Hello all - I'm new to this board and would appreciate hearing stories of weaning off pills vs cold turkey. My good friend told me to "just get sick" - i.e. the cold turkey route but can't afford the "down time". DOC is percs. Went through 75 in five days and now am trying to wean so I can quit the well known cycle of chasing another supply to just get to that "normal" state. Withdrawls kicked in since I can't afford to continue to do 25 a day. I checked out an out patient rehab where they prescribe sub to lessen the withdrawls but the cost is prohibitive.
Good luck to you all! After reading your inspirational posts, I know you wouldn't be here if you want to continue with your habit.
Welcome Bikergurl...
For me, I couldn't wean from pills...tried for years and it just winded up as justified insanity, doing the same thing, promising myself I'd only take so many and then wind up taking them all, getting more and starting the whole merry-go-round again...I finally got sick & tired and ran out and didn't get more, found this website & read everyday (didn't post in the beginning, just read) and realized I had been in a constant state of wd's for months & months...I took my last dose on a Thursday morning, had Friday off of work and by Monday I felt human enough to drag into work...I was very anxious, couldn't sleep, restless legs at night, no energy, diarrea, sneezing & flu like symptoms...I just laid on the couch and watched old movies & Lifetime channel the entire weekend...I ate soup and crackers and basically felt like a bad case of the flu...Slowly, I started to feel better and around day 9, I remember feeling everything, smelling everything, seeing things so clearly and being so hungry...All my senses where returning in a big way...Lack of sleep (couple hours a night) continued until about week 3 but I was reassured lack of sleep wouldn't kill me so I just was thankful for the few hours I was getting....The obsession/compulsion to take pills was lifted about week 5 and I did okay on my own for 4 months but relapsed since I didn't have a recovery program or the tools to deal with life on life's terms...My coping mechanism to deal with anger/fear/frustration, just life in general was to not feel and take a pill so until I surrendered and quit trying to stay clean/sober on my own and that's when I found the freedom from addiction and today, I have peace & serenity, tools to deal with life when things happen, I have friends and family who trust me again and the best thing of all is I love myself and that's something I haven't done in a very long time...
Someone posted a couple times (I think Rachel) that the only way to quit taking pills is to quit taking pills...Simple but difficult at times, that's why I reached out to others who have the experience at staying clean & sober and I no longer do this on my own...
Welcome and I can totally relate to everything you are feeling & going through right now...We're here to help and you took a huge first step by posting here and realizing you have a problem....
Take care,
Stacey
For me, I couldn't wean from pills...tried for years and it just winded up as justified insanity, doing the same thing, promising myself I'd only take so many and then wind up taking them all, getting more and starting the whole merry-go-round again...I finally got sick & tired and ran out and didn't get more, found this website & read everyday (didn't post in the beginning, just read) and realized I had been in a constant state of wd's for months & months...I took my last dose on a Thursday morning, had Friday off of work and by Monday I felt human enough to drag into work...I was very anxious, couldn't sleep, restless legs at night, no energy, diarrea, sneezing & flu like symptoms...I just laid on the couch and watched old movies & Lifetime channel the entire weekend...I ate soup and crackers and basically felt like a bad case of the flu...Slowly, I started to feel better and around day 9, I remember feeling everything, smelling everything, seeing things so clearly and being so hungry...All my senses where returning in a big way...Lack of sleep (couple hours a night) continued until about week 3 but I was reassured lack of sleep wouldn't kill me so I just was thankful for the few hours I was getting....The obsession/compulsion to take pills was lifted about week 5 and I did okay on my own for 4 months but relapsed since I didn't have a recovery program or the tools to deal with life on life's terms...My coping mechanism to deal with anger/fear/frustration, just life in general was to not feel and take a pill so until I surrendered and quit trying to stay clean/sober on my own and that's when I found the freedom from addiction and today, I have peace & serenity, tools to deal with life when things happen, I have friends and family who trust me again and the best thing of all is I love myself and that's something I haven't done in a very long time...
