Hi..It's been awhile since I've posted.
I have tapered from 80 mg of oxycontin to 20(10 every 12 hours) and I can't seem to get past this point.
I live in Canada and Suboxone is not an option.
The nearest treatment centre is 550 miles away and costs $7000.
My Doctor suggested a methadone clinic in downtown Ottawa which mostly treats street drug users and requires daily visits(other posts have mostly recommended avoiding methadone at any cost!)
Question of the Day!!!
Could Marijuana be my answer?
I have a girlfriend who uses it for migraine headaches, and suggested that this may be my best solution for these next couple of weeks( She is a nurse and also was in favor of using pot for pain after my accident instead of oxy, incidently!)
Does anyone have an opinion???
PLEASE respond...you all have been my primary source of information and encouragement (mostly I read everyone's posts!) In the past, I haven't had too many responses, but I am hoping that someone can help today....
Needing help in Canada!!!!
Jenelle
My opinion is a big strong NO!!! Pot was the first drug I got addicted to, and I moved on to stronger, more dangerous stuff. Believe me, changing one addiction for another is NOT the answer, I know because I am in the middle of one helluva stronghold addiction to pain pills.
My understanding was that marijuana itself is not addictive...although it often drives people to other stronger habits. I am only looking for relief from withdrawl as I can't seem to get past this 2-10 mg a day part?!!
Thanks for answering...how are you doing now?
How many kids have you got? I have 4 and am missing them like crazy!
Thanks for answering...how are you doing now?
How many kids have you got? I have 4 and am missing them like crazy!
Jennelle, do you have addiction doctors that can prescribe you something to make you more comfortable while you go through withdrawals?
JD
JD
I have three beautiful teens (oops, my daughter turns 20 today!)
I am in the midst of crap. I relapsed big time.
About pot not being addictive, please look on the topics on this site about marijuana. Yes, it may lead to stronger drugs, but my opinion and a ton of other addicts will tell you it is indeed addictive.
I am in the midst of crap. I relapsed big time.
About pot not being addictive, please look on the topics on this site about marijuana. Yes, it may lead to stronger drugs, but my opinion and a ton of other addicts will tell you it is indeed addictive.
there are many options for treating withdrawals and they do not include marijuana. The debate over whether or not marijuana is addictive is in my view a complete waste of time, since addiction is so much more than whether your body develops a physical need for a drug or not.
If you want to see what mj does to people's lives have a look at the Marijuana forum. Some people use weed and seem to have no problem, but suggesting it to an addict just seems to be crazy in my humble opinion.
If you want to see what mj does to people's lives have a look at the Marijuana forum. Some people use weed and seem to have no problem, but suggesting it to an addict just seems to be crazy in my humble opinion.
John Dee...
My Doctor had to confer with 2 others to even get suggestions on how to get me off my pain pills.
Neither of them are local and 1 believes that it is just not possible to detox short of rehab.
From what I understand, only methadone is available in Canada...I have the feeling that I am overdosing on Benadryl an Gravol, Tylenol and Advil!
Still this last cut is impossible!
I only thought on pot was an option because of the lack of options available.
I am not as much worried with addiction as I am with withdrawls...I am looking for something to end this last week or two!
Methadone would be worse, right?
jenn
My Doctor had to confer with 2 others to even get suggestions on how to get me off my pain pills.
Neither of them are local and 1 believes that it is just not possible to detox short of rehab.
From what I understand, only methadone is available in Canada...I have the feeling that I am overdosing on Benadryl an Gravol, Tylenol and Advil!
Still this last cut is impossible!
I only thought on pot was an option because of the lack of options available.
I am not as much worried with addiction as I am with withdrawls...I am looking for something to end this last week or two!
Methadone would be worse, right?
jenn
Canada does not yet use Subutex (buprenorphine) , it does use Methadone.
However, there are other means of detoxing that are less drastic than methadone. For example, Clonidine (aka catapres) detox has been used successfully for a long time and can be combined with other symptomatic relief (buscopan, quinine, lomotol, +/- diazepam).
Methadone is generally used for maintenance, not for short term detox. Perhaps you need to be talking to a Dr or service that specialises ind etox.
However, there are other means of detoxing that are less drastic than methadone. For example, Clonidine (aka catapres) detox has been used successfully for a long time and can be combined with other symptomatic relief (buscopan, quinine, lomotol, +/- diazepam).
Methadone is generally used for maintenance, not for short term detox. Perhaps you need to be talking to a Dr or service that specialises ind etox.
I would only recommend methadone to someone with cancer or someone who has given up on the idea of being opiate free.
