About Me: Female, 40, Phoenix - AZ, member since Mar 2008
I stumbled upon this website looking for information about a opiate dependency. I have been in pain management for RA and Fibromyalgia for 5 years and have had enough of the escalating Rx and the doctors that give them to you - they make you need the pills to function,...
[More] but then they treat you like an addict. Well, that's true enough - I've got to the point that I can't function without them - but now I want to quit and see how much pain I'm REALLY experiencing after I'm down to a clean canvas. Then I'll see what I need to manage.
I've had a few messages sent to me asking why I am scared. Well, I'm not necessarily scared by the real world, but I am considering a trip to the hospital if the withdrawal symptoms get out of hand. I quit the meds cold - flushed 'em - this morning. I'm beginning to feel the withdrawal symptoms. I'm scared because like a lot of you, I hate pain and I'd rather not be sick. Unfortunately, when I begin looking forward to the euphoric side-effect from the drug - Oxycontin - rather than the pain it relieves, it is time to start looking for another answer to that pain question. Pursuing alternative therapies for pain doesn't seem like much use when I've already clouded the water.
I'm doing this against the advice of my original rheumatologist, but he's the one who keep prescribing the pills.
I've since joined the fine folks at Arthritis Health (kudos to Dr. Howard), so I've tapered down to 20 mg 1X a day and 10 mg 2X a day.
Hope to see you all on the other side.
BTW... about all the questions about my name... this is an old family nickname since I was always the one with a straight melon on my shoulders, and it denigrated into this... I know. It stuck. I gave up. ;) I became at one with my nickname. But the picture of the Japanese melons that are ridiculously expensive (in my profile shot) was too much temptation to pass up! Hehe!
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Well, I'm finally ready to back to work. I did not sleep much last night (maybe 2-3 hours?), which derailed my plans to return to work today. I felt like total sh*t! I'...[more]
These are in no particular order. Feel free to contribute!
1. Endorphins. Walk walk run run ride the bike swim WHATEVER just keep moving. I was tapering down to 3...[more]
Well it's getting easier in some ways today, but in others, well... not so much. I've not really been able to manage solid food for all this time. Day 2 and 3 I managed ...[more]
GoingToMakeIt Male, 54 years Near Seattle - WA Member since Dec 2007
Mood: GoingToMakeIt "When your desire to get clean, is stronger than your desire to use. Then, you will get clean" GTMI Journal Entry: " I have decided to step down from the pos..." [Read]
