Taper from oxycodone - round 3

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I have read your posts and I know how you feel but I also think you may need a certain amount of these pills for your survival in this world. You have to be able to walk. I know about the back and leg pain. My elbows and thurabs are also aching. Weird. I just want you to consider the reason you used in the first place; to maintain the pain that you legitimately have. I went through all of this with my Doc and she said everyone goes through the I am an addict and I want to quit and then they come running back because they can't function without the meRAB. For some they can manage a wonderful life with no meRAB for others, to meet the neeRAB of our families and our financial well being we need to use these meRAB for our lives to function. Sorry to go on and on. Just want you to be okay. Just my take.
RR
 
Just checking in. I've been able to stick to the 15 mg for the past few days. I still feel like crap though -- very stiff, even though I forced myself to go out and get some exercise last night. Hard to move. Back to feeling that weird kind of "out of it" feeling. I don't know why, since I've only dropped from 21 to 15 in a week's time. Then again, I'm such a wimp when it comes to side-effects. The things that other people can "shake off" end up incapacitating me.

That said, I am still going to try to cut another 10% today. I called my doctor to ask for a small scrip of 5 mg Percocet, which are large pills that can be easily split into 1.25 mg pieces. We'll see how supportive he is, or if he thinks I'm just drug-seeking. He's the one that thought I could taper over four weeks by going from 4, 3, 2, 1 15-mg pills, then dropping to zero (from 15). I'm thinking he's not going to understand my taper plan calls for way smaller reductions than that.

Wish me luck and as always, thanks for your support and concern.
 
Hey There

Sending some spiritual strength your way today. All will be well. Try and keep the thoughts on enjoying the occasion.

Hugs
reach
 
Hey, where is everyone? On vacation? :-) Hope you're all doing OK.

Brian, I have 5 mg oxycodone IR capsules that I am dumping out and measuring into 1-mg portions (or at least as close as I can get). The pharmacist has told me this is OK because the capsule itself is not needed; they're not extended-release caps.

I have tried Cyrabalta and many other drugs for nerve pain. None helped and all had side-effects that I couldn't tolerate. BTW, I had a terrible time getting off Cyrabalta, even after weaning down to "grains". Yes, I do have chronic pain but need to get off all narcotics and anti-inflammatories to save my stomach, which is really annoyingly sensitive.

I don't have a taper schedule (it's one day at a time), but I do have a new tactic. Rather than going down a full milligram at a time (which can be a drastic % reduction at these low levels), I think I will reduce a TEENSY bit every day. Like, a few dust particles. I have got to look out for my emotional stability, but also I've got to get off this stuff! I need my appetite back and get my system back to normal, whatever that may be....

P.S. Maybe something's wrong with my computer or display, as I'm not seeing any posts at all for the past few days....that's why I asked if everyone was on vaca. Hmmm....not sure why.
 
Oh, also I realized I didn't talk about methadone, Brian. I didn't abuse methadone -- I was on a maintenance program for heroin addicts back in the '70's. Had to go to the clinic every day after work to get it. If I had to work late, I'd start sweating (literally)....it was a lovely sight. After my experience detoxing from it, I wouldn't go on methadone again for a million dollars. I guess that's where my feelings about the Subuxone come from. I never ever thought I'd be in a position again to experience WD symptoms. Narcotics are not the answer for me. I've got to get off them and figure something else out to deal with this pain.
 
Keep it up - nice and slow. Stay at 2 mg/day for a few days if you feel like you have to. The pain and stiffness may be real pain and stiffness that you just didn't realize you had while taking the full dose of Oxy. I'm almost 6 month clean and I ache to the point that some days I can hardly walk, but that's just plain old age creeping up on me. I didn't feel any pain when I was max'd out on Oxy - I could whack my thurab with a hammer and not feel the pain. The reminder of my withdrawals keeps me clean though!! I don't ever want to go through that again!!
 
Hi all, reporting in. OK, I made it through my suicidal day the other day. I think it's because I dropped basically 50% in a week. Yesterday I felt better and forced myself to go out last night. Without revealing too much identifying detail, suffice it to say I exercised my a** off. Tonight I did the same thing, and I'm hoping to do that tomorrow night as well. I was a sweaty out-of-breath wet-haired mess at the end, but I felt such a sense of accomplishment! (I can't wait to be off this stuff so the hyper-sweating stops.)

I'm still sticking to the taper. I'm on the last 9 mg now. I tried to stretch it out to a 6-hour schedule today and came pretty close. I don't want to do any drastic cuts because I don't want to have another day like the other day, when I was a crying despondent wreck. So this last 9 mg might take awhile, but at least there's light at the end of the tunnel.

Like Denon, I am not counting days....I don't even remeraber what date I started this taper. And I don't make my schedule more than a day in advance at this point. I don't want to be fixated on how long it's taking or when it'll be finished. One day at a time.

Thanks to all you guys for your support....keep you posted.
 
Heya NP

Honey,

1) an hour early is not blowing your taper. Chuckles. Lighten up on yourself. If it happens, just get back on schedule next dose.

2) don't rush the cuts. Make sure you fell fairly level before cutting. This prevents failure and is a surer way to make sure that once the cut is made, it stays made.

3) 21mgs to 15mg in one week is pretty steep at this point. That is a 30% cut nearly! Baby steps, NP, baby steps!

4) concerning the doctor... he can only work well with you if you are totally honest. Tell him you feel pushed into going faster than your body and brain can accomodate. I am pretty confident when I write that as long as he sees you making steady progress all will be well.

