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Oxycontin Withdrawal

My wife is at the point where she is getting off Oxycontin soon. She is taking 120mg/day to contol her back pain and her back will be repaired shortly.
My question, is it better to reduce the dosage quickly (say over 6 days) and endure the sterss of all the withdrawal symptoms and be back to normal sooner or to do a slow letdown and minimize the withdrawal symptoms? Also any estimates of how long the slow method could take?

Thank you
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Avatar universal
I just wanted to say that this reply is correct.  I am now trying to taper off and its very hard to do and when it's forced upon you and someone tries to control the dose it is WAY worse for that person, trust me.  Please work with your wife and as long as she is not increasing the dose let her do it the best way possible.  It's has to be slowly!!!  Good luck
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Avatar universal
I have been on Oxycontin 80gm for the first 4 years since my accident in dec 07,I was taking 2 80mg after my first neck fusion surgery in oct 2008,then continued taking 80 mg Oxycontin twice a day,then had my second surgery on my loswer back in nov 2009, continued taking 2 80 gm oxys but then they put polymer in it and it stopped working,switched to oxymophone 40mg 3times a day for 6 months,then they put polymer in that and it stopped working now i take 30 mg oxycodone 8 to 12 tabs a day,along with 2 mg zantax 4 times a day,Ive been on the 30's until this point,I want to quit so bad i cant stand the meds but i still need another back surgery in march 2013,I heard if you go cold turkey you can have seizures and several other serious problems,but since I've been on this stuff nearly 5 years Im terrified what will happen my wife is on 6 to 7 30's a day as well because she has gallbladder issues and has the defective bladder mesh inside her,she has had 2 surgeries and the pain is overwhelming,we are just so screwed I JUST WAN OUR LIVES BACK AND NOT DIE TRYING TO GET OFF THIS EVIL CRAP
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Avatar universal
Bull! Withdrawals from any narcotic can kill you! Plain and simple.
The variances among narcotic "opioids"(synthetics) and "opiates" (opium derived, possibly alkaloids) all have the same effect on your nervous system. They all: Stop the production of endorphins, neuropeptides that act as neuromodulators when taken long term. They also "burn out" opiate receptors. Endorphins (endogenous morphine) are the human body's natural form of opiates that act to modulate pain and many other functions. They are not in themselves neurotransmitters, but the modulate the actions of them in the body. Upon withdrawal of opiates and opioids your body can go into shock resulting in death. Also, With the absence of endorphins comes a compromised immune system. Basically, your immune system shuts down! Now you are left vulnerable to serious infection that could also result in death. Having a weakened immune system also raises your long term risk of cancer or disease from viruses/bacteria, etc. Theres virtually no difference between morphine, heroin, or oxycodone withdrawal, or from any other opiate at that. They all have differences in how they affect your body while taking them, but the one thing they all share in common, they all shut down your endorphin production, they all cause your endogenous opioid receptors to burnout, and they all can easily cause death upon withdrawal.  Endogenous just means "from within" or "self derived". There are other meanings, but these are the most describable.
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Avatar universal
Hello sounds like most of u are in the USA So hello
Im from down under Australia and been on Oxycontin 80mg for 9YEARS yes 9 YEARS  started with 20mg then up and up it went and why you ask Ill tell u its because Doctors R bloody Drug dealers with a licence to deal drugs...  The biggest fear was if my doctor decided to quit or if he died or retired, where would that leave me then,, However 9 months later my doctor said he can not give me oxycontin his been in drama with the board so here i was thinking great get ready for the pain of withdrawl..  But another doctor from the same surgery said he will take me on but he will only give me four 80mg tabs a day and i was on 8 a day so i thought **** withdrawl coming soon.. but it never come and im still on 4 a day now and its been 2 weeks everyday 4 tabs for 2 weeks and im going cold turkey now as depending on this just ***** and it was 4pm yesterday i had last tablet and its now 205pm ive had no tablets and feeling ok im sweaty and it passes and yarwning alot and felt a little sick only lasted 2 mins the sick i mean only 2 min and ill post and let you know how i go for those that are interested  and for those that read this please try and get off them as my last 9 years has just passed fast and quick only way to do it is want to really want to and if you have a doubt that you cant or dont really want to then just dont quit it wont work,.. ill let you no...
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2122807 tn?1560619706
I am glad this forum has not closed. Reading all of the old posts makes me feel for these people, and I wonder what happened to them. Hello to the new posters, I hope you are still there. I saw someone ask a question about bladder problems, I have the exact same thing.