Hi Jennelle,
I used pot and alcohol the first couple days of w/ds. They made me feel better for MAYBE 10 minutes...if that, then I was back to the suffering. I was told later that it only prolonged the w/ds. I kinda feel that was the case. I stopped on the 3rd day and went to otc's only. I came to this board, took lots of baths and took it minute by minute. Good luck and hang in there!!
Sandy
I used pot and alcohol the first couple days of w/ds. They made me feel better for MAYBE 10 minutes...if that, then I was back to the suffering. I was told later that it only prolonged the w/ds. I kinda feel that was the case. I stopped on the 3rd day and went to otc's only. I came to this board, took lots of baths and took it minute by minute. Good luck and hang in there!!
Sandy
I've never been a big pot smoker...... I've probably smoked marijuana less than 10 times in my entire life (I don't know how to inhale; I know Bill Clinton said the same thing, but for me it's true... I don't smoke, so I don't know how to inhale properly).
And marijuana has a lot less side effects than many other street drugs.
BUT.....
When you smoke pot, you get high.... And when your brain gets used to being high, it often builds up a tolerance to that particular drug.... Since you are not getting the same effects that you once did, one will often move on to other drugs to achieve that euphoria.
As an addict, I think any drug that gets you high like that is a bad idea. And while I'm sure it's not true for everyone, every pot smoker I've ever known did not just stop at pot.... Some of them only experimented with other drugs once or twice, but the majority of them did other drugs on a regular basis. It's like drinking - it's something you could do from time to time, but you can't function on it on a daily basis.... It would interfere with your quality of life.
The choice is yours.... Some people may disagree with me, but this is my opinion on the subject.
Good luck with all of this.... I know you're working really hard at tapering and trying to get off of the pain pills once and for all.
Danielle
And marijuana has a lot less side effects than many other street drugs.
BUT.....
When you smoke pot, you get high.... And when your brain gets used to being high, it often builds up a tolerance to that particular drug.... Since you are not getting the same effects that you once did, one will often move on to other drugs to achieve that euphoria.
As an addict, I think any drug that gets you high like that is a bad idea. And while I'm sure it's not true for everyone, every pot smoker I've ever known did not just stop at pot.... Some of them only experimented with other drugs once or twice, but the majority of them did other drugs on a regular basis. It's like drinking - it's something you could do from time to time, but you can't function on it on a daily basis.... It would interfere with your quality of life.
The choice is yours.... Some people may disagree with me, but this is my opinion on the subject.
Good luck with all of this.... I know you're working really hard at tapering and trying to get off of the pain pills once and for all.
Danielle
Good point Danielle about getting high from pot...I am only looking from some relief from my withdrawl symptoms.
I don't want the effects, just some help with the sweats, and headaches and stuff. It seems this last bit of tapering off is the worst yet.
In the last 5 weeks, going from 80mg, down to 60, to 50.... I found myself having a couple of drinks in the evening to lessen the pain in my head, and to help me sleep, and I wasn't looking for a fix, just some help...but you're right to not relieve myself with addiction forming habits, any advice??
I could stand the pain and discomfort until now...I can't see tapering beyond my 2-10mg of oxycontin...I have heaving withdrawls at just 8 or 9 hours since my last dose and now it's time to taper again....HELP
I don't want the effects, just some help with the sweats, and headaches and stuff. It seems this last bit of tapering off is the worst yet.
In the last 5 weeks, going from 80mg, down to 60, to 50.... I found myself having a couple of drinks in the evening to lessen the pain in my head, and to help me sleep, and I wasn't looking for a fix, just some help...but you're right to not relieve myself with addiction forming habits, any advice??
I could stand the pain and discomfort until now...I can't see tapering beyond my 2-10mg of oxycontin...I have heaving withdrawls at just 8 or 9 hours since my last dose and now it's time to taper again....HELP
I wasn't going to respond to this post at all. I will say when I was withdrawling from Methadone I did smoke pot. I was physically dependant on methadone for 2 1/2 years and I weaned down to 2 1/2 mgs a day before I quit. I smoked pot for the 1st week. Only because I was with a girlfriend of mine that had it and my children weren't around. It did help a great deal with my pain. Without it I don't know if I could have dealt with the physical pain the first week. Seriously! I still had a long road in front of me with ONLY otc medications. I did not become dependant on weed. Everyone cannot be like that though. For some they switch and then that becomes a problem to overcome.
This is just my story and I am not telling you what to do to get through your oxy withdrawl. You need to do whatever works for you no matter what that is.
