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Tolerance v Addiction Oxycodone - I want off I think
First of all I'll apologize for the length of this. I just want the facts clear so I can get the best advice possible.
I found this site when looking for my help for boyfriend who is in the midst of withdrawals. While researching this, I am now terrified for myself. I've been worried about dependence/addiction/tolerance for a long time and have brought it up many times to my doctor/NP and they've sort of blown me off. Now I'm mad and I'm afraid.
I've had extremely bad, debilitating arthritis in a lot of places but extremely badly in my hands for the past nearly 10 years. (I'm nearly 48 now.) I tried all sorts of things for it: motrin, cortisone shots, other NSAIDS, heat wraps, creams, etc. It got to the point I was having trouble with everything and work and I was sent to a hand specialist. He said both hands were very bad, especially the left. He said he'd never seen anything like it in someone my age. He told me there wasn't much to do at this point except to replace the joint. He put in an artificial joint 3 years ago. I was given Percocet 5 mg. and took that post surgery for a couple of weeks. Then I was back on the motrin. Things looked okay for a short while and all of a sudden my hand pain got worse. The implant was a failure (the manufacturer's failure. failed in all patients across the country.)
I'll try to shorten this part up. So since that surgery 3 years ago I've had 7 more. I still have one more to go. In the meantime, probably because of all the surgeries, I ended up with RSD as well. I've had stellate ganglion blocks to try to control the pain. Now I have been on oxycodone for 3 years fairly consistently. Eventually I started going to the pain clinic after the surgeon and I talked about how the pain was escalating.
I THOUGHT the pain clinic was the right place to go. I had always talked to both the surgeon and the NP/doc at the pain clinic about my fear of becoming dependent or addicted. They almost laugh me off saying I don't understand the difference between addiction and dependence and tolerance. Their feeling is I'm dependent out of necessity. I bring it up at almost every visit. Over the last 1.5 years they've changed my medications around trying to find something to cover the pain. They tried Lyrica and Neurontin for the nerve pain but I couldn't take it due to some of the side effects.
Right now they have me on 120 mg. Cymbalta for nerve pain, 1 mg. Clonidine for nerve pain, 800 mg. Motrin every 6 hours for nerve and other pain, and 30 mg. oxycodone every 4 hours for the combined pain. (They just upped it to 30 mg. in March after my most recent surgery.) This doesn't even really take the pain away. It may bring it from a 8 to a 4 or 5 on a scale of 1 to 10.
They've talked about changing the oxycodone around to possibly oxycontin twice a day and less oxycodone in between for breakthrough pain or possibly a patch. I told them I wasn't comfortable with either of those changes right now.
I just finished reading a book on chronic pain and avoiding addiction (that was written more for clinicians.) After researching some things here for my boyfriend, I am not totally terrified. I don't love the way oxycodone makes me feel. I just feel "off."
I told them I'd like to get off these and I'd also like to look at alternatives, maybe accupuncture or something. They're suggesting for me to just sit tight with everything right now since I have one more surgery coming up (not scheduled yet.) They're also going to do another block and trying another topical cream.
I'm wondering if I should just get off them no matter what. I almost feel now like maybe pain clinics don't necessarily expect you to cut down or get off pain meds. That's their business, right??
I am afraid if I come off them before the surgery, what do I do when I have the surgery? They'll have to give me something. Even with the next surgery completed, though, I'm always going to have significant pain. It's just a fact. Before taking this much medication I had trouble functioning because of the pain and disability in my hand. But I'm a single mom of 4 kids. I have to drive, do laundry, make beds, etc. (though all of this exacerbates the pain in my hand.) (And I've not been able to work for the last 3 years due to the surgeries and the pain.
So here's my REAL questions:
1. There really is no difference whether someone is taking oxycodone for true pain and medical reasons versus taking it recreationally, is there? I mean, I don't abuse it by any means. I often don't take it as often as I should. But I'm still addicted and I'll still have withdrawals, right?
2. Should I try to get off them totally before my next surgery or to at least taper down to a lower dose?
3. If I do stay on, is it better for me to stay with what I'm on (30 mg. oxycodone every 4 hours) or switch to oxycontin twice a day with the 30 mg. oxycodone in between for breakthrough pain?