I was on Vicodin 10/660 2 pills 3 times per day for about 2 years. The original condition is almost gone and I know I can face the pain head on if I get off of this drug that is running my life. I thought it would be easier to withdraw from Oxycodone than from Vicodin, I don’t know why, and switched over to oxycodone 60 mg 4 times per day total of 240 mg per day for the past two months. I started with taking 30 mg twice per day, and it worked ok for about 2 days, and now it’s catching up with me. The withdraw is bad, so after reading on line how to taper, I put myself on 1 and ¾ tabs every 6 hours, then tomorrow evening switching to 1 ½ every 6, and then I will continue to wean from there, 5 mg at a time reduction and each time I reduce will keep on that for about 2 days, maybe if needed. I counted up all the milligrams necessary for my slacking off and then divided by 30 mg for how many pills I will need. I will be doing a lot of pill chopping. Turns out I have just about enough to do it. I may have to jump in the pool the last couple of days, but that’s ok, I do have some vacation time.
I read on here about a guy who said he was clueless, didn’t even know he was going through withdraw, that is how I was the first time, when my idiot doctor wanted to try me on fentanyl patch, so put me on the lowest milligram dose there is, pharmacy never heard of it, had to order it, wound up in ER, thought I was dying … that is how I learned about withdraw. My doctor would write me for whatever I asked for, as she was trying to build up a patient base, once she did that, she decided she doesn’t write for narcotics anymore, and that is it. I can get them from the street, but no way. I have been wanting to quit, so this just lights the fire to get it done. Do I wish my doctor all the Karma she has coming to her? Oh I sure do. Maybe she will get the flu and suffer along with me, LOL, she’s got it coming, but I am glad to be quitting.
I don’t get the usual affect from the narcotics that most people post about. I get the opposite. I get a speed kind of high that makes me feel alert like a pot of coffee with a zing. Even though I have this alert feeling, the drug is taking over my life. All of the side effects, the constipation, the intense itching all over, the bad taste in the mouth 24/7, having to live my life around the medication, it’s all just ruling my life and I want to be free of it, I want my life back again. I want to smell things again. I mean, I can smell now, but it’s not the same, Id ont’ really smell things, I don’t feel the essence in anything, it’s like quick get it over with and move on. No time to smell a rose, just move on move on. I can’t live like this anymore.
I will be using a chart to taper that I found on the internet someplace. If anyone wants it, let me know.
I will post my progress every day. I see this forum hangs around long. I can’t believe I am reading posts that are 12 years old. I wish some of the posters would come back in and let us know how their lives are now. In just 1 year I want to look back on this like a bad dream.
Thanks for listening,
Hugs,
Lilly
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Avatar universal
I am in the UK so access to drugs to aid detox or other paon killers is limited, I am on a very high dose of oxycontin but have decided enough is enough. I have a severe spinal injury that cannot be operated on and I am stuck with it thanks to a cheap airline Ryan Air! However, I have learnt from experience that pain management techniques are very important when getting off the oxycontin. Try febrinacci in your head, search this on google and then try the maths in your head concentrating hard on it like this 1 plus 1 is 3, 3 plus 4 is 7, 7plus 8 is 15, 15 plus 9 is 24 and so on. Try small periods to start, concentating hard, make a note of how far you get and carry on from there next time. You'll be surprised where the time goes, how you forget the symtoms of detox and how strong you get. Another important tip, keep a journal, write down dosages and how you feel as the symptoms of detox can make you confused and you'll get dosages mixed up possibly, Take time on your journal as it again helps. Very importantly do not crush or chew the oxycontin tablets ever, its no good at all, also drink more water than normal as oxycontin is  removed from the body through urine, the more you drink the more it is flushed from the body. Think about other things rather than how you feel or what the detox is doing, try to exercise more, go for a walk look at your surroundings , take note of things write about them in your journal, Distract yourself but above all making your brain do mathematical exercises you'll be surprised how easy it gets and the benefits. Thank you all for the posts and good luck to all on your detox. Take care...
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Avatar universal
I am on day 4 of being off oxycodone 7.5 x2 8 pills a day. I was on them for 5that months and i feel horrible!!  I have a wonderful husband and family that keep encouraging me but this feeling of gloom wont go away and i want so bad to take a pill and be happy!!
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Avatar universal
I am in a similar situation. I was taking a similar amount of vicoprofen. I went cold turkey 8 days ago. The first 2 days were like the flu with hyperanxiety (not the end of the world though). Day 3 was pretty much almost back to normal and then I havent jones'd that much for them. I started taking ultram which i think is helping my pain. It does not give the euphoria feeling but has more of a steady take away of pain. Overall it was much better than i thought and feel like i have control over the pills versus them having control of me which i started to feel the last 4-6 months. GLTU
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Avatar universal
Thanks the doctor bill for gettin sleepin pills was gettin expensive for none of them to work. I just cant believe only taking them for a week straight would do this to me. I really feel for the people who has taken them for years
Helpful - 0
1047946 tn?1332608029
Sleep is one of the last withdrawal symptoms to subside. The good news is that it will come back. The bad news is it just takes time. After about a week of not taking any opiates you will start getting some sleep. Once I hit the three week mark I was getting around 6 hours a night. Once I hit 30 days I my sleep was back to normal. Just be sure you don't take anymore opiates as it will set you back.

