Trying to get off 10mg perocet

[hydroplain]

Hello, I am 18 yrs old and have been taking 6 10mg percocet for about a year now for pain in my pelvic region due to swollen lymph nodes which to this day are still a mystery to the doctors. I have had every test done including a lymph node biopsy and still the doctors have no clue. I have come to the point where I am sick of being dependent on these pills and knowing that if they are every stolen, lost, or even unable to get a hold of my doctor for my refill, I will go into a very painful withdrawl. I have already gone through this painful, flu like withdrawl and I was miserable and had to be rushed to the ER to just get shot up with 3 doses of dilaudin to get cured. After that, I knew I had to get off of them.
Background: Since the age of 13(when i was prescribed vicodin for a broken rib) i found my love for opiates themselves. As the years went on I began to use Vicodin, Norco, all the way up to smoking oxycontin/heroin(heroin severity began when I was put on percocet and as my tolerance grew, OCs did nothing to me for their price but I am not addicted to heroin itself I rarley did it) for recreational purposes but never had a "withdrawl" from them till I was prescribed pain meds for my actual pain. In the begining(despite the pain) i enjoyed the pills(go figure), went from vicodin-norco10mg-perc5mg-dilaudin-backdown to perc10mg. I found that the morphine made me sick so i went down to the perc 10mg which I am currently screwed up with now.

I know for what I did recreationally was dumb as **** but I wasnt so bad to where I got sick, It was more here and there. Thus so, I am not looking for preaching, I know I was a *******, its just sad that I am so screwed up on my actual meds for my physical pain and not screwed up with what I did in my "free time" before the "mystery disease" as i like to put it since it basically is a mystery.

I have talked to my doctors and they are aware I want to get off so they prescribed me a patch to help with the withdrawl symptoms, and trying to get me on anti depresents/anxiety meds to help as well but I am not that far along yet. So far every time I taper down I just dont feel good and cant do anything and I begin to feel my pain more and more till I end up going back up to my normal dose. I mainly wanted to know other peoples experiences with getting off their pain meds and what worked best for them during the process. Thanks.

[Catgirl66]

Hey , im on day 4 and i dont know why but i barely had any symptoms- ive been taking 7-8  10/325 percs for around a year, less before that. When i would try and cut back, i used to wake up in sweats all the time. I basically went cold turkey- like 6 to 3 to nothing , i didnt have a choice. Ive had no nausea/vomiting, no headaches, ALOT OF ANXIETY , horrible restless legs at 24hrs on- getting better.- took over the counter stuff for that. Now i just crave so bad, its taking control of my thoughts. it *****. I think the difference in me may be that i didnt w/d as bad b/c im on other meds- not opiates, but xanax, prozac and add meds. Otherwise, i think id be worse. And i took immodium right off the bat to ward off any diarrhea etc. I dont know how i feel really- i feel alone, no one knows, i feel bored to death, i feel anxious, a little irritable- but could be worse. Its just that being depressed to begin with, ive always been. And then my husband- 41 yrs old died 6 months ago from colon cancer after a short but fierce battle of 10 months and its me and the boys- 2 school age now. i just feel like nothing makes me happy and they did. feels good writing it out tho. hugs.also, my back pain acted up alot first few days but now has settled. who knows??? UGH
xoxo T

[Dnpe]

I'm a girl, lol. Anyway, you're welcome! Hang in there and fight the good fight! I am a week and a half sober. Sleep is still my worst enemy but I am trying to remain strong. You can do it! Be strong and peace be with you!

[hydroplain]

Thanks bro, iv already wrote down that list. . Im hoping i can do this. My date to begin(hopfully with subs, as im talking to my roommate whos actually done that but it was with hydrocodone, not oxy) will b sometime next week after my dr. Apt.  Ima try n get off the subs as soon as im past the w/d before i get dependent. I really appreciate the help.

