correct fashion for quitting both oxycontin and subsequently hydrocodone

Thanks to all of you for posting your experiences, heartaches and the many success stories.  I suffer from a pain disorder that is not really defined.  Fibromyalgia/Lupus ... neck fusion and gastric bypass which made me unable to keep my vitamin levels where they should be.  To make a long story short, I have been on Oxycontin 40mg 4 times a day with Hydrocodone 10/325 for breakthrough pain.  My pain is hardly helped by the drugs.  I NEVER feel a buz, I truly only take the pills to help a little with the pain.  When Oxy went back to not being generic, the script cost of $758 for a one month supply which made me ask my pain specialist for something that works better and that costs less.  What a nightmare ... he switched me to morphine.  I had been on morphine previously in the hospital after surgery and had no ill effects, so I thought that it might work for me.  What a mistake!  I had a reaction that almost cost me my life leaving me with pancreatitis.  My liver enzymes were 5 times normal and I have been really quite sick for the last three weeks.  Instead of going back to the oxycontin, I decided that I would rather try to go off of the pills as I am so sick of being weak, not finding my words and thinking about when my next dose is due.
Here is my question to those of you who have gone through this challenge:  I am still taking the hydrocodone.  I have only stopped the oxycontin.  Am I fooling myself?  Can I withdraw from oxycontin while still taking the hyrocodone?  I have felt terrible, I am in pain, sweats, flu symptoms.  My plan was to stop the oxycontin, and then wean myself off of the short term pain pills by reducing them one a day until I get to 0.  Please send me your feedback!! Thank in advance, GiGi

[IBKleen]

Hi & Welcome,

The best and fastest way to get off of the pain meds is to stop. Tapering is tricky business and what happens is you will begin to feel the effects as you drop down. BTW, that is not a proper taper schedule and you WILL feel the withdrawal pretty quickly. If you just stop the physical withdrawal will be over in 5 or so days instead of dragging it out.

Either way, let us know what you are going to do and we can recommend some home remedies to ease the process. We will be here for moral support as well.

[Gpison]

An opiate is an opiate is an opiate. Given the current state of your liver, the Hydro is probably worse than the Oxy. It sounds to me like you have some serious health and pain issues that need to be treated with Meds. You just have alot going on. Have you talked about your decision with your Dr.?

The Hydro's bond to the same receptors as the Oxy's. You are in withdrawls simply because the amount of opiates in the Hydro's is so much less than the Oxy. If you increase the amount of Hydro's you are taking to ease the symptoms, you are doing nothing more than prolonging the withdrawls and run the risk of liver failure due to the acetomenephine in the Hydro's. For a healthy liver 3000mg is the max recommended daily dose.

Good Luck GiGi...

[10356]

Hi GiGi I'm sorry to read about your pain.. I also deal with pain and found it much better since I have been off the Drugs. they were really only meant for short term use. and our pain has a way of intensifying the longer we take the meds.. you will feel sick for a lil while your body adjust to lowering of the opiate.. hydros are nowhere near as strong as oxy our morphine.. when you level out and feel better then you can start your taper. I hope you speak to your Dr. about a taper plan then he/she can help with the sleep and anxiety that come with wd.. You are doing the right thing for yourself and family. once we cross that invisible line our mind seems tied forever to the drugs. watching the clock for our next dose is not a good way to spend our day for we loose out on many things going on around us.. I wish you the very best with your plan and keep looking forward to the day you will be Free !! Take care.. lesa

[WantToBeNormalAgain]

Hey Gigi
Wow, you have been through so so much, and for that I am so sorry and I have empathy for you as I have been through the ringer as far as chronic pain and gallbladder disease until I had it removed (with complications, of course!!!)..but anyway I feel your pain girl.
Why do you think you're fooling yourself? They are 2 different kinds of medication, one hydrocodone and the other oxycodone. So of course I think you are having wd symptoms from stopping the oxycodone - that is stronger than the hydro. Are you still on the morphine? Just curious on that. If not, good because it's one less thing you have to wd from. The only hope I can give you is that since you are having major wd symptoms from going off the oxy, when you finally go off the hydro, your wd symptoms will hopefully not be nearly as bad. I can't guarantee that though, we are all different.

But at any rate, good for you for making the decision to go off all pills - bravo! I have RA myself, a disease somewhat similar to Lupus, both are auto immune diseases that leave you weak and tired and such and they attack our immune systems..it straight up $ucks!! I'm so sorry you're going through all that..but you should maybe look into seeing a rheumatologist or auto immune doc who can specifically diagnose you and treat you with meds to help with the weakness and fatigue. I know mine helped me, and I know he sees people with fibromyalgia, lupus, RA, OA, etc..so if you don't see one yet, look into it. Also, do you do exercising at all? It sounds like an oxymoron, but it helps with fatigue and muscle soreness. To help with your wds you are currently having (hugs, sorry!!) try the Thomas recipe at the right hand side of your screen. Take the amino acid protocol as well. Hot baths/showers, stretching, heating pads, immodium as needed, benedryl or claritin for the runny nose, tylenol pm to sleep, motrin and tylenol as needed for aches. It's a lot of pills to take, but they're OTC and use them as directed to help you get through this. Also, please be honest with your docs and tell them about your addiction. It's so hard to do, but it will be a great step to take, as they can give you advice to help you through and maybe even prescribe something to help you through the wds.

