Percocet recovery.....day 2

[Hellcat]

Hi all, I am a new member here. I am addicted to percocet. It has been almost 2 years since I have even been a single day without one. This is day 2 of trying to get off of them and I am desperate. I need to know how long the physical withdrawl lasts, and will I always feel like I cant be happy without one?
I am 25, I have a wonderful husband and a beatiful daughter. I dont know anyone else that is addicted to pain pills, or even knows what they are capable of. I called an addiction counselor and tried to get some help yesterday, but all she preached to me about was quitting smoking...which is not my top priority right now. Right now, I just feel like my skin is screaming and my heart and stomache is going to jump out of my throat. I would really like to talk to a recovering pain pill addict, particularly someone who has been recovering from percocet, but I would appreciate ANY responses I get. I dont want to break down and get some more, but I dont know how I will get through another day and night like yesterday. Someone talk to me and tell me that it is eventually possible to live life and feel happiness without a pill.....if it is possible at all.


-Hellcat

[Jigalishus]

I just want to let everyone know that I think that this is great that you guys/ladies are willing to take the time out of your day to help others in need, kudos to you.  I wouldn't say that I'm an addict, but I definitely have an addictive personality and I've been through the mill, overdosed twice, psych ward once and I'm still struggling with anxiety on a daily basis.  In my early 20's I was introduced to painkillers, vikes, percs, whatever, it didn't matter, we would even sprinkle it in with our pot when we smoked.  Eventually I found myself alone, with scripts for perc 10's every month, xanies every month and whatever else i could get my hands on (uppers like coke, X, K).  Eventually my whole life spun out of control, I lost my job, my drivers license and my girlfriend at the time, but no one knew what was really going on with me because I was so ashamed of what was going on in my life.  Now I had no money, no job and no relationships and moved back in with my mother at age 27 (mind you i was 25 making 100k a year living on my own).  I was forced to stop cold turkey because i literally didn't have a penny to my name and it was the worst time in my life, going through withdrawals on my own, no one to talk to about it, no one that knew what was really going on, just me.  I was sick for about a month, miserable, depressed, physically drain, all the symptoms that you can imagine.  Through it all I managed to join the military at age 28 and I had another shot at life and felt blessed to do so (mind you I would be the LAST person that you thought of to join the military because I thought I was too good for it).  Once I was in I was shell shocked.  I got deployed on an aircraft carrier to Bahrain where in my first year I got hurt on the ship tearing my bicep clearly off the bone.  This started the cycle again with pills.  I was newly married, new job, new scenery (born and raised in NYC, moved to San Diego, CA), another weak point in my life.  Eventually even though i was only taking perc 5's with tylenol I was feeling good again and it led to other things.  Complications in marriage, etc...Eventually i was honorably discharged and my wife and I moved back home, a place that I did not care to be again because of the problems that I had faced and overcome and the people that I would have at my disposal.  This is when things really turned down hill for me once again, I overdosed twice within a year on a combination of percs, vals, xanies, klonies, roxies...Went into treatment, tried to self-detox once again and manageed to pull myself out once again by myself for several months, but mentally i was still shaky, i knew this.  Marriage was on the rocks, didn't matter, my addictions were only a part of the problem, and eventually here I am post-divorce, at an all-time low and looking for relief.  I'm lonely, i'm in legit pain from carpal and cubital tunnel syndrome in both arms, shoulder problems, hand problems and PTSD from 9/11 because I was there when the towers went down, anxiety disorder because I was never really able to deal and chronic insomnia which i take 100mg of melatonin a night to go to sleep (if I'm lucky) because of chronic insomnia (tried every dosage that you could think of ambien, it gives me sick nightmares so I stopped).  All I want is piece of mind, I'm too smart for all of this, I'm currently in the middle of a divorce, living with my father, an Executive MBA student at Fordham Un. for Business and Finance, yet I still look to pills for relief.  I have no friends, no support from my family, I'm literally on my own battling feeling helpless...I don't know if this story will help anybody, but if I could just help one person feel not alone tonight I will feel 10x better about acknowledging my problems, putting it out there to help others and using that as fuel to push through this nonsense of addiction.  It's all mental in the end, the physical portion only lasts so long, I've gone through it time and time again, addiction, detox, relapse and over again and then cold turkey...Bottom line is, you're not alone, don't feel as if you can't do it, give yourself more credit, look at what you've accomplished, take into consideration your heart and how much you have to offer and how much love you have to give....Don't give up.  This is what I tell myself everyday, you're better than this....