4. Is there a difference in withdrawing from oxycontin vs. oxycodone or are the symptoms the same and will the time withdrawing be the same?
5. The pain clinic has told me when I want to get off or cut down they will help me taper down and I'll have "no problem." Is that true? When I taper this down, will I escape withdrawal symptoms or will I still have some?
6. I wonder is my dosage increasing because I'm tolerant or because my pain is getting worse? Will I be increasing my pain medications forever if I stay with the pain clinic?
7. If you taper, do you experience withdrawals all through tapering or just when you get off completely or can you completely escape them from tapering?
8. How long would it take me to taper off these? Roughly? And what symptoms could I expect during the taper? Are they less severe than going CT?
9 If I do get off them before the surgery and then have to go on something after the surgery for a few weeks, will I have to go through all the withdrawal all over again? Or would it be like starting anew and I could take it for a couple of weeks after surgery and just stop.
I hate these pills. I hated them before I saw my boyfriend going through the withdrawals. I am terribly forgetful and even trying to put things in place to help me remember things, It's hopeless. I forget to pay a bill or to take one of my kids to practice. That's not me. I was very organized and on top of things, both at work and at home. And I find myself isolating from people. I think it's from the oxy. The pain clinic tells me its from living with chronic pain.
I hate second guessing the doctors. I know they're supposed to know best. But the stories I've read hear are horrendous. No one should have to suffer in pain. But no one should have to suffer withdrawal either.
Thanks in advance for anyone who takes the time reading this. I know it's long. I just want to do the right thing.
I found this site when looking for my help for boyfriend who is in the midst of withdrawals. While researching this, I am now terrified for myself. I've been worried about dependence/addiction/tolerance for a long time and have brought it up many times to my doctor/NP and they've sort of blown me off. Now I'm mad and I'm afraid.
I've had extremely bad, debilitating arthritis in a lot of places but extremely badly in my hands for the past nearly 10 years. (I'm nearly 48 now.) I tried all sorts of things for it: motrin, cortisone shots, other NSAIDS, heat wraps, creams, etc. It got to the point I was having trouble with everything and work and I was sent to a hand specialist. He said both hands were very bad, especially the left. He said he'd never seen anything like it in someone my age. He told me there wasn't much to do at this point except to replace the joint. He put in an artificial joint 3 years ago. I was given Percocet 5 mg. and took that post surgery for a couple of weeks. Then I was back on the motrin. Things looked okay for a short while and all of a sudden my hand pain got worse. The implant was a failure (the manufacturer's failure. failed in all patients across the country.)
I'll try to shorten this part up. So since that surgery 3 years ago I've had 7 more. I still have one more to go. In the meantime, probably because of all the surgeries, I ended up with RSD as well. I've had stellate ganglion blocks to try to control the pain. Now I have been on oxycodone for 3 years fairly consistently. Eventually I started going to the pain clinic after the surgeon and I talked about how the pain was escalating.
I THOUGHT the pain clinic was the right place to go. I had always talked to both the surgeon and the NP/doc at the pain clinic about my fear of becoming dependent or addicted. They almost laugh me off saying I don't understand the difference between addiction and dependence and tolerance. Their feeling is I'm dependent out of necessity. I bring it up at almost every visit. Over the last 1.5 years they've changed my medications around trying to find something to cover the pain. They tried Lyrica and Neurontin for the nerve pain but I couldn't take it due to some of the side effects.
Right now they have me on 120 mg. Cymbalta for nerve pain, 1 mg. Clonidine for nerve pain, 800 mg. Motrin every 6 hours for nerve and other pain, and 30 mg. oxycodone every 4 hours for the combined pain. (They just upped it to 30 mg. in March after my most recent surgery.) This doesn't even really take the pain away. It may bring it from a 8 to a 4 or 5 on a scale of 1 to 10.
They've talked about changing the oxycodone around to possibly oxycontin twice a day and less oxycodone in between for breakthrough pain or possibly a patch. I told them I wasn't comfortable with either of those changes right now.