I know I didn't really answer your question, but I don't think you're fooling yourself. i think you're doing it the right way, because if you quit both at the same time you could have very serious and dangerous side effects. Post here to let us know how you're doing. Others can really help you through every step of the way through your wds. Also, aftercare is absolutely needed, as in NA/AA meetings, addicitonologist or therapy sessions, etc. Whatever you decide, you have to do it though. You cannot do this alone, no matter how strong you are with everything else you've been through. This is different. You have to have additional help besides your own brain!! Trust me, been there, done that..Only way I made it to almost a year now is with outside help. And be honest with everyone. So good luck girl, we're here for you, and we're all inthis together. Keep posting!!
xoxo Alison

[Gigi1302]

Tears are in my eyes as I see four replies within 40 minutes of having posted for the very first time.  I cannot tell you how meaningful that was to me.  I really thought that my request for support might be lost in the great wide internet!  To know that there are people out there who take the time to read and respond out of the goodness within will certainly go a long way to help me through this.
I only took one of the morphine tablets - the rest of the $108 cost share of pills sits on the shelf in my linen closet waiting to be turned in to the pain clinic ... I have learned a very valuable lesson - when taking a new medication, just get a two day supply in case it does not agree with you (if you have cost share or are paying cash).
I am about three weeks off of the oxycontin now.  My main symptoms are being extremely weepy, flu like, feeling sorry for myself and worried that I am probably going to die...  I know that one is dumb, but I cannot hide from the truth.  And, I cannot get better without exposing the truth.   My nights are absolute nightmares!  The pain, sweating and crazy dreams combined with inability to stay asleep!  I will look up the Thomas recipe immediately.  I just wanted to take a few moments to express my thanks to the four of you for caring! Thanks to you all, GiGi

[Gpison]

Everything your describing is sooo normal given where you are with your withdrawls, yep even the dying part. It's not dumb...most of us here felt the same way. You just have to know in your heart that with time, all of this will pass. I know it seems that time is standing still right now, the nights are unbearable and the days are not that much better. Now the good news. Once you stop completely, you will only go a few days without some sleep, then your body will be forced to get a few hours rest when it can. By the 5th day, you will be amazed at how much better you will begin to feel. Colors will be so vivid, smells will be intense simply going outside will seems like a totaly new experience to you.

Just hang in there, know that you will be fine. A lot of this is mental. Understanding whats happening will help a lot. When you cant sleep be here, reading, posting, helping others when you can. You don't have to be clean to help other people here, just a kind word can make a big difference

I wish you the best...

[Gigi1302]

Dear Alison,
I am SOOO looking forward to what you describe.  Even though I never felt that I was 'drugged out', I felt I had lost some of my sharpness - especially names.  Previous to my ever increasing pain meds, I could easily rattle off to any health care professional exactly what meds I was on and what dosage or the names of the doctors and tests I had.  Lately, if I didn't bring the list with me, I was not exactly the sharp person I used to be.  I hope that my brain cells will wake up once the meds are completely out of my system.

How long do you think I should wait for the oxycontin withdrawal to finish before I start reducing the number of hydrocodone that I take each day?  I am prescribed 8 a day, but I have always only taken 6...  my prescription actually read:  2 tablets every 6 hours.  I never took two tablets.  I always took one every 2 1/2 or 3 hours during the day and fewer at night for the breakthrough pain.  Had I taken two, they would have NEVER lasted 6 hours.  They only took off the edge anyway.

It has been almost three weeks since my last oxycontin pill.  Do I wait for all of my symptoms to clear, or should I already start reducing the hydorcodone?  I am very much afraid.  If my pain goes into a flare, I don't know what I would do.  I am also a little ashamed, even though I truly do not believe I ever abused the drugs.  My body became tolerant.  Now over this three week period, my loved ones obviously see that my body is reacting to the withdrawal ... and somehow that is not a good observation.

Blessings to you (as well as to Gpison, 10356 and and IBKleen) for having the good heart to 'talk' with me!
Warmest regards,
Gigi

[Gigi1302]

Hello Alison and all my lovely support friends,

I am just checking in, and updating my progress.  Today is the first day that I do not feel like I am ready to fall over.  I actually feel very well today.  My guess is that the oxycontin is almost out of my body ... I hope I am not fooling myself, as I have read that some people are in withdrawal for a year!

I sat in the sun yesterday and also forced myself to drink, drink drink.  I believe that I will try to enjoy a couple of days of feeling not sick and dying BEFORE I start tapering down on the hydrocodone.  Or, should I bite the bullet and start today?  My plan is to reduce by 1 pill, every day or every other day.  That would take me 10-14 days.

Any suggestions would be welcomed!  Thanks for caring and reading!
Best,
Gigi