Off Oxycontin for two weeks and can't sleep. Help

[Iflyfish]

I was taking oxycontin 10 mg time released three times per day for three years. I have gone though one month of titration, gradual withdrawal of the drug and am now oxycontin free for the last two weeks. My problem is that I cannot sleep. I have tried Ambien and it only worked one night. Does any one know how long the sleeplessness will last? Have others experienced this? How long does it last? Does anyone have any recommendations for something to help me sleep? I would give anything for a good night sleep.

Iflyfish

[Iflyfish]

Way leads on to way and I have not been on this site for a very long time.

Withdrawl was a living hell for me and lasted many weeks after I titrated off of the Oxy. I slept only one night per week for three weeks. Awful. Medical Marijuana helped some for sleep though I still awoke with heart thumping bursts of adrenalin at times.

I am now two years out from my withdrawl from 10mg time released three times per day. I have no cravings nor desire for the drug and I am glad of that. It did work very well for my pain which fortunately was resolved with a total hip replacement. I still have lower back pain but it is not immobilizing like the hip was.

My life is good and I am happy though I have been dealing with emotional reactivity and anger and am exploring how to better deal with this. I am not clear how much is psychological, I have found some underlying issues, and how much is physical, I am still on Wellbutrin and Tranadol, which I just now find is also highly addictive. I am going to explore the need, use, issues related to both of these meds with my physician. I have felt relief by sorting out some of the emotional issues I am dealing with.

Thank you all for your generous support during this battle.

[SableZen]

Did you find any of the recommendations of particular help or did you just end up riding it out?

[By the way, I landed a 46" Redfish here in Florida on my fly fishing outfit last week. I still miss fishing in the mountains for trout more than anything though.]

[Iflyfish]

For three weeks after last dose of Oxycodone I slept only three nights. After that I was able to start sleeping at night, fitfully at first and now can sleep entire night and take naps. It is wonderful to be able to sleep again. Hang in there, the sleeplessness goes away!

Thanks for the support I received on this forum.

Iflyfish

[Iflyfish]

I can feel the affects of the suppliments and slept better last night. Thanks,

Iflyfish

[Iflyfish]

I took the suppliments today and can feel some relief. I will try Melatonin, I have used it before to good affect, but not with sleep problems of this magnitude. Worth a try.

Thanks again to this wonderful group.

Iflyfish

[Nodrugs]

Try Melatonin....3 mg. 1/2 hour before sleep time..

Blessings
Cindy

[Iflyfish]

I got it! You are taking a multi vitamin plus an amino acid formula and cal/mag at bed time

Thanks

Iflyfish

[Iflyfish]

I am confused
So you are taking two products per day, multi vitamins and amino acids?
Thanks
Iflyfish

[GoingToMakeIt]

It does get better. Just be patient. It does not all happen in a few days or even weeks for some.

[FlyFisher100]

The vits call for being taken with each meal (3x/day) and the aminos between meals (4x/day) as they would otherwise be absorbed with the food.

Iflyfish...Kamloops...you're killin' me!

Having just read the word supplement, when I was in my 20s I was an amateur body builder and a competitive power lifter during non-competition time.  Strange thing is, is that a never ever used roids' and never used pain meds until years later when my back starting giving me problems which are in part due to me pounding my body in the gym.

Oh, well.  Time to make it right.

[Iflyfish]

I am touched by the support here. Thank you so much! I will be sharing what I am learning with my doc. I don't think he knows much about this.

I was feeling despair, wondering if this would ever end. I really don't want to get on another drug to treat the symptoms of withdrawal from a drug....dah! I was very surprised that Ambien didn't even touch the sleep issues, that is a powerful drug!

The titration off the Oxycontin was very helpful, I am now reading here what cold turkey is like. I had one short experience with it when I did not take a dose, full blown shaking all over my body, sweats, wet my bed, couldn't think straight, shivering...very nast business and scared the **** out of me. I feel for those who are at that stage and encourage them to HANG IN THERE.

Thanks,

Iflyfishwhennotinthethroasofoxycontinwithdrawal!

[GoingToMakeIt]

I too like to fly fish. It makes me want to go now, just thinking about it.
Melatonin can be taken up to 10mg safely. Just remember that the normal dose is about 1mg. So as you are getting to sleep easier, cut your dosage back.
     I am so glad to see FlyFisher recommend vitamins and supplements and aminos. Very important! I truly believe it is vital to your recovery! The only thing I would add is take the vitamins 2x a day. Water soluble vitamins do not stay in you that long. Taking 2x/day assures they are available pretty much 24/7.

[Iflyfish]

That may well be so. New hip surgery, cut no muscles, ligaments or tendons. Pain gone after 15 years. Woke up and walked with out pain. Lot of my other pain had been referred. Glad I could use Oxy for the three years I was on it. It allowed me to at least minimally go about my daily life. I had no idea of the difficulty of withdrawal. Nasty, nasty business.