Again, thank you everyone for being human about this and not making us feel judged and alone.  Just because you have an addiction doesn't mean you don't have a brain and that you're a low-life.  You're only human.

Stay strong!

regards

matty

[RogersMommy]

Your story is exacly what I'm going thru I am in day 2 of no percocet after 2 years. I am struggling very much. I am doing the Thomas method and I hope it works but I had the worst night of my life last night. Pls keep me posted
Meg

[marie81]

Hello. Well to be honest I've never heard of percocet until now. I was browsing the net looking fr information on pain killer addiction. But I read some of the posts and can really relate to what was said. I believe I am addicted to darvocet. I know it's a mild pain killer but it's just as addictive as the other ones. My concern is what it could do to me and how I can stop. My doctors are suspcious because I call eery 2 weeks to refill a 60 pill bottle. I have been on davocet for years, refilling bottles from one doctor to another. I've had many orthopedic surgeries which is how I got the darvocets. Now I do have pain. But I take my pain killers every day no matter what I do or where I do. I overdosed a few times and called the poison control ceneter and they told me I'd be fine and said it didnt come close to a major overdose. I think the addiction began when my mom was dying of cancer and I didnt handle it too well watching her slowly die, so I'd pop pain killers every day to help get relaxed. "I stole them from her stash until she fpound out and chewed me out." I had another surgery in 2000, after I graduated high school, and of course I got back on the pain killers, haven't stopped since then. Nobody told me I couldnt take more than 6 in a 24 hour period, until recently, and my doc said if I took more than 6 I might have kidney failure, so I have done pretty good staying under six a day. Lately I have had racing heartbeats and dizziness which I'm going to see my doctor about soon. I know if I tell them I'm hooked they will take the pills away for good, and this is the only medication that helps me. I can't take aspirin, I cant take ibuprofen. So what is left? Tylenol! Which doesnt do jack for me. But I do make excuses to my doctors to get my pain pills. Even when I'm not in pain, I'll take them. And I'm worried that it's going to kill me, like kidney failure or something. And believe me I've tried to go without them, but I've only made it for a few days. I'm not in denial as you can tell, I KNOW I'm hooked. I plan out times during the day when I can take the pills. I had no pills today and had a really bad day. And I do feel happy when I'm taking the davrocet. Well anyways I've blabbed alot here. I would leave me email address on here but if anyone wants to talk you can post a message on here and leave your email address or something. Thanks for reading.

-Marie81

[marie81]

