Oxycodone Dependency

[JHud]

I have been on a high dose of oxycodone for Lupus for the past 8 months.  I take up to 150 MG a day of oxycodone, I am trying to get off because I feel as if I don't need the meds anymore, I have found a different non-narcotic to help ease the pain.  I am not pain free but the oxycodone is worse than the pain I am in.  I can't seem to get off the oxt though, I am experiencing extremely bad withdrawals, and I can't seem to get any help from my doctors.  I have even tried to go to a detox, but I have to abuse the drug in order to get into the program.  Does anybody know how I can get off this medicine without gonig into complete shock.  Please help me I am in extreme pain....Thanks

[terianka]

Hi there. I have SLE too. I used to take a lots of pills and I thought I will never get rid off it. Actually, oxycontin is one medication I really like because it completely kills my incredibely BAD pain and I can live normal life, I can work, etc. So I don't think about stoping taking oxy, just some reducing from time to time and if my problems will get better I can reuce even more and then maybe if I'll be lucky I will stop taking these pills as well. I was on Prednisolon 60mg/day, Plaquenil (HCI 200 - antimalaricum) - it is quite usual med for lupus, Rivotril (clonazepam) 0.5mg 4 times a day, Omeprazol 20mg/morning (of course), Lamotrigini, DHC 60mg twice a day, Calcium & D3, I tried Maproxen (I still have some and take it just if I have to) but my stomach is not good so it sore, that's why I was taking DHC.... then it has changed.
Reduced Prednisolon, I am very happy I look again like me, because while I was on it I was huge and very different, ppl didn't recognise me :-( since I started to be in remision I could stop taking steroids and I am still doing quite well. So it is only Rivotril (clonazepam, reduced from 4 to 3), Lamotrigini (reduced from 200mg twice a day to 100mg twice a day), and the last thing I take for my Fibromyalgia is that magical Oxycontin (taking 20mg twice a day. Only one thing - you have to be sensible with taking all these things, specialy oxycontin is very addictive drug, but if you know its for your illnes and pain only, you'll do just fine. I know there are people who are abusing drug we need for our pain, which is horrible and I feel like one of them when I collect meds in pharmacy, because once you have prescription like that you automaticaly look like junkie. But the good thing is, that they usualy know me and they know I am on oxycontin because I have LUPUS and Fibromyalgia and its not funny. Sometimes I feel anger when I see ppl buying oxy for ''fun'' and we (who are really ill) need it and because of abusion these drugs are controled, but I also know that addiction is another kind of illnes and I don't want to judge anyone, because it can easyly happen to me.... I'm sure it won't because I take these pills long enough to know that I don't have any problem with taking them correctly. So if you feel like you don't need Oxycontin its absolutely fine to stop taking it.... Just have to reduce it very slowly, but it is not problem.... Your doc should tell you what to do. He (she) will give you exact number of pills that you can't take more, but do not take even less (you'd feel dizzy and sick) and whit reducing, slowly down to zero! I'm thinking of you and I'm sure you'll be fine. Good that you know you don't need to take it, cause its first step.... Be Good :)))). Bye. Terianka

[Yusuf2]

