I have been on opioids for many years. I have a number of serious medical conditions - the most painful being MS, spinal stenosis and facet joint arthritis, and severe osteoporosis. But I don't get enough relief to keep taking it.
I tapered down from very high doses a few years ago, but just 2 months ago, reduced down another significant amount (from 120mg Avinza and 20 oxy to 60 ms contin only). Now I'm tapering to 30mg.
Pain is a real enemy, but withdrawal, even tapering, is rough. The 1st drop was too large probably - took 12 days to get past the bad symptoms. But now, I feel like I'm just prolonging this. Yet I need to be able to function! Not sure how this will go!
This took a long time to decide - I have a doctor willing to keep me on 90mg a day, but I just can't justify it anymore. I have Systemic Sclerosis, which caused GI damage and cardiac and lung damage, plus the osteoporosis isn't helped by narcotics.
My question is how much longer withdrawal might take tapering down, vs going ct. I'm not sure if ct would be a good idea. I've accidentally gone ct in the past due to frequent bouts of pneumonia, with fevers so high that I forgot to take meds. I ended up unable to speak and went totally crazy - hallucinations and other serious stuff. I had no idea what was going on!
I hope I'm down to where that wouldn't happen, but I've been on these for at least 20 years - 360mg avinza, plus 60 oxy, at the top. That was not good for my other conditions - lung and GI.
Thanks for any help!