Best of luck. You can get through this. I would suggest talking to your doctor about other options to relieve your pain! Rae
This is just my story and I am not telling you what to do to get through your oxy withdrawl. You need to do whatever works for you no matter what that is.
Best of luck. You can get through this. I would suggest talking to your doctor about other options to relieve your pain! Rae
Dear Jennelle,
I think the use of marijuana is not an option. For cancer patients and those with AIDS, Marinol [(dronabinol) - delta-9-THC (tetrahydrocannabinol], the active ingredient in marijuana is helpful; however, there are other options.
As another postee pointed out, clonidine with the use of other symptomatic medications, i.e.: Bentyl (dicyclomine); Donnatal (anti-cholinergic); and, long-acting benzodiazepines: Valium (diazepam), Serax (oxazepam), Librium (chlordiazepoxide), Tranxene T-Tabs (clorazepate), or Clonopin (clonazepam), to name a few.
I also have heeded the advice of both my pain specialist (M.D.) and pharmacologist (Pharm.D) with regard to opioid tapering. When tapering, in your case, OxyContin, don't taper more than 25% each time. So, you're on 20mg, now, so when you, and if, you try a next taper, don't cut 50% and drop to 10mg, use 15 mg, or, even better, 17.5mg. This may mean that, since OxyContin's smallest dose is 10mg, you may need to use 5mg short-acting oxycodone tablets. Therefore, you could use a 10mg OxyContin/day and use one or two 5mg oxycodone tablets throughout the day. If you cut an OxyContin tablet, you'll interfere with its long-acting ability; however, you can cut a 5mg oxycodone (short-acting) tablet in half and use this 3 times/day, which will equal (with the 10mg OxyContin): 17.5mg. This will, of course, take longer to taper; however, physically, you'll feel better. Although I'm not an M.D. or in medical school (I'm in law school), I've used this technique when I had to taper from opioids (before I was put back on them).
I do think that you need further consultation with a physician. Make the physician do his/her work, and get the answers and help you need.
Let us know how you are doing, and welcome to this wonderful forum. My thoughts and prayers are with you, Jennelle.
Ben
I think the use of marijuana is not an option. For cancer patients and those with AIDS, Marinol [(dronabinol) - delta-9-THC (tetrahydrocannabinol], the active ingredient in marijuana is helpful; however, there are other options.
As another postee pointed out, clonidine with the use of other symptomatic medications, i.e.: Bentyl (dicyclomine); Donnatal (anti-cholinergic); and, long-acting benzodiazepines: Valium (diazepam), Serax (oxazepam), Librium (chlordiazepoxide), Tranxene T-Tabs (clorazepate), or Clonopin (clonazepam), to name a few.
I also have heeded the advice of both my pain specialist (M.D.) and pharmacologist (Pharm.D) with regard to opioid tapering. When tapering, in your case, OxyContin, don't taper more than 25% each time. So, you're on 20mg, now, so when you, and if, you try a next taper, don't cut 50% and drop to 10mg, use 15 mg, or, even better, 17.5mg. This may mean that, since OxyContin's smallest dose is 10mg, you may need to use 5mg short-acting oxycodone tablets. Therefore, you could use a 10mg OxyContin/day and use one or two 5mg oxycodone tablets throughout the day. If you cut an OxyContin tablet, you'll interfere with its long-acting ability; however, you can cut a 5mg oxycodone (short-acting) tablet in half and use this 3 times/day, which will equal (with the 10mg OxyContin): 17.5mg. This will, of course, take longer to taper; however, physically, you'll feel better. Although I'm not an M.D. or in medical school (I'm in law school), I've used this technique when I had to taper from opioids (before I was put back on them).
I do think that you need further consultation with a physician. Make the physician do his/her work, and get the answers and help you need.
Let us know how you are doing, and welcome to this wonderful forum. My thoughts and prayers are with you, Jennelle.
Ben
Ben is right talk to your doctor. If he has you on Oxy's than he should be the one to help you quit. He should be the one to make sure your comfortable during your withdrawl. There are many different options for you! Smoking pot isn't the best one just because that's what some of us did. You have to make the choice with your doctor to decide what is best for you! Rae
Ps. Please read the other thread you started for me. I didn't mean I didn't want to respond to your post because I didn't want to help you. I meant it because I didn't want it to look like I would condone you using an illegal drug just because I did. I think there are other ways around physical pain. That's what I meant to say just didn't come out that way! Sorry!
Ps. Please read the other thread you started for me. I didn't mean I didn't want to respond to your post because I didn't want to help you. I meant it because I didn't want it to look like I would condone you using an illegal drug just because I did. I think there are other ways around physical pain. That's what I meant to say just didn't come out that way! Sorry!