I just finished reading a book on chronic pain and avoiding addiction (that was written more for clinicians.) After researching some things here for my boyfriend, I am not totally terrified. I don't love the way oxycodone makes me feel. I just feel "off."
I told them I'd like to get off these and I'd also like to look at alternatives, maybe accupuncture or something. They're suggesting for me to just sit tight with everything right now since I have one more surgery coming up (not scheduled yet.) They're also going to do another block and trying another topical cream.
I'm wondering if I should just get off them no matter what. I almost feel now like maybe pain clinics don't necessarily expect you to cut down or get off pain meds. That's their business, right??
I am afraid if I come off them before the surgery, what do I do when I have the surgery? They'll have to give me something. Even with the next surgery completed, though, I'm always going to have significant pain. It's just a fact. Before taking this much medication I had trouble functioning because of the pain and disability in my hand. But I'm a single mom of 4 kids. I have to drive, do laundry, make beds, etc. (though all of this exacerbates the pain in my hand.) (And I've not been able to work for the last 3 years due to the surgeries and the pain.
So here's my REAL questions:
1. There really is no difference whether someone is taking oxycodone for true pain and medical reasons versus taking it recreationally, is there? I mean, I don't abuse it by any means. I often don't take it as often as I should. But I'm still addicted and I'll still have withdrawals, right?
2. Should I try to get off them totally before my next surgery or to at least taper down to a lower dose?
3. If I do stay on, is it better for me to stay with what I'm on (30 mg. oxycodone every 4 hours) or switch to oxycontin twice a day with the 30 mg. oxycodone in between for breakthrough pain?
4. Is there a difference in withdrawing from oxycontin vs. oxycodone or are the symptoms the same and will the time withdrawing be the same?
5. The pain clinic has told me when I want to get off or cut down they will help me taper down and I'll have "no problem." Is that true? When I taper this down, will I escape withdrawal symptoms or will I still have some?
6. I wonder is my dosage increasing because I'm tolerant or because my pain is getting worse? Will I be increasing my pain medications forever if I stay with the pain clinic?
7. If you taper, do you experience withdrawals all through tapering or just when you get off completely or can you completely escape them from tapering?
8. How long would it take me to taper off these? Roughly? And what symptoms could I expect during the taper? Are they less severe than going CT?
9 If I do get off them before the surgery and then have to go on something after the surgery for a few weeks, will I have to go through all the withdrawal all over again? Or would it be like starting anew and I could take it for a couple of weeks after surgery and just stop.
I hate these pills. I hated them before I saw my boyfriend going through the withdrawals. I am terribly forgetful and even trying to put things in place to help me remember things, It's hopeless. I forget to pay a bill or to take one of my kids to practice. That's not me. I was very organized and on top of things, both at work and at home. And I find myself isolating from people. I think it's from the oxy. The pain clinic tells me its from living with chronic pain.
I hate second guessing the doctors. I know they're supposed to know best. But the stories I've read hear are horrendous. No one should have to suffer in pain. But no one should have to suffer withdrawal either.
Thanks in advance for anyone who takes the time reading this. I know it's long. I just want to do the right thing.
to all others CHARETTI is so true n everything she has posted I'm on 8 days clean frm 3 to 4 roxies a day, they are the HELL to *** off of I went through the worst withdrawls ALONE and took nothing n place of them, I thought I was dyin, I'm 80% back to normal, alot of prayin but, anyone can do it if I could. Best of luck Christina
I think your intuition is on target. They got too many different drugs swirling in your life and you apparently are the only one noticing from what I can gather of your description of events and what the pain med people are recommending. Not sure why you would have gotten sick if they gave you dilaudid. Unless its a reaction of combining that with all that other stuff..
