Getting off oxy

[ifbbadam]

I have been prscribed percocet and oxycontin, and roxicodone for about 7 months after month six I was taking 3 40mg oxycontin and 4 15mg roxicodone a day.  This was doing nothing for me.  I up the dose myself to 4 40mg. oxycontin and 5 or 6 roxicodone a day.  I ran out of my prescribtion 5 days early and went into withdrawl in about 8 hours after runing out.  I went to the doctor who put me on a 20mg a week taper.  I ran out of them again one day before my refill and again felt bad but not as bad.  I did not tell the dr. I ran out and my taper was continued but was slowed to 10mg a week till I reach 20mg. a day of oxycontin and 4 roxicodone a day.  I had back fusion surgery so I am in alot of pain but I am getting out of control with the oxycontin.  I started a new taper of my own wich I took 215mg, then 140mg, 90mg, 60mg,40mg,25mg,15mg,10mg,5mg,5mg,0mg.  When i finally reach 0mg how bad will the withdrawls be?  How long will they last.  When I came out of sugery they gave me 3 40mg oxycontin a day, 30mg of roxicodone 6 times a day and a shot of dilaudid evey for hours and I was on the 180mg. dose of oxy for 3 months.  The previous months before surgery I was taking 180 percocet a month then swithced to 2 20mg oxy a day and about 10-12 loratab 10mg a day.  I also have enough seraquell to take 100mg at night to sleep.  Do you think this taper will work.  Will the withdrawl be bad.  If i stick to the taper I will still have 62 10mg oxycotin left and 13 15mg roxicodone left.  Does any ne else have a better taper plan than mine.  Suggestions are welcome.  

[ifbbadam]

Thank you for all your help.  I went to the store and got all of the things on the thomas list.  I even had some L-tyrosine on hand from my weightlifting days before I fractured my spine.  Am going to strat my detox tommorow after I see my surgeon.  I don't want to go to the Dr. in full withdrawl and have him start asking me all kinds of questions.  Thank you again you have been very helpfull.

[GA Guy]

Yes, everyone is different. The problem is...you never know you will be addicted to them unless you try them. Why take that chance if it's unnecessary? Millions of people are dependent on drugs that help them through life, and I absolutely have no problems with that. But, why even flirt with benzos when you don't have to?

[FLbella]

Ga Guy, I think each person is different, no?   I have been on benzo's for years.   I was prescribed xanax which I only took one of, I get .5 konipins x 90 every month, and I take them so infrequently, I just realized today I have 500 + tabs laying around because I never take as prescribed if at all.   Some substances just aren't addictive to some ppl.   I do have an addictive personality.  I have a huge problem with alcohol and nicotine, but never developed a pill problem.  (Maybe out of fear?)  I'm not sure, but IFDA......  Take what makes you feel comfortable AS LONG AS YOU SPOKE TO A DOC THAT UNDERSTANDS ADDICTION first.  Nobody here can speak for you.  If you do not have any type of addiction to benzos and have experience with them.....  then take the smallest amount possible (that is what I do)...  i.e.  Instead of taking 4 a day,  I take a half at night.   I know I could take more and I'd rather spend that extra hour tossing and turning then take more.  I already let the "juice" get a hold of me, I refuse to let pills.

[GA Guy]

thank you for the Birthday wishes..and, a Happy early Birthday to you as well. I was just thinking about you when I saw your post. I just noticed the last couple of days that I saw your name popping up again. I had been meaning to welcome you back for the last couple of days. Your posts are always so helpful to me and everyone here, and I'm so glad you're posting again!! God bless...

[GA Guy]

If you can use the Seroquel, then I'd use that for the short term. Seroquel is non narcotic, but it's main purpose is for bipolar disorder.A side effect of the drug is sedation, which is why it's off label prescribed for insomnia. If I were you, if I had to take anything, I'd take the Seroquel (never mix this with a benzo). The main thing here is just to be careful with both drugs. You want your mind to heal, not be fogged up with more drugs :)

[Yoda99]

Ga Guy, a little off topic here but I wanted to wish you a belated Happy Birthday!  I haven't celebrated a clean birthday yet, but I will on Nov. 23 and I'm looking forward to it!
By the way, the information on your profile page is great!
Take care,
Yoda

[ifbbadam]

I have been taking 50mg-100mg of Seraquell that the dr. prscribed me and it usually knocks me out for 8-10 hrs of sleep.  My Dr. told me these are a non-narcotic and in a low dose are great for sleep.  Should I just use these instead of the benzo's?

[GA Guy]

Take the benzo's a a last resort at all times. They are addictive as all heck, and should only be taken as the last thing you do. If you can get a doctor to prescribe clonidine, it will help immensely. Something non addictive you may want to try for anxiety and sleep is Atarax (hydroxyzine). It's an antihistamine that helped me a lot with the anxiety. You, like a lot of us here, have a very addictive personality. Just be careful with the benzo's, OK? Maybe just get 5 filled and take only if you absolutely have to. Some people fall in love with the benzo feeling from the first dose. That's the last thing you need :) Please ask if you have any more questions.

