Off my oxys and need help badly!!!!

[OnOxyfor10yrs]

Hi everyone. 3 weeks ago I deceided to go off the Oxycontins that I was legally prescribed for a severly chronic pain condition. It was my choice to do this b/c I was tired of the stigma behind it and tired of hiding this from friends. My immdeiate family knew I was taking these. I had been on opiates for a total of 14 years of which the last 10 were OC. I was taking 160mgs. 80 in the am and 80 in the pm. I also was prescribed medicine for anxiety which was ativan, clonipan and xanax over the years. I weaned myslef off of these over the past few months. I have been on disability for an operation 2 months ago and 3 weeks ago started suboxone 24mgs b/c I was misled into thinking that this would help the pain. Well, it doesn't touch it. My old dr. that gave my the oc will not have anything more to do with prescribing them ever again b/c he is scared after the pharm company pleaded guilty to lying. My question is... how long does it take for the body to become less tolerant of pain meds after you have substituted them with suboxone? I would like to avoid taking oc in the future and would like to be able to just take percs or hydro for severe pain as needed. Thanks for any help. Again, I have a 14 year history with opiates. Also, would it be hard for another pain doctor to see my reasoning behind my motives and prescribe these in the future?

[christos24]

i think it is a amazing that you have decided to get off the oxys, they create monsters and will tear youre life apart. i always snorted oc's at least two 80 mgs a day just to get me by. ieventually turned to heroin aswell, and when neither was available I would doctor shop to get any pills to ease the withdrawal(percocets, vicodins,somas, clonidine, benzos,a nything to help ease the pain.) unlike you my reasons for taking oxycontin was for pure recreational purposes and youre was legit, but either way it takes control of youre life, waiting for the next dose trying to avoid the wtihdrawls, its hell. since it ahs been 14 years for you with opiates I would first try detoxing for two days througha  doctor, with clonidine(a blood pressure med that is extremely helpful in stopping the insane sweats, chills, blood pressure spikes, and insomnia, also lorazepam or valium( usually a long alsting benzo taht helps with the anxiety, muscle spasms, cramping, and so on., immodium ad an OTC med taht stops the diarrhea, some anti-nausea medicine, and with all of those it should be mildly uncomfortable but nowhere near as bad as when youre without or withdrawling. then after a couple of days I would first try starting a suboxone treatment plan and see if it works for you. it curbs the cravings, takes the withdrawal completely, and stops you from taking tother opiates. when first taking youre dose you will need to be in withdrawal for at least 24 hours, but if you use that detox method you should feel fine. i know perosnally that suboxone has helped alot of people save their lives. i was on it for 8 months staying clean from all other opiates but i broke my wrist and turned back to my addiction, going double the speed. i started the vicoious cycle all over. i am now on my second month of methadone treatment and for me it works a lot better with keeping all the advantages suboxone has,but for more serious addictions like mine i needed something different and something without a ceiling effect. i would def. recommend giving suboxone a chance  first and then if that isnt working then i would try methadone. but counseling and group meetings are just as improtant as the treatment meds are. it is crucial in staying clean and sober for good. the good thinga bout sub and methadone are they for severe pain patients it helps alot with the pain. suboxone is 25 to 40% stronger than morphine and methadone is really strong as well so the pain asepct of your problem will be solved. be careful though because most need to stay on the treatment meds for amonths if not years so you ahve to be extremely careful not to stop suddenly. it will cause severe withdrawals identical to the oxys just lasting months longer, so taper down slowly with a doctors care. good luck to you and if you have any questions about treatment or anythinga t all,a sk away, im always here,,youve made the best choice for youre life and thats the biggest step, continue on  and you will really get to enjoy life, not a slave to pills-christos

[ochooked]

Wow!!!    Sounds like you have been through h*ll with the drugs and I can see where you are so ready to get off of everything - - --- I can really relate b/c I was on a similar dose of Oxy for 10 years and I am now on Sub to get off of everything - ----  I have made the final jump this morning, although, it really wasn't planned for a few more days - ---- I just got up and said "this is the day -   no more - never again"   I had cut my Sub intake to about 2 mg per day,  - -- so far, though, I am having no real problems --- just so happy that this long nightmare is over ---    My problems with Oxy (as well as the other opiates) is that my whole life was spent worrying about my next fill date, where my little bottle was, etc, etc.   That plus the fact that the sh** masks everything - not just the bad stuff - --  I wasn't even human b/c I had no real human feelings anymore - --- I want the old 'me' back.   Well, I wish you luck as you get clear of everything related to narcotics - -- welcome to 'real' life again.  Best to you.

