Please Help Me !

[anxious2bbetter]

Ok , I have been googling for weeks now trying to find someone out there who might be able to help me here.. I am nervous so Please be patient with me. I have been using a drug known to alot of people called Percocet and it has been pretty easy to get, but I am done and I mean it.. so here is the question I have about 200 pills left and they are 10's and 5 mill.. I want to know since I have been using 8 to 10 a day should I start or when should I start tapering myself off them? see I can't keep doing this to myself or my children, and even if they know I know and I know it is bad and I am only 39 I want to live a long life, but I think I started back when I was going through my divorce and I found a friend or it really was not a friend and now that I look back some 5 years ago I was using oxycotten off and on but only when I could find the money to do so. so I guess being I have not had oxy's in forever I felt I was doing something lessor addicting, does any of this sound familiar to anyone? or is this making any sense? I sure hope so. Look I have been single for such a long time and to be honest I think it is gods work that I clean myself up before I invite someone itno my life. I miss being in a realationship so much and I never go out with my friends, and I figured shoot since I sell cars I will get a boost using these and then make more money and the rest is history, but you know as well as I do that after awhile the body does not give you the same reaction to the drug then you got at first, and that sucked! so I said a few months ago I am going to work up the will to do this , just how do I do it? and I really hope I can find a friend here online male or female and really be the person i know I am inside. I think after all the money I have spent I figure I am always tired now and turning to energy drinks and dropping these on top of them. Now I know after being hooked up to a heart monitor by my doctor that this is the time. I am so sorry this has been so long but I have alot to spill here, and I promise they will get shorter. :)  so over the next month I would like to know how many should I take to drop down to the level I am not using anymore, untill I run out because I thinbk you know if I just continue I will run out and then the next few days will be fever, diahrea, and chills. not only will that look funny and affect my job but I will not be able to stop cold turkey because it is to easy going through those post pains to not just buy another 120 or so, god the money I have spent and what this ultimatly did to me and the sick part the use of oxy years ago drove me into bankruptcy. I know I need help professional help after I stop using and after the initial side affects are gone and I know it is not going to be easy and I also know the long haul will be worth it. I think the funny thing is I really do see my life changing for the better, and I really am lucky to be a dad of to of the greatest children around and no they dont know and I never want them to. so it is time. right? one more thing I do have 3 discs in my back that ultimatly I need surgery for, I have been taking vicodin for 10 years and no I dont mix them, I guess I just thought these where better, and I have alot of those sitting in my cabinet as well so could it help me to take those to lesson the affects of being off the percocets? I am asking fro advice and I am hoping to find a friend'(s)  I hope you dont judge me because this was hard but I also know this is the first step, Thank you all for listening  " Anxious2bBetter soon! :)

[Shotrock]

I wish Tam Tam the best. I tried Suboxone, last August quit cold Turkey, 10 days of Torture. 23 days later went back on Hydro cause I had no energy. I know I'm an Idiot. Went on Sub again in Sept. tapered to 2mg every 3rd day but that third night was hell. RLS the worse. Went back on Hydro to kick Sub 2 1/2 weeks ago didf 8 7-5/500 for 1 week 6 a day for one week then 4 on Friday because this was such a low dosage I did suffer some WDS tried to stretch each dose as long as I could last pill 1 7.5/500 Friday 6pm Friday night a little rough, rls came Sat night, but last night no RLS couldn't believe it. Today chills and fever, but made it to work and surviving, can't wait to get to my Hot Tub after 5pm. Of course I've been scolded but Erb Jones is great for WDS. I would taper Percs then switch to Hydro( lowest dose tolerable) Then taper Hydro, Then CT this seems to have worked for me, but tonight will probably tell the tale. I wish you much luck!