Yeah, getting back to Cymbalta, I did not read many good things about that and I was on the edge of developing some negative symtoms I didn't understand. But understood better after reading up on it. At first I didn't know what was going on. Afterall, this wonder drug was suppose to make me feel better, not worse. Started getting these bad "brain zaps" which was a description somebody else in the forum described them as and I guess is the only way to describe it. Like some sort of wave/pressure hitting and knocking me off balance of a few seconds.. Weird.. And confusion? Lots of confusion. And when you talk about not hearing anything about withdrawals associated, that was the biggest gripes being focused upon by these people trying to get thru the wd's. They were saying that they felt the pharmacutical company was hiding or downplaying info about possible wd's, that this was deliberate, and were trying to figure out if they could get together and file a class action suit somehow to expose this. I'm starting to remember some of the things they were talking about now...And I have never heard of it being promoted for anything but depression so I don't know why they would prescribe it for nerves. When my doctor gave it to me, it was samples that he had. There was a mass PR campaign with free doses out there at the time. I know why now as when I was written the one script I got, it was expensive. If possible do try to think about getting away from that first. I can't even phantom going thru wd's with that in the mix...I was only on it for a month when I stopped and was not on pain meds at the time. So I got a read on what I was feeling. Mass confusion, anxiety attacks, the whole 9 yards. I'm not tryng to scare you. Just concerned if you are in the midst of getting away from the other meds with that in the picture, it possibly has the makings of a real messed up time..
You got a good plan mellie4. I would go with what your intuition is telling you. Maybe a few months down the road after all these surgeries we have to get out of the way are done,, we can talk of how great it is to have this chapter of our life behind us :)
Yeah, getting back to Cymbalta, I did not read many good things about that and I was on the edge of developing some negative symtoms I didn't understand. But understood better after reading up on it. At first I didn't know what was going on. Afterall, this wonder drug was suppose to make me feel better, not worse. Started getting these bad "brain zaps" which was a description somebody else in the forum described them as and I guess is the only way to describe it. Like some sort of wave/pressure hitting and knocking me off balance of a few seconds.. Weird.. And confusion? Lots of confusion. And when you talk about not hearing anything about withdrawals associated, that was the biggest gripes being focused upon by these people trying to get thru the wd's. They were saying that they felt the pharmacutical company was hiding or downplaying info about possible wd's, that this was deliberate, and were trying to figure out if they could get together and file a class action suit somehow to expose this. I'm starting to remember some of the things they were talking about now...And I have never heard of it being promoted for anything but depression so I don't know why they would prescribe it for nerves. When my doctor gave it to me, it was samples that he had. There was a mass PR campaign with free doses out there at the time. I know why now as when I was written the one script I got, it was expensive. If possible do try to think about getting away from that first. I can't even phantom going thru wd's with that in the mix...I was only on it for a month when I stopped and was not on pain meds at the time. So I got a read on what I was feeling. Mass confusion, anxiety attacks, the whole 9 yards. I'm not tryng to scare you. Just concerned if you are in the midst of getting away from the other meds with that in the picture, it possibly has the makings of a real messed up time..
You got a good plan mellie4. I would go with what your intuition is telling you. Maybe a few months down the road after all these surgeries we have to get out of the way are done,, we can talk of how great it is to have this chapter of our life behind us :)
I'm very grateful I found this site, even though I was originally looking for help for my boyfriend. I have learned so much. It is really frightening. I have always been a compliant patient. I don't run out of my medicine. I take it as directed (or often less than directed.) I've had so many surgeries and procedures and so much pain. I was super aware of addiction. Yet when I brought it up, I was always led to believe there was a difference between tolerance, addiction and dependence. I was led to think I'd never have to worry about withdrawals. Now I find that's not true.
I can only hope that after my next surgery and I go to get off all this medication that the pain clinic will be able to get me through it.
I still can't help feeling that maybe the pain clinic was a mistake. Do they really want me off this stuff? Whenever I'd talk about it, they'd sort of tell me how it's okay to be on the oxycodone, how I really needed it. All the procedures and appointments and medication, makes me think all they see is dollar signs when the patient comes in. Doesn't do them much good to get people off the stuff.
Well, as soon as my next surgery is done, one way or another, with their help or without, I will be off my pain meds. And I also never knew Cymbalta causes withdrawals either.
Thanks to everyone who posted. I'll be coming to this site and learning more. God Bless and good luck to anyone who's trying to get off narcotics for whatever reason. No one should have to go through this.
