quitting oxycontin

[justcole]

Hi Everyone,
I posted here about a year ago about quitting oxycontin and I am sad to say I never did go through with it.  But, now is the time, I'm finally really ready.  I have been reading on this forum for weeks and researching on the internet.  
Some background info:
I'm a 32 yr old female.  I've been taking oxycontin for about 10 years.  For the last 8 or so years my dose was 340mg a day.  I've been taking it for pain, basically taking it as prescribed - ie not running out early, going to multiple doctors, etc.  In the last week, I have cut back to 240mg with basically no real problems.  Slightly uncomfortable but hanging in there.  Before this week, if someone had said to cut back by 100mg a day I would not have thought I could do it for more then a couple of days but I have done 7 days at this dose and the fact that I am ok has given me hope that I can do this.  This is my problem: the dr that has been treating me doesn't want to treat me anymore and he didn't want to taper me off.  I guess he didn't think I could do it.  he wanted me to go to an inpatient treatment somewhere but that is not really an option for me because I do not have insurance to pay for it and I do not have the chunk of money it would cost upfront to do that.  So he has made me an appointment with a dr that uses suboxone and my appointment is tomorrow.  I have been reading everything I can find on the internet on suboxone and I am pretty nervous.  From what I have read, you have to be in pretty far along in  withdrawal to start it.  Then, I'm affraid he will want me to stay on it, I would rather just taper off as fast as I possibly can while still minimizing withdrawal symptoms.  I don't want to just trade the oxycontin for the suboxone.  
Can anyone offer any advice?  Am I really better off tapering off the suboxone than tapering off the oxycontin?  if it is easier, and the process will be more pleasant (I have to work, etc) than I am willing to do it.  On the one hand I am excited, I have the ball rolling and there is no going back, but on the other, I am affraid of the unknown.

[atthebeach]

thats exactly it you have to be 36 hrs. without the oxys then why even bother with the subs you will be over the worst of the withdrawals. do you have any pills left now?
many many people work through the detox it keeps your mind and body busy when you lay around it is waaaayyy worse. start taking the vitamins, keep yourself positive. if your withdrawals havent been that bad you are going to do fine.

[justcole]

Well I went to the apt with the dr that prescribes suboxone and it went pretty much the way I expected.  He told me I needed to go 36 hours from my last OC dose before I can take the sub.  So I'm off on Mondays so I asked if I could do it then so I could finish out working the rest of this week.  I really needed to work this week.  He said that was fine but I neded my old dr to keep writing the OC till then.  SO I called when I got out and they told me no.  I asked about tapering off the OC because I wasn't convinced I wanted to go the sub route and they told me that was my only choice.  So now I pretty much have no options, I have to take the sub unless I want to go cold turkey and I'm going to have to take off more days this week because I can't go to work with out any meds.  I'm so upset, I cried all the way home.  My BF is moving tomorrow to go to school 3 hours away, it's his last night here.  Not that he knows anything about this anyway.  I m just probably more emotional from that.  His last week in town I've been on edge from tapering back 100mg, not knowing what I'm going to do etc..  I feel bad about that.  I'm not usually a "life *****" kind of person but right now i'm hating this day, week, myself for getting in this mess.

[atthebeach]

well just stick with this doctor as long as he will taper you. tell him you do not want to switch addictions. yes most of the sub doctors do want you to stay on long term. your symptoms from detox might get slightly worse. but dont bring fear into the equation, remember this is nothing to fear but fear itself. dont worry, you will be fine. did you pick up the supplies i mentioned above. exercise, eat healthy,
set up aftercare, counseling one on one and support groups, na/aa,celebrate recovery,overcomers.
please do not go on the subs.do you want more years of addiction? NO you want to be loosed from the chains and bondage of addiction. you can do this.
sending hugs and prayers,
debbie

[justcole]

hi Debbie,
thanks for responding.  To be honest, I didn't taper on my own or by choice anyway.  I was taking 80mg 4x a day and then 20mg 1x a day and then when my dr decided to stop seeing me he's just prescribing med to get me by until I can find someone else.  And in the meantime (since last Tuesday) he's just been giving me 80mg 3x a day and I have to go in every other day and the script because he's just giving me enough until I get in with someone else and enough not to go into full blown withdrawals i suppose.  So, I have had no choice but to take that amount basically.  I've taken such a consistent dose for so long that cutting back by 100mg  for the last week has been ok, but I've definitely noticed it.  I've tossed and turned some at night, wake-up really early feeling like I need to take my meds, jittery, etc.  But hanging in there.  I feel like if I could adjust to this dose for another day or 2 maybe I could go down again?  I don't know if it would get worse each time I go down or if it would just be more of what I am feeling now.  While going to the dr and getting my script every other day is a huge pain, it has kept taking it exactly as I have to, no choice really.  I felt crappy enough on day 3 of the reduced dose that if the dr had just given me a months supply and said taper down on my own, I probably woiuld have taken more.  One problem is the dr that I have the apt with tomorrow (the suboxone dr) is 100 miles away.  So even if I could convince him to keep me on the oxy and taper down it would be impossible to drive there every couple of days for a prescription.  And I feel like since he's a suboxone dr, he's going to want me to take that.  I have a cousin that went to the same dr and I called to talk to him and ask him what he thought of the dr and he told  me that when he went to see him that the dr told him to plan on being on the suboxone for at least a year.  My cousin at the time wanted to be done with it as soon as possible but now it is 2 years later and he is still on the suboxone. (In his defense he said he started at 8mg 2x day and he's now down to 2mg 2x day)  I don't want the same thing to happen to me.  I don't want another 2 years to go by tied to a drug I have to take everyday just not to go into withdrawals.  I'm scared, I'm nervous.  I don't have anyone to talk to really except for that cousin.  And we don't keep in touch, really.  I called him to ask about this dr because he told me about it about a year ago when I talked to him last.  No one else knows I even take this medication, not my boyfriend of 2 1/2 years, not my family, no one.  I guess what bothers me the most is feeling like I do not have options.  I feel like my choices are quit cold turkey (and right now I can not take a week off work unplanned) or go this doctor and take the suboxone, since my dr here is not willing to work with me to taper off.  The suboxone scares me.  From what I have read about it some say it is a miracle drug and that it makes it easier to taper off with fewer side effects and then others say it's hell and that's worse.
Sorry I'm going on and on.  I'm just nervous.  Thanks for the help.  

[atthebeach]

hi and welcome to MH. if you have been able to taper on your own i would continue with that. i would not go the sub route. another drug to withdrawal from and much harder than the oxys. continue to do your taper you should beable to complete it within a few weeks.  if you dont go over your prescribed amount and never run out you will be fine. take immodium for the bathroom issues, drink lots of gatorade,vitamin water, take potassium and magnesium tabs for the rls, also bananas help. you can get valerian root, melatonin,sleepy time or chamomile tea for relaxing, sleep and anxiety.
please continue to post and update us on your progress. please reconsider the subs.
exercise helps alot with the detox, working and keeping yourself busy is the best thing laying around makes it worse.
sending hugs and prayers
debbie

[killmypain]

See the doc and explain your concerns with him or her.... If you have the willpower and support system to taper, they might go for it. I never took sub before but I do understand that you will be uncomfortable for a bit before you can start. Then you will have to withdraw from those.... Your best bet is to speak to a medical doc who specializes in this sort of thing. Here you will find lots of support for whatever decision you make but we can't make that decision for you. If you decide to quit cold turkey, see the Thomas recipe, take a week or so off work, and just do it.... It's rough but not impossible. I'm on day 9 and things are looking up! Good Luck!