Aa
Oxycodone/contin
Hello. Just looking for some advice from those who know. I will try to keep my sad tale short as it seems to be a repeat of everyone else's. Fourteen surgeries, three major spinal in past year ...so yeah, I am struggling with the opoids. Last left hospital in September on a mix of about 350 mg oxycodone or contin.
I have two more surgeries ahead of me in the new year. But in the meantime I have become convinced that the oxycodone/contin is actually causing me pain. I have no idea how I am going to face the next surgeries but I CANNOT keep going on this particular road.
So I have weaned myself down to 65 mg per day. Even so I am so jumpy, legs restless, stomache cramping ....it reminds me of quitting smoking (I was a 2-packer) except this is ten times worse. I am craving food but cannot eat. I am tapering another 10 mg every 4 days. Is this a good idea or would it be better to just STOP?
I am 63, retired and have a sweet supportive husband who wants to be helpful but does not understand. When he quit smoking he just stopped and did not miss a beat so he really does not have a clue what I am going through now. My health, aside from all the orthopaedic issues is good.
I've read some of the "recipes" on other sites for easing withdrawal but don't even know if I could get some of that stuff where I am (Canada).
I am starting to ramble but God bless you for listening. Also, any idea how I am going to handle the pain of surgeries in spring?
I have two more surgeries ahead of me in the new year. But in the meantime I have become convinced that the oxycodone/contin is actually causing me pain. I have no idea how I am going to face the next surgeries but I CANNOT keep going on this particular road.
So I have weaned myself down to 65 mg per day. Even so I am so jumpy, legs restless, stomache cramping ....it reminds me of quitting smoking (I was a 2-packer) except this is ten times worse. I am craving food but cannot eat. I am tapering another 10 mg every 4 days. Is this a good idea or would it be better to just STOP?
I am 63, retired and have a sweet supportive husband who wants to be helpful but does not understand. When he quit smoking he just stopped and did not miss a beat so he really does not have a clue what I am going through now. My health, aside from all the orthopaedic issues is good.
I've read some of the "recipes" on other sites for easing withdrawal but don't even know if I could get some of that stuff where I am (Canada).
I am starting to ramble but God bless you for listening. Also, any idea how I am going to handle the pain of surgeries in spring?
I take the oxycontin every morning and evening - it was a 15 mg tab (30 per day), as of yesterday I switched to my 10 mg take (20 per day) plus 30-35 mg of fast acting oxycontin. So that was 65 yesterday and 55 today, right?
I am REALLY jittery today. But I don't know how to bring the oxycontin (longacting, right?) down slower than switching to the 10 mg tab. You are not supposed to cut these.
When you say decrease by 10% are you talking about 10% of what you started with (my initial amount was 350 mg/day). But when I came home I quickly reduced it to 120 and that had no effects. But if 10% is measured with where I currently am then that would just be 10% of say 65 mg. so that would be a reduction of 6 mg for next 2 weeks. Then the week after it would be 5 mg or so ....and so on. Doing that it would take me a lot longer than Christmas.
What am I missing here? Help...
I am REALLY jittery today. But I don't know how to bring the oxycontin (longacting, right?) down slower than switching to the 10 mg tab. You are not supposed to cut these.
When you say decrease by 10% are you talking about 10% of what you started with (my initial amount was 350 mg/day). But when I came home I quickly reduced it to 120 and that had no effects. But if 10% is measured with where I currently am then that would just be 10% of say 65 mg. so that would be a reduction of 6 mg for next 2 weeks. Then the week after it would be 5 mg or so ....and so on. Doing that it would take me a lot longer than Christmas.
What am I missing here? Help...
My goodness you've been through a lot! Scary! Bless your heart I can't even imagine and I've been through a lot of medical trauma.