I can only hope that after my next surgery and I go to get off all this medication that the pain clinic will be able to get me through it.
I still can't help feeling that maybe the pain clinic was a mistake. Do they really want me off this stuff? Whenever I'd talk about it, they'd sort of tell me how it's okay to be on the oxycodone, how I really needed it. All the procedures and appointments and medication, makes me think all they see is dollar signs when the patient comes in. Doesn't do them much good to get people off the stuff.
Well, as soon as my next surgery is done, one way or another, with their help or without, I will be off my pain meds. And I also never knew Cymbalta causes withdrawals either.
Thanks to everyone who posted. I'll be coming to this site and learning more. God Bless and good luck to anyone who's trying to get off narcotics for whatever reason. No one should have to go through this.
the patch is far worse any med they want to ive you i would always research before you ag ree to chagne it
I'll get over the anger eventually. I guess it's better I found out all this now rather than later. Who knows what I would have gone on?? There was talk of switching me to the oxycontin twice a day or maybe a patch. Maybe that would be harder to get off than what I'm on now. And, maybe it's saving me from something worse.
Your anger is justified, and I share it. I call folks with this issue "accidental addicts". I am also a person who should of known, but the truth is I didnt start off wanting to be dependent. When I was in pain I was just so greatful for the help, didnt consider down the road. My doctor was genuinely sorry, said she had been misinformed about the drugs.
So dont be angry at yourself. Treat this like an illness such as diabetes..you got it and need to treat it. Not your fault but you are in charge of your recovery.
So dont be angry at yourself. Treat this like an illness such as diabetes..you got it and need to treat it. Not your fault but you are in charge of your recovery.
Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you who commented. It's so very appreciated!
I'm feeling angry somewhat at the medical community. I have been very careful in taking my medications, always talking to them about wanting to go off, and never happy when I've had to increase the dosage. I feel like I've been misled. Because the fact is, even though I've taken my oxycodone as prescribed (or less than prescribed) I am going to have the same consequences as if I had abused it. (And I know no one ever sets out to get where they are with narcotics, and IMO no one should have to go through this.)
I guess it makes more sense to not put myself through withdrawal twice. My goal insead will be to taper down a bit or to stay where I am until the next surgery. From there I'll do the taper under the pain clinic's supervision and hopefully it won't be too bad. At least I'll be prepared; I'll have them doing it slowly medically, and I'll make sure I do the Thomas recipe. Maybe that will minimize things.
I never heard that Cymbalta had withdrawal symptoms. (Another reason I'm ticked off!!) I was given it for off-label use for nerve pain not depression. I think I'll ask her to wean me off that since I don't think it does much for the nerve pain anyway. Maybe that will help to come off that first.
They have me on Clonidine for nerve pain as well; maybe that will help with the Cymbalta withdrawal. And then I'll go off the Clonidine until I am getting off the oxycodone.
I will not let them increase the pain meds for the next surgery for more than a day or two for the very acute phase. Then I'll start tapering off.
Now though I have another question, as it just crossed my mind. I had my last surgery on March 9th. The pain clinic doctor and surgeon got together thinking about how to treat the post surgery pain and they decided on Dilaudid. So I took that. It wasn't very effective and they increased the dosage.
Then I got what I THOUGHT was a TERRIBLE flu. Now, after researching this, I'm wondering COULD I have have been going through withdrawals from not taking the oxycodone? I was off it from the day of the surgery for about 10 days while I was on Dilaudid. It was extreme. I chalked it up to the flu and the Dilaudid. I was really sick, throwing up constantly, terrible back pain, very restless legs and sweating and shaking chills. At one point my sister came over and was so worried she thought I needed to go to the ER and I declined. I started feeling better after they switched me back to the oxycodone.
Was I in withdrawal and didn't know it? I would have thought being on Dilaudid would have covered any oxycodone withdrwal???
