Withdrawal Periods

[jonesing247]

Hey everyone - just a quick question -
I have been taking oxycontin 80mg 6-8 a day for 5 months. I recently went through withdrawl when i stopped for 5 days - I took again for 3 days, and stopped again for 5 days. Now since friday i have been taking them again, albeit only 2 per day - if i continue to take them until saturday and then stop (so i would have been taking them for 7 days) will I experience withdrawl again? Or did I already get the 5 months worth of **** out of my system during the first five day withdrawl? Sorry about the question, it sounds like one of those "if a train leaves station A at 11:30" questions. Take care and I hope all of you are well. Thanks, Mark.

[The Golden Slipper]

To tex3 I live in the Boston area.  I will check out the asam website and see what may be available.

Thanks for you help. I am sitting here at my desk at work feeling like a total insane person, being able to get this kind of support really helps.

[The Golden Slipper]

To angst:

Thanks for your reply..fortunately my dose has not been 10 tablets every three hours.  It has only been 2 tablets every 3 hours for a total of 8 tablets per day.  Not that I'm making light of this I still think this is very serious and don't want to start taking anymore.  I already feel as though 2 tablets doesn't quite cut it.

I have been going to about 5 different doctors so I guess I will have to fess up to all of them to get straight.  I am not looking forward to it but really want my freedom.  I feel like a slave to these pills.

Thanks for your reply and I will keep posting. It really helps to get feedback from people who have been there.

[1fortheroad]

you mentioned how addicts can almost always relate to each other's stories.  i find it very difficult talking with people who aren't addicts.  they just don't get it, and i feel like sometimes they don't want to get it.  my husband is very supportive and will do just just about anything to help me, but this situation has been going on for awhile now and when i talk about it sometimes i see his eyes glaze over.  i think he just wants it to be over with and doesn't really understand that i'm going to have to fight this for a long time...maybe forever.

[tex3]

The American Society of Addiction Medicine has a website and can refer you to an addiction doctor. Where do you live? I think the site is asam.org, but I will double-check. It also has good information about addiction. I found that when I was ready to take on my problem I had to educate myself. The key to getting well is to understanding what has and is happening to you, in my opinion (along with counseling, either pro or through other addicts, of course). Learning about the disease and how it changes your brain chemistry is important. For me, it enabled me to face that I really was addicted and stop hiding behind my physical pain, which I had embraced as a way to get more pills. I was able to overcome all that, and while I'm sure it's something I will always fight to an extent, I don't think about it everyday anymore. That's a miracle since for years all I did was think about pills, how to get more, how to stave off withdrawals, lying, sneaking, you know the drill. It's still not something I talk about to non-addicts much, but when you discuss it with one of "us" you'll be amazed at the understanding. I will check the website if that's not it, but it really is a good start. Also, let me know your city and maybe I can help. Good luck and know we are here for you!

[CATUF]

I'm no expert, and I'm only 8 days into being 100% off hydro, but for what it's worth.....

Sounds to me like your stopping caused VERY mild WD - It also sounds like an alarm is going off in the back of your head -- LISTEN TO IT! Right now it's just a warning of trouble that may come.  In the not too distant future, however, it will be sounding for an active crisis -- you WILL be addicted and you won't be able to function at all without your 7.5's, the need for which will have no doubt increased, and it WILL be VERY HARD to stop.

Either way you stop (cold turkey or taper) take the lesson with you that the 7.5's already had enough of a hold on you that you were forced to alter your life -- forcing you to either a) suffer a bit for a few days or b) go on to a schedule to wean yourself.  Whatever the degree of hold is now, it will only get worse (much worse)as time goes by.  

How I wish I had stopped back when a voice in the back of my head was asking only "are these things becoming a problem?"

[angst]

I agree with Witchywoman totally.  if you are still in chronic pain, you need to address that issue.  if you are just getting high, with the chronic pain gone, you do need to w/d from the vics.  Welcome to the forum.  Keep us posted.  We are one addict helping another addict.  There are also chronic pain patients on this forum.  You are definetly welcome.