Hi Friends,
I'm back again....here's a little history for those of you who don't know my story...I have been taking 5-7 Oxcodones (5mg) per day for 1 year. It started as a medical condition and is ending as an addiction.....
Here's the question...I have tapered down to 2 1/2 pills per day and have been there for 1 week.....Do I continue to taper or do I now go cold turkey? Both have pros & cons but I need your opinion....One way or another I'm getting off this stuff. (I have been sober from alcohol for 18 years and am going to my AA meetings) I am 45 yrs old and in otherwise great health....This is the first time this has ever happened to me........
Please keep in mind I never used those dailey but I have taken a few in my time.It sounds like you are doing SO great & have alot to be proud of.Im not a Dr but if it were me I would keep tapering for another week or so & than jump off.I dont know much of that kind of W/D but with those I know it can be ruff.
Good luck & keep us updated Id love to hear next that youve gotten totally off them...mj.S
Good luck & keep us updated Id love to hear next that youve gotten totally off them...mj.S
Burned...If you have been down to 2.5 for a week, I would
jump off from there..Why wait?..Start taking your life back
today..I have been off the crap for almost 7 months, and
my life is so much better it is almost a miracle..But then I
was taking the stuff daily for 13 years..There is so much
power in taking your life back from the pills..
Doug
jump off from there..Why wait?..Start taking your life back
today..I have been off the crap for almost 7 months, and
my life is so much better it is almost a miracle..But then I
was taking the stuff daily for 13 years..There is so much
power in taking your life back from the pills..
Doug
Cat...Good Morning!
Sounds like the taper is going well...Do you have enought to continue to taper? Oxycodone wasn't my first choice of opiate but I hear they are harder to come off of than Vics...
I have never tapered but from what I understand even when you jump from a real low amount you still feel some w/d yucky effects....
Sounds like you are doing good.....
Jan
Sounds like the taper is going well...Do you have enought to continue to taper? Oxycodone wasn't my first choice of opiate but I hear they are harder to come off of than Vics...
I have never tapered but from what I understand even when you jump from a real low amount you still feel some w/d yucky effects....
Sounds like you are doing good.....
Jan
just my opinion, but if you have them, I would taper down again.. and get the dose as low as you can.. hopefully it would help with the withdrawals..
I could never taper either, so I find it so awesome that you are doing so well on it..
good luck!
I could never taper either, so I find it so awesome that you are doing so well on it..
good luck!
Oh no, not another Cat!!! Now there are three of us. Thank goodness you spell yours with a C.
I tapered down to 2 a day. Did that for awhile, longer than I needed to actually, then jumped. I flushed the rest. Wd was not tough at all. Okay, it wasn't a trip to Chuck e Cheese, but it was very bearable. I flushed like crazy. I was actually excited through the whole thing. Attitude is everything. I was doing it!! I was actually doing it! By day four I woke up feeling great. I could hardly believe it was all over. I dashed to the store just to prove I could go somewhere without a drug.
Go for it! You won't be sorry. Grab some immodium, drink constantly, watch a few good movies, listen to your favorite music, get yourself hyped up, and watch how fast it will fly by. Just think, if you started tomorrow, by Sunday you could be free. How cool is that?
Okay, wait a sec. I misread your post. My doc was hydros. I don't usually tell people to do anything that I didn't do myself. Is there a huge difference between tapering off hydros and oxycondones? I still think you can do it, but I thought it best to tell you exactly what it was I was coming off of. Good luck in whatever you do.
I tapered down to 2 a day. Did that for awhile, longer than I needed to actually, then jumped. I flushed the rest. Wd was not tough at all. Okay, it wasn't a trip to Chuck e Cheese, but it was very bearable. I flushed like crazy. I was actually excited through the whole thing. Attitude is everything. I was doing it!! I was actually doing it! By day four I woke up feeling great. I could hardly believe it was all over. I dashed to the store just to prove I could go somewhere without a drug.
Go for it! You won't be sorry. Grab some immodium, drink constantly, watch a few good movies, listen to your favorite music, get yourself hyped up, and watch how fast it will fly by. Just think, if you started tomorrow, by Sunday you could be free. How cool is that?
Okay, wait a sec. I misread your post. My doc was hydros. I don't usually tell people to do anything that I didn't do myself. Is there a huge difference between tapering off hydros and oxycondones? I still think you can do it, but I thought it best to tell you exactly what it was I was coming off of. Good luck in whatever you do.
Hi,
I can't believe I'm posting. I've been reading for almost a year but afraid to let anyone know about my addiction, even anonymously. But today, I am clean for 30 days and you can be too. You sound a lot like me - I'm 38, married to a great guy, 2 beautiful children, a good job and I put it all at risk for oxycodone. Stupid, huh?
It started with real medical pain, then surgery, then took on a life of its own. I was prescribed percosets, up to 4 times a day. Got up to 10 or 12 a day. That may not sound like a lot to some, but it was awful. Lying to get them, hiding, not letting anyone know what was happening - awful. And the worst of it was that there was no pain anymore! Took them for fear that there would be pain or that I'd be uncomfortable and couldn't help or keep up with my kids, then having to take them just to keep away the awful feelings that happened when I didn't take them...addiction.