[Dnpe]

The restlessness is BAD but hot baths and muscle soak will help. Also the over the counter meds for restless leg syndrome. Vomiting lasted three days. Saltine cackers and protin shakes helped. Yes, am still having trouble with sleep. I am takin ambien 5 mg but it doesn't work completely. You can do it. Do it now before your insurance runs out and LOAD up on everything i previously listed. It will help a lot. I promise you can do it!!

[hydroplain]

Thanks everyone, i really appreciate this! Im making an appt tomorow to see my Dr friday i think im leaning to suboxon to help with possibly benzos n a sleeping aid. I hope i can do this! Or just talk to my Dr about options. Can any sub users give me some info about using them and hows it gonna help me with the W/D. . But again thanks, rough path ahead of me. .i can do this. N once im feeling well n off the percs physically,!9" cut the subs. Anyone kno if cutting the subs right after the w/d is gone is possible so i dont get addicted to that too.

[hydroplain]

Thanks guys, im makingba doc apt tomarow for friday to discuss the best approach. I am leaning towards the subutex option with benzos n possibly a sleeping aid. If anyone has used the subs plz let me know. I know subs will also stop my heroin use while its at its lowest level.

[gnarly_1]

HI.....welcome to the forum.....I was in pain management for a bad back for 16 1/2 yrs
after trying every conceivable pill they would all quit working until I would abuse the dose taking more then prescribed they finely put me on methadone and the same thing happend went from 30mg to 150 and it quit working.....finely I said enough is enough and started to taper off the methadone took 8 1/2 mo to get off the stuff and to say the least it was extremely difficult....Look you 18 with a moderate habit take the time to detox yourself
wile your young I have abused drugs longer then you have been alive and it no way to live....getting clean was one of my greatest achievement in life let the doctors help you if they will otherwise stick around here we do home detoxes everyday we can help you break free of this today my back is still messed up but inm in a lot less pain then I was wile on the narcotics many of our members have found this to be true I wish you all the luck in the world and God bless......Gnarly      

[Richda]

From what I hear the suboxon withdrawals are worse than the percs. I really believe each person has their own best way or combination that will help them the most, I was terrified I knew I was going to feel like crap and I wouldn't sleep and this that and then I just realized that its going to happen, regardless if I fear it or if it makes me anxious and I just drove the thought of how this was the best thing for my family and my future and feeling bad for a couple of days is a lot less frightening than other things that could happen if I didn't get clean. Once again, we don't all think a like, thats just what helped me. Also I just thought of this, keep it as simple as possible.. if you are able to go two or three days with just relaxing watching movies, reading, listening to music, or playing video games. The time passes and soon you are looking back happy that you just stuck it out.

[Jaydizzle]

Wow they said that to you Richda?  That *****.  @hydroplain day two is my peak with the wd.  I would wake up hurting and the restlesness would go to my back more than my legs.  I never took oxy but I was on hydrocodone, percs and tramadol all at the same time and xanax and also soma. Not to mention the booze. The past 32 hours I got about5-6 hours of broken sleep cuz I had to run to the bathtub to take a bath. When it get's raly hard I try to look at old photo's of family and friends that I don't really see anymore and how happy I was. I don't even remember when i felt normal. You'll get through it ;)

[hydroplain]

Thanks, actually my post was a copy & paste from my other post where they do critisize so i appreciate it. Im perty much in the same boat as u were with the tapering. Im at 1 1/2 4 times a day for 15days. Everytime i do taper (although i no longer feel the "high") if i dont take a certain amount i dont get this certain "ok" feeling n depending on my day, i can go thru so many pills to get the "high" n b forced to really cut down to make up pills but its a repete. I was thinkn bout jus stickn it out lik u did just i am scared. I was thinkn mayb using subs as well to help? I also considerd switchn to the OPs so im forcdd to cut down 10mgs every 15days but i havnt read of any1 trying that. . I thot of the OPs cuz i got i neleive this "mental" thing to where if i dnt crash out aroumd 4yrs frm my last dose i begin to feel ill n want/need anothr dose for sleep. . I appreciate ur post & good luck to u.