5) there is nothing to prove by hurrying. You know your goal. It is a mistake to get too antsy as the end approaches. Slow and steady wins this race. Okay?

Thinking of you
reach
 
Good -- I was able to do that!!! :-)

Woke up this morning and did some stretches while still in bed so I wouldn't be so stiff when I got up. I managed to get showered etc. but then I ended up taking my noon dose a half-hour early -- I was sweating and it was interfering with doing my make-up. So I get to the event, and I managed to get back on schedule with my next dose. At one point, I started to have a little one of those dry-cough fits and I thought "oh crap" because of course, that was when it was supposed to be quiet, but fortunately I got it under control. Tonight before my 9 PM dose I was still there, and feeling the usual hot/sweaty feeling plus a little sneezing fit, but managed to not take my dose early.

Soooo, I am so thrilled that I was able to go, have a great time, and not have to think too much about WD or watching the clock. Tomorrow I will be trying to cut down another 2 mg.

Thank you for giving me the confidence to get past my worries and "just do it".
 
Keep going NP, you are doing it and will soon be off of them for good. Once you decide that this is the last pill, then flush the rest of them. You must do that or it will be a relapse waiting to happen. good luck and keep us posted.

brian
 
Your story is mine. I could be you. Every aspect of your life, energy, events, travel. I use hydrocodone: 10/325. I feel like I could take 100 hydros a day. Sometimes I wonder how many I really could take. I had surgery a couple of years a go and it really helped as I was really almost a criple. I am way better but still have the pain and it gets worse. My tolerance is almost a joke. I'm with you on so many levels. Torn between functioning and pills. I want to be strong for you notperky but hopefully someone who relates can be helpful. Let's be strong together. I'm with and for you. You are my hero right now tapering and doing what is best for you even though your brain is screaming to take more. I am trying to taper too. Hang in there. Let's try not to think to far ahead.
XXX
RR
 
Hi all. I'm STILL tapering. Now down to 7.5 mg. I felt great over the weekend and went out four nights in a row. Today I'm back to feeling like crap. Not sure why. Well, I just used the calculator and realized I'm down 20% from last Wed., so maybe that's why.

This last 10 mg is taking forever. I can understand why Denon jumped from 10 mg to zero, but I know I don't have the strength to do something like that.

I have my monthly appt. with the PM tomorrow. I was going to cancel, first because I'm feeling so lousy, and second because I don't want the temptation of another scrip. However, because I felt so lousy, I didn't have the energy to call and cancel within 24 hours, so I'll have to go. I am determined to tell them not to give me anything.

I can't wait to get off this stuff. Besides the obvious (feeling stiff as a board, sneezing fits, hot flashes, crazy restless), little things are annoying me -- for example, smells really bother me. I put on a "shower fresh" scented deodorant today and the smell is driving me nuts. Kitchen smells are bothering me too. My appetite is still not back and my stomach is still not right.

During this loooong taper process, I'm amazed at how I can be upbeat and energetic one day, and completely incapacitated the next. So, I'll stay at my current dose tomorrow until I stabilize a bit. Ugh.

I want to answer so many other posts, but I just don't have the energy. Please know that I am reading all your stories and am supporting you in your efforts! "Tomorrow will be a better day....tomorrow will be a better day....".
 
I know I said I wouldn't post again til I'm done my taper, but I'm just giving a quick update. I finally decided to go back and see how long I've been on this never-ending taper. Tomorrow will be a full eight weeks. In honor of the occasion, I will make tomorrow my last dose. I'm taking less than 1 mg now. The thing is, I'm still having WD symptoms like hot flashes, sneezing, watery eyes occasionally, but the main problem is lower back pain and my thighs are really sore, like I walked a mile....so therefore it's difficult to walk at all. But, when you know there's still another "dose" out there waiting (even if it's miniscule), it's hard to just suck it up and move on. I need to get some groceries (I haven't had the energy to go out), take my last dose tomorrow, flush the rest, get the oxy out of my system and start the road to recovery.

When I was in rehab years ago after a rapid detox from methadone, I was a mess for about a month but had no choice -- I had to suck it up. If there's nothing available to take, you've got to force yourself to feel better on your own.

To answer Kewood's question about how I'm splitting the pills -- it's a very scientific process involving a 5-mg oxy capsule, a plate, a razorblade, a calculator, and yellow stickies. Ha ha....no, it's not scientific at all....I just open the capsule, dump the 5 mg onto the plate and try to portion it into fractions as best I can. It's really just dustballs at this point. When I take my dustball, I hope no miniscule particle gets stuck in my teeth -- that could be .000038 mg I'm missing!!!

Finish line in sight -- wish me luck (and strength and willpower), guys!
 
Way to go NotPerky!!! We are all so proud of you!! I remeraber my last dose, but I didn't have the courage to flush the pills and I had two 3-day relapses in the first month. One was craving, the other was for real pain that I had. Not having the pills around is the best thing to do. I still get pain (like I've had the last few days), but I just push through it or if I need something I grab a few Advils to help out. I jumped off at 2.5 mg/day and I didn't really have too bad of withdrawals. My withdrawals were dropping from 10 mg/day to the 2.5 mg. I hope you don't have any since you tapered slowly. Way to go!!

Unfortunately, I hate to break the bad news, but your next phase begins today by staying clean. I found the first month was the worse and each week it seemed to get easier and easier. I know that I'm never out of the wooRAB and that the cravings can reoccur at any time and if and when they do I just need to get over them by staying busy and support. So, we're all here to help you along the next path. I'm really proud of you!!
 
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