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Oxy Withdrawal, How I did it
Hello everyone, I am finally posting to this forum. I have been eating Oxy's for over two years, at my worst: 6 / 20's a day. I have been reading your posts for a couple of months now, I have had enough and decided to quit so here is how it went for me.
You guys all seem to agree that a gradual "taper" is the way to go so this is what I tried, with no help... My wife didn't even ever know that I had a problem, or should I say, HAVE a problem. Yes, as boring as this sounds, admitting your problem is the beginning.
Anyway, from 6 pills to 4 was easy over maybe 3-6 days then to 3 pills for a couple of weeks, I need to say that, and this is very important, your body is a "creature of habit" and prone to conditioning. I never liked the way I would sleep if I had taken the drug to close to bed time so I never took any after about 5:00 PM and this was never a problem, never felt cravings at night as my body was "tuned" to this.
Now in my withdrawal, this still holds true, if I make it to 5:00, my symptoms just slacken to almost nothing until the morning (because this is how my body has been conditioned). So I find that tapering is easy if you just take your dosage and spread it evenly throughout the day so there is always some in your system. And don't take them at a time when you didn't as your body will be O.K. at this time and it's a nice place to be, no drugs and no symptoms, or at least very reduced symptoms, it's a time to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
So back to my withdrawals, from 3 it got a little harder (1 at wake, 1 at noon, 1 at 4:00 PM). I think because less than 3 you stop feeling the "nice" or highness.
I went from 3 to 2 1/2 , I just went from 1 at wake to 1/2. This is where it started to get hard. I did this for about a week then it was time to go to 2 so I started to take just halves, in 2 you have 4 halves so I now went to 1/2 @ wake, 1/2 @ 10:00AM 1/2 @ 12:00PM 1/2 @ 2:00 PM and 1/2 @ 4:00 PM, about every 2 hours. I did this for about 4 days. At this point I was feeling like I wanted more, not real bad, doable, no real symptoms yet besides the depression, this was starting to get to me but I knew where it was coming from so I fought it knowing that it would end.
I now had to start changing what my body wanted so I decided to stop the morning dose, I wanted to extend the time from my last to my first and start getting used to not having any, remember, I don't take after 4-5PM so when I took my first of the day now at 10:00AM it has been about 18 hours since my last and now I am feeling the pain of withdrawals, all of them. (I am not a writer and am doing the best I can, I hope this is making sense) This is where you will be tested, you just want the high all the time now and keep saying to yourself, ****, I'll just get high once more, it wont hurt and then I'll go back to my plan.... ********, DON'T GIVE IN. Somebody once said to me, "If your going to do something, do it, give it your all... If your not going to give it your all then don't even try, it's a wast of time and energy. ARE YOU GOING TO QUIT OR KEEP DOING THESE ******* PILLS??? Now is the time to decide what it's going to be, go one way or the other, don't kid yourself, there is only 2 choices, not three... remember this, Not three.
I went from the two pills, all halved, to now I am just taking 1/4 pill at noon and 1/4 pill at 4:00.. The pain is bad from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM but at it's worst from about 2:00 PM till 4:00PM. By 5:00PM I am feeling OK and by 7:00PM I am like normal (as well as I can remember what normal feels like) So this has been my experience, I have posted this because I spend some time looking for a post like this so I would know what I was up against. I found that the more posts like this one that I read, the more I felt that I could handle this without going to a drug rehabilitation center. I am now at this stage, my wife still doesn't really know or understand what has been happening (I say this so you realize how easy it is to hide this problem, we are close and she doesn't even know??? go figure???)
Now I don't know how to proceed, 1/4 at noon and 1/4 at 4 and I am in pain, really want more... Should I now just quit or taper more?? I'm thinking quit, so tomorrow I will not take any, it has been over 2 years and tomorrow I will take no more... Wish me luck, I will let you know how it goes for me.
I hope this helps even one person, please stop as this is the highway to HELL.
Tom...
You guys all seem to agree that a gradual "taper" is the way to go so this is what I tried, with no help... My wife didn't even ever know that I had a problem, or should I say, HAVE a problem. Yes, as boring as this sounds, admitting your problem is the beginning.