Your doctor is tapering you too fast. I am curious as to why you think it would take 6 months to taper? You are at 55 mg now? But weren't you at 65 yesterday? That's a 10% drop in 1 day which is WAY too fast. I know many people who have tapered fairly painlessly all the way to the end. It does take discipline because your pain receptors are going to scream for medication as you go. Long term opiate use causes your body to produce more pain receptors, this is what causes the hyperalgesia. In a proper taper, a drop is done with a good length of time for the body/brain to regulate. This way it doesn't shock the system or cause terrible rebound pain.
But, you say you are committed to a fast taper and that is of course, your choice. Just know that it will be fairly miserable (not that much different from cold turkey) Ask your doctor for some clonidine. It is a BP med commonly used in opiate detox and I would say it cuts withdrawal symptoms in half. I've done two cold turkeys. The last one was after a fast taper but I got sick and tired of feeling like crap so I just jumped off of 150 mg of oxy/nalexone/hydro. I was really sick for a week, but it was doable. I felt way better mentally and emotionally after the drugs were out of my system.
If you feel really terrible you can always go back to your doc and make another plan. If you do the 10% decrease every 2 weeks then you would be off by Christmas. Again, we aren't allowed to give taper advice but my doctor told me on Friday that this is the most comfortable taper plan for most.
Best wishes and keep posting-
Lu
Your doctor is tapering you too fast. I am curious as to why you think it would take 6 months to taper? You are at 55 mg now? But weren't you at 65 yesterday? That's a 10% drop in 1 day which is WAY too fast. I know many people who have tapered fairly painlessly all the way to the end. It does take discipline because your pain receptors are going to scream for medication as you go. Long term opiate use causes your body to produce more pain receptors, this is what causes the hyperalgesia. In a proper taper, a drop is done with a good length of time for the body/brain to regulate. This way it doesn't shock the system or cause terrible rebound pain.
But, you say you are committed to a fast taper and that is of course, your choice. Just know that it will be fairly miserable (not that much different from cold turkey) Ask your doctor for some clonidine. It is a BP med commonly used in opiate detox and I would say it cuts withdrawal symptoms in half. I've done two cold turkeys. The last one was after a fast taper but I got sick and tired of feeling like crap so I just jumped off of 150 mg of oxy/nalexone/hydro. I was really sick for a week, but it was doable. I felt way better mentally and emotionally after the drugs were out of my system.
If you feel really terrible you can always go back to your doc and make another plan. If you do the 10% decrease every 2 weeks then you would be off by Christmas. Again, we aren't allowed to give taper advice but my doctor told me on Friday that this is the most comfortable taper plan for most.
Best wishes and keep posting-
Lu
Thanks everyone so much for your support and good advice. It feels so wonderful to just know that there are people out there who know what this feels like and have made it.
Yes, my oxy is all prescribed. In March I went in for a spinal fusion L2-5. It went very badly with an ileac vein cut, bled out, nearly died. But I did not and am actually "cognitively intact" as they put it and still seems to surprise the medical professionals. In the process of saving my life they cut me open along the side about 12" then flipped me over and stem to stern. So now I have a massive abdominal hernia. (like being 9 mos pregnant on one side). That will be the next surgery, hopefully in January 2015.
But to back up, after the March drama, In June I went back in for the spinal fusion which they now decided to just complete the L4-5 for now. Then in July a massive infection that had me back on the table again.
I know this all sounds like a major **** show and it was. No, I don't have the same spinal doc anymore. I am much happier with the fellow I have now although all the research initially said I had a "rock star doc" doing my fusion. I think it was just one of those situations where everything that could go wrong did.
My lower spine collapsed in on itself while I was hiking in Morocco and they think that the ileac vein must have adhered itself to the spine somewhere because it was not supposed to be anywhere near where it was. When they slipped the cage into place around the L4-5 fusion is when it was cut by the cage.
I think/hope I am on the road to recovery, thus the desire to be free of these damn pills.
