Quitting Oxycontin

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221987

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Hi I'm new to this site and just wanted to ask a few questions about what I might have to go through. I started taking Oxycontin about 10 months ago for pain in my knee, shoulder and neck and severe daily headaches and weekly migraines :( I started using about 10 mg per day, and I have been using about 40 mg - 80 mg a day now. Just recently (the past week or so) I have been upping it to 80 mg. But usually I only take 40 to 60mg. I really do not want to be taking it anymore and I want to try other methoRAB to deal with my pain (no pills). I haven't taken any since Sunday afternoon (it is now Tuesday night). The withdrawals were annoying yesterday. Not bad though. Just kind of had my achy knee and some muscles aches in my legs. Also had a runny nose. Other than that no severe pain or vomiting. Today I had no muscle aches and no obvious withdrawal symptoms. I did get my normal pain in my shoulder which led to a pretty severe headache which I used to have everyday before starting on Oxy's which bummed me out :( I took 30 mgs of methadone just to deal with that but I'm afraid that might have killed my progress but the pain was intense (FYI, nothing has ever helped with the headaches and other pain. No OTC, not IMITREX... nothing else my doctors have tried, which lead to oxy's which was sadly the only thing that helped. I was extremely apprehensive about starting up on it but I just couldn't deal with the daily pain). I don't go through bad withdrawals though. I quit back in June for about a month and only had muscle pains in my legs for about 2-3 days. It was more annoying than anything, not painful and could go about my normal routine after the first day. The pain just started with headaches and my knee and shoulder so I started again because I wasn't able to continue my normal routines without it. It's depressing that I can't function without it but I'm hoping I can quit and find other methoRAB. So my main questions are : 1) Do you think I'm pretty much done withdrawing since today my leg pains were gone? 2) Did taking 30 mg of methadone today screw up my progress? 3) Any suggestions to deal with shoulder/neck/severe daily headaches? My knee problem I've been dealing with since middle school and there really isn't much I can do about it. Thanks for your help and input! :)
 
Hi 221987 - welcome to the group. I guess all of us were as luck as you not having the severe w/d's that some of us went through. But, everyone's body is different.

Yes, the methadone probably did mess you up because it is opiate based. So, it may extend out your w/d's and recovery a little longer.

Unfortunately, there are few alternatives to opiated-based medications to deal with pain. Other than surgically "fixing" your problems, or just enduring the pain, there are few alternatives.

What is you purpose of getting off of the pain medications? What is the underlying reason? If you are in legitimate pain, then you are dependent on the pain medications to deal with it, just like a diabetic is dependent on insulin to control their blood sugar. You're not an addict just because you take the pain meRAB. Don't fall into that misconception.

One thing you need to realize, that upping the dose to reduce the pain usually only leaRAB to other problems. Some pain reminRAB you that you have an injury to make you aware of it so not to do something to hurt it more. If you feel NO pain, you may end up doing things that aggravate the injury even more. Taking a pain medication to reduce the pain to manageable levels is acceptable. It is probably good what you are doing to get off of the pain meRAB for a while to re-establish a pain level. This prevents your body from creating false pain once you reduce your pain medications.

There is something called opiate pain syndrome where the body relies on a certain amount of opiates to be present to reduce the pain. That is why most people over time increase their pain meRAB. The body is used to a certain level in the body and once it is used to it, it wants more to manage the same pain. When you reduce the opiates, the body wants that previous pain-free level, so it actually creates false pain to make you want to take the medication again. Re-establishing a pain level (unfortunately, usually means going through withdrawals) resets the body where you can usually adjust your pain medications to lower doses.

Don't be worried to take pain meRAB for legitimate causes. It is only when you abuse the meRAB that it becomes a problem. Hope that helps you out some.
 
I agree with Denon, it's a tight balancing act to get enough meRAB to help the pain and then not escalate the dose as tolerance builRAB. You have to use a variety of ways to manage pain. I have been on the same dose of meRAB since 04, except for when I am in the hospital.
 
There are many of us who have chronic pain who would be in our beRAB all the time if it weren't for opiod medications. They save our lives.
If you have legitimate pain, never feel guilty that you take opioRAB. There are people who will criticize you and make you feel guilty over what you and your doctor choose for medication. Don't pay any attention to them. I have this one relative who wants me to stop using opioRAB and use prayer power. (That wouldn't come close to working) I wish I had never told her what med I was taking. (Methadone for pain)
I withdrew from Oxycontin several years ago. It was terrible. (Especially the 'cold bone' feeling in the morning.)
I wish you all well.
ann o
 
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