How to stop taking Norco/Oxycontin

[HeadSlapper]

Hello,

I'm sure this has been brought up numerous times before, so one more time shouldn't hurt :)

I take a lot of Norco and Oxycontin everyday (along with anti-depressants and other crap) - for like 6 years now. I had a weird virus many years back (in my 20's) that messed up my body and put me in a wheel chair for a while - had to learn to walk again, etc... now I have two fake hips and my spine is not so good. However, I know I'm very addicted to these pills and I just don't want to take them anymore. I know they are messing me up mentally and physically pretty bad. The mental part has been the worse - not the same guy anymore.

I tried to kick them before, but yeah that didn't go over so well. I'm pretty afraid of just stopping them cold turkey. I'm afraid how I would be at work, around my kids and just everything in between. I did try counseling a few months back, (just got divorced), but eh, that didn't make really any difference.

So I took some time off of work that's coming up in a month (2 weeks off) and I'm thinking about just stopping everything. But man I'm really really nervous :( Really really nervous, like already talking myself out of it nervous. :(

I didn't know if anyone had any good ideas about helping with the withdrawals? Other medication you can take to help counteract it, home remedies, anything over the counter, anything really. I don't want to go all nutty like I did last time.

Thanks for reading :)

- Gustavo.

[mamaof4410]

The wd's are what scare alot of people but the trick is staying clean. You have to have a plan of action for after you detox, otherwise you will end up using again...trust me.
And I dont mean to get to personal, but alot of things that didnt bother you while you were high are going to creep up while your sober and it can lead to depression if you dont get some kind of help. Try NA meetings or talking to anyone that you feel you can trust. Last year around this time I was soooooooo depressed because we had just moved and I didnt have any pills. I feel so much better sober now. The wd's are going to be tough. But you can do it. Your after care plan will either make or break your recovery. Try vitamins like Magnesium, Omega 3's and B12, they will help with your energy level. But when youre laying around sulking get up and do something. Go outside, go for a walk. You have to completely change your lifestyle. Its going to be tough but if your willing to put in the work it does get better. You didnt become an addict over night. Best of luck to you.

[Colorless]

Ditto, ditto ditto to everything above.  My pain is so much less now than it was when I took the pills. (30 or so Norco 10's each day for 5+ years)  Just try not to listen to your brain when it is trying to justify any reason to either keep taking them, or to take more than what you committed to with your taper.  It will use any tricks possible to cause you to fail when craving opiates.  This forum is the reason this is my 26th day free.  I had to be accountable to someone, anyone other than myself, because I was SICK!  Keep coming here, these folks are the best on earth!

[mary577]

I want to chime in about the head games.   I took hydrocodone for bad knees but I didn't want to quit because I felt like they gave me energy.   I was also afraid of withdrawal.  

After I quit, I was miserable for about a month.   I laid around depressed because I didn't have the will to get up and do anything.   It was killing me....because I live in the country, have a lot of livestock, and my husband is often gone from home 3 weeks out of the month with his work.   I couldn't trust anyone to hire to help me....those I hired turned out to be addicts and stole from me.  

I finally made a list of about 10 things.   I made myself get up and work on something for at least 15 minutes and then I gave myself permission to go lay back down.   I would be up a little bit...down a little bit....but something kicked in (plus, I was taking vitamins) and pretty soon once I got up and got busy, I wanted to stay busy.  

And you know what?   I wasn't the whirlwind I thought I was on hydrocodone.   I can work circles around what I did then.   I get up every morning, make my list and work....and I have never felt better.    I wish the same for you.  

It is awful to be tied to a pill.   I wouldn't go anywhere without them.   I got anxious and irritable and nauseous if I didn't take one every 2 or 3 hours.   I was getting to the point that I was taking more than one at a time.   Big whoop, I know to some people that take many more than I did....but I was on my way.   Time to put a stop to that and change my life.    You can do it too.

[Teresa1717]

I just wanted to Chime in here and say that I definitely agree a slow taper is the best way for alot of people! Like Sonrissa, that wasnt a possibility for me either cuz like the game hungry hungry hippo, I would just eat up any pills I had! haha But if you can have the self control and definitely someone to hold and dispense for you then that would be better than jumping off C/T ! With that said though, C/T although a bit more painful where w/d's are concrned, is definitely doable!

You have been given great advice on what to get for w/d's already so I wont repeat that part :) But I want to throw out there that when you are going through w/d's, staying as busy as you can helps believe it or not! Seems weird I know, but it does.

Stick close to this forum, lots of great people on here with great advice always willing to lend a hand! :)

[Sonrissa]

That sounds like a great plan! Stick to it! Make sure you are well prepared, and have everything you need to jump off when you are ready! Gatorade, Immodium, vitamins, Ensures......

