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OxyContin My Story to help others

I suffered a spinal injury at work  in 2009. Dr put me on a few different pain killers but none worked. It's an upper back right side spinal injury caused from computer use and the more I use my right arm the higher the pain goes. I ended up on OxyContin 10mg SR twice a day plus 5mg Endone for breakthrough pain. To cut a very very long story short by January 2012 I had been increased by my Dr incrementally as the pain increased until I was taking around 140mg OxyContin and 180mg OxyNorm every day. But the pain was getting worse. Dr changed me to 80mg SR and tapered off OxyNorm. My body went into shock and I was violently ill for two weeks until I demanded he put me back on to what I was on and I had made the decision that I had to get off this death drug. If you do your research you will find it can causes pituitary gland cancer amongst a range of other life threatening conditions. It wasn't worth it. I hold a senior management position, 2 university degrees and was addicted to narcotics. I started to taper off in February of this year and have been opioid free for two weeks but still going through withdrawals which is fine because all the Oxy got flushed down the toilet. For those that don't know there is a condition called Opoid Induced Hyperalgesia versus tolerance build up. The first one your body PRODUCES MORE PAIN so u increase te dose. The second one is more simple and what most Drs rely on to increase your dose. They just think your body is use to it as it adjusts to the level and over time your body needs more to help you with the pain. The only way to prove which condition you have is start tapering off. Maximum recommended decrease is 18% of total daily dosage for 1 to 2 weeks then drop another 18% and continue. Sometimes you will need to stop dropping for a month as your body fights you every step of the way but I have done it with no support other than my family and my drs but no withdrawal drugs at all. I refused as I wasn't going to substitute one pill for another. Find something anything in your life worth fighting for and just take one day at a time. The last drop which is obviously 100% is a doozy but make sure u throw all Oxy out. I was not and have never been a recreational drug user so this was pure willpower fighting to get my life back. I'm lucky living in a country where workers compensation continues to pay your salary and pays for all your medication , doctors appointments, travel, work adjustments and everything so I haven't had that added pressure but in the middle of my withdrawals my 39yo husband had a heart attack but survived luckily but I must have run over some black cats or broken mirrors !! Just sharing my story as it is possible to get off Oxy completely without other drugs. I still have a lot of pain in my back and developed neuropathic pain in right shoulder and arm but CBT meditation and self hypnosis helps relax me and keep the pain controllable without taking other opioids. Don't be fooled by codeine neither as your body processes OxyContin and codeine all into morphine but Oxy is just 1000 times stronger. I just wish they would restrict this drug to palliative care patients only as it is dangerous addictive, kills kids and adults daily who use it recreationally and is just prescription heroin. There is light at the end of the tunnel but you have to believe you can do it as your unconscious mind controls and sends all pain signals through your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems and your body will go into flight or fight mode. Fight it and Keep fighting until you win because it will take everything away from you if it hasn't already or it will kill you. 3 years on Oxy feels like 30 and I can barely walk to the bathroom. Don't let it destroy your life. A great man once said "it's not how hard you can hit...but how many times you can get hit and keep getting up" ....just keep getting up. From february to september seems like a long time to be going theough withdrawals but its the only safe way to do it if u r on a high dose and yes immediate ceasing of Oxy can and does cause heart failure depending on what dose your on and how long u have been on it so don't be told cold turkey can't kill you because it can and does.  Hope my story helps someone and gives someone the strength to do what I did and take your life back from what my husband and kids call the death drug.
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Avatar universal
Thanks for commenting. I think I'm approaching a month but the brain is still a bit foggy LOL. Getting sense of humor back and black cloud is lifting. The biggest thing I learnt was Oxy CAUSES more pain during withdrawals because your body stopped producing natural pain reliever chemicals when Oxy settled in and took over. The pain is finally starting to lower but meditation and self hypnosis recordings definitely help settle the pain and withdrawals. The only thing you control during withdrawals is not taking Oxy. Your unconscious mind and chemical imbalance causes all the rest. I just sleep when I can, drink at least 2 or more liters of water a day and am starting to exercise by just walking because exercise releases chemicals which counteract the Oxy crap and may make u tired but does make u feel better. I still have my injury and its pain but all the other pain is starting to slowly go away. Opoid Induced Hyperalgesia is not something most doctors consider but when you taper off and stop and your pain is less than what it was when I were taking Oxy it's pretty mind blowing that your body can take over control. For those still struggling. Don't give up. There is light at the end of the tunnel and I will live with what pain I have left when this is over. I did have 3 spinal injections under CT scan a few years ago and they worked a little bit but not for long so ill just fight my unconscious mind until I win because I have too and so does everyone else. Good luck and one day at a time is critical and so is support so be honest with yourself and your family. Being sucked in and consumed by this drug is not your fault. It's the drugs but you can fight it and you can win.
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Avatar universal
so very true...i am on day 17, am just starting to get back to some kinda normal,,4 got what normal was...this drug has  destroyed so many lives, and doctors are still handing this out to so many who DONT need something this strong...many people getting hooked on this herion pill without even knowing it... great job...sara
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3185406 tn?1345381829
Great job.  Congrats!!!  Thanks for sharing.
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3225128 tn?1347133998
Great post , Gave me hope , Be proud of yourself .
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