I take Percocet for chronic back pain. Many times, the pain meds become unbearable, and I need to taper off it. When I was taking about 80 mg per day, at first I felt great...no pain. Then I began to get addicted to this stuff. Once I tapered off by dropping 2 pills per day, spread out over regular intervals. When I got to 8 per day, I cut only one per day out, gradually tapering down to one per day. Each step reduction was held for two days, then another step down. When I got to four, I tapered at four per day for 3 days, then 3 for 3 days, 2 for 3 days, and finally only 1 for 3 to 5 days. This worked very well. There is an easier way however. Have your doctor prescribe Methadone, 10 mg tablet. Take 1 or 2 every 6 to 8 hours, or wait as long as you can stand it. Eventually, I got down to 2 Methadone per day total, then to 1 per day, then ½ per day, until I found myself forgetting to take it. There is no drug interaction between Percocet and Methadone, but about 3 to 3% of the population has a bad reaction to Methadone, so check with your doctor before starting. The Methadone builds up gradually in the body, and eventually your cravings will subside. Some say this process takes about 2 to 3 weeks, but it varies from person to person. The Methadone will allow you to cut the Percocet immediately, once you have a bit built up in your body. You will experience no leg shakes, restlessness, or physical cravings doing it this way, but make sure you have enough of both products to complete the tapering process. I found that by overlapping the Percocet and Methadone for a week to three weeks was sufficient for this to work. The tricky part is to get your mind 100% behind your convictions, and follow through, without exception. Taking even 100 mg of Percocet per day is way too much...you could die from that high a dose...again, taking into account your weight, activity level, and speed of your metabolism. Once you get off it, stay off! Thousands of people die each day from overdose to narcotic pain meds. What little euphoria you may get is nothing worth dying for, and when you have no doubt that your life is over in the next few minutes from an overdose, either get to a hospital or prepare to die. I've been so close to death so many times that I can feel it coming several minutes before it arrives.but I have not yet died (I'm sure you guessed that already). But the sheer terror that comes over you should be enough for any sane person to stop. Going 'cold turkey' is very painful and extremely difficult to endure. Just remember what you are trying to do...and hold on to that thought like your life depends on it...it does! If you have pain again, go back on it if your doctor agrees, but skip a few days here and there. I've found that the first two or three days are the worst, but remember that it's worth it! I still use Percocet for chronic, inoperable and agonizing back pain, but I try to go at least a week or two without it every month. It's not easy, but you must discipline yourself. The Methadone method is really a no brainier, and the easiest method of weaning off this potentially fatal addiction.

[Yusuf2]

I take Percocet for chronic back pain. Many times, the pain meds become unbearable, and I need to taper off it. When I was taking about 80 mg per day, at first I felt great...no pain. Then I began to get addicted to this stuff. Once I tapered off by dropping 2 pills per day, spread out over regular intervals. When I got to 8 per day, I cut only one per day out, gradually tapering down to one per day. Each step reduction was held for two days, then another step down. When I got to four, I tapered at four per day for 3 days, then 3 for 3 days, 2 for 3 days, and finally only 1 for 3 to 5 days. This worked very well. There is an easier way however. Have your doctor prescribe Methadone, 10 mg tablet. Take 1 or 2 every 6 to 8 hours, or wait as long as you can stand it. Eventually, I got down to 2 Methadone per day total, then to 1 per day, then ½ per day, until I found myself forgetting to take it. There is no drug interaction between Percocet and Methadone, but about 3 to 3% of the population has a bad reaction to Methadone, so check with your doctor before starting. The Methadone builds up gradually in the body, and eventually your cravings will subside. Some say this process takes about 2 to 3 weeks, but it varies from person to person. The Methadone will allow you to cut the Percocet immediately, once you have a bit built up in your body. You will experience no leg shakes, restlessness, or physical cravings doing it this way, but make sure you have enough of both products to complete the tapering process. I found that by overlapping the Percocet and Methadone for a week to three weeks was sufficient for this to work. The tricky part is to get your mind 100% behind your convictions, and follow through, without exception. Taking even 100 mg of Percocet per day is way too much...you could die from that high a dose...again, taking into account your weight, activity level, and speed of your metabolism. Once you get off it, stay off! Thousands of people die each day from overdose to narcotic pain meds. What little euphoria you may get is nothing worth dying for, and when you have no doubt that your life is over in the next few minutes from an overdose, either get to a hospital or prepare to die. I've been so close to death so many times that I can feel it coming several minutes before it arrives.but I have not yet died (I'm sure you guessed that already). But the sheer terror that comes over you should be enough for any sane person to stop. Going 'cold turkey' is very painful and extremely difficult to endure. Just remember what you are trying to do...and hold on to that thought like your life depends on it...it does! If you have pain again, go back on it if your doctor agrees, but skip a few days here and there. I've found that the first two or three days are the worst, but remember that it's worth it! I still use Percocet for chronic, inoperable and agonizing back pain, but I try to go at least a week or two without it every month. It's not easy, but you must discipline yourself. The Methadone method is really a no brainier, and the easiest method of weaning off this potentially fatal addiction.

