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How to go cold turkey without the help of my dr.'s
I am 26 years old. I've had numerous issues as far a medical goes, as well as over a dozen surgeries in the last 2 1/2 years. I have been given pain meds during the duration of the last 2 1/2 years, Hydrocodones being the most prescribed. When I initially began taking them, it was 2-3 a day, a couple of months later, more health issues arose, then 4-5 a day. Before I knew it, I was taking up to 10-12 a day, sometimes more. I just recently reinjured my knee that has already had ACL reconstruction and meniscus repair & will be having surgery on it next month, and had a couple of short prescriptions given to me of Oxycodone. I had used those in conjunction with my Hydrocodone given for my cervical radiculopathy(pinched discs/nerves) and was out. I went to my f/u with my spine specialist and he refused to give any more medication, and told me to consult my PCP. I did just that, and was rejected by him as well. So even though it is the safest way to come off the medication to taper down, I cannot do that because I have no doctor (who have all started me on these meds to begin with), and am on my first full day of no pain medication. I never considered myself an addict, until now. I had all of these medical reasons that required me to take them to keep out of pain so I could live life with my two daughters and husband, but it slowly but surely went overboard. What can I do? Should I seek outpatient help somewhere? I am seeking genuine help. I have had cold sweats, hot sweats, diarrhea, and excessive crying all day today; was forced to have my daughters go to my in-laws so they did not have to see their mother in this state. Looking for any help at all.
Many of us, including me, have gone through what you're about to go through and for the exact same reason. Pain and prescriptions. First, don't feel ashamed! Not for one minute. Pain pills are addicting. It says so right on the med instructions. Take enough of them and you get hooked.
I don't you're going to be able to taper much. From your description above I think you can get through this and out the other side in really good shape. Your doctor can help you out through this process. Indeed call the office. He/she might give you some Clonidine which helps with a few detox issues like BP.
Next, for the detox look below on this page and find the Thomas Recipe. You'll find most of those items at the nearest drug store. Follow the directions. Also pick up some Epsom Salts for hot baths. You'll be taking lots of them as go through this process. Expect some sleep issues for awhile as you detox. We are here to help and support you all the way through the process.
You're going to be fine. Relax the best you can and use the hot bath as much as you can. I wish you the best of luck.
I don't you're going to be able to taper much. From your description above I think you can get through this and out the other side in really good shape. Your doctor can help you out through this process. Indeed call the office. He/she might give you some Clonidine which helps with a few detox issues like BP.
Next, for the detox look below on this page and find the Thomas Recipe. You'll find most of those items at the nearest drug store. Follow the directions. Also pick up some Epsom Salts for hot baths. You'll be taking lots of them as go through this process. Expect some sleep issues for awhile as you detox. We are here to help and support you all the way through the process.
You're going to be fine. Relax the best you can and use the hot bath as much as you can. I wish you the best of luck.
Hi and welcome to the forum~
My story is much like yours....just know that you can definitely get off the pain pills and more than likely after some time, your pain will actually be less than while on the pain meds. After continual use of opiates....as you found out, we build up a tolerance and take more and more. The first 100 hours are usually the worst part of a detox....so congrats on making it through your first day! Openmind24 gave you some good advise....the Epsom Salts will help A LOT! Be sure to drink A LOT of water and stay hydrated...it's very important during w/drawals. Also, eat some protein or drink some drinks that provide protein, Emergen-C is good and any drink with electrolytes in it. Bananas or avocados are good for RLS...they are both high in potassium. A good cal/mag/zinc supplement helps too.
Let us know how you're doing.....we'll all be here for you....we've done it and so can you! Keep posting...glad you found the forum~
My story is much like yours....just know that you can definitely get off the pain pills and more than likely after some time, your pain will actually be less than while on the pain meds. After continual use of opiates....as you found out, we build up a tolerance and take more and more. The first 100 hours are usually the worst part of a detox....so congrats on making it through your first day! Openmind24 gave you some good advise....the Epsom Salts will help A LOT! Be sure to drink A LOT of water and stay hydrated...it's very important during w/drawals. Also, eat some protein or drink some drinks that provide protein, Emergen-C is good and any drink with electrolytes in it. Bananas or avocados are good for RLS...they are both high in potassium. A good cal/mag/zinc supplement helps too.