Hello. Well to be honest I've never heard of percocet until now. I was browsing the net looking fr information on pain killer addiction. But I read some of the posts and can really relate to what was said. I believe I am addicted to darvocet. I know it's a mild pain killer but it's just as addictive as the other ones. My concern is what it could do to me and how I can stop. My doctors are suspcious because I call eery 2 weeks to refill a 60 pill bottle. I have been on davocet for years, refilling bottles from one doctor to another. I've had many orthopedic surgeries which is how I got the darvocets. Now I do have pain. But I take my pain killers every day no matter what I do or where I do. I overdosed a few times and called the poison control ceneter and they told me I'd be fine and said it didnt come close to a major overdose. I think the addiction began when my mom was dying of cancer and I didnt handle it too well watching her slowly die, so I'd pop pain killers every day to help get relaxed. "I stole them from her stash until she fpound out and chewed me out." I had another surgery in 2000, after I graduated high school, and of course I got back on the pain killers, haven't stopped since then. Nobody told me I couldnt take more than 6 in a 24 hour period, until recently, and my doc said if I took more than 6 I might have kidney failure, so I have done pretty good staying under six a day. Lately I have had racing heartbeats and dizziness which I'm going to see my doctor about soon. I know if I tell them I'm hooked they will take the pills away for good, and this is the only medication that helps me. I can't take aspirin, I cant take ibuprofen. So what is left? Tylenol! Which doesnt do jack sh*t for me. But I do make excuses to my doctors to get my pain pills. Even when I'm not in pain, I'll take them. And I'm worried that it's going to kill me, like kidney failure or something. And believe me I've tried to go without them, but I've only made it for a few days. I'm not in denial as you can tell, I KNOW I'm hooked. I plan out times during the day when I can take the pills. I had no pills today and had a really bad day. And I do feel happy when I'm taking the davrocet. Well anyways I've blabbed alot here. I would leave me email address on here but if anyone wants to talk you can post a message on here and leave your email address or something. Thanks for reading.

-Marie81

[marie81]

Hello. Well to be honest I've never heard of percocet until now. I was browsing the net looking fr information on pain killer addiction. But I read some of the posts and can really relate to what was said. I believe I am addicted to darvocet. I know it's a mild pain killer but it's just as addictive as the other ones. My concern is what it could do to me and how I can stop. My doctors are suspcious because I call eery 2 weeks to refill a 60 pill bottle. I have been on davocet for years, refilling bottles from one doctor to another. I've had many orthopedic surgeries which is how I got the darvocets. Now I do have pain. But I take my pain killers every day no matter what I do or where I do. I overdosed a few times and called the poison control ceneter and they told me I'd be fine and said it didnt come close to a major overdose. I think the addiction began when my mom was dying of cancer and I didnt handle it too well watching her slowly die, so I'd pop pain killers every day to help get relaxed. "I stole them from her stash until she fpound out and chewed me out." I had another surgery in 2000, after I graduated high school, and of course I got back on the pain killers, haven't stopped since then. Nobody told me I couldnt take more than 6 in a 24 hour period, until recently, and my doc said if I took more than 6 I might have kidney failure, so I have done pretty good staying under six a day. Lately I have had racing heartbeats and dizziness which I'm going to see my doctor about soon. I know if I tell them I'm hooked they will take the pills away for good, and this is the only medication that helps me. I can't take aspirin, I cant take ibuprofen. So what is left? Tylenol! Which doesnt do jack sh*t for me. But I do make excuses to my doctors to get my pain pills. Even when I'm not in pain, I'll take them. And I'm worried that it's going to kill me, like kidney failure or something. And believe me I've tried to go without them, but I've only made it for a few days. I'm not in denial as you can tell, I KNOW I'm hooked. I plan out times during the day when I can take the pills. I had no pills today and had a really bad day. And I do feel happy when I'm taking the davrocet. Well anyways I've blabbed alot here. I would leave me email address on here but if anyone wants to talk you can post a message on here and leave your email address or something. Thanks for reading.

-Marie81

[marie81]

