Taper Question

[ilvmakindolls]

Hello everyone!  I have been doing sort of well on my tapering program.  I am thinking about trying to now cut back from 5 of my oxycodone 7.5's a day to 3 of them.  I have been doing the 5 a day for about a month and a half and don't feel as if I am making any progress and the temptation seems to actually get worse as the days go on and I don't know why...so I feel the sooner I am completely off them, the better off I will be.  I actually took an extra half pill yesterday because the tempation was just too much....I knew to expect this but had hopes that as time went on, it would get a lot better...not worse.  I am just wondering if I can expect to have any kind of withdrawal symptoms cutting back to just 3 a day?  My biggest problem is I wake up so early in the morning (around 3 a.m.) and am up until around 11 p.m. so I have very long days.  I am prescribed ambien to help me fall asleep and we have talked about changing them to the controlled release tablets to help me stay asleep, but since I don't have any kind of insurance I just can't afford those ones....and what I have been able to find out about the ambien is they are only in your system for 4 hours....and that is about how much sleep a night I get....so since my days are so long, I worry about stretching out those 3 pills.  Anyone know what I can expect?  Any information would be really helpful (just so that I know what to expect).  Now that my Daughter is back in school, and I have to transport her to and from the bus stop which is 3 miles away, I worry about getting sick and being unable to get her to school....I really wish I would have had the strength to just go cold turkey when I had the chance a couple months ago...but I chickend out big time and went running to my Doctor.  I actually have my next appt. with him this Thursday and have more questions for him.....maybe I could ask him these questions then too.
God Bless and have a great week everyone!

[outcold]

I'm new to this forum, but recently tapered from 6/day to 3/day and then just went cold turkey yesterday morning. When I went from 6 to 3/day. I had no withdrawal symptoms except very mild diarrhea when I would approach the 8 hour mark after last pill. Then, of course, I would just take another one and it would go away. Although the withdrawals from going cold turkey are from h***, I am (although very deep inside) grateful that I am doing this. It's not pleasant, but with the support of this forum, I feel it's doable. If you can get something to help you through the physical withdrawals from your Dr., do so. Having a husband for a Dr. and not being able to ask for something, just makes things worse for me since he has no idea I have a problem. If I can do this, so can you! I say go for it!

Good luck.

[pattifan]

Hi,

In my opinion, you should seriously consider just jumping off them.

You are now experiencing the misery of withdrawal anyway, and the temptation to take that extra tab isn't going to go away.

Having your doctor's involvement should be great. You could ask if he is willing to prescibe some clonidine for you, which can greatly help the withdrawals when going cold turkey.

I'm not trying to pressure you, because I know it's very scary, but the reality is often not as bad as the fear.

Good luck.