Hi Dean.....I'm a newly recovering drug addict. Only 22 days clean. So, I'm not in a position to offer any advice. Others on here are far more familiar with the recovery process than I am. But I do know how you feel....I took Lortab for a herniated disc. I didn't always abuse them....I did start out taking them as needed for pain. I had a monthly script and never refilled them early and sometimes didn't need the refill. But I got hooked when my life started going downhill. Then, would my script would run out and I had to wait for the next one....so I would find other avenues to get the pills. That's when I knew I had a problem. With that said.....I don't know if it's possible for a drug addict to only take their doc "as needed" once they've crossed that line. I would like to think I could.....but that's just me making one more excuse to use.....because my "as needed" definition has changed. In my mind.....I needed them for daily life. Not just for pain anymore. Just my opinion.....
Michele
Well, I have 12 days today and the cravings are beginning to hit big time again. Not sure if it's helping that my two kids have been fighting all morning.
Dean, Hi how are you? You will not feel good enough to go to work on Monday. Call in sick and get rid of those pills. My doc was percs and oxys as well and from what I've seen, it takes 5 days or so for the worst to be over and then two weeks for you to start feeling normal again. You have to quit. These pills are sucking the life out of you. Forget about work and any other responsibilities you have now. You have to get clean and that's #1. Do you have kids?Husband? Anybody that can help you for a few days? I strongly recommend you get honest with the people closest to you, it helps exponentially.
As much as I agree with everything my dear Rae says, the only thing I disagree with is the tapering. She's a beast and one of a kind. Most people can't handle the tapering. I say if they're not around you can't take them. Go c/t. Start cleaning your mind and body of these toxins. By having them around, you're just delaying the inevitable. You feel crappier for a much longer time. If you taper, you will still feel crappy as your mind and body won't be satisfied with the amount you're providing them. Your addiction will get much worse in the coming few months if you don't stop now. If you keep going, by the end of the year, you'll most likely be at 15-20 a day. Trust me. Quit. Now.
As much as I agree with everything my dear Rae says, the only thing I disagree with is the tapering. She's a beast and one of a kind. Most people can't handle the tapering. I say if they're not around you can't take them. Go c/t. Start cleaning your mind and body of these toxins. By having them around, you're just delaying the inevitable. You feel crappier for a much longer time. If you taper, you will still feel crappy as your mind and body won't be satisfied with the amount you're providing them. Your addiction will get much worse in the coming few months if you don't stop now. If you keep going, by the end of the year, you'll most likely be at 15-20 a day. Trust me. Quit. Now.
Michele,
If you are reading the board this weekend please post and let me know how your feeling. I would love to hear from you.
Liz,
Congrats on 12 days... I know what you mean craving do suck and it's not easy when you have kids driving you insane...Keep up the good work! Talk to you soon...Love Rae
If you are reading the board this weekend please post and let me know how your feeling. I would love to hear from you.
Liz,
Congrats on 12 days... I know what you mean craving do suck and it's not easy when you have kids driving you insane...Keep up the good work! Talk to you soon...Love Rae
Hi Rae....I'm here just reading around. I'm doing ok today. Feeling a little depressed...not sure what triggered it. I'm sure watching Steel Magnolia's this afternoon didn't help.....lol My medicaid became effective today so I was able to refill my Zoloft which I haven't been able to afford. So, once that kicks in....I should not be feeling so depressed. Other than that....I feel great! Thank you so much for checking up on me.....It seems like you just knew I needed it.....
Michele
Michele
Well I had a feelig after the other day. I know everyone was jumping your butt about getting rid of those pills in your house( including me).. I have been where you are and I know you won't do that until you are ready and that's ok too. Whatever you decide I hope you keep posting and letting us know how you are!
How many days is it now? 3 weeks? Way to go girl. You should be very proud of yourself. So you finally got your insurance coverage back and can start your Zoloft again. That is wonderful news. Well write me anytime.. I gave you my e-mail address on that thread of yours. Please e-mail me anytime you want to chat! Enjoy your weekend. I am about ready to leave to take my baby to grandma's house for the night..