[hydroplain]

Thanks bro i appreciate it. How is day 2? Does day 2 make it easyer then day 1 or hav i not experienced the worst yet? I heard hot baths sooth the restlessness? Also is oxy what ur fighting or somthing else if u dont mind?

[Richda]

Well hello there! First I don't think anybody can preach here, something about calling the kettle calling the pot black. i don't know anybody who said they decided to become an addict on the first go, it just is something that happens. Now I'm 4 days without any perc's I was up to 7 1/2 (10/325) a day before going cold turkey, I also had hard time with the taper plan, its a great way to lower the amount before going to zero but, if I was going to take one I would end up taking more, I couldn't say its a thought process or lack of will power. Just kinda the way it would always happen and every time it brought more shame and more pills. That was just my experience with tappering. The thing that i found most helpful was that I set a date, then gathered as much info as possible and just everyday reinforced the thought that I wasn't going to take any pills on Dec 30th. I did load up on vitamins and took days off work, tried to get everything in order to avoid stress and set myself up for success. Surrounded myself with family, vitiamins and healthy foods, baths and heat pads for the legs, imodioum ad and pepto, then just tried to pass the time, and thing that helped me the most and it surprised me because I'm not religious at all, but the prayer of st francis just helped a lot and I would read it when I was having a craving.  Also this site helped tremendously. Lots of info and people have been in or are in the same position as you.  

[hydroplain]

Thank you so much for the reply, how bad did the acheimg, restlessness n vomiting last for u till it improved? I can see you are still having issues with sleep n thats wat fukd me up wen i began to full on WD. I had fukd up with my refill date n it was on a previous friday(day being saturday nni thot i took too many n had to last till monday with 20mg till sunday were i had to mak em last) i had awoke sunday morning(my doctors r closed weekends thus monday) n i still had 4 10mg halfs but i woke at 8am in sweat, soakd my entire bed, so restless n had to keep kikn my legs(causing actual pain to my pelvic lymph node area), vomiting, hot n cold flashs. . I thot i had a very bad cold n was on cold pills(everythin for a cold) n i smokd a lot of weed(im using to help with withdrawls, i nevr enjoyd bud till i W/D). . It took me till i shuda slept to where i cudnt handel that hell n calld the docs n went to the ER. . Since then im terifyed n it was day 1. I wish i cud go CT cuz now im outa insurance thus y my demand to get off months ago jus i cant hav the will power to overcome. I really appreciate ur tips to overcome.

[Jaydizzle]

I'm on day 2 and I'll be honest... it's not fun but I agree with Dnpe it's some thing you wanna do.  My advice is that the more you know and understand what is gonna happen the easier you can control your mind instead of your body controlling you.  If I knew this before the last time I was trying to quit I would of been successful.  7 years ago I was on alot of hard stuff and I was going into the wd blind and I never thought I would do this again since it was perscribed to me and man was I fooled but it is a learning process.  It's a mind game but I know you can do it. Read around get as much info as you can and make a game plan cuz you can't go against an army and win with out a strategy.  Best of luck to you and God Bless!

[Dnpe]

There is nothing you can do about the horrible withdrawal symptoms. They are inevitable. However, with your doctors assistance and getting yourself prepared, you can make it less extreme. I am on day 8 of opiate withdrawal. First, follow doctors orders. Second, look up Thomas recipe for detox. Third, purchase.. Ensure plus, muscle soak, over the counter Restless Leg Syndrome medicine (sold at cvs) and gatorade and tylonal PM. You CAN do it!! I went through complete and utter HE** last week. I wanted to die. I was horrible and i lost A lOT of weight. Worst thing i have ever been thgouh. However, i am on day 8 and my only enemy now is sleep. You're lucky you have medical insurance, i didn't and I did it. I hope you get through this. The best of luck to you!!