Weaning self off Oxycontin --- Any suggestions appreciated

[peep99]

To: Anyone who can relate
Hello people -- Wow, im happy to have found this site. I'm looking for support and or just someone to share my shameful secret, that im dependent on oxycontin.  I am a health care worker too, which makes me more ashamed. I too am in the process of weaning myself off oxycontin. I’ve been on them about 3 years, (for chronic neck pain) and I am just sick of feeling like **** every day. Last week, I started weaning. (I had been taking up to 100 mg per day of oxycontin (5 - 20 mg tabs) I’m on day 6 of the weaning - and I am already down to 2 – 20 mg tabs per day and + approx 30 mg oxycodone)  This is very difficult. Today day I feel exhausted and increased neck pain too.

Does anyone know of anything nutritionally that would help me feel better, or any other pain pills (non opiate) that would be helpful?  I've heard tramadol may be a good one to use instead...

I found this site, and it’s been helpful reading other peoples experiences. I see that some people use methadone and or saboxone.  I thought I would try this myself first, and if I go back to my old ways, I then would try to get help using other things to get off the oxys.

I’m nervous about the withdrawals, but it’s been a week, that I’ve been able to cut back. I am afraid that I may not make it. Like I might decide to increase my dose, because I can.
I have found that writing down the times and the mg I take while weaning helps me.

Any feed back is appreciated.

Thank you.

Peep

[peep99]

well its been 1 week on 2 (20 mg OC) per day. I'm having much difficulty concentrating. Does anyone know when this will get better. I want to stay on 2 per day for a while. I wonder if i will stabilize on this dose and feel somewhat normal, again, or will i be in constant withdrawal. this is not fun. i feel very nervous.. mostly cant concentrate, and i need to. has anybody here ever weaned down and stayed on a lower dose and functioned. thanks peep

[peep99]

Thanks for the tip on tapering. yep im on day four of 2 (20 mg) tabs Oxycontin per day, and then I can take up to 6 oxycodone per day. I am in withdrawal --  lightheaded, very very tired, increased appetite, inability to concentrate, scheesch.  Im going to stay on the 2 (20 mg) per day plan for a while since I had been on 4-5 (20mg) per day for 2 years or so. Im miserable, but not as bad as I thought. I feel really bad about a class im taking at a community college that I paid over $500 for this class, the 2nd test is coming up, I can’t study, I don’t want to study, I can’t concentrate but it was the F on the 1st test that made me realize that I need to get off these oxys.

[predestyned]

glad to hear that you even have the desire and are trying to ACT UPON IT!  i think tapering is the best way to do it . here is a good process.. days 1-4 cut back your dosage by 1/3, days 5-9 cut by 1/3 days 10-14  1/3  etc etc etc . stick to the 4 days and the 1/3 this really is a good almost painfree method. the amount of days by the cut in dosage of 1/3  is not just some numbers thrown out there . it is very important to adhere to this!  your body reacts to this combo resulting in no w/d symptoms! good luck!

[ochooked]

Hi Medic - Unfortunately, your husband is wrong - even if you are taking them for legit pain, you can still become dependent and/or addicted.  The best way to come off of Lortab is to taper but you will need someone to dispense your pills to you.  When in the throws of W/D, it is next to impossible for someone to have enough will power to stay away from their little bottle of pills.  It is tough, but very doable.  If you try to leave the door open just in case you change your mind, I can assure you that you probably will and be right back where you started.  Using Suboxone to come off of Lortab is like using an atomic bomb when you only need a hand grenade ---- Sub is so addictive that I was hooked in only 21 days and wish I had never heard of it.  We all are seeking the pain free way to come off our DOC, but getting clean without some pain is not possible -- you just have to be willing to go through it.  The good news is that you can.  The most important thing I did was to cut off my supply by telling my doctor - and I knew there was no going back "just in case" --- There was power in telling her.  Success is there - you just have to want it bad enough.  All the best.

[nic374]

Im to im trying to wean myselfdown from vicoprofem I was at 30 plus pills a day then in the matter of about 2 1/2 weeks im now down to 12-15 pills a day It ***** because you still feel all the wd and Im having a hell of a time staying away from the pills.  I can still feel every ache and pain in my body my legs hurt really bad and I cant get warm.  I tired   the c/t route twice and the most I made it to was 7pm at night.  Those two days I felt like I was going crazy.  I have a appt for sub tomorrow with a doctor but someone told me that the wds are worse from that than they are with painkillers, so maybe I wont get it.

[medic28]

I am in the same boat as you.  I to am a nurse and I have just recently realized I am addicted to lortab.  I have had 2 big surgeries in 1 yr and have chronic pain in my hip and knee.  I have decided to stop with the pain pills mainly because of the constipation issues anyhow I cannot do it, I cannot handle the withdraw symptoms.  I also am aftraid if I stop all together I will not be able to medicate myself when I am having pain.  It is a terrible cycle I have gotten into.  My husband keeps telling me as long as I am taking them for pain I cannot get hooked, but I have to disagree with him on this.  I do take them when I am hurting but now that I am feeling better I cannot stop them.
I have heard of suboxone too, I think I may talk to my dr about it.