[JHud]

Well this has to be the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.  I thought that I was gonna be able to taper from 210MG to none in a month.  Yeah I wish....This has been the hardest experience ever, the withdrawals are horrible.  I have been to the ER twice and gotten no help.  I am finally down to 40 MG a day and I will be going down to 30 MG tomorrow.  The drs never tell there patients how hard it will be to get off the meds, only given them a bandaid type treatment.  I can;t wait to get off this **** and get on trying to figure out a treatment for my disease, thats non narcatioc.  Thanks for everybodys help..I really needed it.

[christos24]

hey there, I was heavily addicted to first oxycontin then to heroin, for over two and half years. Basically whatever one i could get faster I would get, When taking it I would always snort it and would have to do right around 160mgs just to feel normal and not be sick, but the tolerance and amount i needed just kept going up and up..Oxycodone/Heroin are eveil evil drugs taht dont stop at anything or anyone it doesnt give a tiny measly bit about who youa re, where youa re from, anything..it will take over, enslave you to a pill, and destroy everything in your life..I definitely feel terrible about pain management cases, such as yours, cuz the pain that you are in to initially start it is definitely something that needs to be amange and is severe, but soon you realize that the wd's and daily enslavement to just feel alright takes over the severity of pain, plus your pain threshfold severily decreases when on opioids..i had to go through a detox for 3 days, then went to an outpatient treatment facility and started suboxone treatment..I was in suboxone treatment for 8 mths. i stayed clean the whole time from opiates, but abused pretty all other drugs to compensate, my tricky brain was at work, tricking me to move the addiction/problem to other drugs..and of course it worked cuz i am powerless over any and all substances..I was on the maximum daily dose of suboxone:32 mgs per day, and was still ahving severe cravings even months after the detox and touching oxy or H. I shattered my wirst in May last year after almsot 9 months on suboxone I was taken off of it by my addiction/primary doc and was strangely placed on 240mgs of MS Contin and then 60mgs of Hydrocodone.I let this happen and even though I was being rpescribed these meds, not buying from the streets nor other than a couple if times did i snort it or shy away from the prescribed dosage, but the real reason why was that i was on such high amounts to begin with that i really didnt need to go much higher or take extra amounts..but i knew when i was more and more often tempted to snort them and my tolerance grew rapidly taht i was going down a terrible path right back into the pure hell i finally was staying off of..so i had to act, so after two months of that, when it was basically at a climax where i was either returnin to my won eprsonal hell or get help and get away from the doctor i was seeing..so i left him annd went to a methadone facility and stared methadone treatment in rockford, il..It now ahs been voer 10 mths. I am at 115 mgs everyday and am not going any higher..It is definitely sufficent for any severity of addiciton for the dose to be right around 120mgsp/day...any higher is only making it longer and harder to get off..both suboxone and methadone have very severe wd's after more than a few mths of use and if you go CT. the wd's last for well voer a month peaking in severity right around 3 wks. i would say from personal experience with both treatments taht suboxone is lighter in wd and easier to taper off of..but taht doesnt mean taht they both arent terribly bad in wd effects, they are nothing taht can be messed with, theya re oxy/H wd's times a billion and lasting 300 times as long, ugh  its terrible..anyone trying tog et off stronger opioid like oxycodone, heroin, morphine, fentanyl, hydromorphone(dilaudid), etc. will ahve a lot harder time tapering off even with the help with your doctors, if you try tapering and dont succeed i would honestly try giving suboxone treatment a good shot..and only you will know if you truly want to get off of the opioids completely for good. thta is the only way it will be successful, but if you feel taht way, which from your post seems true, you will find it very easy to do well and complete the treatment..i would only suggest methadone treatment if you have tried suboxone treatment and failed it or went back to using and gave it few tries, then and only then would i say taht starting a methadone treatment plan would be the right plan.i just dont see the point of possibly having to go through those wd' s if you miss a couple of days or making it extremely hard to taper down on if you dont need too. methadone by far has the longest and most severe wds out of every opiate out there..suboxone luckily last longer too, where some ppl who have slow metabolism can take it every other day, a dose will last right around 45 hours, but successfully stop any wd's for more than 48 hrs. methadone last right around 24 hours. the half-life is 17-50 hours, but anyone ive ever met and ymself need to take it daily, and even one day missed you will start having wds. suboxone takes around 4 days to start wding and obviously the larger dose you are on and the longer you have been on it the mroe severe the wd will be for any opiate.
I dont understand why your doctors arent helping you especially if you have found a successful non-narcotic med to ease the pain,most times they woulde be jumping to the thought,so it seems really strange and almost unprofessional for them not to help you get off..they should already be tapering you down slowly..i think your  best option if you talk to your doctors one more time about getting off and if they dont help you, I would go through a 2-5 day detox at a hospital or facility, then start a suboxone treatment..the only thing you need to do tos tart suboxne is not take any oxycodone for 24 hours prior to taking your first dose, so realistically your detox could be for only one day and you could realistically skip having to go through detox all together.I went on a saturday and the hospital i was at didnt ahve a suboxone doctor in on weekends so i had to wait till monday, but even if you ahve to detox they will make youa s comfortable as possible, they will give you,  which really helps alot, a benzo(most likely lorazepam, diazepam, or clonazepam), immodium ad(OTC diarrhea med), if you have severe insomnia aling with the benzo helping alot, they would give you zolpidem(amiben) right around 15 minutes before bed, clonidine( msot likely given initially in a patch form, then given every 6 hours orally at .0125 mgs), this drug is key to helping wd symptoms, it helps soo much with the sweats, hot/cold,goosebumps, restlessnes, it is an amzing drug, prescrfibed usually for high blood pressure,a fter research it showed that it could ease significantly the severity of opiate wds. sometimes they will give you baclofen, which is a muscle realxant, but is also gaining popularity in stopping cravigns for alcohol, cocain, and opiates.. after 24 hours with no opiates, then you will be given your first dose of suboxone starting at 4mgs usually. you will be very surprised at how well it works to take away any wd and most of the cravings..give taht a shot im srue you will o fin e and excell in the treatment..definiteyl elt me know whats going on with your doctor or if youd ecide to give suboxane a try..i wish you the absolute best-christos

