oxycondone withdrawal

[anyonebutme]

I want to go to a disscusion page where non medical people post! This is personal not profefional. PLEASE send me to the right help site. Thank you in advance.

[justchechinthingsout]

  I read the social and other addiction forum, but I felt this was more for me cause I am not taking these for recreational purposes. I was already in alot of pain to start with, or I never would have started taking the pills.  I did learn tho while out of pain I could do alot more.  Today,  I Know my limits, but can't seem to get out of pain .. So, my question is, how do you manage the pain without meds? I have tried physical therapy, and all that, so just wondering how you go about it.I have 2 kids to take care of, so I have to manage it some how.

[missy146]

A short stint with oxy got me "hooked".  A dr started me on suboxone.  I had extreme weight loss and I am stil;l trying to get off sub.  When i tried to stop I couldn't move off the bed.  I lost 35 lbs in 6 months and continue to lose.  I am down to 2 half twice a day.  Trying cold turkey I was still so lethargic I neededd help to the bathroom.  I read you can get suboxone out of your system in 4 days the take another opiate that was easier to detox from.  Any advice

[ginbud]

If you go to the other forum that I have wrote about, you will find your story over and over again written by myself and others. If you've been reading these post and others for several months, my guess is that you are in the same frame of mind I was for a solid two years prior to my actually doing what I did to quit. I kept thinking that their had to be an easier way for me to reduce my medications than the manner in which I finally resorted to, but after two years of searching I realized there wasn't an easy way out. I had no idea that the pain medications I was using were actually creating higher and higher pain levels within my body. I can't begin to express how shocked I was to discover my pain levels dropping when I quit using many of my medications. My pain levels now have returned to the same level they were at ten years ago. Actually they are much less because I've learned over the years what I can't do, shouldn't do and when to rest before I push myself into pain. I do feel great these days and I can't believe I've really done what I did in the last two years. I know the exact date I just up and quit and I will never forget how hard it was. Yet it was worth every ounce of hell to get back to the real me and most importantly realize I had a life enjoyable enough to want to live for in the future. I hope you find the strength and courage to just do it someday soon. It is worth everything you go through to get back your life again. The pills are increasing your pain levels and only stopping them can bring you home again. I wish you courage and conviction to just do it someday soon.

[justchechinthingsout]

Hi, I am new (been reading for a few months) today, you told my story amazing, however, I have been so paralyzed by the thougt of living in pain, I have kept taking the meds.I was on norco 5, then 7, 10 for about 8 Years. Then I switched to Ms. Contin. Crazy, cause it does not relieve the pain completely.  My pain mngt dr doesn't even look at you when your there just writes a script. I live in a very small community, so I don't have much choice for a dr. I have  maintained a possitive attitude now for the last year or so, but hate the thought of living like this all my life. My neurologist refuses surgery because he says it will ruin the rest of my back..  It is great to hear you overcame.  Being the real you must feel great.I have been walking and eating better and I can tell it makes a difference, so I hope to continue my lower doses in spring and see what happens.  I must say, the cold weather really aggravates the pain.  Anyway, thanks again for sharing and congrats.

[ginbud]

Using pain medication for chronic pain is the biggest catch 22 I've ever got caught up in. The pain clinics and pain management Doctors tell us that if we don't seek medications from other Doctors, or over use our allotted pain medication too soon, we are not addicts. I believed that story, although after several years of being on a steady monthly dosage of opiates and other pain medications, I  realized that I really had to watch how much I was taking each day in order to stay in compliance. Within months after starting Oxycontin, I felt that my pain level was getting worse and worse by the month, and my daily dosage and strength always ended up getting increased when I discussed this with my pain Doctor. I was told that my back condition was getting worse and worse and was the cause for the nerve pain, spasms and headaches that were increasingly getting worse and requiring stronger and stronger medication dosages. I believed that since I did have multi-able areas of damage on my spine and my condition was upgraded every few years which would add new and worse conditions regarding my spine. I started with Soma, then added a daily regime of Vicodin, and after about 15 years I began using Oxycontin at low doses, Vicodin for break through pain, Soma for the spasms that were getting worse and worse, Gabipentin, and Fironial for migraine like headaches I had began getting everyday. Every Spring I would go through what I called my Drug Spring Cleaning. This entailed reducing all my pain medications to lower dosages. In this manner I managed to keep some control over my usage of pain drugs, but the increase of Oxycontin just climbed and climbed even though I tried to keep my dosages steady as long as possible. By my eighth year on Oxycontin, I wanted off them because I could see they had changed my personality, ruined my initiative to do anything and controlled my moods and thoughts. They were destroying me. In fact, I felt as though the me I use to be was completely stolen from this drug. I was up to 130 mg. of Oxycontin per day after ten years of use when I finally found the courage to quit. I did not want to go to a clinic and get labeled an addict because I never did anything my pain Doctor didn't approve of and I knew I couldn't stop all use of pain medications because I really did have a chronic pain condition. Finally, after ten years of building up to higher dosages of all the pain medications I was on I decided I had to go cold turkey at home.  Once I discontinued the Oxycontin, I immediately went into withdraw. Within the first 48 hours, I noticed that my pain level had dropped considerably even though the withdrawals were strong as ever. Likewise, my daily headaches just stopped overnight, and I quit using my daily Fironial pills, which had Phenobarbital as their main ingredient. I was so sick with withdrawals, yet utterly amazed that my pain levels were dropping more and more each day. I then decided on day five to cut back on every other medication I used for pain by 50%. As soon as I reduced my Soma (CARISOP0RODOL) from three pills of 350 mg's a day, to just one per day, my intense back, hands, feet and toe spasms literally stopped overnight. I reduced the Gabipentin from 400 mg. to 300-mg and then to 100-mg. At that point the pain increased, so I settled on 200 mg. per day vs. the 400 mg's I had been on for years. I cut back on the Vicodin over several months and finally got it down to 50 % of my previous daily use. The wild ride that I endured going through the withdraw stages took the full 24 months that I had read PAWS would take. However, by my 15th month I started to really see the huge parts of my lost personality returning stronger and stronger each month. This January marked the official end of 24 months enduring Post Acute Withdrawal Symptoms. I cannot begin to tell you all I've gone through and what I've learned about drugs. If you want to know, go to "Oxykicker's Diary of Oxycontin Withdrawal" Oxykickers Journal. I am just one of many, many others who have fought this fight and are winning back our souls. Many of us really helped each-other get through this ordeal. I leave you with this thought tonight. How come my pain level dropped by a full 80% when I stopped the Oxycontin, my Spasms by 90% when I cut my Soma intake by 75%, and my daily headaches 100% when I quit the Oxycontin? It took me 48 hours of withdrawing to realize that the pain medications were actually increasing my pain levels. In the last four months I've lost 35 pounds by eating healthier foods and being more active than I have in ten years.