The other surgery I know for sure is coming up in the next year is another ankle fusion. I had the upper ankle (tibia talus) done 10 years ago and it was very successful. Unfortunately the lower joint is now shot ....or is it? The ankle doc does not think it is nearly as bad as I am describing the pain so maybe if I can get off these meds I will be able to figure that out.
One good thing - I have lost over 40 lbs during this drama and I am keeping it off. While I lost weight in the past I always regained it as I got better. I am smarter about that now for sure. So maybe a combination of being much lighter plus no opiates will resolve a lot of the ankle pain I have.
I had read up all about it and designed a tapering program but with the amounts I was on it was going to take 6 months to get off slowly. My doctor suggested that her other patients get very impatient with this slow method and they decrease every 4 days. So I've been doing that and yesterday I was at 55 mg. Yes, I am a bit of a mess but I am managing. Although I am scared as everything I read says the last bit is the worst. My doctor did not seem to want me to stop cold turkey - perhaps my age and what I've been through this year. I did not push her on this, perhaps I should have.
In any event I think I am committed to a fast taper and then I will just do it sometime in the next couple of weeks. I will look at the Thomas recipe again
Thanks so much everyone..
Yes, my oxy is all prescribed. In March I went in for a spinal fusion L2-5. It went very badly with an ileac vein cut, bled out, nearly died. But I did not and am actually "cognitively intact" as they put it and still seems to surprise the medical professionals. In the process of saving my life they cut me open along the side about 12" then flipped me over and stem to stern. So now I have a massive abdominal hernia. (like being 9 mos pregnant on one side). That will be the next surgery, hopefully in January 2015.
But to back up, after the March drama, In June I went back in for the spinal fusion which they now decided to just complete the L4-5 for now. Then in July a massive infection that had me back on the table again.
I know this all sounds like a major **** show and it was. No, I don't have the same spinal doc anymore. I am much happier with the fellow I have now although all the research initially said I had a "rock star doc" doing my fusion. I think it was just one of those situations where everything that could go wrong did.
My lower spine collapsed in on itself while I was hiking in Morocco and they think that the ileac vein must have adhered itself to the spine somewhere because it was not supposed to be anywhere near where it was. When they slipped the cage into place around the L4-5 fusion is when it was cut by the cage.
I think/hope I am on the road to recovery, thus the desire to be free of these damn pills.
The other surgery I know for sure is coming up in the next year is another ankle fusion. I had the upper ankle (tibia talus) done 10 years ago and it was very successful. Unfortunately the lower joint is now shot ....or is it? The ankle doc does not think it is nearly as bad as I am describing the pain so maybe if I can get off these meds I will be able to figure that out.
One good thing - I have lost over 40 lbs during this drama and I am keeping it off. While I lost weight in the past I always regained it as I got better. I am smarter about that now for sure. So maybe a combination of being much lighter plus no opiates will resolve a lot of the ankle pain I have.
I had read up all about it and designed a tapering program but with the amounts I was on it was going to take 6 months to get off slowly. My doctor suggested that her other patients get very impatient with this slow method and they decrease every 4 days. So I've been doing that and yesterday I was at 55 mg. Yes, I am a bit of a mess but I am managing. Although I am scared as everything I read says the last bit is the worst. My doctor did not seem to want me to stop cold turkey - perhaps my age and what I've been through this year. I did not push her on this, perhaps I should have.
In any event I think I am committed to a fast taper and then I will just do it sometime in the next couple of weeks. I will look at the Thomas recipe again
Thanks so much everyone..
Hi sweetie:
Glad you are here. I'm 23 days off oxycodone, and this morning was the first day I DIDN'T have diarrhea or wake up with a headache. Just as lulu says, it takes time for our brains and bodies to readjust.
Tapering is tricky; it depends on your age, use, health history, etc. I was on 40 mgs of oxy every day for 8 years (back issues.) My doctor tapered me down RAPIDLY and then I jumped off. The last 2 weeks when I was tapering, I was miserable...it felt like it was taking forever, but I was following his advice.
