which method for detox percocets

[3DArtist]

I just had disk fusion 4 weeks ago and have been taking pain meds for about 6 months lortab 10mg and perccet 10mg (not in the same month)  anyways talked with my doc about weaning off he said its too soon and i should wait at least another 4 weeks to make sure my spine is healed. I am taking 5x 10mg percocet a day and 2 soma. my question is he wants me to go see my pain management in a few weeks to get off this stuff but what methods are doctors using. He said something like methadone but i thought that was for people who were really hooked on this stuff like 10 pills a day or something.. anyways im sure the pain doc has other methods but i was wondering what are your experiences with some of these methods from pain management to get off the pain meds and to the point where i only need to take maybe one a day or every few days as needed until i heal 100%

[cattalina]

This is an old thread, re-post using the green button at the top.  There's alot of people here that have gone ct off of percs and it can be done!!  Hang in there!

[berrbottom]

I am addicted to percocets.I wanna stop so badly but I feel like I dont have the strength to do it.In or Out patient is not a opition for me.The only option I have is COLD TURKEY..I take anywhere between 60-120 mg. a day.Please someone tell me how to do this and do it right.I have kids to raise and Im missing out on their lives because of this stupid drug.

[3DArtist]

HI,
Thank you for your story. I was all set to start suboxone this week and it would of only been 2-3 weeks but i decided along with my doctor that it was too soon after surgery only 6 weeks and that i should stay on the 6 percs a day for a few more weeks and then re-evaluate the situation. It seems nights are getting pretty bad for me laying in bed restless and i end up staying up until all hours of the night. Hopefully this pain will ease up soon so i can start to taper. the other thing is if i started subox and i had any kind of pain during the 3 weeks i would not be able to take anything so that is sort of a bad choice at the moment.. has anyone had lower back surgery disk fusion .. just wondering how long this pain lasts i understand everyone is different but just curious about others

[Pamelanoah6]

Hi I do not visit or post here except once before, but read your post and thought I might help a little. I am no expert but I have been there and made it through!! I was on Percocette for two years for neck pain that no docs said they could help. I knew they were highly addicting but I thought I would be on the rest of my life. Well I found a doc who could and did surgery and about two months later I thought I would wean myself off slowly. All my docs said "yes that is how to do it". WRONG!!! I went through severe depression the first months... then anxiety and stress. BP went to 200/100 and was rushed to ER. I told everyone I was getting off Percocette and only one doc told me the truth. He told me you can NOT wean yourself on Percocette that your body needs the amount you  took most. That I would need to be on long lasting drug to come off. (He probably meant methadone) but did not mention it. I was sent home with no instructions, suggestions, or any help from anyone. So two days later I went though withdrawal home alone. I am a diabetic also so it is a miracle I am alive. It only took me three days to detox but a lot longer for brain to return to normal. I was very scattered and forgetful. I guess all the neurons were firing back up again after Percocette dulled them all or shut them down(which it does) I took Ambien to sleep and anti-depressant. I also had Clondine I take for BP and heard that helps through withdrawal also. Drink lots of fluids and a lot of info on this site seems to help and work. I advise going to a detox center if you can but doing at home is possible. BUT I had a lot of people praying for me with all my health problems like I said it is a wonder I made it. Miracles can happen!!! I found out what docs do not know about drugs though.(they only take one week of chemical dependency in their 8 yrs) My primary told me I probably did not go through withdrawal just the flu. Yea RIGHT!!!! It is the worst flu times 100. Aches, nausea, diarrhea and the works. BUT again tough it out unless you have other serious health problems. The gain is well worth the misery for a short time. Percocette and pain med's can kill. They take away appetite and lie to you about your pain telling your brain you need more and pain is worst when it is not. After two years and now being free.... I can't even remember the past two years (like a fog) Now I feel great and I got better each day I pushed through. Sorry so long but it is a success story. It is not hopeless. Good luck and hang in there.  
PS I do have a question that someone might be able to help me. IF I ever need surgery again what does a person do for pain? Will I be addicted immediately or a time thing again? I was not psychologically depended only (ONLY?) physically. I had lots of pain med's I tossed!!! That is right tossed. I would never want to see what happened to me happen to anyone else. Though I am now finding out how many people I know are addicted to pain med's. Scary!!! Doc's know how to get you on but not how to help you get off!!!.

[3DArtist]

Thank you I appreciate all your input as it helps me better understand all my options and what comes along with each option. Your right i am not abusing the med but am physically hooked on the stuff and my doctor did tell me that would happen but it is the only thing that allowed me to function and have a somewhat normal day. All i can think about now is how i am going to get off this stuff. I think if anything it is preparing myself mentally for it. I think that once its out of my system after a few days I will have no problems stopping whatever it is they gave me to help withdrawal. I try to talk to friends / family about how it feels and if they have never experienced a withdrawal they really do not know how bad it can be. I feel bad for the people who really need help getting of the meds and do not have any resources for help. almost makes you want to get out there and help people become clean.  I am in college getting my second degree in architecture and have a 4.0 GPA so I really want to be off this so i can get back to school in the fall and finish my degree and on with my life like a normal person.

[oxyaddict420]

I know this goes against the grain here, but I have to share a true story with you.. I have been addicted to pain killers for many years and also have ahd to go through c/t withdrawls many many times as well.  One time when I was really set on quitting, I was able to get about 8 of the 10mg methadone pills.  Since I hated the feeling of anything morphine type feeling related, I ONLY TOOK SMALL DOSES WHEN THE WITHDRAWL WOULD START TO KICK IN.. Usually at first it was 4-6 hours fater last dose.. Then it started to be around 7-9 hours and then 10-14 hours and then the last couple days I was taking about 2.5mg(half of a half) like every 16-18 hours when the w/d would act up..