Anyway, from 6 pills to 4 was easy over maybe 3-6 days then to 3 pills for a couple of weeks, I need to say that, and this is very important, your body is a "creature of habit" and prone to conditioning. I never liked the way I would sleep if I had taken the drug to close to bed time so I never took any after about 5:00 PM and this was never a problem, never felt cravings at night as my body was "tuned" to this.
Now in my withdrawal, this still holds true, if I make it to 5:00, my symptoms just slacken to almost nothing until the morning (because this is how my body has been conditioned). So I find that tapering is easy if you just take your dosage and spread it evenly throughout the day so there is always some in your system. And don't take them at a time when you didn't as your body will be O.K. at this time and it's a nice place to be, no drugs and no symptoms, or at least very reduced symptoms, it's a time to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
So back to my withdrawals, from 3 it got a little harder (1 at wake, 1 at noon, 1 at 4:00 PM). I think because less than 3 you stop feeling the "nice" or highness.
I went from 3 to 2 1/2 , I just went from 1 at wake to 1/2. This is where it started to get hard. I did this for about a week then it was time to go to 2 so I started to take just halves, in 2 you have 4 halves so I now went to 1/2 @ wake, 1/2 @ 10:00AM 1/2 @ 12:00PM 1/2 @ 2:00 PM and 1/2 @ 4:00 PM, about every 2 hours. I did this for about 4 days. At this point I was feeling like I wanted more, not real bad, doable, no real symptoms yet besides the depression, this was starting to get to me but I knew where it was coming from so I fought it knowing that it would end.
I now had to start changing what my body wanted so I decided to stop the morning dose, I wanted to extend the time from my last to my first and start getting used to not having any, remember, I don't take after 4-5PM so when I took my first of the day now at 10:00AM it has been about 18 hours since my last and now I am feeling the pain of withdrawals, all of them. (I am not a writer and am doing the best I can, I hope this is making sense) This is where you will be tested, you just want the high all the time now and keep saying to yourself, ****, I'll just get high once more, it wont hurt and then I'll go back to my plan.... ********, DON'T GIVE IN. Somebody once said to me, "If your going to do something, do it, give it your all... If your not going to give it your all then don't even try, it's a wast of time and energy. ARE YOU GOING TO QUIT OR KEEP DOING THESE ******* PILLS??? Now is the time to decide what it's going to be, go one way or the other, don't kid yourself, there is only 2 choices, not three... remember this, Not three.
I went from the two pills, all halved, to now I am just taking 1/4 pill at noon and 1/4 pill at 4:00.. The pain is bad from 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM but at it's worst from about 2:00 PM till 4:00PM. By 5:00PM I am feeling OK and by 7:00PM I am like normal (as well as I can remember what normal feels like) So this has been my experience, I have posted this because I spend some time looking for a post like this so I would know what I was up against. I found that the more posts like this one that I read, the more I felt that I could handle this without going to a drug rehabilitation center. I am now at this stage, my wife still doesn't really know or understand what has been happening (I say this so you realize how easy it is to hide this problem, we are close and she doesn't even know??? go figure???)
Now I don't know how to proceed, 1/4 at noon and 1/4 at 4 and I am in pain, really want more... Should I now just quit or taper more?? I'm thinking quit, so tomorrow I will not take any, it has been over 2 years and tomorrow I will take no more... Wish me luck, I will let you know how it goes for me.
I hope this helps even one person, please stop as this is the highway to HELL.
Tom...
I am asking for some input/help with my problem. note that I am new to this site. About a year or so ago, I was tipped at my bar with a percocet....since then Ive been hooked. Ive done everything from oxys, to morphine to hydros...Ive kicked everything but hydros. I cant get past the feeling of having to take atleast 15 mg's a day just to get though the day without feeling like I want to jump out of my skin or get out of bed. I have no health insurance...and the trouble around here is that EVERYONE is on a pill kick...all of my friends...I have no one to turn to...without them wanting to get me high or party with them. I've completely made the decision to get out of the bar scene because it has done nothing but make me want to use even more.
Since I have a very low addiction, I still have a dependency on pain killers... I like the feeling, the ephoria and it makes me motivated and willing to get things done... I feel like If i kick that, i wont be the same outgoing person. someone asked me to go on Colonadine (spelling?) or xanax to help...will this help? or will I just be replacing one drug for another?
I'm reaching out for somekind of feedback, help, anything... can anyone help me?