Hello. Well to be honest I've never heard of percocet until now. I was browsing the net looking fr information on pain killer addiction. But I read some of the posts and can really relate to what was said. I believe I am addicted to darvocet. I know it's a mild pain killer but it's just as addictive as the other ones. My concern is what it could do to me and how I can stop. My doctors are suspcious because I call eery 2 weeks to refill a 60 pill bottle. I have been on davocet for years, refilling bottles from one doctor to another. I've had many orthopedic surgeries which is how I got the darvocets. Now I do have pain. But I take my pain killers every day no matter what I do or where I do. I overdosed a few times and called the poison control ceneter and they told me I'd be fine and said it didnt come close to a major overdose. I think the addiction began when my mom was dying of cancer and I didnt handle it too well watching her slowly die, so I'd pop pain killers every day to help get relaxed. "I stole them from her stash until she fpound out and chewed me out." I had another surgery in 2000, after I graduated high school, and of course I got back on the pain killers, haven't stopped since then. Nobody told me I couldnt take more than 6 in a 24 hour period, until recently, and my doc said if I took more than 6 I might have kidney failure, so I have done pretty good staying under six a day. Lately I have had racing heartbeats and dizziness which I'm going to see my doctor about soon. I know if I tell them I'm hooked they will take the pills away for good, and this is the only medication that helps me. I can't take aspirin, I cant take ibuprofen. So what is left? Tylenol! Which doesnt do jack sh*t for me. But I do make excuses to my doctors to get my pain pills. Even when I'm not in pain, I'll take them. And I'm worried that it's going to kill me, like kidney failure or something. And believe me I've tried to go without them, but I've only made it for a few days. I'm not in denial as you can tell, I KNOW I'm hooked. I plan out times during the day when I can take the pills. I had no pills today and had a really bad day. And I do feel happy when I'm taking the davrocet. Well anyways I've blabbed alot here. I would leave me email address on here but if anyone wants to talk you can post a message on here and leave your email address or something. Thanks for reading.

-Marie81

[KuzImTheMama]

Hi, I am new around here, but wanted to comment back to Lizzie about her question
"I was wondering if anyone has had withdrawals after being completed off of pills for over 12 days?"

I went through Detox at a hospital and part of my ongoing education was about a condition called Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome or PAWS. It covers this exact feeling, as well as confusion etc.

~Kristin

[KuzImTheMama]

Here is a link to more info about PAWS. :o)
http://www.interventionctr.com/paws.htm

[Sundown]

Welcome to this forum. you are right about the problems of the post acute withdrawl issue. But it too does get better with time. As others know from some of my earler posts, I think it's hard to expect years of abusing ourselves to resolve in days or even weeks. Long terms heroin addicts have been shown to have a post withdrawl course with physical findings like low body temp, altered blood pressure, relative bradycardia and other measurable physical findings that can last 6 months to one year.

Kuz, I think you will find some of the most caring and supportive people here that you will ever have the privilege to meet. Read, post, and participate, and you will find love and help far beyond what I ever expected.

Sundown

[suzieneedshelp]

WEll ty Suze I feel the same about your caring posts!
Nice to met ya too.  Peace to your life!
Suzie

[suzieneedshelp]

Gia: Interesting info from Dr. Bob..Ty
Starraven:  ARe you Suzanne too?  Just curious...
Peace to all!
Suzie

[itsadogslife]

Can you email me at ***@****? I am interested in more information on the recipe you posted.

Thanks,

itsadogslife

PS I know we're not supposed to post email addys but this is a yahoo account so I figured that was okay.

[Starraven]

Hi Suzie. No, I'm not Suzanna.  I'm actually Suzette. Suze on the net.  (my friends were too lazy to type out Suzette, so they gave me Suze)

Nice to meet you,  I love reading your inspiring posts to everyone.

Hugs
Suze

[Starraven]

Wow!  I just wanted to thank you for that information.  Alot of what was mentioned I already take, but those that I do not I will purchase!  Thanks again!
Hugs
Suze

[gia]

To everyone,
I have been doing alot of research on opiate addiction, however I am not a doctor, only a pre-med student, but i heard about this recipe that has worked for many and I am in the process of obtaining all of the ingredients for myself. I have estimated the cost of everything to be a little under 200.00. I know this can be expensive for some but when it came to obtaining drugs we spared no expense. Well here it is, and this was formulated by a doctor who recently died at the ripe old age of 106. I will try to find the website i got this from and post it as well.

1.Vitamin B-5 500mg to 1 gram per day - vitamin B-5 is the vitamin that is needed to metabolize and breakdown substances in the brain. In other words you need enough vitamin B-5 for the brain to work optimally. According to Dr. Bob, usually vitamin B-5 in brain metabolism needs about a 1-3 ratio to other brain substances such as choline, L-phenylalanine, and others to properly effect the necessary chemical reactions in the brain. This is why Dr. Bob recommended one-half to one gram per day.
2. L-phenylalanine 250mg per day

[Starraven]

I just wanted to say,  WOW, I missed one day on the forum and we have alot going on.  I want to say hi to all the new members going through the hell that we have gone through at one time or another.

