Addicted to Oxy's Perc's and Ambien .... where to start ??

Question

I have legitimate Pain for which I am prescribed Oxycontin 40mg 3x a day & Percocet 10/325 for breakthorough pain .... I also take Ambein CR 12.5 at night to sleep ..... I have been taking this combo for over two years.   I really want to get off all of these medications.   I would like to try to do it on my own... without asking my Doctor to help (Just in case I can't push through the Pain.. that started this whole cycle.   I am fearful if I ask the Dr to help me through this and the Pain is too severe .... I will have had him lower my dose and now HAVE to suffer....if I can't do it )   So what I am asking for .... is if people think I should Just try to stop Cold Turkey ....or if I should taper.    and if I should do it all at once ... meaning try to get off the Opiates & the Sleeping Meds .... or get off the Opiates first then tackle the Ambein.     I would like to know .... if it were you ... what you would do.   Thanks in advance for your responses !!

Addict63 · Answer

Tram is exactly correct, in my opinion, on saving the Ambien for last. This is what I did, and I'm still doing it in fact. I'm now on my last taper amount from a long Ambien taper program. I've gone from 10MG per night down to 1.25 per night now. I'll be done in about 2 weeks. I started out by withdrawing from opiates first.

The most important move I made was to get my Doctor involved before I started out doing anything.

I was on Vicodin ES 7.5.. The ambien was part of the using circle. I could use opiates and still sleep well w/ambien. So, when I felt it was time to quit everything, I knew I was in for sleep problems. My doctor mentioned I wasn't getting the correct TYPE of sleep while on opiates, and to expect sleep troubles. So I stopped the vikes first, sleeping through WDs with ambien. Once I stabilized from the Vike WDs, including my blood pressure, my doctor and i started on my long and winding road to ambien freedom.

 Ambien has been much more of an effort to get off of. I was on it for less than a year total, never more than 10MG per night. I'm tapering directly off of it. Taking more ambien per day for a longer period could involve a much different approach to tapering. Your doctor will have the answers.

Best of luck to you.

LeaAnn807 · Answer

Hi!  I used to take a combo like yours....a few years ago.  Ambien CR has to be tapered with some regular ambien that you can adjust the dose on.  The CR doesn't need to be halved or broken.  The doc can help you with that.

I agree with what vicki said too.  You have to decide, do it and then find something else to help the pain.  It takes a strong resolve no matter how you decide to do it.  Having your mom help will be a great way to do the taper.  Save the ambien for last.  You could stop the oxy and just take the percocet for the taper.  

The best thing to do is speak with a doctor about a taper.  If you do not trust the doc you have now, then find one you do trust.  You need someone to help you with the ambien part, ok?

Best of luck!!!

Lea Ann

guv338 · Answer

The old saying is, " if you continue to straddle the fence, you will rip your britches ". Which only means what vicki595 said above, you have to make your own choice and go with it or things will only get worse. I can't help with the Ambien issue, but as far as the Oxy problem, I've been there. You can overcome Oxycontin, IF, you want it bad enough. The pain of continuing to use it must become worse than the pain of stopping. Your doses are not that high right now, but if you dont stop, I can assure you that it will only get worse and your tolerance will get higher and higher. Its the nature of the beast that you are dealing with. Do yourself a huge favor and get the work done that will give you your life back. You are worth it and deserve it. Best of luck, guv.

mellie4 · Answer

Have you checked out the pain management forums?  You might get some help there, too.  I struggle with this too.  I take a lot of meds and sometimes just want to get off all of them.  I fear addiction and withdrawal.  I'm interested in how you end up doing all this.

I have a great relationship with my pain management team, but I'd be reluctant to go through them if I was going to get off.  I'd be afraid I was going to send them the wrong message.

Vicki, my pain is affected by everything, too.  Especially the cold, whether it's real cold, like winter in NE, or artificial cold, like air conditioning.  That makes it so much worse.  But extremes in the weather also bother me too.  I love the heat, but when it goes from cool to hot and humid, I have a flare-up until I adjust.  Everyone that's  a patient seems to say the same thing, but lots of doctors say weather has nothing to do with anything.

OhSoTiredOfitall · Answer

Thanks for responding Vicki .... my Pain levels change from day to day .... some days  with the Pain meds my Pain is at an 8 or 9 and somedays  its like a 2 or 3 .... everything seems to effect it .. Weather .. Stress etc..... 
             I Prefer to try to do this without the Doctor ... I dont really like him or trust him ... I am very close to my Mother and talked to her about all this yesterday ... She said she would be will to help me ... hold my Meds and give them to me everyday and help me taper.   She lives very close by ... so it would be pretty convenient.    I am glad you told me about the Ambein ... I think I will do the Opiates first then tackle that.

vicki595 · Answer

Hi~  If this were me,I'd speak with the doctor.  You need to make a choice here: off them or on them. It sounds like you want to keep the doors open...

You can't do this all at once;the Ambien needs to be tapered.  You could drop the oxy and take percocet only.  But I think tapering is hard.  Think about this and decide what to do. The doctor will work with you if you're honest.  Some people get off all pain meds to evaluate their pain. Then go on lower doses and feel much better.  
Where is your pain?

Vicki