Let us know how you're doing.....we'll all be here for you....we've done it and so can you! Keep posting...glad you found the forum~
Did I read your post correctly?? 'You will be having surgery in a month'? If so, are they going to help you with post op pain? whatever happened, it appears they somehow got the feeling you were having addiction issues, which really ***** when you have legitimate pain. I agree with all of the above advice. there is are some youtube videos on detoxing at home from pain pills. knowledge is power and this is a great site with a wealth of great people and advice. One simple thing I read was 'pretend you are sick with the flu'. sounds really odd, but many of the w/d symptoms do mimic the flu. take hot baths, take otc medication and stay in bed until most of it passes.
Thank you both, I'm glad I found this forum too. I don't feel alone(as much, anyway). I'm having extreme sweats so I did contact my pcp for clonidine. The next moment I'm extremely cold. I just want a pain med so bad. I've been looking into out patient programs. Is this a good idea or no? I've been told by my dr I may need a substitute med (subutex or other) to help curb the craving for a while, but I'm leery as I've seen people on this med before.:,( I just need help.
Yes, I've retorn my meniscus cartilage. So surgery will be within the month. I have several issues that require pain meds, that's why I'm so confused. I can barely walk on my knee, in extreme pain, and am just downright mad and depressed, anxious and sad. Idk how to feel at this point. I know I abused my medication, but none of my providers offered to help ween me down or anything. Just suggested in patient detox which I cannot afford to do with work, my husband, and being a mother of two. Im searching for outpatient therapies/counseling and short term meds to help my withdrawal process. Praying to Him for his grace and love to help heal me in my time of need
Hidden blessing here: Your medical professionals have you slowing down on opiates now, and when the time comes, hopefully you'll get some benefit from the medications after the surgery. When you get home from surgery, what really works in your situation is to give the meds to a trusted friend or family member to dole out only as prescribed. It really works.
I hear you on the pain med abuse. My pill bottles always had the instructions: 1 every 6 hours as needed for pain. Soon I got it all mixed and was taking 6 every one hour and washing them down with Miller Light. And by then my pain was tolerable without ANY medication. I had to find other pill sources along with my usual refills at CVS because I needed more and more. Us addicts are addicted to "more". One is too many and a thousand isn't enough. Opiates hit the pleasure center harder than most drugs out there and it's hard to stay stopped. I went thru 3 detoxes. It requires some willingness and work. I had to change my thinking entirely, but I've found it possible to enjoy life living pill free.
Your goal is to end up completely free from opiates when this is all over and get your life back to normal, correct?
I hear you on the pain med abuse. My pill bottles always had the instructions: 1 every 6 hours as needed for pain. Soon I got it all mixed and was taking 6 every one hour and washing them down with Miller Light. And by then my pain was tolerable without ANY medication. I had to find other pill sources along with my usual refills at CVS because I needed more and more. Us addicts are addicted to "more". One is too many and a thousand isn't enough. Opiates hit the pleasure center harder than most drugs out there and it's hard to stay stopped. I went thru 3 detoxes. It requires some willingness and work. I had to change my thinking entirely, but I've found it possible to enjoy life living pill free.
Your goal is to end up completely free from opiates when this is all over and get your life back to normal, correct?
Mommy you have received some great advice here and truly believe you can do this. Listen to what these folks have to say & keep strong. I'm only on day 6 but can tell you they have not been fun...and like you I have 2 small children.
I have noticed my knee & back pain seem to be lessening in intensity. I've had 3 ACL reconstructions and a dozen scopes...hence I have no meniscus left in my knees basically. I had a L4-5 fusion in my back as well. I was on hydro the last 4 years and it slowly took control. The knee hurts 24/7 but is no match for back pain...as you probably know.
Wasn't sure if you've had a scope done before to repair meniscus tears but in my opinion it's a surgery you can get through without pain meds...or at worse Tylenol 2 or 3. Everyone's pain tolerance is different though.
Keep posting and reading. There is some great support here as you've noticed.