Then I decided-again-I was done and tried to go cold turkey. That's another story but it didn't work from 12. I researched how to go off and found lots of different aswers - throw them away and go cold turkey;couldn't. Cut by 1 pill a week; that would have taken 3 months; couldn't go through w/d for that long. cut by 2 pills a week, cut by 1 or 2 pills every 3 days....
Can only tell you what worked for me. I wanted it done and over in 2 weeks without a lot of dose changes. Went from 10-12 to 6 on Day 1 and did that for 4 days. Pain was awful - not in my back, but headaches, toothaches, chest pain, muscle and joint pain, but with 6 percs and extra strength tylonol, got through it. I knew what I wanted. You do too. It's soooooo hard, but worth it. On day 5, I cut to 4 pills for 4 days. That was the worst - flu-like symptoms, diarhhea, nausea, whole body aches. Called out sick for 2 days, told hubby and kids I had the flu and slept round the clock practically. Day 9 and 10, I tried 3 but it didn't seem worth the effort - I even tried cutting them in half! Mistake! Needed to take them less often and realize I could go longer and longer. Day 11, cut to 2 a day for 4 days. W/d still there and bad but feeling so good about what I was doing that I knew I could get there - it was like I was seeing a chance for my life, my real life again. Day 15, cut to 1 pill, then decided it was ridiculous to taper for one pill so destroyed my entire supply on Day 16. Took a little longer than I wanted, but that was April 17 and None since.
So, I think you're doing great! You seem right about where you should be. My advice to you is to skip the halfs and cut to 2 tomorrow. Do that for maybe 2 days. After 2 days at 2, you should be low enough to just destroy your supply and go cold turkey. If you really don't think you can handle the w/d, then go to 2 for 3 days, 1 for 2 days then destroy and be done. You're on your way to having control of your life; hang on to that and don't give in. You've already given up alcohol so you know you're a strong woman; you can do this! Remember how bad you want it and hang in there. JUST DO IT...NOW!
I can't believe I'm posting. I've been reading for almost a year but afraid to let anyone know about my addiction, even anonymously. But today, I am clean for 30 days and you can be too. You sound a lot like me - I'm 38, married to a great guy, 2 beautiful children, a good job and I put it all at risk for oxycodone. Stupid, huh?
It started with real medical pain, then surgery, then took on a life of its own. I was prescribed percosets, up to 4 times a day. Got up to 10 or 12 a day. That may not sound like a lot to some, but it was awful. Lying to get them, hiding, not letting anyone know what was happening - awful. And the worst of it was that there was no pain anymore! Took them for fear that there would be pain or that I'd be uncomfortable and couldn't help or keep up with my kids, then having to take them just to keep away the awful feelings that happened when I didn't take them...addiction.
Then I decided-again-I was done and tried to go cold turkey. That's another story but it didn't work from 12. I researched how to go off and found lots of different aswers - throw them away and go cold turkey;couldn't. Cut by 1 pill a week; that would have taken 3 months; couldn't go through w/d for that long. cut by 2 pills a week, cut by 1 or 2 pills every 3 days....
Can only tell you what worked for me. I wanted it done and over in 2 weeks without a lot of dose changes. Went from 10-12 to 6 on Day 1 and did that for 4 days. Pain was awful - not in my back, but headaches, toothaches, chest pain, muscle and joint pain, but with 6 percs and extra strength tylonol, got through it. I knew what I wanted. You do too. It's soooooo hard, but worth it. On day 5, I cut to 4 pills for 4 days. That was the worst - flu-like symptoms, diarhhea, nausea, whole body aches. Called out sick for 2 days, told hubby and kids I had the flu and slept round the clock practically. Day 9 and 10, I tried 3 but it didn't seem worth the effort - I even tried cutting them in half! Mistake! Needed to take them less often and realize I could go longer and longer. Day 11, cut to 2 a day for 4 days. W/d still there and bad but feeling so good about what I was doing that I knew I could get there - it was like I was seeing a chance for my life, my real life again. Day 15, cut to 1 pill, then decided it was ridiculous to taper for one pill so destroyed my entire supply on Day 16. Took a little longer than I wanted, but that was April 17 and None since.
So, I think you're doing great! You seem right about where you should be. My advice to you is to skip the halfs and cut to 2 tomorrow. Do that for maybe 2 days. After 2 days at 2, you should be low enough to just destroy your supply and go cold turkey. If you really don't think you can handle the w/d, then go to 2 for 3 days, 1 for 2 days then destroy and be done. You're on your way to having control of your life; hang on to that and don't give in. You've already given up alcohol so you know you're a strong woman; you can do this! Remember how bad you want it and hang in there. JUST DO IT...NOW!