I'm angry at myself, too. I have a background in medical malpractice so I have a lot of knowledge about medications and health matters. I also am a court reporter in Superior Court. I've seen it all as to where narcotics can lead you. Plus, my ex-husband was an alcoholic who dabbled in other things. I have ALWAYS been so cautious about anything I take and I was this time around too. But maybe I didn't ask the right questions
I've learned a valuable lesson here, that's for sure. I guess I'll have to find other ways to deal with the pain. Because there is no way I'm dealing with this again.
I think it's sad that patients are truly informed about the drawbacks. How long do you have to be on something like oxycodone to get addicted? Weeks, months, years?
Thank you all, again. Sorry for another long post but I get less anxious the more truthful information I get.
I'm feeling angry somewhat at the medical community. I have been very careful in taking my medications, always talking to them about wanting to go off, and never happy when I've had to increase the dosage. I feel like I've been misled. Because the fact is, even though I've taken my oxycodone as prescribed (or less than prescribed) I am going to have the same consequences as if I had abused it. (And I know no one ever sets out to get where they are with narcotics, and IMO no one should have to go through this.)
I guess it makes more sense to not put myself through withdrawal twice. My goal insead will be to taper down a bit or to stay where I am until the next surgery. From there I'll do the taper under the pain clinic's supervision and hopefully it won't be too bad. At least I'll be prepared; I'll have them doing it slowly medically, and I'll make sure I do the Thomas recipe. Maybe that will minimize things.
I never heard that Cymbalta had withdrawal symptoms. (Another reason I'm ticked off!!) I was given it for off-label use for nerve pain not depression. I think I'll ask her to wean me off that since I don't think it does much for the nerve pain anyway. Maybe that will help to come off that first.
They have me on Clonidine for nerve pain as well; maybe that will help with the Cymbalta withdrawal. And then I'll go off the Clonidine until I am getting off the oxycodone.
I will not let them increase the pain meds for the next surgery for more than a day or two for the very acute phase. Then I'll start tapering off.
Now though I have another question, as it just crossed my mind. I had my last surgery on March 9th. The pain clinic doctor and surgeon got together thinking about how to treat the post surgery pain and they decided on Dilaudid. So I took that. It wasn't very effective and they increased the dosage.
Then I got what I THOUGHT was a TERRIBLE flu. Now, after researching this, I'm wondering COULD I have have been going through withdrawals from not taking the oxycodone? I was off it from the day of the surgery for about 10 days while I was on Dilaudid. It was extreme. I chalked it up to the flu and the Dilaudid. I was really sick, throwing up constantly, terrible back pain, very restless legs and sweating and shaking chills. At one point my sister came over and was so worried she thought I needed to go to the ER and I declined. I started feeling better after they switched me back to the oxycodone.
Was I in withdrawal and didn't know it? I would have thought being on Dilaudid would have covered any oxycodone withdrwal???
I'm angry at myself, too. I have a background in medical malpractice so I have a lot of knowledge about medications and health matters. I also am a court reporter in Superior Court. I've seen it all as to where narcotics can lead you. Plus, my ex-husband was an alcoholic who dabbled in other things. I have ALWAYS been so cautious about anything I take and I was this time around too. But maybe I didn't ask the right questions
I've learned a valuable lesson here, that's for sure. I guess I'll have to find other ways to deal with the pain. Because there is no way I'm dealing with this again.
I think it's sad that patients are truly informed about the drawbacks. How long do you have to be on something like oxycodone to get addicted? Weeks, months, years?
Thank you all, again. Sorry for another long post but I get less anxious the more truthful information I get.
Hi Mellie,
You asked some good questions.
My 2cents: Since you are going to be having surgery in the near future, I wouldn't try to go off your meds yet. I would try to take just enough right now to stay comfortable and after the surgery address getting off of the opiates. Why put your body through this twice?
When you stop the opiates you may experience an increase in pain. Esp in your hands. I thought this meant that something was wrong and my surgery didnt work when in fact it was from the opiates or lack of.
Drew
You asked some good questions.
My 2cents: Since you are going to be having surgery in the near future, I wouldn't try to go off your meds yet. I would try to take just enough right now to stay comfortable and after the surgery address getting off of the opiates. Why put your body through this twice?
When you stop the opiates you may experience an increase in pain. Esp in your hands. I thought this meant that something was wrong and my surgery didnt work when in fact it was from the opiates or lack of.