Since the percoset withdrawl had been over after about 4-5 days I was only left with coming off the very small doses of methadone.. When I took my last very small crumb of methadone I had ZERO WITHDRAWLS!!  I was 99.9% feeling better and had NO WITHDRAWLS AT ALL!  Since you seemed to never be abusing the pills, but rather dependant on them, you might have an easy time following a DR orders on a LOW DOSE FAST TAPER.. As long as you are not taking it for more than 5-6 days and in very small dosages, then I say you should be OK!  

CHECK WITH THE DR. THOUGH ABOUT THE DETAILS..  Again this is only based off my experience.. I also have known other family members that did this as well with the SAME RESULTS!  So there are options, but for most addicts it is too hard because the temptation of abuse is too much.. And if you abuse mehtadone then getting off of it is a nightmare!!

BEST OF LUCK WITH WHATEVER YOU DECIDE!  YOU CAN ONLY READ EVERYONES POST AND MAKE AN INFORMED DECISION BASED OF OF IT, AND THE DR'S ORDERS..

[flmagi]

Welcome to the forum. I really think the tapper method would be the best for you. You'd still have your pain meds for pain for awhile and you really won't suffer from withdrawels if you do it slow enough.
BUT If you find you absolutely can't do the cold turkey or taper, the Suboxone would be the other option. It can be used for short term detox. Say 16 days, no more than 21 days. You would start a fast taper off it after about 3-4 days.  The problem is , you can not take pain meds while on Suboxone, they just won't work. So make sure you don't need any more pain meds. Do not let the doctors try to talk you into use the Sub. for any longer than 16-21 days. They will try, more $$ for them. The doctors visits and the Sub. are very expensive. **Also, you will need to be in withdrawels for about 24 hours before they will give you the Sub. and to do a fast taper off it, you will need to taper down on your pain meds before going into withdrawels.  
So, when you look at the options, just tappering off the vics & percs would be your easiest and most comfortable way to do this and I really think you should at least try it.
DO NOT do the Methadone. It is BAD NEWS.
Keep posting. We'll help you which ever way you choose.
Magi

[3DArtist]

wow I am sorry you are going through all of that. I know its only 3-5 days for detox if i decided to do it but i just dont think i can pull it off. I think that the doc will most likely ask me to taper and with the help of the clonodine it shouldn't be that bad. If it takes a few months then it takes a few months I just dont want to put my body through any more pain

[feohmoon]

Whatever you decide dont do the Methadone or suboxone.We are on Methadone and it has made us numb to everything in life. You dont want to be a zombie because that is what I felt like when we were on 110 mg. My point is you can beat perc withdrawals in 3-5 days. Methadone withdrawals for some only last 3 weeks  but for others it can take several months to feel normal again. Best of luck to you. Today my fiance and I started a 28 day detox from methadone. We are all in this together.

[3DArtist]

Hi,
Thank you for the advice. I do not want to do CT as i have been through enough pain over the last 8 years and especially since surgery a month ago and just cannot put myself through that again.  I will talk to the doc in a few weeks and see what he suggests. Cant you just take one of those other methods like subox for a few days until its out of your system ? I have no desire to take these pills but my body is needing it and also I need to take one at night and the morning or else I cannot move from the pain. during the day its not too bad I am slowly stretching out the time between pills. Just the thought of withdrawals makes me sick.

[toxictome]

Welcome to the forum. You have gotten a lot of good advice..you can do this!!!

You just need to decide if you want to go ct or taper.

I taperd, wd's were minimal.

We will be here to help you thru it. Keep posting!!!!

[alldonepercs]

Start to slowly ween yourself off of them and you will not experience any problems. Start by taking 4 a day for the first week , then 3 a day for the next week, 2 a day for the third week and 1 a day for the fourth week.  Then do one every other day if needed... only you will be able to tell if you need it. No matter what do not go onto suboxone or methadone. You are following your docs orders and slowly can come down on the amount your intaking without any problems. Trust me you do not want to go through the methadone or suboxone treatment. That stuff is pretty much a last resort for people that have been on opiates (herion, oxicontin, percs, norco, vics etc..) for years. If you need anymore advice feel free to send me a PM (private message) or just keep on posting. We are all here to help each other.

[allaboutmary]

It's me again.lol    Just wanted to say ... please don't let these doctors talk you into any methadone or suboxone.  If you can get down to one or two a day with no problem . You certainley do not need either of these drugs.  You will probably have very mild withdrawal symptoms.  

[allaboutmary]

Hey, Welcome to the forum. Are you an artist ? Flmagi and I are sister's and we have a decorative painting co..    Back to your questions.......As Cathy said no no no on the methadone.  It really sounds as if you are dependent and not addicted to the pills. There is a difference. (won't get into that now).  Suboxone is also addictive, and I don't think you should go there either. It's usually used for a quick detox or for long term for addict's that have problems with relapsing.  You haven't been using all that long and not a really high amount. Soooooo.....I really think you could taper off.  It really doesn't sound as if you have been abusing these and would just be a matter of the physical withdrawl. The other option is cold turkey. You would be sick for about a week, the worst would probably be over in 3 or 4 days. Hope this helps.  Keep posting and asking questions. There are some great people here to help.      Mary

[cathy5841]

don't do methadone...i have never been on it but some it is hell to get off of.  the other option is suboxone...it to has its own set of problems but not near as bad as methedone.  i personally cold turkeyed off about 10-15 or more a day..thought i would die the first week but then it got better.  you can also taper...if you are very strong and can only take what the taper calls for.  i could not do that if i had them i took them.  read through some of the post that say sub in th title you will get an idea. flamagi and allaboutmary are both on it now...maybe they will stop in and tal to you.  or you can pm either of them.  hope this helped.  keep postin
cathy