Since I have a very low addiction, I still have a dependency on pain killers... I like the feeling, the ephoria and it makes me motivated and willing to get things done... I feel like If i kick that, i wont be the same outgoing person. someone asked me to go on Colonadine (spelling?) or xanax to help...will this help? or will I just be replacing one drug for another?
I'm reaching out for somekind of feedback, help, anything... can anyone help me?
Hi Michelle,
I now understand your story, great what you are doing. You need to make this more concrete.. set up a schedule, a do-able schedule and stick to it, this will never work if you are just trying to cut down or keep telling yourself that you are doing better that you were because today I did... and yesterday I did ... you need to have a concrete taper and stick to it. I have tried the non committal method many times, no go, not until I made a commitment and stuck it out no matter what.
I am sorry if I am babbling but I need to here this as much as anybody and going this alone talking to myself on this forum seems to be helping me, I also am hoping it is helping someone else.
As far as your flushing idea, I think it's a good one, this makes this plan concrete, I have always got my pills for free, I have a contact, another story... anyway I ended this relationship and had so many left, this was my major motivation, I had to quit before I ran out to avoid c/t pain. well today I flushed the last of my pills to harden the concrete. If you figure a realistic amount, something you can really do, then sever your contact so you can't get more, flush the excess now what's left, you have to do this thing. That is concrete. do it!!!!
Tom...
I now understand your story, great what you are doing. You need to make this more concrete.. set up a schedule, a do-able schedule and stick to it, this will never work if you are just trying to cut down or keep telling yourself that you are doing better that you were because today I did... and yesterday I did ... you need to have a concrete taper and stick to it. I have tried the non committal method many times, no go, not until I made a commitment and stuck it out no matter what.
I am sorry if I am babbling but I need to here this as much as anybody and going this alone talking to myself on this forum seems to be helping me, I also am hoping it is helping someone else.
As far as your flushing idea, I think it's a good one, this makes this plan concrete, I have always got my pills for free, I have a contact, another story... anyway I ended this relationship and had so many left, this was my major motivation, I had to quit before I ran out to avoid c/t pain. well today I flushed the last of my pills to harden the concrete. If you figure a realistic amount, something you can really do, then sever your contact so you can't get more, flush the excess now what's left, you have to do this thing. That is concrete. do it!!!!
Tom...
"This is the end of the line for you ******** pills."
Amen. Good for you.
Amen. Good for you.
I agree, if you become accountable to others it's harder to cheat yourself or lie to yourself, I just got finished talking to my family, told everything. I feel better, they don't but are supporting me. I just let the kids know that the back pain pills became a problem and now I have to correct this. They all knew that I had medication for my back and even all knew that it was illegal or not prescribed.
My wife, Laura is as understanding as I thought and is supporting me.
O.K. so another part of this nightmare is over, I am moving forward.
I am scared about tomorrow, I flushed all my pills, haven't had any today, and am sure tomorrow will be worse than today was. I went to the drug store and got some sleeping pills but I doubt they will be of much help. I am now very agitated, jumpy and nervous also a bad headache, the craving for a pill is not bad for me at this time, it is now 9:30 PM
This is the end of the line for you ******* pills.
My wife, Laura is as understanding as I thought and is supporting me.
O.K. so another part of this nightmare is over, I am moving forward.
I am scared about tomorrow, I flushed all my pills, haven't had any today, and am sure tomorrow will be worse than today was. I went to the drug store and got some sleeping pills but I doubt they will be of much help. I am now very agitated, jumpy and nervous also a bad headache, the craving for a pill is not bad for me at this time, it is now 9:30 PM
This is the end of the line for you ******* pills.
I needed to hear that. Thank you so much.
Hello Michelle, great reading your story - I know what its like, when you first start to write it, there is so much to come out, the whole picture there in black and white. There is great relief in sharing this burden - I was trying to stop for months and months on my own - foolish pride, didn't want to admit to self or others that I it was a problem. Then I admitted to myself that in fact it was a HUGE problem, and that unbeleivably, I was addicted again. Then I told this forum and an austrlian one - then couple days later I got the overwhelming urge to tell my ex (still friends) and my dearest frined - and that made all the difference. I have become accountable not just to myself, which I could always weasle out of, but to others.
Good luck, good on you, keep posting - after the w/d comes part two of staying off them long term, but thats for later.
Alex
Good luck, good on you, keep posting - after the w/d comes part two of staying off them long term, but thats for later.
Alex
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