I have noticed my knee & back pain seem to be lessening in intensity. I've had 3 ACL reconstructions and a dozen scopes...hence I have no meniscus left in my knees basically. I had a L4-5 fusion in my back as well. I was on hydro the last 4 years and it slowly took control. The knee hurts 24/7 but is no match for back pain...as you probably know.
Wasn't sure if you've had a scope done before to repair meniscus tears but in my opinion it's a surgery you can get through without pain meds...or at worse Tylenol 2 or 3. Everyone's pain tolerance is different though.
Keep posting and reading. There is some great support here as you've noticed.
To answer a couple of your questions....YES....outpatient and/or counseling is a GRAND idea. Learning about my addiction helped me a lot as does being in a group environment with other recovering addicts.
As far as the subutex suggestion from your dr as a "possibility"....for the amount of meds you were on.....it is NOT a good idea, imo. I say this because my dr. also suggested subutex/suboxone and I was so sick and so desperate at the time, I was willing to do anything to get off the pills. I hadn't found MedHelp yet and I knew absolutely NOTHING about subs.
Just to give you an idea......I was also on about 10 pills/day (10 mg) which is equivalent to 100 mg of hydrocodone. Subs are totally synthetic and a VERY STRONG opioid... they stick "strongly" to our opiate receptors which blocks other opiates from working. Because I knew no better, the sub dr put me on 16 mg of sub which is equivalent to 480 mg of hydrocodone!!!! I was only on 100 mg of hydros so this was WAY TOO MUCH......and I was a mess.
My advise, based upon my experience and based upon the fact you only take 10 to 12 pills/day....is to stay far away from subs. Many dr's don't know a lot about subs themselves......I found out the hard way.
You are doing great......by getting clean now....your pain/opiate receptors will have some time to heal before your surgery and like someone above mentioned....you may just be able to sail thru the surgery with a non-narcotic pain reliever.
Keep posting and let us know how you're doing~
As far as the subutex suggestion from your dr as a "possibility"....for the amount of meds you were on.....it is NOT a good idea, imo. I say this because my dr. also suggested subutex/suboxone and I was so sick and so desperate at the time, I was willing to do anything to get off the pills. I hadn't found MedHelp yet and I knew absolutely NOTHING about subs.
Just to give you an idea......I was also on about 10 pills/day (10 mg) which is equivalent to 100 mg of hydrocodone. Subs are totally synthetic and a VERY STRONG opioid... they stick "strongly" to our opiate receptors which blocks other opiates from working. Because I knew no better, the sub dr put me on 16 mg of sub which is equivalent to 480 mg of hydrocodone!!!! I was only on 100 mg of hydros so this was WAY TOO MUCH......and I was a mess.
My advise, based upon my experience and based upon the fact you only take 10 to 12 pills/day....is to stay far away from subs. Many dr's don't know a lot about subs themselves......I found out the hard way.
You are doing great......by getting clean now....your pain/opiate receptors will have some time to heal before your surgery and like someone above mentioned....you may just be able to sail thru the surgery with a non-narcotic pain reliever.
Keep posting and let us know how you're doing~
Well I did say, "and sometimes more". So 10-12 some days, and maybe 20-25 on others. It's hard for me to be honest on an addiction i never really faced I had until recently. Prior to having my daughters, I had the same addiction but to alcohol, Xanax, cocaine, opioids, really anything I could get my hands on (outside of heroin). Then, once I had my daughters, here came all te tumors and cancer scares, which in turn, meant dozens of surgeries; the mris I had concluded the reasons for my neck pain, so then came my large monthly supply of hydro10s plus my surgeries in between giving my oxy10s with refills to follow bc of the severity of surgeries. It's already been a long road and lengthy time with opioids and drugs in general, that's why this detox is going to be hard for me. It's hard for me to face this "addiction" when in my eyes it was all "medically necessary". I DO want to get healthy, or I wouldn't be here. My daughters deserve their mommy..., sober.
Might I add I was sober from all that other junk for 4 years prior to having my daughters and my oldest will be 4 in october
Might I add I was sober from all that other junk for 4 years prior to having my daughters and my oldest will be 4 in october
If it's any consolation.....my use of opiates began as "medically necessary" too. Over time.....with continuous input of opiates....our neurotransmitters are altered.....our pain receptors need more and more....and pretty soon no matter how many pills we take, the original relief can never be found again.
