Oxycontin withdrawal

[KAF]

My husband is withdrawing from Oxycontin. He is on his 17th day. He went through the typical withdrawal symptoms the first week and is getting better everyday. However, he has these vomiting spells. Sometimes it's only once, other times, like last night, he goes on all night long. Is this normal withdrawal? He does have an extra sensitive stomach (perhaps from doing so many drugs) and vomiting isn't out of the ordinary for him. But I am concerned that maybe there is something more seriously wrong. Any feedback is welcome.

Also, I have been reading the posts about Oxy withdrawal and want to put in a few words. My husband has detoxed several times from various drugs. This last time it was oxy and it has been the hardest for him physically. The thing that is keeping him going, besides NA meetings and tremendous support from me, is EXERCISE. It has been mentioned in posts previously and I want to reinforce the idea that this can help so much! He can't wait to get home from work so that he can take a run or a bike ride and forget about his cravings and focus on something healthy and uplifting. He is feeling better about himself and has alot of hope for the future. So, anyone going through recovery, Excercise helps!

[Brian to Sick and Scared]

Although it is unusual to still have vomiting after 2 weeks from last use of a narcotic it is probably related.  Without knowing what other symptoms he may have along with the vomiting (such as a burning sensation in the chest or upper abdomen, etc.) it is not possible to know for sure whether he has some other problem causing the vomiting.  He should be checked out by his physician.

[kevin]

After 17 days he should have physically detoxed already.
Now is the hard part of staying off the stuff. I too have an oxy prob and have detoxed cold turkey many times. I ride my bike about 100 miles a week, it helps.

Good luck

[cindi]

I have been taking Oxycontin for four months for my back.  I have a tethered spinal cord with disc complications.  I have so many allergies to medication that the Oxycontin was the only resourse for my pain.  I am afraid of becoming addicted and have recently taken myself off for one full week with no with drawal effects. During that time I tried Ultram and it did nothing to help or relieve the pain.  So I went back to the Oxycontin. I currently take 20mgs twice a day with 800mgs of Ibuprofin twice a day.  It takes the edge off, for now.  The doctors have yet to decide their coarse of action. I am going to see a new Nero. Doctor on the 17th of October.  It is my hope that my prayers will be answered and that they can remedy the cause and the meds will no longer be needed.  If any of you have any information about the possibity of me getting addicted.  I would appreciate any and all replies.    10/6/00

[susanlea]

I for one am one person who's scared of Oxy's.  I took them for 2 years for neuropothy in the brain stem.  Long story short, I became addicted to them, not everyone does, big difference between chemically dependent and addiction.  Your dose is low as compared to what I've seen.  It was alot harder for me to get off of but everyone's different. I started to take them more for the buzz than the pain.  There's a fairly new narcotic, I tried it for a while after the Oxy's and it worked pretty well.  I don't take any narc's now, and it was much easier to get off of. It's called Vicoprofen, combination of Vicoden and Ibuprofen, the combination is alittle easier on your stomach than Ibuprofen. I recently went to a pain management Dr..and I've been getting some kind of spinal injection blocks. I've only had 2, and so far I see a noticeable difference, and after 6 it's supposed to block all pain, than just 1 shot every 6 weeks.  Everyones different, you need to see what works for you.  I'm very paranoid about Oxy'x because by boyfriend got addicted, he was up to about 300mg of Oxy's a day recreationally, went through inhouse detox and support groups, but he says it's a monkey on his back, he can't get off.  It's changed his personality to the point, he has no life, and we're no longer together, his love for the drug, was stronger than his love for me.  If you can stay with your perscribed dose, you're doing great! Good luck with your Dr. take care, and God bless.

[Samantha Chamberlin]

I am addicted to Oxycontin, I take like 4 80mgs at one time, I am so addicted that I want to kill myself. I tried to get off and I had stomach pain,vomiting,sweats,chills,headache,deppression(BAD),severe cravings,bones ache,knee caps hurt,lower back feels like it is rotting off,the stomache pain is the worst,diahrreah,I lost my children ,4 of them and then my husband gave up on me and left while I was sleeping to New Jersey. I am 23 living with my parents and my father and I shoot each other up, he started me on the needle. I am getting shot up in the neck cause I have no veins left and I am getting scarred badly. I will never get off these Oxys,if you want to give me some advise my email is ***@****

Thanks,
Samantha Chamberlin

[susanlea]