You may want to start your own post as these older threads tend to get overlooked.

Hang in there.




Brian
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Avatar universal
I took oxycotton 40 cut it in fourths and took at least one a day for 7 days. the first day I quit and tried to go to sleep at night and had restless legs real bad so I took a 5mg hydrocodone and slept fine. The next 3 days I took no pain pills and only slept maybe an hour total. I went to the doc today and was put on zoloft and a strong highly controlled sleeping pills and doesnt affect me at all. When can I sleep again. My body hurts so bad from no sleep
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My husband has been off of oxycodine for about 7 months now, he is still dealing with major withdrawal everyday of his life. He sees his doctor on a regular basis and keeps getting different pills subscribed to him to "help" but nothing seems to help.
I am at such a loss, I don't know how to deal with it anymore. He is constantly barking at me, is depressed all the time.  I know he is going through a lot but I don't know if I can live with this for the rest of my life.
Any suggestions on some help?   These symptoms of withdrawal are not just minor ones fyi
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Avatar universal
How are you doing since your last post? I feel for you. I went cold turkey in 2003, it lasted 3 weeks! Now again Im going thru detoxing. Started Tuesday from 4 15mg's oxycodone to 1/2 of one 15mg today. The days not over and neither are the withdrawals. Ill pray for your recovery. GOD BLESS!
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Avatar universal
do not ever chew them up.  you are bypassing the colon and the residual is going into your bladder.  I was at the point of sitting on the toilet in the middle of the night for sometimes 45 minutes trying to pee.  I WOULD DISGUSTEDLY GO BACK TO BED AN HAVE TO GET BACK UP WITHIN 10 MINUTES.  Bottom line is that pretty soon you nwill have the worst case of erictile dysfunction you can imagine.  
If you swallow them whole, beware, the constipation takes the place of the inability ot urinate.
This medication is the devil in disguise.  I hope there may soon be some kind of replacement for it.  I have tapered from 240 mg/day plus 30 mg of percocet down to 160 mg/day over the last two months.  Just get it into your head that you will no longer get any buzz and the battle is mostly won.  I have used oxy since they came out.  I am guessing 10 years or a little less.  It totally changed ,y personality and my life.  I was near a divorce from using it legally.  Start getting off now before it takes away everything that is good in your life.  It is worse than the pain.  
A horrible auto accident that nearly took my life was my wake-up call.  Now, at the time I need pain management the worst, I am taking less every week.
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271792 tn?1334979657
Always, this post is over 11 years old. The members you are speaking to are no longer active members. If you need a question answered regarding addition, please start your own post and active members here will respond. Take care.
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Avatar universal
Hi can I firstly as a couple of questions. you say you are on 200-240mg per day are you on a prescription? I ask this because normally a Dr will prescribe a set amount per week. Secondly are they modified release tablets?? You say you don't know why you snort them but surely something or someone has led you to believe that snorting them is more effective? and lastly what condition a you taking them for
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Avatar universal
I am currently taking 200-240mg of oxycotin a day by snorting all but 1 pill, i know rediculous, but here is my question, i want to start eating them, and only 2 a day, is it possible, and what should i expect? I usually crush 3-4 in the morning when waking up, then a few more through the day and then a half of a 40 at bed, i would like to get to the point that i can eat one in the am and eat one at bed, i have never before consumed them properly, except for the 1 at lunch why i dont know,,,, but can this be done and again what should i expect and for how long, a friend says i wont be that sick as i am eating them so they will be in my system anyways and release slowly into the body,,,is he full of ****, or is he right???? any and all insight would be helpfull, please no referal to methadone, not interested and i dont have any idea where to find suboxin, i have tried.....thank-you
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Avatar universal
i suffer from neck injury. put on 20 x2 oxy. doctor took me off them 60 days ago. quit fror month.

bumped into friend he gave me a couple of 20's took one not even thinking.  5 days off use later.
stoping seams to be 10 times harder thinking of methedone.

not shure what to do.