Thank you "Bender"(That's funny, Ben!) Your advice seems well researched or experienced...hope not the later!
My MD has had no experience with this and has been in discussion with a couple of other Doctors at detox clinics in the province. At the beginning, I asked about some of the scripts that you suggested, and they were immediately rejected. Any idea?
I swear that at the end of this, I am going to reform my province(or country) There are so few detox clinics and the only hospital in my city that has an outpatient clinic is a psych. hospital with 13 beds and 6 months waiting list.
My MD of 10 years, when I asked her what she would do in my situation, said that she would quit cold turkey and walk into that same hospital in a withdrawl crisis and force them to find me a bed!! Isn"t that a hoot? In all my research, I cannot figure why suboxone isn't an option, if going on oxy in the first place was!!
Thanks for your advice, and good luck in your law career!
Jenn
My MD has had no experience with this and has been in discussion with a couple of other Doctors at detox clinics in the province. At the beginning, I asked about some of the scripts that you suggested, and they were immediately rejected. Any idea?
I swear that at the end of this, I am going to reform my province(or country) There are so few detox clinics and the only hospital in my city that has an outpatient clinic is a psych. hospital with 13 beds and 6 months waiting list.
My MD of 10 years, when I asked her what she would do in my situation, said that she would quit cold turkey and walk into that same hospital in a withdrawl crisis and force them to find me a bed!! Isn"t that a hoot? In all my research, I cannot figure why suboxone isn't an option, if going on oxy in the first place was!!
Thanks for your advice, and good luck in your law career!
Jenn
Jenn
have you considered Clonidine (Catapres) detox?
Sean
have you considered Clonidine (Catapres) detox?
Sean
Hi Sean,
I have no idea what that is!
Go On...
Jenn.
I have no idea what that is!
Go On...
Jenn.
Jenelle
before subutex and for opiate addicts who didnt wantg to go onto methadone, Clonidine detox was the treatment of choice.
Clonidine (aka Catapres) is a blood pressure medication that is very effective in managing opiate withdrawals. It is commonly prescribed for 7-10 days alonmg with quinine for cramps, buscopan for stomach upset, lomotil for diarrhoea and valium for anxiety and insomnia.
Any Dr can prescribe these drugs and monitor you. You can do this detox at home.
If you are interested, email me at freethepanchenlama@hotmail.com and i will point you in the direction of a guideline a Dr can use.
Sean
before subutex and for opiate addicts who didnt wantg to go onto methadone, Clonidine detox was the treatment of choice.
Clonidine (aka Catapres) is a blood pressure medication that is very effective in managing opiate withdrawals. It is commonly prescribed for 7-10 days alonmg with quinine for cramps, buscopan for stomach upset, lomotil for diarrhoea and valium for anxiety and insomnia.
Any Dr can prescribe these drugs and monitor you. You can do this detox at home.
If you are interested, email me at freethepanchenlama@hotmail.com and i will point you in the direction of a guideline a Dr can use.
Sean
Jenelle,
I am in no position to tell you how to go through withdrawal.... I can give you advice and my opinions, but you have to make these decisions.
If you truly think that you can use marijuana ONLY during withdrawals, then go for it. When I tapered for a weekend (the weekend before I got on suboxone), I lined my dresser with any and every medicine I thought would help me get through this - Immodium, a couple of Paxil I had in the house (from 7 years ago), cold medicine, sinus medicine, sleeping pills, anti-anxiety medicines, muscle relaxers.... The top of my dresser looked worse than my medicine cabinet! I hate that anxious, sweaty, hot/cold feeling so much that I would take anything that would make that go away.
So I understand your point of view.... But you smoking pot could definitely lead to worse problems in the future.
Just think about it.
Danni
I am in no position to tell you how to go through withdrawal.... I can give you advice and my opinions, but you have to make these decisions.
If you truly think that you can use marijuana ONLY during withdrawals, then go for it. When I tapered for a weekend (the weekend before I got on suboxone), I lined my dresser with any and every medicine I thought would help me get through this - Immodium, a couple of Paxil I had in the house (from 7 years ago), cold medicine, sinus medicine, sleeping pills, anti-anxiety medicines, muscle relaxers.... The top of my dresser looked worse than my medicine cabinet! I hate that anxious, sweaty, hot/cold feeling so much that I would take anything that would make that go away.
So I understand your point of view.... But you smoking pot could definitely lead to worse problems in the future.
Just think about it.
Danni