[Ella789]

I too tappered the last week I was on lortab,  it did help and I'm pretty sure it helped me ALOT.  I can only speek for myself, I hope it helps for you.   I took my last (one-half ) of a 7.5 mg at 6:30 a.m. on the 16th ......... not that long ago but it has been a major deal for me!  I went out and bought the 5htp and l-tyrosine only to find out that sense I do have SLE and am taking cymbalta and remeron at night, I can not take them!!!  oh well,  People with sle have to be careful about this, I don't know if your lupus is the sle kind tho.  sooooooooooo anyway take care and best wishes to you!

Ella789

[cathy5841]

good tp see you are tapering successfully...keep on...as the dose comes down you may have to go a little slower on your taper...maybe like 10mgs every three days...it awesome that you are able to taper...hang in there..the end is in sight...

[JHud]

I don't think that you can die from the w/d's at the dose that you have been taking.  You will get very sick, I ended up in the hosiptal as I tried to stop cold turkey.  I was taking 150 mg - 210 mg a day and I started to slowly taper off my the oxy.  I am at about 75 MG now and the w/d's arent that bad.  I try to taper off about 15 MGs every three days.  Hopefully I will be off them entirely in about a week or so.  I wouldn't recommend trying methadone because that is more addicting than oxy is.  Just try to tamper the meds if you can,  Just remember if you start to taper, don't go to a higher dose, always try to go lower.  Good Luck

[Pixie148]

I have been abusing oxycodone for about 6 months. Am so ready to stop but cannot handle the w/d symptoms. I cannot afford rehab and I do not want to go to a methadone clinic and just end up addicted to something else. I am a recovered meth addict and I can't believe I let myself go this far. I take between 60 to 150mg per day so when I try to stop I get so sick that I can't stand it. Can you die from w/d's? It feels like I'm having a heart attack when I try to stop.

[gizzy32]

Since you are not abusing them you could taper down so w/d's won't be as bad. Someone here can give you advice about a taper plan if that's the way you want to go. What non narcotic are you switching to for pain? You can also look in the top right and you will see health pages. In there you will find the thomas recipe which many have used to ease w/ds's also.  Generally speaking the worst of the w/d's will last 4-6 days, but it's different for everyone. I am sorry your in pain, hang in there.