At my worst....I was taking 30 pills/day......the 10 pills/day I mentioned above...that was the amount I was taking when I quit for good.
It really helped me, and I think it would benefit you too, if you would learn a bit about opiate induced hyperalgesia.......it's a very REAL condition and particularly for those of us who take opiates for pain for a long period of time. I had 4 years of continuous "medical crises" to justify my use of pain meds.
At some point (for me).....the desire to quit became stronger than the desire to use.
And, though I live with daily pain......as an addict, going back on opiates for that pain is simply not an option~
At my worst....I was taking 30 pills/day......the 10 pills/day I mentioned above...that was the amount I was taking when I quit for good.
It really helped me, and I think it would benefit you too, if you would learn a bit about opiate induced hyperalgesia.......it's a very REAL condition and particularly for those of us who take opiates for pain for a long period of time. I had 4 years of continuous "medical crises" to justify my use of pain meds.
At some point (for me).....the desire to quit became stronger than the desire to use.
And, though I live with daily pain......as an addict, going back on opiates for that pain is simply not an option~
I also strongly advise 2 stay away from subs....its only guna make things worse, in the long run.....gratnted things will get better while your on them but when u try and get off your wds will last longer and so on so forth......we all would like a good taper but the fact is most of us end up doing it cold turkey....A: we know we cant taper B: ppl get kicked outta there dr and have no more medicine (which seems like your case C: we run outta money D: end up going 2 jail, or ya die!!!! Now ive detoxed off pretty much everypill trying 2 find one that wouldn't hurt as bad, sadly they all do....I ended up jumping cold turkey from a nasty Heroin habit.....just know you gotta want this , knowing your ready 2 quit and just wishing you could are 2 different things!!! keep posting you can do this!!
Day 2, no meds. Not sleeping or eating well...sweats are coming off and on like crazy. Mood swings are horrible.:,(
In patient is not an option, I have two daughters, a job, and my husband works full time. We'd have no one to take care of them and no one to help my husband financially. I've thought about it, but I'm standing strong that i can do this on my own. I've heard a lot about the 3rd day being the worst; is there any truth behind this?
Day three is a bad day but it's hard to say if its worse than day 4. I believe after day 4 or 5 you will start to notice some relief. I wish you Gods Speed to get the next few days over with.
Take a bath with Epsom salt. I found it very helpful in keeping me calm and taking my mind off how crappy things are. Also very good for muscle pain, helps absorb magnesium into your skin. I remember feeling better around day 5 but I was taking a lethal dose ( 30-45 norco 10/325s daily) so it could be sooner for you. Just think of it as a flu that's really bad for a few days then you feel blah for a couple then no energy for a week. drink lots of fluids get support from loved ones and keep reminding yourself why your getting clean. Also if the WD's are too much try the Thomas* recipe, it made the difference in my recovery. I'm 2 1/2 months clean and even the worst days clean are better than the best days high. Stay strong
Your friend, Sean
http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Addiction/Thomas-Recipe-Re-Posted/show/16?cid=66
Your friend, Sean
http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Addiction/Thomas-Recipe-Re-Posted/show/16?cid=66
I'm on day 6 and keep expecting the worse but actually feel much better. But I had (as many do) a point where I felt like the grip let go of me. Like I had a peace finally if I would just start the process. So I just walked into my boss's office n said I'm taking next week off and now here we are. I'm no expert on staying clean but when I was hurting the worst, I went and got a tattoo of the date I'd been 24 hours without. I don't care what anyone thinks about it, it helps me to look at it and say that's the day u decided to live again and dang sure not turning back now. Wish you well.
Thanks everyone. I'm doing ok; still not sleeping well. Slept about 4-4 1/2 hours and have been wide awake since. Stomach is uneasy :( I DO feel better, though :) 96 hours since a pain pill :,,)
Day 5, no pain meds. Thanks for your support. The days are getting better and I'm feeling it as they go on. I have been smoking the Mary to help with some of the symptoms of withdrawal, but not much. Just would much rather do that than put another pill in my system. Tried clonidine and it made my blood pressure so low I slept for almost 26 hours off and on. But I sure did need it :,)
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