I'm doing it!

[FibroMissa]

Okay so I've got my plan ready.  I'm doing a bit of a taper which will end Friday or Saturday nite (haven't decided yet, thinking just do it Friday) I will be going from 60-80mgs of oxy to 40 for about 3 days then none.  I've gotten a few of the things that have been recommended (immodium etc..) and will still take my alprazolam .25 two times per day but figure I need to do this.  I've been putting it off and now I've told my mom of my plan and she is avail for me from Friday on to come stay with me and help with my 9 year old daughter.  I have fibromyalgia so I will just have to see how it goes.  i'm hoping that once I get thru the rough few days that my pain with be the same and that the drug was never really helping...but we'll see I guess.  I just know that the obsessiveness of counting, worrying, overtaking, anxiety is just too much.  It barely works.  I just took my dose 2 hours ago and already i'm sad and anxious so what friggen good is that? God I want to do this and I'm so friggen thankful for my mom's support and for this board...don't know what I'd do without either.  right now though I look at my daughter and pray that I'm not too cranky.  I need to do this!! any thoughts suggestions are soooo welcome :) thanks all

[pharma9]

I had an initial disappointment that I would no longer have the "high" to look forward to,but kicked that thought out of my mind.The high only lasted a short time and was not worth it.I also quit cigarettes 28 years ago and the withdrawal mentality was much the same.I was still able to look forward to my next dose anyways,because I took 2 extrastrength tylenol every 4 hours and 2 ibuprofen 400mg every 4 hours in the beginning for about a week.I watched the clock and took my otc every 4 hours and it kept the pain under control.Once I realized I did not need the opiates for pain control or to cope with things,my desire for them went away and I am so happy
It is not a good idea to take both tylenol and ibuprofen together in maximum doses for long periods of time but for short pweriods its ok if you do not have kidney or ulcer problems.

[FibroMissa]

thanks! I need to keep that in my head ..that they cause more pain when used chronically.  That's the hurdle I struggle with.  I quit smoking cause I was just tired of it so I'm hoping that I can transfer that strength to the oxys.  I think I"m scared of the pain yes...but also the mental stuff. Knowing that I can't "escape" anymore.  when in reality I wasn't escaping for all that long before I was watching the clock for when I could take my next dose. Now that I have the support lined up, it's the time to do it.

[pharma9]

If you quit smoking,you can quit the oxys.Both are extremely hard to do and you have shown that you have it in you to do whatever you have made up your mind to do.I quit codeine over 4 months ago and have no more pain than when I was on them.After the initial rebound pain went away,I have been able to control my rheumatoid arthritis pain with otc pain meds in recommended doses.At first i needed both tylenol extrastrength and ibuprofen,but now usually only need tylenol except when the pain is worse I add ibuprofen.I have less pain now than I did with the opiates.Good luck in your withdrawal and keep posting.Those opiates cause more pain that what they relieve when used chronically.

[FibroMissa]

thanks for your comments :) I'm kind of stuck with increments of 10 as they are all 10mg oxy timed released.  So I know its a very fast taper.  I am going to try and save as much of the alprazolam as I can.  I've stocked up on vitamins so I'm hoping that will help.  My mom is coming Saturday which is why I've picked that day, I quit smoking a couple years ago but will also try to stay away from caffine.  thanks again for your support.  

[JayFive]

Going from 60-80mg of oxy to 40mg for three days then none is not a great taper. A better way you can do is start at 50, then 40, then 35, then 30, then 20, 15, 10, 5, 5, 5....off. Not sure if you have that option or not. If you will run out of the alprazolam try and save it until you are completely off of oxy. Take hot baths, take plenty of potassium. Drink a lot of water. Get a really good multi-vitamin, something in gel-tab form from a health food store instead of in chaulk form from wal-mart. Get a good B-complex vitamin as well as L-theanine and L-tyrosine. Try and take naps as sleep will probably not come easy. Eat healthy and stay away from caffeine and cigarettes if possible.

good luck.