At our age (over 50) I think we need medical supervision when we make drastic changes to any meds we are on. Our bodies just don't recover as quickly as they did in our 20's or even 30's. Talk to your doctor, or surgeon. I agree with you that oxy can make pain worse. Someone here used the term 'hyperalgesia.'
I've been clean 23 days now and my back pain is horrible, but I cannot trust that it is my actual pain level...I need to go longer to evaluate what is real and what is my pain receptors screaming "where are the opiates?!!"
I still have restless legs (people report this is the symptom that hangs on the longest) and my tummy is a mess, but I've always had a nervous stomach. It is getting a tiny bit better.
These symptoms WILL go away as your body adjusts to the new level you've gone down to, but it takes days/weeks.
When are your surgeries?
Glad you are here. I'm 23 days off oxycodone, and this morning was the first day I DIDN'T have diarrhea or wake up with a headache. Just as lulu says, it takes time for our brains and bodies to readjust.
Tapering is tricky; it depends on your age, use, health history, etc. I was on 40 mgs of oxy every day for 8 years (back issues.) My doctor tapered me down RAPIDLY and then I jumped off. The last 2 weeks when I was tapering, I was miserable...it felt like it was taking forever, but I was following his advice.
At our age (over 50) I think we need medical supervision when we make drastic changes to any meds we are on. Our bodies just don't recover as quickly as they did in our 20's or even 30's. Talk to your doctor, or surgeon. I agree with you that oxy can make pain worse. Someone here used the term 'hyperalgesia.'
I've been clean 23 days now and my back pain is horrible, but I cannot trust that it is my actual pain level...I need to go longer to evaluate what is real and what is my pain receptors screaming "where are the opiates?!!"
I still have restless legs (people report this is the symptom that hangs on the longest) and my tummy is a mess, but I've always had a nervous stomach. It is getting a tiny bit better.
These symptoms WILL go away as your body adjusts to the new level you've gone down to, but it takes days/weeks.
When are your surgeries?
Hi There-
I have several chronic and painful conditions. One of them (severe endometriosis) is sometimes debilitating. I have been put on oxy twice and both times I knew I was in trouble. It not only made my pain worse but it made me feel high and unlike myself. I have gone off of it cold turkey twice. Like you I had many surgeries in a very short amount of time so opiates were a necessity. But the oxy is something else. Because you DO have to have another surgery, I think it would be great to take an opiate break to evaluate your pain levels. You may find (as I did) that you are in LESS pain than you are on. Keep in mind it takes about a month for your body and brain to heal after all the drugs are out of your system. You will have a much better idea of where you are at pain wise if you do this. Know that you will suffer rebound pain that is caused by hyperalgesia, you need to push through it and use NSAIDS, heat, massage, acupuncture, etc in order to make it through.
I think you should follow Vickie's advice and taper. Talk to your doc about the best taper plan. We aren't allowed to give taper advice, but I can share that my doc is having me drop by 10% every 2-3 weeks once I am healed from my recent surgery (I am ten days post-op)
I would also suggest requesting a different opiate for your next surgery. Oxy is the MOST addictive pain med out there, and I don't believe it is very effective for pain. THIS IS JUST MY OPINION (: If you can take a break from the opiates now, you will be better able to control your pain post-op and can take a low dose that will be easy to taper off of.
I have really learned that when you are in a lot of pain and going through medical trauma such as surgery, that you should make things as easy and gentle as possible. Don't add the trauma of a cold turkey detox if you don't have to. If you have the discipline to taper (many do not, that's why it's called Addiction) then that would be WAY better for you-physically and emotionally.
Whatever it is, or what you choose, we can support you here.
Keep posting...
