Life after Oxycontin!

[gene10]

Thanks to everyone who sent me good wishes on my trip to detox from Oxycontin abuse. I spent 6 days in-patient at a nice detox facility up in the woods.  They used methadone to detox me & prevent the withdrawal from the Oxy.  It worked very well & I was tapered from the methadone over the 6 days & am now off of everything!

Being at a detox center with many other addicts was a true eye opening experience!  I was with herion addicts, coke abusers, & alcoholics.  I was amazed that every heroin addict I talked to had heard of Oxycontin & knew to snort it for the full effect.  But they all progressed to shooting heroin eventually.  I met people who spent many periods of time in jail, lost their jobs, families, homes, etc.  I went to lots of AA meetings & lectures & saw films about addiction. And I realized that I am no different than any other addict up there, just luckier to have not lost my job of family.  I met a guy who spent $100,000.00 in the past year on drugs.  But everyone there wanted to stay sober & we all worked together to do that.  They told me that only 1 in 40 patients there will stay sober & that's a depressing thought but I am that one person!  Most of the people there have been to numerous detoxes before but this was my first & last.  (I hope & pray)

So if you are addicted to painkillers, there is a way out.  Call your doctor or insurance company or look in the phone book for detox centers (they are everywhere) & ask for help.
I find that I get a lot of help just reading the posts on this website.  It is therapy for me & I also put my own posts here & have gotten tremendous support from others - doctors & addicts.

I will be checking this website regularly so please write to me.

[Kimberly to Bob K]

Mary, I am feeling much better, I still have anxiety in my stomach but it is getting better.  I have taken a few pills like I said, but over the past week I have only taken six.  I can go two or three days without taking pills and I have no physical withdrawls anymore, so detoxing really is not as bad as it seems.  Well, that's not fair, it is very crappy, but give it two weeks, and starting to get better after the first 7 days.  I am starting to get energy back.  Not exactly the same yet but I have confidence it will improve.  I crave pills like crazy, and I want them bad and I don't know how to get rid of that feeling.  But I do remember having an addiction to Crank about 10 years ago. I used it for 3 years daily, I decided to quit because it made me a bad mother.  It was depressing for about 6 months.  I looked forward to nothing, but then I was normal again.  Drug free... I am sure that is what will happen this time and I believe the same will happen to you.  I will pray for you.  One thing that has helped me are these posts and getting in to something I used to be interested in.  I have not had the energy to read or anything like that until the past couple of days but just thinking about studying my subject started to get me excited.  I am very into paranormal activity ( I know it sound dumb but I love it )  Now I am looking up information and it gives me something to look forward to.  Now I did give into my craving sometimes, I am not saying that's right but I was still able to detox.  You can write me at ***@****.  I wish you the best and I would like to give a big thank you to Bob K and everyone else on the forum.  This is a great help.  Kimberly

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

I will be seeing my niece next weekend during our annual family reunion and need some advice.  I saw her last on Mother's Day and she looked like death.  She was puffy, pale and had trouble standing.  My brother informed me that she was taking Oxycontin for knee pain.  As of yesterday she was still taking it and I am more than a little concerned.  She has had this knee pain since 1992 and has not gotten any better.  As an addict who is trying to stay in remission myself, I would like to talk to her about this problem.  She has moved to another state because the doctors here won't deal with her anymore.  Her husband has left her because of her addiction.  My brother thinks that her pain is real even the Mayo Clinic gave her a clean bill of health several years ago.  Should I get involved?  I really want to grab her and shake some sense into her.  How should I handle this, if at all?

Thanks,

John B.

[From Aunt Lindy to Mariah]

I was wondering how you are feeling today?  I am in the same situation that you are in only I have not quit yet. I am afraid of how I will feel.  I know how I feel now when I run out too soon. I feel like I am going through an exorcism when that happens.  I hope that you are doing well. I admire your courage.
Sincerely,
Mary.

[Kimberly to Bob K]

Thanks for your advice, I have taken a few pills over the past 10 days, about 15 Vicodin, I hope it doesn't ruin what I am trying to do.  I picks me up to hear realisticly I will begin to feel better after 2 weeks.  I feel like dying right now, the anxiety in my stomach is the worse, Wellbutrin was working for the first two days but today not so good.  I wish you all the best. Kimberly

[Bob K]

Kimberly Im feeling better about living without oxy but I have to be realistic. I was taking pain meds for a long time and my healing process is just beginning. When I walk across the room its a whole new ballgame for me. Im going to see my doctor for a well needed physical. I hope the bad feelings you are having go away soon. When I think about my life I realize that the nineteen 60s 70s 80s and 90s were all very active drug years for me. One type or another I always kept up with the times. It feels like Im dying also at times and may very well be. Tonight I feel better than I ever did during my whole oxy addiction. I know its going to take a lot to maintain this new high. Good luck Bob K

[Kimberly]

I am also detoxing off Norco (Vicodin 10mg).  It sucks bad, I did not have the option to taper just stop.  I feel very depressed, like life is way too overwealming, and their is no JOY in life.  Like Gene said I know I can put an end to my suffering but it will put me back into the drugseeking stress and I can't handle that either.  I told my doctor (rehab doc) that I was feeling like this.  I take 30mg's of Paxil and he added Wellbutrin.  The wellbutrin helps immediately, at least for me.  It makes me feel a little disconnected but that anxiety in my stomach that I can't live with is decreased by 65% at least after the first pill.  He said the difference with Wellbutrin is it puts chemicals into your brain unlike the ssri's (prozak, paxil, zoloft) that slowly urge you brain to produce itself.  I would also like to know how long this will last?  How long can I expect to feel like this.
Kimberly