Do I really need these drugs

[jrsnowbasin]

I am a 54 year old contractor who fell two stories and have several injuries that will never get better.  Back , neck , shoulders no rotator cuffs at all , and so on.  I have been on Oxy for two years dose of 100mgs a day and now 3 weeks without and trying to wean off using norco but my Dr. has not given me any kind of structure or schedule to follow and my sleep is not good my appetite is gone and I need to take a hand full of norco just to get out of bed and the pain is worse in all my injuries.
  My Dr. seems to think I am nuts for not wanting to live a life on oxycontin and I feel I have no life at all with that drug.
  What can I do as I do not mind the norcos if I am allowed to get to an amount that is not to much.

[jrsnowbasin]

4 in the morning and not sleeping but what goes up must come down.  Week four without oxy and down to 4norcos a day and thinking what a weak man for not stopping the norcos to but what does one do when having responsibilities like work , home , pet , etc.  
  Weaning myself this way is tolerable but still a pain in the *** as sleep sucks , eating , and my energy level sucks but I have put in 150 miles in the last 7 days but as soon as I am off the bike its time for a book and stay off my feet as I still have all the injuries that the Drs,say I need to be on pain pills.  The pain is the same with 4 norcos or 100mlg of oxy so if anyone who thinks they really will change things they will you will need more each day , week , month and all ways be chasing that feeling the first pill ever gave me.
  I want to say one more time thanks to everyone who responds as this is proving to be a good way for me the put into words how I am feeling about this process as my only family is my doberman and as much as she cares she is speechless about my problems.  Jrsnowbasin

[broknbck]

Everyone is right. After you finally quit, (it may take a week) you may notice the pain not so bad. I had chronic back pain from injuries and took opiates for 4 years. After i quit my back feels great. It did get real painful like the last week of weaning and the first week off. But they say that the drug is playing tricks on your brain. Just so you will take more.

I also moved out west where the humidity is next to nothing. This has helped tremendously. I really miss everyone but they are glad that I have my life back. And am no longer in pain. I don't take anything. Not even an aspirin. ha

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

It sounds to me like you have the physical and mental determination to do what you wish. Suboxone is a replacement narcotic not a lot unlike methadone for maintenance and withdrawal. It doesnt sound like you want to go there

[worried878]

You are smart to get off now...the tolerence builds and then there is never enough pills to satisfy your needs...welcome to the forum

[jrsnowbasin]

I have lost friends and distant family members due to opiates so I know the end result is a miserable life so why not go get some help as I am one guy who can walk in to any Dr, and show them one of my many mris and get on what ever I choose.  My w/d this month have been not so bad with weaning my self with the norcos but with any opiate it takes control not to search for that feeling of numbness we are all looking for and eat more and more of those.
  I feel for you steve but if you know its bad its not to late to get your life back I am seeing and feeling and tasteing for the first time in years and the pain that is so bad is no where near as bad as where that Dr. was taking me.   Jrsnowbasin

[jrsnowbasin]

Sir Issac Moron is not responsible for me getting off oxy its me and only me so maybe she is pissed that a good customer will not be making her money much longer.  If I can get off this stuff anyone can.
  I do know what norco is and the reason I choose is the drug that is less obtrusive on my kidneys and liver and much easier to get off of than the oxy but still a chore but one I think I am ready for.  
  I was told to apply for federal disability and that was by the Dr. so I am going the opposite direction to prove to the people that say I am done that I have alot of life left in me that given the chance I will beat the odds.
  I am glad to have found a website like this but sure makes me sad what our Drs. are doing to good people who have for some reason or another had to take pain killers.
  I just wish they worked without the misery that comes with them.  JRnowbasin

[jrsnowbasin]

What is suboxone ?  Is this another anti depressant or what

[jrsnowbasin]

thank you guys for your comments.  I am week four without oxy but still on Norco and the Dr. said yesterday that 4 of those a day is enough.  She is nuts.  I am riding 20 miles a day of hills at a mile high to get that **** out of me on a bike and still feel like something the cat drug in.
  Dr. seems to be mad at me for not doing what she says as far as the oxy.  I thought she might show some support but she must get a kick back from the manufacturer of oxycontin.  
  I am not going back as that pain is far worse than any pain I might have.  I would like support from the Dr. who put me on this path but pigs will fly before that happens.  JRsnowbasin

[Florida_Guy737]

Hello:

I agree with Enemy ... I'm 46, have knee fractures and lost most of my cartiledge in my lefy knee; I mean the docs want to install new knees for me.  I'm not ready for that yet as I can still move around and do light cardio but no running, etc.  I was on the Fentynl patch and percs...sometimes up to 8 a day.  Since I came off the meds, I have been able to mange the pain with Aleve and aspirin.  The only thing I don't have is the high from opiates and reveiewing Steve's story, I'm glad I'm where I'm at.  

Think about trying to stop or taper.  The process is noy easy but you'll discover a few things, your pain threshold, meds slowing you down, etc.

Good Luck,

Guy

[AS_Steve]

Do you really need anymore convincing?

If you preffer to talk in private you can always PM me.

  Steve.

[xoxy]

If you've been on 100mg of OC's a day for 2 yrs  he belongs in a Turkish prison,and now Sir Issaac Moron wnts you to ween off it,using the same narcotic but has some Tyelenol in with  it. !oo Mgs/day of oxy what was it    20mg 5x/day  If you doin  that theres 1answer and 1 only...SUBOXENE as for the norco   thats kids stuff its LIKE A DIFFERENT FORM OF vivodan it allows for higher amnts of   Hydrocodone and keep aspiri. Maybee he gets momey if he destroys your liver.Bottom line if you feel good enough to go at  w/out meds try it then ifft

[enemy48]

Hi,

Yes you do have serious injuries.  A lot of us do (or did) so we understand the need for medication.

I've said this over and over and maybe you have heard it before.  This came from both medical professionals & recovering addicts.  I'm living proof.

Sometimes, the more pain medication you take, the more you think you hurt, or the more it actually makes you hurt.

During my detox I couldn't imagine getting on w/life without pain killers.  But detox is painful physically.  

After 5 months, I'm so ashamed that what little pain I actually had I was taking 20 pills or more daily.  Even while on pills, the pain never completely went away.  It didn't start to make a difference until I was about 3 weeks clean.  

Is it worth it to you to just give it a try?

At 5 months off pills, my level of pain went from an 8 to a one-half!

[GoingToMakeIt]

Good post, Steve.

[AS_Steve]

  I've lost everything due to my Oxy addiction so please listen to my story and learn from it.

  I was diagnosed with a painful spine disease in my mid twenties. At that time it was'nt too bad and I was living a good life working as a mechanic at a dealership, married with two small children. Within the next few years the pain got worse so my doc started me on a low dose of Oxycontin. By my early thirties I was taking more and more of the Oxy's and I started living with a clouded head. Soon my marriage fell apart and I went through a hard divorce. Within the next year I was snorting large amounts of the drug every day to the point where I was'nt functioning normally. I soon lost my job and ended up on disability partly due to my condition but mainly because I could not think straight anymore. All I could think about was getting more Oxy into me to dull my pain and here I am today, alone...an addict and hating my life more and more each day. I have tried to quit so many times but I go through terrible withdrawls and don't make it past day three. I have'nt given up hope but I regret the day I started taking this drug.

  Quit now while you can before you lose everything like I did. I know how bad it is to live with pain but believe me it is worse to live without a mind.

  Steve.

[GoingToMakeIt]

Welcome to the Forum. I am so sorry this got overlooked. I don't have your answers but this will bump you back up.