getting off oxycontin...detox or taper. which is best

[skcbb]

i started hydrocodone 15 months ago and 4 months ago added oxycontin. i now take 80 mg hydro once a day and 180 mg oxy in am and 60 mg oxy in pm. if im honest id have to say i do it for the buzz!! i have ruptured discs in back but im ready to stop the meds. im limited to what i can take...i cant take nsaids (non steroid anti inflammatory drug). im scheduled to go to a detox on monday (2 days from now) but am really scared of the wd. they tell me they will give me ativan to help with wd. im now thinking about backing out of detox and going to my pain management doctor to ask him to taper me off of all the drugs. i am ashamed of myself for getting into this position. i had a liver transplant 7 years ago and have been given a second chance at life and here i am screwing it up. what would you do??? TAPER OFF OR GO TO DETOX. im 57 yrs old if it matters.
thanks for your help

[skcbb]

thanks Doc,
you are spot on. Ive checked into N.A. since i posted this and am packing for a 5 day stay in detox. i suppose i'm hesitant is the fear of the unknown. i have no clue of how extreme the w/d will be.
i have been denied by my insurance to go to detox. they prefer that i go the suboxone route but from what i understand, i will continue to use that as a maintenance drug. i really don't want to have to take another drug for the rest of my life. so i will foot the bill and file with my insurance to see if they will reimburse me.
i appreciate your time and opinion. i hope by this time next week i will be done with this!!!
again thanks to you and thanks to this forum. it has been helpful to hear from others who have been down this road before.

[J T Junig, MD PhD]

I would guess that over the past 15 months, you have told yourself that you are going to stop taking pain pills many times-- and still your dose has only gone up.  What makes you think that this time will be any different?

I recommend that you stop kidding yourself, and do what it takes to stop taking opioids-- either by using a maintenance agent like buprenorphine to put your addiction into remission, or detox followed by a very intensive try at recovery-- i.e. daily meetings for months, followed by several meetings per week for the rest of your life.  If that type of recovery program sounds extreme, then your only hope for getting out of the nightmare is to find a doc who will treat you with buprenorphine (Suboxone).  Some people get clean without it, but only after significant life-changing recovery experiences-- the type of thing that takes a great deal of time and dedication.  It is a good life once you get there-- but it sure as heck is not easy.   But for most of us, at some point the misery is so great that there is simply no other options.

[Eebb26]

Sorry, I just realized Thai was the doctor forum. In no way am I a dr so please ignore. So sorry. Idk I wasn't suppose to reply here. Good luck

[Eebb26]

From what I've read here, u know yourself better then anyone and if u think u can taper then try. I have been slowly tapering for a couple weeks. I was taking 15-20 10/325 percs a day. I am currently taking 10-11 a day. I don't know how I will ever get down to just a few a day but I have to no matter what. I'm a 34 year old mom of two and wife. I have a great job and love my family more then the world but I'm risking all of it for these pills. I am dr shopping , lying to het more scripts, I'm doing all discusting things an addict would do that I would SWEAR I never would of done. A year ago I developed herniated discs after my second pregnancy and the rest is history. I was taking as prescribed until my dad passed away and his funeral was on my bday. I Cldnt fall apart so I took pills that helped me escape reality for a little bit. Lame excuse but true. I am sorry to rant on and on.  Anyway I let the pills take over my life and I dont want to die. I'm petrified of the WD so I won't go CT. But everyone that's done it will tell u to just get it o er with and go CT or detox. I've heard some detox places will wean you down. Are u going in-patient or out-patient? I think no matter what u do you r doing something right!! Best of luck. Write back if u want to vent, talk or just bit**