I will try to e-mail you as soon as I can figure out why it's not working. Please call NA, you may need to call 800 directory assistance. It's going to be the hardest thing you'll ever do in your life, more painful than giving birth, but if you want to beat this demon, you can. NA will give you a list of names and numbers in your area, they will also give you some former addicts names and numbers, these people will call you back, and the best advice is from a recovering addict.  I've met people who were taking hundreds of mg a day of Oxy's and have been clean for years, but they all say the same thing, to get clean you need a support group for after care, and you need to stay connected, to meetings and a sponser.  I have never met so many people who are concerned and care about others. There are inhouse detox centers at all major hospitals. Whether you have insurance or not, they will help you.  My boyfriend had to be inhouse detoxed for 5 days, they used Methadone and Clonidin, and Trazadone.  Clonidine is to keep your blood pressure normal during withdrawals, so you don't get too anxious and the Trazadone will help you sleep.  The best way to detox is to have proffessional medical help, call your county hospital for a recomendation for an Addiction Psychiatrist, he will be able to perscribe the medications you need for withdrawal.  Severe depression is common, because the Oxycotin kills off your natural dopamine levels in the brain; dopamine is the pleasure scenors in the brain, that make you enjoy food, make you laugh, and makes you enjoy sex.  After continued use of Oxy's, which is an artifical dopamine., you can no longer take a pill to even get back up to normal.  Just imagine a straight horizontal line, when you take a narcotic, you go straight up over that line, but when you come off them, you fall below that line and need more next time to get to where you did with the first pill, and than the next time you fall even lower than you did before and so on.  When finally you can't even get up to where you started from. Once you are off the Oxy's, it can take a few months, your brain begins to manufacture dopamine again, but it takes patience.  Remember it took you awhile to get where you are now, it will take time to find your way back.  Relapse is common, but you just have to keep trying, 1 minute at a time, 1 hour at a time, and one day at a time.  But make some calls, you will be suprised at how much help is out there.  I wasn't much different than you, it took me to see what happened to my relationship and the fact that I was no longer mentally there for my kids for me to stop. It's been almost 5 months now clean. I've had some moments where I still want one, but I love my life too much now to go back. People are different, I had to disconnect from those friends, and associates that I would do drugs with, or got drugs from, they were too much of a reminder, and it would have been too easy to go back.  But God gave you life, and lifes way to short to ruin what you have, I'm almost twice your age and it took me almost 20 years of abuse to get where I am now.  You have alot of people on this forum who care about you and what you're going through, someone is always here. But help comes from within, with self love first, before you can give to someone else.  So take care of yourself first, and the rest will come.  God bless you

[t]

I am a 17 year old and addicted to OC's. Hmm

[chad]

Im 21 and was released from the detox clinic around five weeks ago.  My stay at the clinic only lasted four days and three nights but it helped tremendously.  I took the physical aspect of the withdrawals with relative ease, but, the mental craving and desire is still very strong....I miss the buzz.  As far as your husbands vomiting goes, he should have stopped after 2 - 4 days.  I would guess his diet is greatly attributing to his sickness.
  My suggestion is that your husband consumes alot of proteins and carbs.  Because Oxycodeine, as with any codeine, strips your body and muscles of essential protein and sugars. This may be why he is so sick feeling all the time.
  I also suggest he goes to your family physician and lets him know of his stomach problems.  He will prescribe him some nerve pills like valium or xanax. That will help tremendously.  Give my advice a shot, because ive been there and I know how diet and nerves affect your well being after depriving your body of a drug that it has came to recognize as an essential nutrient.

[Christy]

im 31 and going through oxy withdrawls and its the hardest ive ever come off of. im 31 and ive taken every type of pain medicine out there. im suffering now but some of it was medically needed. i was 19 and i got diagnosed with spontaneous pnemothorax and it continued untill in 1994 i recieved surgery and i has a lobectomy done and that helped alot but i had just few instanses after that. im also suffering from depression. im only seeing black and living on the edge and the only reason i am here is GOD, i hope nobody ever has to suffer the darkness like me.

[MPL]

i have a lot of problems with my bones and neck etc. the oxys worked great when taken as perscribed but now the price of the meds has gone thru the roof 1000.00+ and my docter has followed suit 250.00 the last visit no cash no scripts no compastion they get you hooked and drive you broke just for killing the pain now i am going threw withdrawell and its horrible as is the pain this medication helped me greatly let me live somewhat a normall life now the pain is back with withdrawells. broke and disgusted in tampa advise dont let them hook you.then try and make you feel like a addict

[Yoda99]

I feel for you because I've been there.  I just wanted to point out that you posted on a 6 or 7 year old post.  You will probably get a better response if you post a new question or post on a "newer" question.  I think BlondeBabs is having some serious w/d's too.
Good luck,
Yoda

[crimn]

sorry, not 40 80's a day, but 4.

[crimn]

i was taking 40 80's a day plus heroin when no pills around. just finished a 10 day
medical dextox. didn't puke or anything heavy. clonidine 2 - 0.1 pills every three hours
plus some valium  and immodium, and it did the trick. first night and second morning
sweat like crazy, but after that when the clonidine get;s in your system, it's just time.
everyone's body is different!! it is doable no matter what other's say. it comes down to desire to be free of it. good luck to all trying to get off opiates!!