[road2recovery]

welcome....you can taper on the ones you have...you are very lucky that you are still on just 10 a day after that many yrs....I went c/t on 15 or more 10 mg lortabs, it wasn't easy but possible..I was not strong enough to taper..But i also didn't have to work..
I think your mind set is good, so i think you can taper and do ok..YOU have to really want this..
Now that i am 6 months clean my life has changed so much....I had to stop thinking about the money i had spent, and concentrate on the future and just be happy to be alive..Also u made a good point, u will need aftercare, w/d's are tough, but staying clean is tougher...i see a counsouler and love it...
I could tell her everything that i so wanted to tell everyone around but i just couldn't...So once i let it all out to her, it was like i had told the world what i had become..
good luck and we are here for you
r2r

[Firefaery1023]

Or you could just send your remaining vicodin and percocets to the rest of us in withdrawals so we will all feel better.  Just Joking!  Seriously even with tapering you are going to have withdrawal symptoms just less severe.  I wish you the best of luck and keep posting.  We all know what you are going through.  Really you need to find someone you can trust to hold those pills or you will have to have a lot of restraint not to take more than your allotting yourself.

[tamtam326]

Have you thought about a methadone clinic? I know alot of people are against them but I was addicted to opiates too and have been going to a clinic for 90 days now and it has helped me so much. Everytime I tried to quit myself I would always say Ok after these 10 or these 20 i was going to quitm but in the end I know i needed professional help. But the methadone clinic is affordable and its not like impatient or anything like that. You dont go through withdrawal and you live normally when you go. Me and my childs relationship is so much better now too.. I know i will get some people who will say dont listen to me but just think about it. People take medicne for diseases everyday so methadone is no different. Hope uv done good.

[bandnmom]

You have enough to do a good taper plan. There are so many people on here that can help with giving you a good taper program. Everyone here is awesome. I myself could't taper I did it CT. Also don't go from the perc's to the vic's to help with the withdrawls. Vic's were my DOC and are just as addictive. Flush those puppies so you are not tempted when your done tapering from the perc's. Best of luck! We are all here for you!!

[worried878]

Yes...tapering is hard...your intake is not horribly high believe it or not,,,very do-able..t you need to set a quit day....tapering is hard..do you have someone to give u the pills each day?  dole them out to keep u from cheating?  Tapering is what I di...still took of work for a long weekend when i was done tapering...let me know if u need any help..keep posting

[beentrying2quit]

In my opinion there is no "exact" way to taper as we all react differently.  I wont lie to you....this wont be easy but it can be done.  I also think you can taper yourself off with 200 pills remaining but you must have the discipline NOT to take more than you should.  The most difficult part will be the mental aspect.  Your body is used to the drug and has quit making its own pain killers.  Once you decrease your pill intake your body will complain with aches, pain, the runs, flu like sypmtoms and a few others.

Research the Thomas recipie....a few here really like this although it did not work for me.  Keep posting here as there are lots of folks with experience.  It helps to talk.

[toxictome]

Welcome to the forum. I could relate to everything  you were saying, and yes....it all makes sense. You are doing a great thing for yourself..and you have taken the first step, admitting you have a problem. I tapered and it really does make the wds bearable. You should be able to go to work if you taper slow enough. If you have problems taking more than you should on your taper...find someone you trust to hold them and dole them out to you as your taper schedule requires. You will still have wds...but they will be minimal. I tapered slow enough that i had NO diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting! There are a lot of people here to help you thru this and give you support!

Good luck...YOU CAN DO THIS!!!
Keep posting....

P.S> If you get to a point where you are having trouble w/ your taper...PM avisg..she can set you up w/ a taper plan.

[GoingToMakeIt]

You can do this. mimi's idea will work. Use up the 10s first and then the 5s. When you get down to 3-4 pills/day break into 1/2s and just take 1/2s the remainder of the taper.

[eagle1950]

Do you have someone to help you through this? A taper will probably only work if an understanding firend/spouse can hold the majority of the pills.....check with avis on the forum for a firm taper schedule. But dont try and do it too fast. Thats a common mistake. You can do this. It wont be easy at all. You will feel like the worst flu everywhere - but you will be that old person after 3-5 days - and it gets easier after the days start going by. Check the Thomas Recipe on this forum and take it to heart - its real and will save you much misery if you follow it. Good luck to you! I did it! I am no stronger than you, trust me.

[mimi1313]

Hi,

I tapered and I decreased by a pill every few days. Try that if you can. Only take 1 pill at a time. In about 4 days decrease by 1 more pill and so on. You will still have withdrawals just not as bad. When you can strt splitting the pills and going down to the 5 mg. You can always click on avisg's name(she is in my friends)  and ask her. She is really good at making tapering schedules if that is how you want to go.

Good luck. You'll be glad that you decided to stop now.You ill be better soon!