Started tapering off Percocet, went two days without any..do I continue with none in my system? Help not sure

[Suz1122]

Was taking about 6-9 Percocet a day after surgery and then started getting them from friends because being a single mother of two special needs boys it just eased the stress in the evening from working all day and dealing with other issues.  This then became a ritual every night at 7 pm.  Of course started with one, then two and as you all know the rest of the story it got up to 8.  Then a sleeping pill to fall asleep.  Then I finally realized I cannot do this anymore.  There were times I did not know where I was going to get any and the stress and panic set in knowing I had one left.  WELL that day finally came.  This weekend Fri I had none.  I had started tapering off and told my friend and she gave me some.  I actually dropped quite a bit from 8 but figured I would try.  It was tough but I was doing 4 for about 5 days then got down to three a nite for about two nights then the day came FRIDAY when I could get none.  I panicked but realized I had to deal with it.  I did have a cooler to calm my nerves at around 7:30 pm but only one.  My mind was racing and the withdrawls not only physical but mental are brutal.  I tried reading and realized I had read three pages and did not even know what I read.  My hands were shaking, and I was hot and cold, awful stomach ache and extremely aggitated.  I could not sleep for the life of me, I took Melatonin and Gravol and tossed and turned all night.  Same went for Sat night and Sunday.  I rearranged my whole basement hoping it would exhaust me and again took Gravol and Melatonin to sleep and literally woke up every hour.  I was tired but just could not fall asleep.  QUESTION  How long does this last?  Since I am into say tonight will be night 4 without any...should I continue to try to do it with absolutely none.  My friend asked if I needed some to taper off again and is this good to take even one or two and then go cold turkey with none or should I just keep going with none if I can deal with this.  Will the insomnia get worse or better from this point on in.  I have to wake up at 5 am every day for work and know this lack of sleep and edginess will catch up to me.  Mind you oddly enough I feel a little more clear today even though I did not sleep.  ANY SUGGESTIONS from others who understand or who have done this would be most appreciated.....Thanks so much!

[Suz1122]

I had a cooler Fri night, Sat night I tried a bit of cough medicine and last night I took the Melatonin and 1/2 sleeping pill.  I had these from a year ago when I had a nervous breakdown and was off work for a month.  Was on anti-depressants and anti-anxiety pills.  My children are very hard to deal with at times, my youngest is autistic/ADHD and my oldest is Pervasive Developmental Disorder (form of autism) and ADHD.  So imagine trying to deal with a 17 year old and an 11 year old when they both get fixated on something or have a mini-temper tantrum so it is very very difficult at times.  I get no support from their father not only no financial but not a lot of emotional support either.  And get told "you wanted me out of your life so you deal with it".  I am by no means using this as a crutch because I know I have to be strong and healthy as both my kids need me because if not for me they have no one else.  I am just trying my best to cope with the withdrawl symptoms and read many many posts here and decided to try some of what others had used.  The sleeping pills I have were merely my last resort to hopefully get some sleep.  I was not using the other medication as a substitute for the pain pills and by far did not get a BUZZ so to speak.  Just trying to take the edge off so that I could get a good nights rest with no pain pills in my system...does this make sense?   I get severe migraines and even opted out of taking or being prescribed pain meds for those since I knew I already had an issue with Percocet.  So I take Advil for Migraines and hot compresses for them instead.  

[IBKleen]

Hi,

Congrats on stopping the pain pills. That being said, I am reading all that you wrote and it concerns me. You took a sleeping pill, a wine cooler, cough medicine and now you are talking Clonazepam.

To get and stay clean I had to change my thinking and my behaviors. A pill doesn't fix things, no matter what it is. The people who know me know that I need to be 3/4 dead before I will even take an aspirin. I get addicted to the idea of taking something to help with something else. It is part of the disease.

I hope with all of your reading you read about those members who participate in aftercare. If you want to know what others have done here, just ask.

I wish you the best.

[Suz1122]

I actually have Clonazepam which is an anti-anxiety med which normally makes me drowsy I even tried that but still was staring at the ceiling.  I am still a bit sluggish but my brain feels a little clearer if that makes any sense at all.  My appetite is getting a little better as I had lost some weight and found myself looking pretty ragged.  And people kept telling me I was pale.  I am going to try to have a little nap when I get home and go to my Pilates class, I normally work out 3-4 times a week doing spin and Pilates and a long walk but had a bad sinus infection so for two weeks did nothing and still took the pain pills so all in all this is going to be tough to get back at it but hope I can continue.  I even tried cough medicine I read people saying helped and still not sleep.  Maybe I took too much sleep stuff and it contradicted each other and made me stay awake, could that happen? Thank you so much for your support and encouragement...

[Dav125]

Day 4 is hump day as to the worst of the stomach problems, general cloudiness, but sleep will continue to be an issue. I would not take anymore pain meds though. Keep going. From day 4 on things start to improve. Not fantastically so, but it is the peak day. Your still going to have lack of energy issues as well..One other poster asked about sleep so I'll mention it to you too . When I stopped at the 1st of August I discussed the wd's with my doctor . He prescribed me clonidine and amitriptyline which were suppose to "help" restabilize my sleep..Talk to your doctor..I would not turn back though. You are about to turn this around. Hang in there for a couple more days and you will note slight improvements each day..And stay moving around. Don't sit and dwell ..Its the worst thing you could do..