Lizzy,  It wasn't until about day thirty that I started feeling normal.   After the physical withdrawal pain was over I still felt really blah and the whispers were really really bad.  It will get better.   I know someone asked for the Thomas recipe, and someone posted the supplement part, but I have the entire thing saved in word incase I need it.  So here goes to any that need it.  Good luck to all.  All I can say is, it does get better.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thomas Detox Recipe

PLEASE NOTE: I am not a doctor, simply a long-time Rx opiate junkie who has had many opportunities to develop a way to detox. This is a recipe for at-home self-detox from opiates based on my experience as well as that of many other addicts. It is not intended as professional medical advice. It is always wise to make sure none of the recipe ingredients or procedures conflict with medications you may be taking. Likewise, if you have any medical condition, disease, allergy or any other health issue, consult your doctor before using the recipe. Thanks, Thomas

This recipe is designed for cold turkey opiate detox. It assumes that you can get about 5 to 7 days away from your job or household responsibilities during which you can sleep, veg and act as miserable as you feel. Opiate WD mimics the symptoms of the common flu, so, if you need a smokescreen, hide behind a bad case of the flu.

If you can't take time off to detox, I recommend you follow a taper regimen using your drug of choice or suitable alternate -- the slower the taper, the better.

For the Recipe, You'll need:

1. Valium (or another benzodiazepine such as Klonopin, Librium, Ativan or Xanax). Of these, Valium and Klonopin are best suited for tapering since they come in tablet form. Librium is also an excellent detox benzo, but comes in capsules, making it hard to taper the dose. Ativan or Xanax should only be used if you can't get one of the others.

2. Imodium (over the counter, any drug or grocery store).

3. L-Tyrosine (500 mg caps) from the health food store & 5http from the health store as an antidepressant/relaxant.

4. Strong wide-spectrum mineral supplement with at least 100% RDA of Zinc, Phosphorus, Copper and Magnesium.

5. Vitamin B6 caps.

6. Access to hot baths or a Jacuzzi (or hot showers if that's all that's available).

How to use the recipe:

Begin your detox with regular doses of Valium (or alternate benzo). Start with a dose high enough to produce sleep. Before you use any benzo, make sure you're aware of how often it can be safely taken. Different benzos have different dosing schedules. Taper your Valium dosage down after each day. The goal is to get through day 4, after which the worst WD symptoms will subside. You shouldn't need the Valium after day 4 or 5.

During detox, hit the hot bath or Jacuzzi as often as you need to for muscle aches. Don't underestimate the effectiveness of hot soaks. Spend the entire time, if necessary, in a hot bath. This simple method will alleviate what is for many the worst opiate WD symptom.

Use the Imodium aggressively to stop the runs. Take as much as you need, as often as you need it. Don't take it, however, if you don't need it.

At the end of the fourth day, you should be waking up from the Valium and experiencing the beginnings of the opiate WD malaise. Upon rising (empty stomach), take the L-Tyrosine. Try 2000 mgs, and scale up or down, depending on how you feel. You can take up to 4,000 mgs. Take the L-Tyrosine with B6 to help absorption. Wait about one hour before eating breakfast. The L-Tyrosine will give you a surge of physical and mental energy that will help counteract the malaise. You may continue to take it each morning for as long as it helps. If you find it gives you the "coffee jitters," consider lowering the dosage or discontinuing it altogether. Occasionally, L-Tyrosine can cause the runs. Unlike the runs from opiate WD, however, this effect of L-Tyrosine is mild and normally does not return after the first hour. Lowering the dosage may help.

With breakfast, take the mineral supplement.