Drew
I read over your post again and want to comment on a question. About doing an upgrade to oxycontin from oxycodone? Don't do it. Thats what happened to me. It helped with the pain for about a month, but when I ran short this past month, it was horrible. Being I have surgery coming up and found myself asking the same question you are about whats going to happen after the surgery, your right, there will be more meds. And after getting some feedback in here, I decided the best approach was to start a taper process now as best I can, then develop a program with my doctor after the surgery to get away from the meds. There is no point in going thru the process twice. Trying to live with the pain I have now was just not an option. Your thinking about wanting to get away from the meds now so keep that in mind when being offered any upgrades in the power of the meds. The oxycontin. Try to stay where you are and plan on making a forceful effort once the surgery is out of the way. Thats what I plan on doing. Just a suggestion on my part. You are in the same catch 22 I found myself in though so know your not alone with that.
Hi,
Wow, there is alot of questions here! I will try to address them based on my experiences.
1. I took oxycontin for genuine pain. At first it was a wonder drug, allowing me to participate in life and manage the pain level. Then I started needing it more and more and would run out. Then I had to lie, buy or manipulate to get more. That was when I moved into addiciton.
2. Its really up to you whether you should stop before surgery. I had some luck with tapering down for a period of time and then upping for these situations but everyone is different. Perhaps you could ask for a different med after surgery.
3. Switching over to oxycontin was bad in my situation. When I ran out but still had oxycondone I would go through withdrawal anyway.
4. I tapered off oxycontin and then went down to the oxycodone. I detoxed off of them and although it wasnt as bad as some I still had to go through it. I believe the overall dosage determines the severity, but the duration is pretty much the same.
5. I still had withdrawal but it was manageable. Perhaps the pain clinic will help you with what you need for the detox. I know my doctor thought I could escape wd all together by tapering and she was wrong. I would hope a pain clinic would know better!
6. After time your pain will get worse or feel differnt while on opiates. There is no real way to know the answer until you are off them and your body chemistry returns to baseline. I still have pain but its very different, I now recognize when I am overdoing it and stop myself. Pain has its purposes.
7. Yes you will have withdrawal through tapering but there are ways to cope. I found the taper sick lasted about 3 or4 days, so I decreased every 2 weeks so I would have some time off. I wasnt so sick I couldnt work, just uncomfortable. Lots of body temp fluctuations that I blamed on menopause.
8. Symptoms in above answer for tapering. The time frame can be different though. some people decrease every 4 days or so. Please remember that tapering is extremely difficult without help. I had my pharmacy giving me my meds weekly and even that was hard on the willpower. And if it wasnt for my doctor I would of quit the taper and stayed on. The instinct is to reward yourself for the decrease and to convince yourself that you are OK at this level.
9. I dont know how the post surgery thing will go. I wonder the same thing.
I hope this is helpful. I agree that no one should have to suffer in pain but the reality is that there is no easy answer. Opiate pain meds are drugs, and therefore can be abused. I genuinely hope that the med company invent some majic pill that will help without hurting, but until that time we lean on each other for support.
I was a functioning user, maintianed home, family and work. but these pills changed me in ways I would of never imagined. I also isolated and after 10 years have 0 friends. I am rebuilding now, never too late.
If you ever need to talk feel free to message me.
Charetti
Wow, there is alot of questions here! I will try to address them based on my experiences.
1. I took oxycontin for genuine pain. At first it was a wonder drug, allowing me to participate in life and manage the pain level. Then I started needing it more and more and would run out. Then I had to lie, buy or manipulate to get more. That was when I moved into addiciton.
2. Its really up to you whether you should stop before surgery. I had some luck with tapering down for a period of time and then upping for these situations but everyone is different. Perhaps you could ask for a different med after surgery.
3. Switching over to oxycontin was bad in my situation. When I ran out but still had oxycondone I would go through withdrawal anyway.
4. I tapered off oxycontin and then went down to the oxycodone. I detoxed off of them and although it wasnt as bad as some I still had to go through it. I believe the overall dosage determines the severity, but the duration is pretty much the same.