david.   need input.    thanks
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Avatar universal
I will try to condense this as much as I can. I have been taking narcotics for 7 years D/T Relex Sympathetic Dystrophy caused by a knee injury, and a few years later Fibromyalgia also set in. I have gone through all of the class 2 and class 3 narcotics, then when the RSD became very aggressive I was placed on the class 4's,Oxycontin and Dilaudid. I was taking 80mg Oxycontin every 8 hours, with 30mg Oxycodone 3 times daily as needed for breakthrough pain. So I took 330mg per day. After several years, narcotics (oral) were no longer working. Following the unsuccessful effects from a Spinal Cord Stimulator, my doctor suggested the implanted pain pump, which I agreed on and it was just implanted. After the pump was placed my dr.started weaning me off the oral meds in 5 day increments. I NEVER deviated from this schedule. He said I would experience some uncomfortable effects from the Oxy withdrawal, despite the accurate weaning. Uncomfortable is not the correct word to descrbe this!  I am so TIRED I can't hardly get out of bed. I ache ALL OVER, I'm jittery and nervose, it hurts to walk, my back hurts, I'm hearing things that are not there, I have urine retention, and I can't remember ANYTHING!!!!  He told me the withdrawal would not last long since we weaned the correct way and did not do "cold turkey," which I would not have done anyway! Well, it's been at least 3 weeks!  I AM VERY TIRED OF THIS!  How long does it take to go through withdrawal for gosh sakes? I guess it's probably a little different for each person but I can certainly see now how difficult it is for people to want to go through this! SH********!!!!!!!!!! So, how LONG does this last? (the side effects of withdrawal?). Appreciate any help at all. May God Bless you all!!!!.........                  
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Avatar universal
it becomes the words time of your life when you are cut off abruptly...I did this to myself becauce I had sedretaties at my dr's office question how ai funtion with a child at home. It's sort of like they cut me off for a day, until my next appt, and Iused it to empower myself, and stop on my own.  I took a private amount for about 9 months due to severe nere damage due to chemotherapy.  It was a free-for-all as far as my dr is concerned, but the office, and once thepharmacy questioned my drug scripts.  

All in all, the dr is the one that is the pain manager...**** secretaries/pharmacists, but this 1 secretary  DID empower me...

Im on day 2 of abrupt withdrawal, so typing is a miracle.  I do  hae a child at home, and the paradox is that withdrawal itself is causing the disfunction.  Thank God for a great husband, and great parrents...

Best of luck to all of you, and btw, depression, and mental side effects can last months, but the wort of the physical are oer in 3-5 days...Just fwi...
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Avatar universal
I used the fentenol patchs I just stuck one on my chest left it there for 3days.did that twices and it worked.Ive been taking 240ml per day for the past 3 years
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Avatar universal
well i started over a year ago a close friend was getting oxcodone 5mg and wow i snorted one with him and it maked me feel great I even had a cold i would take one and just woke me up and felt great..no I am scared i have spent alot of money i dont have and as u get addicted you feel the great high any more so i take 6 to 8 a day by snorting them and if your drinkng while on them you can pound the beer down, tappering and rebound back at times ,after long term use i have found the high is nothing like when you started , dont always feel good with them how should a tapper off these and how long
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Avatar universal
My doctor prescribed oxicotin 20mg 2x day - I've only been on it for two months.  Forgot to take it last night and woke up around 3am with sweats, bad dreams, and upset stomache.  Now I'm getting really scared!  Thought this would be a good way to put off inavitable neck surgery, but seeing how easy it was to go into withdrawal makes me want to get off this RIGHT NOW!  Can pills be cut in half and taper off that way?  Don't want to mess with going back to a doctor that put me on something this harsh so easily.  Please help, I don't like this at all!
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Avatar universal
I just posted something on a related page here, and everytime I read more I am amazed.  I have only been on this drug for two months.  I have taken it exactly as prescribed, and only took 30mg 2x a day at most.  I am currently having a hard time with the tapering even at this dose.  I can't sleep. coughing, sneezing, and feel like I am going to jump out of my skin.  I never liked the way this drug made me feel...no psychological addiction.  Physically, my body needs it to sleep and function normally.  I am so annoyed because I was never told by the doctors invloved (ahead of time) about the possibility of an addiction, tapering off etc.  Now that I have informed them of the problem the tapered me down to 10mg a day (withdrawal symptoms the whole time), and told me I can now take 5mg of oxycodone instead (or 10 if necessary)...this is not helping.  Right now it is almost 2 a.m. and no signs of sleep.  I am just going to tough it out, because I refuse to continue to take a drug that is doing this much to me at this dose.
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