[marlymonks]

Thanks for the info...I have been through the injections; outpatient procedures where they fry the nerves (do this every 6 months per side of body) and other stuff. I hadn't done any real research on this yet, sounds like you have. Sounds like for folks with moderate to severe pain it isn't going to hold...I appreciate you taking the time to write.
Marlymonks

[atonicat]

Your talking about a spinal cord stimulator. I would be careful, doctors hype those up. The success rates are the same as injections and other conservative therapies and comes with it's own set of risks. I was told if I got one it would not take all the pain away but allow me to cut back on the meds. After doing my own research it does not sound like it's a good idea for me.

[marlymonks]

This is to all who have been innocent (through taking the drug as prescribed and finding out the Doctors didn't know enough about the drug when released) victims of, in my opinion, one of the most dangerous drugs previously released on the market.

I have been on narcotics so long, I don't remember how long. I have probably been on, with a few breaks, 20 years, as part of treatment for severe chronic pain, I won't even go into.
I was almost killed, several times, and could have killed others while driving, because a doctor told me I could cut a time released Oxycontin in half, to reduce the dose, as I was becoming too sedated during the day. At the time I had a very high profile job, requiring a huge amount of responsibility. Again, the Dr. told me to cut the pill in half, which I usually took at lunch. i would go back to work stumbling around; My secretary would have to come in my office to keep me from mumbling to myself; i was out of it much of the time. Worst of all, driving later to a second job, when I thought I felt better, I would run off the road- though trying so hard to stay alert. Once in late August I fell asleep in my car when I drove up to my house, out of exhaustion and it was over 100 degrees. I was in the car for hours. Luckily, i had opened the door partially, so I was getting some air. Had my dogs not been barking so loudly for me from the house, I don't know when I would have woken up. i could go on and on, but I wanted to share some things specifically with you.

I was involved in a suit of the drug company in a class action and was successful at least in some compensation. I encourage anyone who has a case against careless, money hungry, drug manufacturers to go after them. Also the Doctors, if in fact, they are liable.

I went through terrible withdrawal, not even knowing it most of the time, due to having the whole blast of the med mid day. Then a number of hours later I would start dropping out. Methadone was a great help to me as a drug I transferred straight to from oxy and I think most folks know about Methadone. It sounds like YOU have done the thing many of us only WISH we could do and that is go OFF. I  ADMIRE you more than I can say.

For those who are not there yet, I think long term use of narcotics, except in cases of terminal illness or recovery from severe injury is not the only option.   Based on the literature, after long term use (and I am not talking about years)  The REBOUND PAIN effect is obviously a contraindication to this intervention as an ongoing one.

Recently, my Pain doctor has spoken to me about something that is put under your skin in your back and somehow sends signals to nerves in your spine area that kill pain (That is my VerY POOR way of explaining it-but I am sure UR DR would know what it is) It is my understanding if it works, I go OFF NARCOTICS! I just wanted to put this out there for other pepes to mention to their Docs. If I had the pamphlet I could actually give the name.

Later, marlymonks

[ginbud]

Thanks for the note of Congratulations. I sure feel like I've accomplished one of my most difficult task in life, and I've had quite a few.

[Kabe827]

Congrats ginbud on 24 months of OxyFree!! That is certainly an accomplishment and something to be VERY proud of!!      Kabe827
                          

[ginbud]

Search and find this link:" MY PERSONAL DIARY OF OXYCONTIN WITHDRAWAL."  It  started out as "Oxykicker's" personal Journal, yet hundreds upon hundreds of others have posted their own stories, woes, helpful advice and support and turned his Diary into the best information on Oxycontin withdrawal and PAWS (POST ACCUTE WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS) you will find anywhere here, or elsewhere. I myself have added tons of information and support and I'm proudly happy to say that on January 11, 2011, I finally completed 24 months of being Oxy free.You are not alone trying to tame this ruthless beast. Join us, and I hope to read your postings over there. A bit late in responding, but knowing this drug as I do, your stil working hard at it or feeling it's a lost cause. It's not my friend. Best of Luck To You.
Ginbud

[Steve_MHModerator]

The Addiction: Substance Abuse Community is "P2P" and is not an "Expert" forum. I see that you've found it already. Here's the link for anyone else searching:

http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Addiction-Substance-Abuse/show/77