5. I still had withdrawal but it was manageable. Perhaps the pain clinic will help you with what you need for the detox. I know my doctor thought I could escape wd all together by tapering and she was wrong. I would hope a pain clinic would know better!
6. After time your pain will get worse or feel differnt while on opiates. There is no real way to know the answer until you are off them and your body chemistry returns to baseline. I still have pain but its very different, I now recognize when I am overdoing it and stop myself. Pain has its purposes.
7. Yes you will have withdrawal through tapering but there are ways to cope. I found the taper sick lasted about 3 or4 days, so I decreased every 2 weeks so I would have some time off. I wasnt so sick I couldnt work, just uncomfortable. Lots of body temp fluctuations that I blamed on menopause.
8. Symptoms in above answer for tapering. The time frame can be different though. some people decrease every 4 days or so. Please remember that tapering is extremely difficult without help. I had my pharmacy giving me my meds weekly and even that was hard on the willpower. And if it wasnt for my doctor I would of quit the taper and stayed on. The instinct is to reward yourself for the decrease and to convince yourself that you are OK at this level.
9. I dont know how the post surgery thing will go. I wonder the same thing.
I hope this is helpful. I agree that no one should have to suffer in pain but the reality is that there is no easy answer. Opiate pain meds are drugs, and therefore can be abused. I genuinely hope that the med company invent some majic pill that will help without hurting, but until that time we lean on each other for support.
I was a functioning user, maintianed home, family and work. but these pills changed me in ways I would of never imagined. I also isolated and after 10 years have 0 friends. I am rebuilding now, never too late.
If you ever need to talk feel free to message me.
Charetti
Things will get active in here as the morning progress's so don't be discouraged. I was slightly anxious when I posted the first time as I waited for some feedback. Sometimes there's a fair amount of late night activity, but this past night was probably the slowest I've seen it in the month since I found this site. Sounds like you have had your rounds with the medical community. I ,myself ,am waiting on a second round of back surgery as one, it needs to be done, and two, I'm tired of this rollercoaster of a ride with the meds. I'll try to answer part of what you ask and then be patient, by 10:00am you should have plenty of feedback. Like me, you have been taking medicines for awhile and dosing as instructed, but as I have found and you will see and hear about from other members here, it does become not only a physical addiction for those that have been dosing heavily, but the routine of support you recieve when needing the meds becomes a mental addiction as well. It becomes part of your routine and your body expects such. This thought had me quite confused until recently when I saw what individuals were experiencing in here and then evaliating how I felt. I already know its going to be uncomfortable physically once I do try to part with the medication, but also have accepted it's going to take much longer to adjust to the mental change. If I may, I'd like to comment on one of the meds you are taking as I am somewhat familar with it. Some of the other's you describe I am not so I'll leavr that to other's in here..The cymbalta. How long have you been on that? I had a short stint with it and got away from it with out consulting with my doctor because it did not seem to agree with me. It does seem to help some people, but once I reseached some on it, I found many people that talked of bad WD's associated with it. This is just my experience, but after reading all of what I saw, I was glad to have gotten away from it. There was a different forum out there I had encountered that had quite a number of individual's talking about it. Many said that if they had known of the wd's, they would have never started taking it. They described it as being presented to them as the latest greatest drug for depression, but the majority of those I did read about begged to differ. So do a little homework on your own. I believe I found it by searching the name and then tripped across the info. I can't remember any specifics as to the site or some of the major concerns and symtoms as this was a couple years ago, but its worth looking into as I considered the wd's worse than some of the opiate wd's I've experienced. It caused me alot of confusion. Hang tight. As many say, you have come to the right place, and there is plenty of great understanding and support to be found here.
Take care,and know things will work out for you.
Take care,and know things will work out for you.
I'm trying to bump this up in the hopes someone will answer. I know there are people going through things this minute but I really am anxious about this. I want to get off these if possible, even if I do have to have another surgery. Please, I'm hoping for some advice from some of you have more experience with this. I may not be "addicted" in the same manner as most. I'm not abusing them. But the end result is the same.
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