[ifbbadam]

Should I take the benzo's just at night when I want to sleep?  Or will they help me during the day too?

[Yoda99]

   I have been clean from oxys for 8 months now.  I was in a very bad car accident over three years ago, and I still have pain.  My doctor was prescribing six of the 80 mg Oxycontin ER tabs a day.  That was my prescribed dosage.  Even though I originally started taking them for pain, I ended up abusing them.  I could easily take 12 of the 80 mg tabs in a day, and I always ran out early (I think the most I ever took in one day was 15 but fortunately that was not often).  But I had built up a certain tolerance to them, and I have always had a high tolerance for drugs.  So some of those stories you hear are really true.
   On February 25, 2007 I took the last of my month's oxycontins and had over two weeks to go before refill time.  I went through withdrawals from hell.  I did not plan to quit at that time, but I was sick and tired of being so controlled by the oxycontin.  I have been clean since Feb. 26th.  
   Just as 41399 mentioned, I could never taper either.  If I had them, I would eat them.  So I just went cold turkey.  I had not prepared, I had nothing on hand to help with the withdrawals, but I found this forum and lots of support.  I think back now and it was really risky, and I should've been more prepared.  So if you can taper, it will probably be easier for you.
   I wish you the best of luck,
Yoda (Linda)
  

[ifbbadam]

Does lyrica help with your nerve pain?

[ifbbadam]

Thank you to every one that has responded.  Ga Guy I am going to go to your website and try to quit C/T.  This taper will ot work for me and I do ot wat to talk to my doctor.  I don't want to use suboxone or methadone.  I am diagnosed as a chroni alcoholic and I kicked that C/T and almost died.  I had a mild heart attack during withdrawls.  I drank a 1.75l bottle a gin a day for 6 years and have been off alcohol for 4 years.  THe withdrawl from alcohol was awful it felt like some one was crawling in and out of my body, diarreaha that felt like gasoline coming out of my ***, and worst of all was the paranoia you get from alcohol w/d.  I am going to try the c/t withdrawl recipie on your site.  With alcohol the paranioa is what usually led me back to drinking.  It took me 12 days to get over the phsical symptoms of alcohol w/d.  Also it is impossible to sleep.  This time for the oxy withdrawl I have a prescription for seraquell so I will be able to sleep.  I think c/t is the best way to go, I was never able to taper off alcohol I would just eneded upo getting drunk and with oxy I always good intentios but they never work.

[GA Guy]

Just from what I've seen on here, 80-100mg's a day of Oxy or Hydro will put you into pretty moderate-severe withdrawals. I can only say this from what I've seen on here. It looks like 20, 30, 40, 50 or 60mg a day will be uncomfortable..it's just when you get up around that 100mg a day or more that things seem to drag out for 5-10 days and the withdrawals are pretty uncomfortable. I came off of 80-120mg a day, and it took a week or more for things to start getting better. All of that being said, many people ct of huge amounts and make it fine. There is several things to help, and a ton of information is on my profile page. Just click the blue Ga Guy link to the left of this post. The wd's are a piece of cake compared to the mental part afterwards. Get yourself a great aftercare program and give yourself a shot at recovery. As if you have any further questions.

[notmenow!]

Your story sounds a lot like mine also went through the same surgery, After on month my  Pain DR put me on suboxone to get me off all the opiates without the terrible withdrawal associated with being physically dependant on opiates, as you are. If you have improved in terms of pain post op. Then it is time to get off the opiates. The doctors have turned us into legal addicts in my opinion. But I had a very smart pain DR who was able to recognize early on that I was not going to be able to stick to a taper plan. This DR also had her waiver to subscribe the drug suboxone. Your DR my not have his waiver which is a special permit allowing them to use this medication, For PM or detox to maintenance. I guess what I am trying to tell you if you do not complete the taper. You could ask that you be referred for suboxone treatment. You can find a provider by going to www.suboxone.com and click physician locator, It is done by zip code and is confidential, also order the kit that is also available to you at no charge. But make this decision before you are out of meds completely. Good Luck ------NOAH

[ifbbadam]

Thank you for your input.  I wasn't sure if the doe that they had me on was that high. I have read on some post people taking 1000-1200mg a day wich I find hard to beilieve.  A friend of mine told m he wa addicted to oxy for 3 years and said one time he snorted 24 40mg oxy in 24 hours.  He now is currently on methadonefor the last year and was up to 280mg or ml (i not sure how methadone is given) and has tapered to 65 a day for the last year.

[41399]

I will speak for myself, if I kept pills around the house after I have stopped taking them, I know I would fall back to them if I were to have a bad day. Now that's me, if you have the self control that's awesome, I don't. However you just went through a very intense painful surgery and probably still need something for apin. In my opinion you should seek advice form your doctor since you were put on some pretty high dose medications.
The withdraws can last up to 10 days, at least they have in the past for me. This is probably my 5th time coming off of those nasty things. It certainly is not easy... just remember it will be harder the next time if you put off stopping the pills.
good luck.. maybe you can gove your pills to someone else to hold, so you won't be tempted. Temptation is the DEVIL to people like us.