Someone posted a couple times (I think Rachel) that the only way to quit taking pills is to quit taking pills...Simple but difficult at times, that's why I reached out to others who have the experience at staying clean & sober and I no longer do this on my own...
Welcome and I can totally relate to everything you are feeling & going through right now...We're here to help and you took a huge first step by posting here and realizing you have a problem....
Take care,
Stacey
Welcome to the board Bikergurl!
First off...every single thing that Stacey said...I echo...funny when we start reading these stories how very very similar we all are.
I have to say that I was never ever able to taper either...cold turkey just scared the poop out of me...literally! When you describe the "constant state of w/d" that was me. The obsession over pills was all consuming...it is only when you get some clean time and are able to step back and look at your life does it really hit you!
I am very grateful to be clean...for me I needed to go the suboxone route...this drug is not a miracle cure all...but it did give me the precious time that I needed to stop the obsessing about pills and start dealing with my life. I am on a very low therapeutic dose right now and am coming off that. The key for me is AA/NA...therapy and a great addiction specialist...I am confident now that I have learned what I just couldn't before that I will live a clean and sober life. I am in recovery and always will be...the sooner I was able to grasp that concept the miracles started to happen. I say this alot but it is so true for me. Recovery and Sobriety are a journey...not a destination!
Biker...all the energy that you put into obtaining your pills you need to put that into getting clean! I posted to you on the vent thread and want to talk to you more but I have to run right now! Literally!!
I am here for you...as well as others....I would like to hear more from you and hopefully offer up some good advice and get you through your detox!!
Congrats on day 2...you keep going okay...one hour at a time...that is all you need to worry about!
Be back later....hugs to you....
First off...every single thing that Stacey said...I echo...funny when we start reading these stories how very very similar we all are.
I have to say that I was never ever able to taper either...cold turkey just scared the poop out of me...literally! When you describe the "constant state of w/d" that was me. The obsession over pills was all consuming...it is only when you get some clean time and are able to step back and look at your life does it really hit you!
I am very grateful to be clean...for me I needed to go the suboxone route...this drug is not a miracle cure all...but it did give me the precious time that I needed to stop the obsessing about pills and start dealing with my life. I am on a very low therapeutic dose right now and am coming off that. The key for me is AA/NA...therapy and a great addiction specialist...I am confident now that I have learned what I just couldn't before that I will live a clean and sober life. I am in recovery and always will be...the sooner I was able to grasp that concept the miracles started to happen. I say this alot but it is so true for me. Recovery and Sobriety are a journey...not a destination!
Biker...all the energy that you put into obtaining your pills you need to put that into getting clean! I posted to you on the vent thread and want to talk to you more but I have to run right now! Literally!!
I am here for you...as well as others....I would like to hear more from you and hopefully offer up some good advice and get you through your detox!!
Congrats on day 2...you keep going okay...one hour at a time...that is all you need to worry about!
Be back later....hugs to you....
OMG! I have tears running down my face after reading your caring posts. I thank you from the bottom of my heart ... You certainly make a difference in this world to a total stranger ... me. I feel for you and wish you angelic blessings as you certainly make a difference in this world for simply caring ... GTG cry a little more but, again, thank you so much for caring!
Bikergurl,there are many caring people here.You will soon learn that if you stick around.We all have our own certain ways of getting through this,but we all have the same goal in mind...getting off these damn pills and getting our lives back!
My first thought was,can you call other detox places,looking for a sub detox that either your insurance will cover or...they take you for free?Alot of hospitals have Detox units where you go for a very short stay,say 3 days and help with the detox process with sub.
I personally found a hospital detox about an hour from my home who took my insurance and it didnt cost a penny out of pocket.It helped me alot.It also is set up for people without insurance,or even jobless.They cannot refuse anyone!
You might have such a place in your area,maybe a biot aways but wel worth checking inot.
You sound liek youre ready to do this,put some time into finding a detox,you might get lucky,dont just stop at the first road block.