Have a good one. Rae
How many days is it now? 3 weeks? Way to go girl. You should be very proud of yourself. So you finally got your insurance coverage back and can start your Zoloft again. That is wonderful news. Well write me anytime.. I gave you my e-mail address on that thread of yours. Please e-mail me anytime you want to chat! Enjoy your weekend. I am about ready to leave to take my baby to grandma's house for the night..
Have a good one. Rae
Thanks Rae.....and it's 22 days today......YAHOO! I hope everyone is having a great drug free weekend!! I'm loving watching the Gators getting there a** kicked......That makes my day.....lol I'll talk to you guys later.......
Michele
Michele
Hey I live in Florida are you bashing the gator's? LOL
Have a good one. Rae
Have a good one. Rae
Born and raised in Florida and I'm a Georgia Bulldog!! Go figure.....lol
My Story.
I have been on Oxycontin (and Vicodin on and off) for 4 years, due to severe headaches from an incurable tumor disease I have: Fibrous Dysplasia. At my peak, I took 20mgs 3x/day, plus 2-3 5mg or 10mg for breakthrough 2x/day.
During the 3 years I was at the Pain Clinic, I had 4 doctors: the first dropped me because he didn't "do" headaches; the second left the state without a word during a dispute with the other doctors in the clinic; the third committed suicide 2 weeks after I saw him (and I loved him, thinking he was the first person to understand my pain); and the 4th doubted my disease was "real" despite the x-rays, referring reports from other docs, etc, because she "had never heard of it." At this point, under tremendous strain, I decided to go off Oxy, and rid myself of these nutcases.
I enlisted the help of another doctor to help me taper. As I tapered, I realized: I went on these pills for a reason; I have tremendous pain! But I wanted to be rid of the psycho-docs of the Pain Clinic and the suspicious pharmacists in my suburban town, so I continued with the detox. Very slowly...
.... Because the detox is horrible. I sweat all the time. My mind is cloudy (and I'm a writer!), I feel listless and depressed, and, worst of all, the Restless Leg keeps me up for hours. I can barely make dinner for my family. I haven't written, or slept well, in 4 weeks, since I began the detox.
I now take 10-15mg of Oxy/per day in 5mg doses. The good news: I feel strong today. I am going to try to wait all day until the restless leg becomes unbearable, before I take a 5mg tab. It has been 12 hours since my last pill.
I am trying to take B vitamins each day, and my doctor also gave me Lunesta and Klonopin to help me sleep, although I try not to take them every day. No use replacing one devil with another.
My question to the forum: How long will it be before I dont feel this listless and depressed? Before my legs stop crawling? Do the aftereffects of Oxy linger for days or weeks or months? It feels as if my life is slipping awayat 45, I am still young, but not THAT young.
Any (kind or heartfelt) advice based on personal experience will be greatly appreciated and acknowledged.
Thanks for reading and I apologize for the long postI guess I needed to talk.
NightOwl Girl
I have been on Oxycontin (and Vicodin on and off) for 4 years, due to severe headaches from an incurable tumor disease I have: Fibrous Dysplasia. At my peak, I took 20mgs 3x/day, plus 2-3 5mg or 10mg for breakthrough 2x/day.
During the 3 years I was at the Pain Clinic, I had 4 doctors: the first dropped me because he didn't "do" headaches; the second left the state without a word during a dispute with the other doctors in the clinic; the third committed suicide 2 weeks after I saw him (and I loved him, thinking he was the first person to understand my pain); and the 4th doubted my disease was "real" despite the x-rays, referring reports from other docs, etc, because she "had never heard of it." At this point, under tremendous strain, I decided to go off Oxy, and rid myself of these nutcases.
I enlisted the help of another doctor to help me taper. As I tapered, I realized: I went on these pills for a reason; I have tremendous pain! But I wanted to be rid of the psycho-docs of the Pain Clinic and the suspicious pharmacists in my suburban town, so I continued with the detox. Very slowly...
.... Because the detox is horrible. I sweat all the time. My mind is cloudy (and I'm a writer!), I feel listless and depressed, and, worst of all, the Restless Leg keeps me up for hours. I can barely make dinner for my family. I haven't written, or slept well, in 4 weeks, since I began the detox.
I now take 10-15mg of Oxy/per day in 5mg doses. The good news: I feel strong today. I am going to try to wait all day until the restless leg becomes unbearable, before I take a 5mg tab. It has been 12 hours since my last pill.