Sorry to bump myself but talk to me!
jump ship now, get it over with. I did the taper myself, but in hindsight, I was just prolonging the inevitable. Good luck to you,
Regards,
Tom
Regards,
Tom
Thanks Tom....
I just feel sooooooooooooooooooooooo awful...almost like I'm gonna die. My heart is pounding out of my chest....today was my 1st day at 2 pills.....
I just feel sooooooooooooooooooooooo awful...almost like I'm gonna die. My heart is pounding out of my chest....today was my 1st day at 2 pills.....
hey burned (cat).. how did today go? did you taper any more today or take the 2.5???
good luck!
edit:
well, I just saw that you did 2 today.. I am sorry its so bad.. I do know how you feel.. not that it helps any, but I do understand it at least..
have you decided how you are going to continue??
do you have enough pills to continue to taper for a few days??
good luck!
edit:
well, I just saw that you did 2 today.. I am sorry its so bad.. I do know how you feel.. not that it helps any, but I do understand it at least..
have you decided how you are going to continue??
do you have enough pills to continue to taper for a few days??
Make it your last girlfriend! You're going to feel sh**ty no matter what, but don't make it take longer than it has too. At 2, you're almost home free. Hold on to that and you will get through this. Remember, as bad as you feel now, it was worse when you were taking more. Just get rid of them. Use OTC meds for the worst of the symptoms and go for it! This is for a good cause - your health and your life. You can do it girl.
Gwen
Gwen
You can do this burned, it's our fear that holds us back. You just get it over with and then you can start your journey of recovery. It's so worth it!
edit to say: Welcome to the board, Gwen!
edit to say: Welcome to the board, Gwen!
Carolina Girl,
I have plenty of pills. My best friend has them and she is bringing my "dosage" over to me every morning...I don't trust them in the house when I feel this bad...I know i would take them. What do you think I should do?
I have plenty of pills. My best friend has them and she is bringing my "dosage" over to me every morning...I don't trust them in the house when I feel this bad...I know i would take them. What do you think I should do?
I know what you mean.. I wouldnt trust myself either.. I guess that is why tapering never worked for me..
I really dont know what to tell you.. there seems to be good points from both sides.. its sorta like.. do you want really bad withdrawals for 2 weeks or do you want really REALLY bad withdrawals for 10 days..
its like that old saying.. 6 of one, and half dozen of the other..
It just depends on what will work for you...
if you are doing "ok" on the taper (and I know you dont feel ok), but if you are doing fairly well.. then you could continue and try to come off slowly.. It seems that the severity of the w/d would be somewhat lessened.. but will it be enough.. I dont know..
I tried tapering quite a few times, and just couldnt..but I also never gave my pills to anyone to help out.. that would have been very beneficial.. My doctor told me that tapering is the "safest" way to come off, because you are not "shocking" your system and your brain.. and that makes sense to me.. so if you are able.. that is what I would do..but this is only MY opinion.. you will get others, and have to weigh everything to see what is best for you..
You will NEVER hear me say.. that one way is the best way, or my way is the better way.. in this crazy world of addiction, you simply have to do what is best for YOU.. and it might not be what others think is the best.. so just take my opinion for what it is an opinion..
please know this, I am thinking about you, and hoping that this goes as smoothly as possible.. there is not much worse then going through this, unless it is going through it alone..
Hang in there.. You will get through it!!!
I really dont know what to tell you.. there seems to be good points from both sides.. its sorta like.. do you want really bad withdrawals for 2 weeks or do you want really REALLY bad withdrawals for 10 days..
its like that old saying.. 6 of one, and half dozen of the other..
It just depends on what will work for you...
if you are doing "ok" on the taper (and I know you dont feel ok), but if you are doing fairly well.. then you could continue and try to come off slowly.. It seems that the severity of the w/d would be somewhat lessened.. but will it be enough.. I dont know..
I tried tapering quite a few times, and just couldnt..but I also never gave my pills to anyone to help out.. that would have been very beneficial.. My doctor told me that tapering is the "safest" way to come off, because you are not "shocking" your system and your brain.. and that makes sense to me.. so if you are able.. that is what I would do..but this is only MY opinion.. you will get others, and have to weigh everything to see what is best for you..
You will NEVER hear me say.. that one way is the best way, or my way is the better way.. in this crazy world of addiction, you simply have to do what is best for YOU.. and it might not be what others think is the best.. so just take my opinion for what it is an opinion..
please know this, I am thinking about you, and hoping that this goes as smoothly as possible.. there is not much worse then going through this, unless it is going through it alone..
Hang in there.. You will get through it!!!
Thank you, Kathy...I value your opinion. My Tylenol pm has kicked in so I'll sleep on it and pray for tomorrow's strength....One thing I know for sure....this is a first for me and it will also be a LAST!
Hugs!!!
Hugs!!!
Goodnight Cat... I hope you sleep well and have pleasant dreams..
take care of yourself.. and I know exactly what you mean about the first/last thing..
stay strong tomorrow!!!
.
take care of yourself.. and I know exactly what you mean about the first/last thing..
stay strong tomorrow!!!
.