Good luck and keep us all posted.~KIM
My first thought was,can you call other detox places,looking for a sub detox that either your insurance will cover or...they take you for free?Alot of hospitals have Detox units where you go for a very short stay,say 3 days and help with the detox process with sub.
I personally found a hospital detox about an hour from my home who took my insurance and it didnt cost a penny out of pocket.It helped me alot.It also is set up for people without insurance,or even jobless.They cannot refuse anyone!
You might have such a place in your area,maybe a biot aways but wel worth checking inot.
You sound liek youre ready to do this,put some time into finding a detox,you might get lucky,dont just stop at the first road block.
Good luck and keep us all posted.~KIM
Dear Bkgurl, I am glad you found this board...Hoping you can get into the outpatient rehab with the sub..I know its expensive, but, so is your DOC, and 25 a day is quite expensive, I am sure...You can get off this crazy merry-go-round, I di a few weeks ago, never imagining I could. Have faith in yourself, you amde the first step by admitting you have a problem and looking into solutions. Now see if there is someone you can ask for help, a family member, church, or social services....Maybe someone can help you financially for the o/p sub program. It normally requires you to be opiate free for 12-18 hrs before induction, which I found to be better than the cold turkey w/ds for days, not that it cant be done that way either, its a personal choice... Good luck to you and keep posting your progress..The people here are full of advice and they can help you with any questions you can have.. My thoughts are with you, SM
Biker to bikergurl,
I normally would not have anything to say, as it has already been said, but I hope you seek help. I tried to get off Oxy by weaning, and cold turkey, and switching to other drugs, but in the end I was still taking 20 a day plus all the other crap. I was not a man who knew how to ask for help. Just something a man is not supposed to do, or so I had been raised all my life. That was wrong, and once I mustered the courage to not worry about what a man is supposed to do I sought help, and was in turn given the greatest gift anyone can ever receive.........my life, and I am dope free, and continue to seek help and guidance from others in recovery. As an added bonus my Harley is no longer collecting dust !!!
Mike N
I normally would not have anything to say, as it has already been said, but I hope you seek help. I tried to get off Oxy by weaning, and cold turkey, and switching to other drugs, but in the end I was still taking 20 a day plus all the other crap. I was not a man who knew how to ask for help. Just something a man is not supposed to do, or so I had been raised all my life. That was wrong, and once I mustered the courage to not worry about what a man is supposed to do I sought help, and was in turn given the greatest gift anyone can ever receive.........my life, and I am dope free, and continue to seek help and guidance from others in recovery. As an added bonus my Harley is no longer collecting dust !!!
Mike N
Hi. I have been weaning down from oxycontin--about 300mgs and am now at 30 mgs oxy and 30 mgs percocet. I was wondering if it is easier to wean from the percocet since it is not long acting. I have a bladder disease and I just want to get off the meds while I am in remission. I hate the constipation and everything about them. I was wondering if I should just go to all percocet and drop the oxy. Today was my second day of taking 1 ten mg. oxy and 1 ten mg percocet 3x a day and thought maybe tomorrow I should just take 2 percocet because last time I got off I remember it took so long for the oxy to get out. If anyone can help me I would really appreciate it.
hello people ive been through the ringer and cold turkey is death warmed up and thats putting it mildly was taking up to 200grm a day down to 35gms what is the best way as it is soooo hard for this aussie guy it lasts for 6hrs and then it sets in the hanging out steps in is there anythink to help me as in coming down 5gms a week please help me as sleep patterns is not good and this is hell please help me people
You are coming down too fast, drop in 10% increments and wait until the wd's subside before you drop again.
The trick to weaning (and yes long acting opioids are easier to wean from) is to find a balance between going so slow that you give up, or going too fast and not being able to handle the withdrawals.
The trick to weaning (and yes long acting opioids are easier to wean from) is to find a balance between going so slow that you give up, or going too fast and not being able to handle the withdrawals.