[tk07]

I just spoke with my 64yr old mom who takes 3 oxy 80mg a day for RA pain.  she took her last pil thursday (dr. wanted her off) and is very sick right now...she sounded terrible. She is having heart palpatations ...He gave her some kind of morphine pill instead??? How  long will this physical withdrawal last? She she be taking another med to help make it easier???

[Glauren]

I would say he should go to the doctor. It is better to be safe....plus, considering what I am going through....I was doing the same thing....and turns out something really is wrong. So just take him to get checked out. :)

[jjuulliiee]

IM 23  AND AM ON MY 4TH DAY CLEAN OF OXYS. I WAS DOING THE ROXY 30 MG MAINLY OR 40S AND 80S IF THATS ALL I COULD GET. I DID A LOT IN THE BEGINNING AND HAD TO CUT DOWN BECAUSE I WAS RUNNING OUT OF MONEY. ITS 15 DOLLARS FOR ONE ROXY,  AND 20 FOR THE 40S, 40$ FOR THE 80S. I COULDNT PAY MY BILLS AND WAS SCARED TO STOP. I DONT KNOW HOW IT HAPPENED BUT KNEW IT HAD TO STOP. I WAS DOING ABOUT 4 OR 5 30MG ROXYS A DAY. THAT WAS ENOUGH TO GET BY TO FEEL NORMAL. I DONT EVEN GET A BUZZ ANYMORE. I CONFIDED IN MY MOTHER AND SHES BEEN AMAZING. MY SYMPTOMS ARENT AS BAD AS I THOUGHT. IT IS KINDA LIKE A STOMACH BUG. MAINLY NAUSEA, AND OH MY GOD EXTREME DIARREHA. I SWEAT A LOT AND THE ANXIETY IS BAD. I WAS SCARED OF THE SICKNESS BUT THE MENTAL PART OF QUITTING IS HARDER. ITS HARD TO SLEEP AND I FEEL ON THE EDGE. I TAKE A ZANAX TO SLEEP CAUSE OTHERWISE I WOULDNT BE ABLE TO. THE HARDEST PART IS JUST TAKING THE STEP TO TELL SOMEONE WHO CARES ABOUT YOU AND CAN HELP YOU. IM SO GLAD I DID. I HAD TO BREAK UP WITH MY BOYFRIEND OF A YEAR CAUSE HE WOULDNT QUIT. HES LIVING IN HIS CAR NOW BECAUSE HE WAS STEALING FROM HIS ROOMMATES AND WONT SEEK HELP. THIS HAS BEEN A PAINFUL PROCESS AND I WILL NEVER GO BACK.  THE BEST ADVISE AS ONLY A 3 DAY CLEAN USER CAN GIVE IS DONT START. YOU DONT EVEN GET HIGH OFF THEM AFTER A COUPLE MONTHS. I DID THEM EVERY DAY FOR A STRIAGHT YEAR. TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE ADDICTED AND WANT TO QUIT, THE FIRST THREE DAYS HAVE BEEN NOT EASY BUT KNOWING THAT YOUR NOT TURNING BACK AND YOU JUST HAVE TO SUFFER FOR A FEW DAYS IS WELL WORTH IT. STAY STRONG AND GET SUPPORT. I GO TO MY FIRST MEETING TOMORROW AND I FEEL BETTER ABOUT MY LIFE ALREADY. PLEASE COMMENT IF YOU WANT TO ASK ANYTHING I HOPE THIS HELPS SOMEONE LIKE ME.

[jjuulliiee]

Ive heard the symptoms get worse over the days ahead of me, so i will keep posted my symptoms. thanx for listening

[FLaddict]

This is a very old thread.. Not all current members have their settings set up to read responses to old posts.. only current ones..  I would repost a new question on the main page of the Addiction Forum so that all current members can give you support and help..

[fishmeal]

Hi this is pre-written for new people… hope this helps:

It’s good to come clean with your doc concerning your desire to get off.  Ask him to prescribe clonidine, (not klonopin), and ativan.  These will help with sleep, RLS and anxiety.  These are best to try before formal detox and drugs like Suboxone.  I had to do formal detox because I tried everything else, including alcohol to get off and nothing worked for me.  Keep in mind that when you try… make it a good one!  Have some time off of work if you can… maybe a four day weekend or more.  Make the last day of work without any drugs, because the first day is usually the easiest.  Try your best to get clean and stay clean because the other methods require more potent drugs and you have to come off of those.  I am still on Suboxone and am a little worried about that… It does work well but the jury is out on, “At what Cost.”  I also learned while in detox, that the mind can psychosomatically create pain to “get’ the drug.  Another was that healing while using opiates greatly diminishes.  I would have sores on my hands that would take way too long to heal.
Best
Fish
I have to say this from the bottom of my heart,  Please do not keep playing around with these drugs they are very powerful ….. kinda like heroin in a pill and just as hard to get off once you attain the, "addicted" status.