Lu
I have several chronic and painful conditions. One of them (severe endometriosis) is sometimes debilitating. I have been put on oxy twice and both times I knew I was in trouble. It not only made my pain worse but it made me feel high and unlike myself. I have gone off of it cold turkey twice. Like you I had many surgeries in a very short amount of time so opiates were a necessity. But the oxy is something else. Because you DO have to have another surgery, I think it would be great to take an opiate break to evaluate your pain levels. You may find (as I did) that you are in LESS pain than you are on. Keep in mind it takes about a month for your body and brain to heal after all the drugs are out of your system. You will have a much better idea of where you are at pain wise if you do this. Know that you will suffer rebound pain that is caused by hyperalgesia, you need to push through it and use NSAIDS, heat, massage, acupuncture, etc in order to make it through.
I think you should follow Vickie's advice and taper. Talk to your doc about the best taper plan. We aren't allowed to give taper advice, but I can share that my doc is having me drop by 10% every 2-3 weeks once I am healed from my recent surgery (I am ten days post-op)
I would also suggest requesting a different opiate for your next surgery. Oxy is the MOST addictive pain med out there, and I don't believe it is very effective for pain. THIS IS JUST MY OPINION (: If you can take a break from the opiates now, you will be better able to control your pain post-op and can take a low dose that will be easy to taper off of.
I have really learned that when you are in a lot of pain and going through medical trauma such as surgery, that you should make things as easy and gentle as possible. Don't add the trauma of a cold turkey detox if you don't have to. If you have the discipline to taper (many do not, that's why it's called Addiction) then that would be WAY better for you-physically and emotionally.
Whatever it is, or what you choose, we can support you here.
Keep posting...
Lu
Hello and Welcome-
There is a better way to do this although we're limited in how much tapering advice we can provide because of the forum guidelines.
I can tell you that you're tapering down too quickly with too much of a drop in dosage. If you slow that down, you'll feel better. For the RLS, take a combination calcium/magnesium/zinc tablet. Get some Epsom salt and pour a cupful in a hot bath and soak.
Be sure you're drinking plenty of fluids. Tonic water is helpful for RLS as well.
Keep posting and let us know how you're doing. But stay where you are right now for a little while OR you can stop completely. I think cold turkey detox is very harsh so I've always been a fan of tapering.
There is a better way to do this although we're limited in how much tapering advice we can provide because of the forum guidelines.
I can tell you that you're tapering down too quickly with too much of a drop in dosage. If you slow that down, you'll feel better. For the RLS, take a combination calcium/magnesium/zinc tablet. Get some Epsom salt and pour a cupful in a hot bath and soak.
Be sure you're drinking plenty of fluids. Tonic water is helpful for RLS as well.
Keep posting and let us know how you're doing. But stay where you are right now for a little while OR you can stop completely. I think cold turkey detox is very harsh so I've always been a fan of tapering.
Hi there! Glad you posted. Your drop in your oxys caused those withdrawl symptoms. Firstly were you prescribed that many oxys per day? If not, I'm assuming you think you have a problem? Sorry, it was unclear to me.
Look up the Thomas recipe on here, it will give you all the ingredients you need to soothe wds. But, they won't go away completely, time will take care of that. Yes, you can just STOP. The wd's will be intense but they will go away much faster. Most of us do it that way: to get it over with!
A lot of folks on here w/ legit pain say that opiates have over time made their pain worse: just like you. I'm sure they will be chiming in.
And I know it seems counter intuitive but I wouldn't worry about future pain in the spring right now. You have to see what your real pain is, w/o opiates.
So, get the Thomas recipe stuff. Try and eat or sip something (important) and keep posting, kay?
Look up the Thomas recipe on here, it will give you all the ingredients you need to soothe wds. But, they won't go away completely, time will take care of that. Yes, you can just STOP. The wd's will be intense but they will go away much faster. Most of us do it that way: to get it over with!
A lot of folks on here w/ legit pain say that opiates have over time made their pain worse: just like you. I'm sure they will be chiming in.
And I know it seems counter intuitive but I wouldn't worry about future pain in the spring right now. You have to see what your real pain is, w/o opiates.
So, get the Thomas recipe stuff. Try and eat or sip something (important) and keep posting, kay?
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