[kittykat58]

120 is a high dose of methadone. methadone is coming under fire lately (or I should say, docs who prescribe it as well as the manufacturer for having outdated information on appropriate starting doses -- too high). the thing about methadone is that it has a very long half-life and accumulates in tissues -- so you can be piling up methadone in your body taking the next dose before the last dose (or more) have cleared. people have ODd and died in this way; there has been a lot of news about this lately (including anna nicole smith).

listen to your body -- it is screaming at you! and tell your doctor. see if you can find a true addictions or methadone expert. it is best if you can get off it altogether b/c it is a bad player.

the good news is that it lingers in your system so long, the wds can come on a bit less violently than those of shorter-acting meds. I know they are still ferocious like any other opioid, but hold onto any hopeful idea you can to get ready for the ride.

[shorty679]

I was on 160mg of oxy's until april, then went on methadone, i'm on 120ml of methadone currently, and not doing well. I don't know if the methadone has anything to do with my feelings of unwellness or not. I'm 47 so could be in menopause as well. I'm having crazy sweats, constantly dumb and tingling hands, very depressed and emotional, irritable, angry, sad...yesterday woke up crying and couldn't stop for most of the day and there is nothing situational causing it. I asked my methadone doctor to drop my dose so today i'm going down to 115ml. Anyone have any similar experiences? Any sugesstions?

[kittykat58]

I recreationally abused opioids (mostly tylox) ~ 20 yrs ago and then got sober, been sober since. I had a chronic pain condition that began ~2 years ago and got put back on the percs a little more than a year ago. it started off with no tolerance and 1-3 percs a day were fine. but it wasn't long before I was up to 8, then sent to a pain clinic and put first on fentanyl patch (ICK!!!) and eventually oxys and percs for back up. I had surgery 3 months ago to fix the joint that was the source of the pain and now I am finally facing getting off the pain meds (again). I did mange to taper, white-knuckling it, but the time came this past weekend where I was just out and had to jump off. I had all the usual thoughts of "how can I get more, how can I just get a few more to hold off on the pain?" -- but it's like delivering a baby -- there's just no way around it and you just have to let your body go through it and you just have to hang on for the ride. (labor was worse but quicker!!).

anyway -- I hope that answers your question. you might regain your sensitivity to opioids but getting off them, and that's a good thing -- but the bad thing is is that it doesn't last; never does with these things. tolerance just goes up.

if you are a person that has to be on opioids for life, you may just have to take that "drug holiday" from time to time to regain your sensitivity, you can talk to your doctor about it.

take care....

[broknbck]

The suboxone is suppose to be perscribed to get you off the pain meds comfortably.
So when is your date for finishing the suboxone?  it should be soon.

If this doctor is giving it to you for pain, then he has perscribed it wrong and i don't see why he wouldn't just go back to the regular opiates. But if it was to get you off the pain meds than yea, he is probably not going to help you and getting a new doctor involved might be hard.

Alot of us have noticed that once you are off all meds for say a couple maybe 3 weeks, that the pain lightens up quite a bit. The drugs actually induce made up pain to get us to take more. You could get off the sub and see where you stand with the pain issue and go from there.

Now there is a correct way to get off the sub. the doctor will have to instruct you on that. it is not a good idea to just stop taking it. the idea is to not be on the sub long enough to become dependant. which is not very long at all.

hope this helps you some

[liscamdave]

Well, it depends on you. If you stop the Sub your tolerance will drop. Just like if you stop any opiate. It all depends. If you have stopped the Oxy's and are on Sub then if you took a perc you wouldn't feel it at all, that is why Sub is prescribed, but if they are giving you the sub for pain and it isn't helping, then I don't know what to tell you. You need to tell your dr that. I know if you took a perc on Sub you won't feel it.