[OLD IKE]

THE HACK DOCTORS HAD ME TAKING FOUR TO FIVE 80 MG OXY'S A DAY TILL I WAS FED UP AND CHECKED INTO REHAB ON MY OWN THEY GAVE ME CLONIDINE TO BALANCE MY BLOOD PRESSURE VALIUM FOR ANXIETY AND TRAZADONE
TO HELP ME SLEEP BUT ALWAYS UNDER SUPERVISION BECAUSE YOU CAN GET REALLY OUT OF IT. THE VALIUMS WILL ALSO HELP WITH THE CRAVINGS BUT ONLY FOR A WEEK OR SO BECAUSE THESE CAN ALSO BE HABIT FORMING. AFTER YOU ARE DONE DETOXING THE REAL BATTLE BEGINS..... STAYING OFF.. THE OPIATES GET INSIDE YOUR HEAD IVE BEEN OFF FOR NEARLY 3 YEARS AND NOT A DAY GOES BY THAT I DONT THINK ABOUT OXYCONTIN... LAST NIGHT THE GIRL WHO LIVES TWO DOORS DOWN FROM ME OVERDOSED AND DIED LEAVING BEHIND A FIVE YEAR OLD SON.... JUST DO WHAT EVER YOU CAN TO STAY AWAY FROM THEM STAY STRONG!! WITHDRAWL IS HELL BUT IT WILL EVENTUALLY END

[jjuulliiee]

YOUR ABILITY TO TAKE IT UPON YOURSELF TO GO TO REHAB IS AMAZING. THATS THE THING IM SCARED OF THE MOST IS LOSING MY JOB AND LOVED ONES FINDING OUT.  IVE LIED TO THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE TO ME ABOUT THIS. I WILL LOOK INTO THE DOCTORS MAYBE GIVING ME VALIUM LIKE YOU SAY CAUSE I DO HAVE EXTREME ANXIETY. IM FEELING MENTALLY STRONGER EVERYDAY, BUT I DO UNDERSTAND ABOUT THE CRAVINGS. I HAVE THE URGE TO JUST PUT SOMETHING, ANYTHING UP MY NOSE. EVEN THOUGH THE BATHROOM HAS BECOME MY HOME, THE MENTAL PART OF THIS IS STILL THE HARDEST. MY BOYFRIEND CONFIDED IN HIS PARENTS LAST NIGHT AND HES MOVING BACK HOME. ITS SO HARD. IM JUST TRYING TO FOCUS ON MYSELF NOW AND ITS HARD. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR ADVICE. I NEEDED SOMEONE TO WRITE BACK IT REALLY HELPED. IM SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR NEIGHBOR. THIS DRUG IS DISGUSTING AND RUINS LIVES. I FEEL A LITTLE MORE PHYSICALLY DRAINED TODAY, MY NECK AND SHOULDERS HURT AND I FEEL HOT AND GROGGY. BUT IM DOING THIS NO MATTER WHAT. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT I NEED IT KEEP IN TOUCH.

[Chris1124]

Does anyone still look at this post?? Well if they are there are a couple interesting aspects about opiates and addiction to me. I stopped taking OxyContin 3 days ago. I believe I went through 60 40mg tablets in just over 2 weeks. I was also taking Xanax about 5 mg a day and of course uppers at the same time. So basically I've had the combo plate of all the stuff that everyone else is trying to keep you away from.

It's been like clockwork for me and I'm about to go on another cold turkey spell while watching TV and writing to others out there. At this point I've very far away from what Sober is suppose to feel like, I wouldn't know if I was or not. Anyways if anyone has any questions or advice of their own, please share, it's always comforting talking to others.

[venus]

does anyone know the correct dosage of methadone and how many days to take it to get off of oxy's. I have been taking 3 80mg oxy's a day for 6 yrs. and I really want out. I have been without before only for a day, and I nearly wanted to die going through withdraw. I need to do this discreetly, without missing a day from work.Plus I have blown alot of cash in 6 years!  I want to be free of this ****!! I know meth may not be the correct way of detoxing, but I feel it is the method I want to try. I have always wanted to post a message for help but I didn't have the nerve. thanks to anyone that has this answer.

[NASwansoPA-C]

good luck getting off the oxys. i am currently studing to be a physician assistant. withdrawl is hell but is not fatal. dont give up. I read some of your stories about the medications used to treat withdrawl. clonidine should aslo not be stopped at once. valium is ok to use as long as u have no prior history of benzodiazapine addiction. benzodiazapines include valium, xanax, klonopin, ativan, restoril. good luck if u have any questions just ask