I hope I can again get back into a pontoon boat and get a towed by some more Kamloops!

I found the suppliment and ordered it. Thank you very, very much!

What a ride!

Iflyfish

[FlyFisher100]

PM/IM (what ever its called here)  is you want.

[FlyFisher100]

The hip surgery was a breeze because of the pills...

[Iflyfish]

Thank you very much for your gracious and helpful response. I really do need to know that this will go away. I am dragging my can, with my beek in the dirt cause of the sleep loss. I have been searching for the suppliments you recommend and I appreciate the post.

I am in a similar situation as you. I don't feel any cravings any more, just the lack of sleep and it's a killer. Never been through anything like this. My hip replacement was a breeze compared to this. I really understand now why people relapse. I am not going to do that, just a lot more empathy and understanding.

Saludos to this forum!!

Keep your tip up!

Iflyfish

[FlyFisher100]

Holy ****, I went down a rabbit trail and didn't answer your question...

It does go away, it all goes away.

Time....Time.... is what you need.  

[FlyFisher100]

Ah, a brother fly fisher.

You are correct sir!  The neuros are what are screwed up.  You need to re-establish the proper connections not only to get back to normal but to reduce/eliminate the cravings.  Additionally, if I may recommend Omega 3 Fatty Acids.  The fatty acids (transmitter medium) present in the pills are what rebuild/replace the existing damaged transmitters.

Additionally, a full spectrum multi-vitamin.  Not one of the ones advertised on TV but one from a supplement store that give you hundreds/thousands of times what you need in the water soluables (B,C) and the RDA for the fat soluable (A,D,E,K)

Our bodies are damaged.  Our brains are damaged.  We need to rewire everything to get better.

As for your sleep, have you tried thinking about standing in your favorite trout stream landing a pig on a dry?  (Just kidding, that would keep me up...).  Something that I would recommend is CalMag 500.  It is a combination of Calcium and Magnesium that you can take up to 3x/day and especially before bed.  The minerals calm the body and the nervous system, bringing on natural sleep.  I only had a couple of tough days during my WD's.  Nothing serious, but it felt like it cause I can be a big baby.  

The multi vitamin w/the energy add-on is manufacturered by Future Biotics and is called "High Energy for Men".  The energy blend is all natural and doesn't have those things like Kotu, ephedra, etc... in it.  Stay away from the energy drinks, the crash is worse when you are in WD's.

I bought the full spectrum VitaminShoppe brand of Aminos.  Must be a complete/full spectrum type.

You know, the one thing that I'm most proud of is making the decision to be clean.  The interim getting there can be tough.  I lost a good friend to Cancer a couple of years ago and I watched this warrior come into work everyday, even after Chemo and gut it out.  He puked in his trash can regularly.  He eventually succumbed to the disease, but I figure if he could do that for months on end, I can do this for a few days.  The alternative of not doing it is not good.  I've been truly blessed.  I live very well and could afford to pay for hundreds of pills/week if I wanted.  This choice is mine and I'm getting off the train.

Here is my daily motivational:

Pull you head out of your a## and get clean....it's not about you, its about your family and your ability to provide for them.  Don't be a baby, suck it up and get there...

Tight Lines.

[Iflyfish]

Does the insomnia from Oxycontin withdrawal ever go away?

I ran into a post recommending suppliments with full range of amino acids. Anyone had luck with this. Seems logical to replace them as they help build neurotransmitters and those are what are messed up in addiction.

Thanks,
Iflyfish

[Iflyfish]

Thank you very much for your recommendations. I will get some Tylenol P.M. and Melatonin and try it. At this point I would do anything.

I don't crave the drug, and  that is a blessing. I just can't get enough sleep and walk around all day with my beak in the dirt. Very low energy, clumbsy, tire easily.
I am grateful I had the drug when I did because of the excruciating pain I was in, had my hip removed and pain gone! I was able to do my normal activities on the drug, well most at any rate.

How long do you think I will be dealing with this insomnia.? It is very nasty business. This withdrawal is way worse than the surgery, which went perfectly.

Thanks for the helpful responses.

Iflyfish

[MsTickles]

I would go invest in some Tylenol P.M. SERIOUSLY! It works well, take 3. And it's not something that's gonna knock you out so bad you won't be awake for work, or drousey all day. Good luck!

[Rose703]

Oh yes the lack of sleep still remains in my brain as being the toughest w/d symptom to get over the hump with. My DOC is also Oxy although I was using at a much higher dose so my information might not be exactly right for you but here goes. I have an RX for a couple of different sleeping meds, but I simply wasn't having any luck with them so I bought Melatonin from Walmart and that did help on some of the nights. I also have an RX for Valium and that did seem to help a great deal with sleep issues but I only used it for the first week or so. Some of the OTC sleep aids also look promising and I personally tried the Excedrin PM and I did see some improvement
Keep posting and congradulations on 2 weeks clean!! Keep up the great work!!