Satan during my w/d...it was hard and NO ONE here is going to tell you to suck it up b/c it's not easy...but you need to keep in your mind why your doing this and try to see the goal at the end. There is a light at the end of that tunnel, even if you can't see it yet, it's there, and you must be on the home stretch I would assume. Have you been around anyone that has any type of stomach bug recently?
I hear oxytocin withdrawal symptoms are worse than norco withdrawal. You got to keep going. It will stop eventually. Im going through the same I hope you post back telling us u beat this demon
Yuck....you poor thing :( I'll be honest, this kinda scares me because I too was on about 45mg oxycodone for past 5 years, tapering now and was planning to jump around 10mg or maybe 5.....have been having some w/d's during the taper and was preparing to feel awful for a few days after the jump off, but feeling the same on day 7 with no end in sight must be awful. I hope you feel better soon!
Usually the symptoms peak on Day 3 but everyone is different. Even if the symptoms peak at Day 3 that doesn't mean all the symptoms go away...there are some things that may linger for quite a while. It took most of us years to do the damage to our opiate receptors and it will take our bodies a while to repair.
IF your symptoms are worsening you might want to see a doctor. The one thing that concerns me is the blinding headaches. It is possible that you could benefit from Clonidine which helps with symptoms...but you do have to see a doctor to get a scrip for it.
IF your symptoms are worsening you might want to see a doctor. The one thing that concerns me is the blinding headaches. It is possible that you could benefit from Clonidine which helps with symptoms...but you do have to see a doctor to get a scrip for it.
I think a lot depends on how long and how much you were taking the meds. Plus body composition, age...etc.. Lopermide helped me SO much this past week.
Epsom salt baths, hot showers, lots of water.
I know this is horrible but you've come SO far. Patience and positive attitude is key. Hang in there...I know it's rough..you got this..
Epsom salt baths, hot showers, lots of water.
I know this is horrible but you've come SO far. Patience and positive attitude is key. Hang in there...I know it's rough..you got this..
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Withdrawal Symptom Relief:
****PLEASE NOTE: Before using any of the vitamins, medications or supplements mentioned in this list please consult with your doctor. We are not doctors and do not know what medications you are taking, it is important that you make sure that there will not be any adverse effects to using even something that seems as benign as a multi-vitamin****
First, use the Search MedHelp and search for the Thomas Recipe.
Restless Leg Syndrome: Hylands Restless Leg Tablets (make sure it is the kind with Quinine in it)
or
Tonic Water (Schweppes is a good one) that also has quinine in it, sip on it until bedtime. Add something to it if you don't like the taste. I used sugar-free Crystal Light Tangerine flavor in mine.
Orthopedic socks, the tight ones for the lower legs
Ace bandages for the upper legs and arms, wrap tightly or use towels wrapped tightly
Before wrapping everything up rub some Ben Gay or Tiger Balm into the skin
or
Heating Pads
Achy Legs: So your legs aren't going a mile a minute but they are still achy and a little bit restless...use the ace bandages on them, have your dog lie on your legs or even your kitty cat stretching out...just something a bit heavy.
Big bag of Epsom Salts: A good 15 to 20 minute soak in a really hot bath with salts in it will relieve a lot of your symptoms like anxiety for a while in addition to helping get toxins out of your skin. Take as many per day as needed, definitely take one before you wrap up for RLS for the night.
Water, Lifewater with Electrolytes, Gatorade, anything to make sure you don't get dehydrated because that will make your symptoms worse. If you have a juicer fresh juice would be terrific as long as your tummy can handle it. Pedialyte can be made into popsicles...maybe not quite the same as the name brand but healthy and will feel good on your throat while giving you those great electrolytes! Because detoxing means you will be sweating out a lot of the toxins this means you will be sweating out all of your fluids...so drink a ton of liquids...at least double to triple what you normally do.
Protein shakes, bananas, toast, rice, applesauce, pudding snacks...whatever your tummy can handle. We never want to eat but the same thing goes here...if you don't eat a little bit your symptoms will be worse.
Sleep and Anxiety: Chamomile Tea, Melatonin, Sundown Super Melatonin (has Valerian, Passion Flower and other items good for sleep and anxiety). You can go the Valium route IF your doctor prescribes and you would only want to use it for maybe 7 days because you don't want to wind up addicted to benzo's.
Vitamins: Cal-Mag-Zinc 3in1, Good Multi-Vitamin, Super B Complex, Amino Acids like L-Lysine, B-12 injection or sublingual (this is for after the insomnia part of WD is over) for energy. Try to get these items at Walmart...you will save at least 50% over a drugstore like Walgreens.
Bathroom Issues: Immodium....you don't want to stop things up completely because this is part of your system voiding the toxins so please follow instructions on the package.
Tummy Issues: Zantac or any OTC tummy product. You can also talk to your doctor about Zofran if it is really bad.
Dark Chocolate: Chocolate effects the pleasure center which opiates also does. Dark chocolate is best because it helps with cravings AND it is considered to be healthier.
Clonidine if your doctor will prescribe it. It is a high blood pressure medication so you need to talk to your doctor first. It is also used for opiate, nicotine and alcohol withdrawals. It does help reduce the symptoms quite a bit. One of the main benefits is it helps with cravings. It is only used for 7 to 10 days otherwise you would have to taper off of it (like most medications of this sort).
A local couple who provide fresh raw honey swear by bee pollen sprinkled on cereal, salads, vegies...pretty much whatever you want to put it on will help.
Sunshine and Exercise: Even though you won't feel like it getting outside for a short walk, soaking up some sunshine, feeling the breeze on your face. Light exercise will be very beneficial.