As soon as you can force yourself to, get some mild exercise such as walking, cycling, swimming, etc. This will be hard at first, but will make you feel considerably better.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have any medical complications, first check with your doctor before detoxing to verify that this regimen is safe for you.

[Witchywoman]

I just wrote a lengthy post about deprenyl and it disappeared on me gosh darn it. So, in short, it is good stuff, but not at all a medication that has any street value. It does nothet you high in any way at all. I've found it give me better concentration, an improved sense of well being, better mental clarity, and more energy.  It is suble.

More info can be found athe international ati-aging website. They got tons of original research articles on it as well as other nutriceuticls. Their url is: http://www.antiaging-systems.com/home1.htm

I hope that helps!
love,
WW

[hippy]

hey carson, you have to read all the post you can here.
you will find a lot of info,  like tapering down off the vikes.
try to get to a lower amount. when the time comes  he should
take thomas's receipe , it is posted by me  withen the last
thread or 2.
you take the receipe  asap with lot of hot baths, the 1st
5 days are the toughest like a flu. then it starts to get easier
.

[Bodymechanic]

Go to this link.

http://www.biopsychiatry.com/

[gia]

I would like to know about an experience anyone may of had with Deprenyl because I am considering trying it. Any info would be appreciated, mainly haow does it make you feel?
Thanks
Gia

[gia]

Guppy
I feel your pain. I got over an addiction to Ultram myself and it was hell. I was only taking 4 then two a day for about 6 months straight. That withdrawal was worse than what I am going through now coming off of Vicoprofren or "hydro" as we call it here. I myself live a public life so i heavily rely on the internet as well. This forum is really great and has helped me through some of my cravings. But I can tell you once the withdrawal is over you are going to feel great again. I took me about a week and a half to feel almost normal again and I used Darvon to get through it as well as Vistaril.(antihistamine that helps you get through the day, not addictive)

Now to everyone about those Darvon, I agree they can help withdrawal but you must be very careful not to abuse them as well. I took only 100 mg for about 4 days, then 50mg 2 days, then 25 mg for two and then I stopped. This is just how I did it but if you are going to use this starting at 100 the tapering off is the best way to go, for this is addictive as well. The reason Darvon can help is because it is a chemical derivative of methadone and a pain reliever weaker than codiene. Now what I am talking about is propoxyphene hydrochloride, which can be confused with propoxyphene napsylate,the weaker version. I prefer Darvon Compound 65 because it has asparin and caffiene as well. I would not reccommend trying this however unles you are coming off of a heavy dose and have severe withdrawal.This method is not a traditonal detox method but it worked for me and some others, but you must taper off and start as low as possible 100- 150mg daily, and remember it's not suppose to make you feel completely normal because no matter what you are gonna have some pain that you are just gonna have to bear.Just don't take  for more than a week please.

[Bodymechanic]

The usual dosage for clonidine is .2mg 3-4 times per day. If you feel like you are going to pass out when you stand up then your blood pressure is too low and you need to cut back. You will also need immodium and an over the counter sleeping medication.

[puma]

(Hellcat),

I read you mentioning alcohol a couple of times. Are you on the booze too. That will definately complicate your withdrawal and will call for medical intervention for detox if you are heavy on the booze along with all that Tylenol in the opiates. Your liver will be gone soon.

Please read my response to (Tuxwan) farther up the thread about alcohol withdrawal if you drink more than a six pack of beer or pint of the hard stuff everyday or almost everyday, wine included. Alcohol withdrawal can kill you, opiate withdrawal will make you feel like you're gonna die. You can read up on (alcohol withdrawal syndrome) simply by plugging those three words into your search engine.

I wish you luck, keep posting and see an addiction doctor if you have the mix of alcohol and opiates. They should be able to get you through without too much pain and suffering. Take care,

Chatahan........wildcat

[vikequeen]

Help! come one come all I need to know about the clonidine also, I need to know the dosages they use in detox. My friend who is a nurse is no help. anyone out there? I know someone has to know this. please please please! LOve Badd