Need to get off of Oxycodone but afraid...

[Looking4Support2013]

Hey everyone, first timer here but it seems to be that the support on this site is overwhelming so I thought I'd give it a try. This is my story...I have a lower back injury that occurred in 2011. It all started then. First I went to the Dr and was given Norco 10/325mg tabs that I took 4 of a day for probably about a year. After a year of virtually the same dose it of course stopped working. In early 2012 I was started on Morphine Sulfate ER 30mg by mouth once daily. This controlled my pain for a little while but eventually 6 months into therapy I asked for and was given an extra 15mg to take, putting me at 45mg of Morphine ER/Day. I took this dose until April of this year, 2013. At that time I was weaned off successfully and was given what I  am taking now. Currently I am taking Oxycodone 15mg by mouth twice daily, so 30mg/Day. I have been taking this dose for the last two months or so. The problem is I'm supposed to be taking more like 15-20mg at this point, but I haven't dropped a single milligram yet. No one knows this, not even my doctor or even my fiancé soon to be wife as I am getting married next week, June 28th. I'm supposed to have been tapering down but haven't and now I'm in a bad way as you could imagine. I don't know what to do. I'm so scared of the w/d's and my fiancé just doesn't understand. I certainly don't want to feel crappy for my wedding/honeymoon. What should I drop down to, how do I find the strength to just get on with it, how bad will I feel if I dropped from say 30mg/day to 10-15mg/day.. What should I do?!

[hydro_fool]

I sent you a message with some guidance.

At that low of dosage it wont be that bad.  Often times we get so worked up over the "what if" that we make ourselves sick with anxiety.  I do however think you need to be honest with your fiancé.  Marriage is not the place for lies so dont start things out that way okay?  

We cant discuss tapering though.

I guess you need to decide if you want to be clean......tell your fiancé....tell your doctor etc.  It's a freeing experience I can assure you!

H.F.

[ActingBrandNew]

First off, congrats in advance on your wedding.

"Currently I am taking Oxycodone 15mg by mouth twice daily, so 30mg/Day. I have been taking this dose for the last two months or so. "

If this is all you are taking then you aren't in that bad shape. I mean it is actually a dose that Dr's prescribe. Dont get me wrong, you will feel "under the weather" so to speak but you should have major/lingering withdrawals as if you were to have been taking more. From personal experience, I believe in 3-5 days you should be in pretty good shape....good enough to enjoy your wedding.

"No one knows this, not even my doctor or even my fiancé soon to be wife as I am getting married next week, June 28th."

Well, just an opinion from what you have written....honesty is always the best especially if your about to exchange vows. And, its not like your taking half the bottle in a day or nothing...you just havent dropped off the initial prescribed dose. You say your fiance doesnt understand...well maybe you should give her a chance and try explaining it to her. I used to think my wife wouldn't understand...now shes my EX-wife. Secrets are dangerous...especially this early in the game.

Good luck and again...congrats on the wedding.

[caregiver222]

I am going to give advice that will undoubtedly be disagreed with by everyone. If you feel withdrawal will interfere with your honeymoon you can wait a few weeks to start the program, but eventually the chicken will come home to roost. You can count on feeling very crummy for many weeks, and it would be best to confide in your main squeeze for support during this period. I really dislike the term "substance abuse". The body actually develops a need for opiates after they are used for a while in order to function normally. It is only abuse in terms of the legal use of the drugs. Nevertheless, you will feel much better in the long run after you are off these substances and the discomform during withdrawal will be (in retrospect) well worth it. I don't recommend any dosing down or schedule for tapering without the advice and concurrance of your physician.