I am trying to take B vitamins each day, and my doctor also gave me Lunesta and Klonopin to help me sleep, although I try not to take them every day. No use replacing one devil with another.
My question to the forum: How long will it be before I dont feel this listless and depressed? Before my legs stop crawling? Do the aftereffects of Oxy linger for days or weeks or months? It feels as if my life is slipping awayat 45, I am still young, but not THAT young.
Any (kind or heartfelt) advice based on personal experience will be greatly appreciated and acknowledged.
Thanks for reading and I apologize for the long postI guess I needed to talk.
NightOwl Girl
PS From NightOwl Girl:
I realize that a close reading of the previous posts, which I intend to do, will give me ample information about getting through this thing. I guess I just wanted, for the first time, to tell my story OUT THERE :)
Thanks.
I realize that a close reading of the previous posts, which I intend to do, will give me ample information about getting through this thing. I guess I just wanted, for the first time, to tell my story OUT THERE :)
Thanks.
Hey Night Owl. Welcome. I've never taken Oxy before, but I took my fair share of Lortab/Vicodin. I also had a type of dysplasia. My Ob/Gyn found it during one of my yearly papsmears. It kept getting worse, so that's why I'm 32 with a total hysterectomy. Good for you for wanting to get off the roller coaster ride of pill addiction. I have to tell you though, that the restless legs and other nasty symtoms will not go away until you stop the pills altogether and then go through a few days of being uncomfortable. I tapered and I had the withdrawal symptoms during the process. After I stopped the pills, I had 3-4 days of feeling fluish, and then I started to feel better. It seems to be the general consensus that sleep and energy are the last things to return. For me, it was about 8 weeks before I got my normal sleep pattern back. I can relate to having a cloudy mind. For a few weeks after I stopped using, it was like I couldn't remember the proper word I wanted to use when I was having a conversation with someone. It felt like I had no train of thought. Thank goodness that has subsided. It gets much better, I promise. Stay determined and keep posting.
Hugs,
DeNae
Hugs,
DeNae
NightOwl Girl,
Welcome to the board! Thanks for sharing your story. It sounds like you've had a very hard time getting down to a low dose but your finally there. You said you feel stronger. That is great. As far as the restless legs goes, I think your doing the right thing in waiting as long as you can before your next dose. Sometimes restless legs can be unbearable and I totally sympathize with you. I have gone through withdrawl from a few different kinds of pain pills but my worst was methadone back in 2002. I wanted to cut my legs off they hurt so bad and I do remember it taking a while to go away..Once you are done with the taper and totally off the oxy's they should get better. I have seen many people say there is a pill called quinine pills for leg cramps or something called Restless legs.. Also Lavendar oil or sleepytime tea. Hot bathes and banana's or anything with pottasium in it. Hope you feel better soon. Take care. Rae
Welcome to the board! Thanks for sharing your story. It sounds like you've had a very hard time getting down to a low dose but your finally there. You said you feel stronger. That is great. As far as the restless legs goes, I think your doing the right thing in waiting as long as you can before your next dose. Sometimes restless legs can be unbearable and I totally sympathize with you. I have gone through withdrawl from a few different kinds of pain pills but my worst was methadone back in 2002. I wanted to cut my legs off they hurt so bad and I do remember it taking a while to go away..Once you are done with the taper and totally off the oxy's they should get better. I have seen many people say there is a pill called quinine pills for leg cramps or something called Restless legs.. Also Lavendar oil or sleepytime tea. Hot bathes and banana's or anything with pottasium in it. Hope you feel better soon. Take care. Rae
Hi Everyone,
Im back at day 7 after a being clean for 39 days, May 13-June 22. Then falling off the wagon from June 23 to Sept 26.
I only got back to about 50% of my previous abuse so the W/D's were not as bad but were still a pain in the butt.
The bad news is when I started taking this crap for the warm glow I was working out several times a week. During the last 2 years I probably went last than ten times because of the shift of importance. Who wants to lift weights on Oxy or Vices?? Also hitting 50 and the inactivity aggravated an already questionable back to a bad back that is a contstant PITB.
This deotx is a little scary as I get these variant migranies which affect my vision and concentration. Yesterday they became painful for the first time ever and I had LOTS of trouble thinking clearly. I usually get the variant kind about 2X per month but it seems that these W/D's aggrivate them.