Good luck! Attitude is everything! You will be so happy to get off this awful roller coaster! I can't wait to follow your progress! Keep us posted!

[HeadSlapper]

It looks like I'm going to try this the day after Xmas. So about 6 weeks away. Yeah I know I couldn't tamper off myself either. I've tried that a hundred times and always talked myself into why I need them. I have a good friend in town that I will ask to hold my pills and help me tamper - thanks for the advice, I really appreciate it. I'm thinking about starting to tamper on Dec 1st when I refill both of my prescriptions for hopefully the last time. Another 180 of Norco's and 120 Oxy's. I don't have to travel in Dec - so I think that will be ok. I seem to take more when I go out of town for work stuff.

[Sonrissa]

So, it looks like you have about a month before your two weeks off of work, right? I would start tapering now. We are not allowed to give specific tapering advice on this forum, but I can tell you slow and steady is best! Then, when you get to your time off, the withdrawals should be easier for your body to tolerate! If your daughter, or someone can help you by dispensing your pills, it will help! Tapering is difficult, (I personally couldn't do it myself cause I was alone) but it is certainly doable, and if you can do it, it will help you tremendously!

Good luck! Keep posting! You will get lots of support through every step!

[HeadSlapper]

I would say I take about 12/15 Norco's a day. Then about 4 - 6 Oxy's a day. If I run out of Norco, then I take about 12 Oxy's. 20mg.

[HeadSlapper]

Oh thanks a bunch Sonrissa - I was planning on cold Turkey - but tampering does sounds much better. :) I didn't think of that. One doctor (not my regular family one) told me to go cold turkey - so I had that stuck in my head. I've been afraid to say anything to my regular doctor, just because I dunno, just feels funny. However, the weird part is that he is retiring in a month and this is also motivation for me. Cause I don't want to go through this again with another doctor. My body is so weird that they pretty much just give me whatever (even though I know how to make the pain go away via working out like I used todo - that's where I want to be again).

I will try Thomas Recipe, sounds great. More stuff the help the better. My daughter is also going to help me - she's in her 20's now, cause I know I just can't do it alone.

[HeadSlapper]

Hi Mary,

Yeah, I'm taking about 15 Norco's a day and 6 Oxy's. Give or take depending on how much stuff I have to get done. I have this feeling now, like if I have to get through something that I have to take the pills first. Like they give me the energy or something todo it, even though I know that's not the case. It's a head game I suppose :\

[Pat1956100]

I certainly understand the fear but that's the worst part of it.  Sonrissa has given you excellent advice.
Many of us here have gone cold turkey off of large amounts of oxy and other opiates. You can do this.
Posting on this forum really helps you through as well.
Having 2 weeks off is perfect and the time to do it.  You will feel so much better by then.  Try slowing down your usage. If you have someone who can give them to you, that would really help.
You have been through a lot worse than this by the sounds of it.
Just think of it as having a bad flu and take good care of yourself.
Start taking vitamins now and eat as healthy as you can.
Keep posting and let us know when you stop so we can help you through it.

[abritt121222]

How much of what are you taking daily?

[Sonrissa]

Hi Gustavo, and welcome! You will find wonderful advice and support here! Congrats on your decision to quit! Have you talked to your doctor about this? If possible it would be great to get their input and support! I can certainly understand being nervous about withdrawals! But honestly, our minds typically make things much worse than they actually are! Are you planning to quit cold turkey, or will you taper down before you quit? If you can, it would be much easier on your body to taper first! You said that you will take 2 weeks off of work and that should get you through the worst of the physical symptoms! Take a few minutes and read the Thomas Recipe (the link is at the bottom of the page). There are vitamins/supplements that you can take which will help with some of the physical symptoms. It is important to stay very well hydrated, eat food if possible for nutrition! If you can't eat, drink some high protein shakes such as Ensures, or Boosts! Take Immodium for any stomach or bathroom issues! Hot showers and Epsom Salt baths will help with Restless Legs! Most important, try to stay active and get some mild exercise! Short walks outside in the fresh air will help wonders!

Others will weigh in to offer additional advice and support! Take care, and I wish you all the best! Please keep posting anytime you have a question or need some support!

[mary577]

Welcome to the forum.   How many a day are you taking?   Lots of good info here...Thomas recipe to help with the withdrawals.   I quit on June 9th, cold turkey but I was only taking five to six a day...had been building up for five years.   Many people take much, much more.   I was miserable for about a week and lethargic as heck for about a month, but once I got them out of my system and took vitamins and started taking better care of myself, I feel much better and have more energy and less pain than I have in years.   Good luck to you.    The first step is deciding to take that first step.