Has anyone else had these experiences?
Oh yes one more thing. Last week I developed a terrible sinus infection and that triggered my honest desire to quit. I felt so bad that I knew the pills wouldnt help and I was sick as sick anyway so what the heck. Gosh am I a glutton for punishment or what?
Thanks to all for being here as I lurk on this board alot and it has given me strength to try... again
Im back at day 7 after a being clean for 39 days, May 13-June 22. Then falling off the wagon from June 23 to Sept 26.
I only got back to about 50% of my previous abuse so the W/D's were not as bad but were still a pain in the butt.
The bad news is when I started taking this crap for the warm glow I was working out several times a week. During the last 2 years I probably went last than ten times because of the shift of importance. Who wants to lift weights on Oxy or Vices?? Also hitting 50 and the inactivity aggravated an already questionable back to a bad back that is a contstant PITB.
This deotx is a little scary as I get these variant migranies which affect my vision and concentration. Yesterday they became painful for the first time ever and I had LOTS of trouble thinking clearly. I usually get the variant kind about 2X per month but it seems that these W/D's aggrivate them.
Has anyone else had these experiences?
Oh yes one more thing. Last week I developed a terrible sinus infection and that triggered my honest desire to quit. I felt so bad that I knew the pills wouldnt help and I was sick as sick anyway so what the heck. Gosh am I a glutton for punishment or what?
Thanks to all for being here as I lurk on this board alot and it has given me strength to try... again
Greg when I detoxed off of methadone and dilaudids I had migranes. I have 13 days back today and I still have some concentration problems as well. Good Luck to you.
Love,
Liz
Love,
Liz
oh yeah, I also had back pains from the wd's.
Hi guys.....I'm also going through the same symptoms of w/d as you guys are. I'm ( I think....24 days clean today....my days are running together) but I've been fighting a migraine for 2 days and the so called "restless legs" mostly at night and the low back pain....which I think is from walking funny from my sprained ankle/foot from earlier this week making it hard to sleep through the night. I finally get to sleep around 1 or 2 then I'm up again around 6 or 7. Even on the weekends....and I love my sleep...so this is very weird for me. Today I did absolutely nothing except cook dinner and mostly lay around with an ice pack on the back of my neck and on my head for this wanna be migraine. I was taking Lortabs for my herniated disc....and for treatment of headaches. That seems to be the drug of choice from all doctors for all my pains. I have small cyst in my head that causes the headaches and there doesn't seem to be a treatment for that. Just to monitor it to make sure it doesn't grow. And of course medication. But I've finally got my Medicaid coverage so I have a doctors appt. set up for Friday with a new doctor. It will be interesting to see how he wants to treat my depression, anxiety and pain management. I have a feeling it's going to be the same as all the others.....but when I tell him about my problem with the pain pills, I'm hoping there is another route for the pain management. Anyway....I hope everyone is having a great drug free day!
Michele
Michele
ooops......23 days clean....not 24 yet....but will be....
Rae & DeNae: Thanks so much for responding to my post and your tips and guidance. Every word of encouragement I hear/read is like a ray of sunlight on my path to better pain management, and, ultimately, a better and happier life.
Today is the first day of the week. A new week....so I will try again. Force myself to exercise, reduce my caffeine, find some quinine. Keep busy. Make dinner. Try to write something.
I wish us all peace of mind and moments that are pain-free.
NightOwl Girl
Today is the first day of the week. A new week....so I will try again. Force myself to exercise, reduce my caffeine, find some quinine. Keep busy. Make dinner. Try to write something.
I wish us all peace of mind and moments that are pain-free.
NightOwl Girl
It has been 15 hours and 45 minutes, my stomache is starting to hurt, I stumbled upon this site by accident and was reading the postings. I can relate with every single e-mail. I am begining to tear up writing this but I tried stopping before and nothing mever works. My husband thinks I stopped over a year ago buts it has beeen on and off-more so on. I need to stop mso badly for myself mainly but for my husband and childern also. This is really becoming emotional now....I basically took the pills for th euphoria but mainly the energy. I always told myself I could stop but i couldn't. I guess I am reaching out now because it is my only option...please help
