new to the forum! tapering off of oxycontin.. support and advice needed!

[ifeelinfinite]

i first came across vicodin, percocet and the likes when i moved to pennsylania in 2002.   it was, of course, recreational; however, non-habitual.  by 2006 i was introduced to oxycontin and loved it, but it wasn't until the end of 2007 that it began to become a problem.
i moved in with my boyfriend just a couple of months before this all happened.  at first, when i was taking them, he was hesitant to try.  when he did, he also got hooked.  for the first couple of months we'd do it every week or so, but in no time it became daily.
up until april 15th, we had a habit of doing up to 3.5 80mg pills.  we went the next two days cold turkey and it was hell, so decided on a tapering plan.  we started much lower than we were doing, so most of the time our withdrawals are bad.  present day, we are pleased to say that we're each down to 30mg of percocet or vicodin per day.
my boyfriend's mother has a torn rotator cuff, and for a while was taking percocet until we (unfortunately) introduced her to oxy.  she was also addicted, and is tapering VERY slowly.
i had an appointment today to get suboxone but i decided against it, as i don't want anything on my permanent record.  my boyfriend's mother has taken off the week of may 10th and intends on going cold turkey.  by that time, my boyfriend and i will be down to 10mg a day, so we'll all be going through withdrawal together.
we're trying to get our hands on some suboxone (preferably) or methadone to help with the WD symptoms.. i've heard that if we get subs, we can take one a day for three days, then half of one the following two days to wean.  i know we would also have some WD symptoms from this - anyone else have any experience tapering and then using subs?  or advice on how many to take?
there is a small chance we won't be able to get them, and if not i've heard some of the following things will help with the WD symptoms:  otc medication for chills, multivitamins, potassium, soup, gatorade, imodium, cough syrup (don't know why; maybe to get the DXM high or numbing feeling?), and icy hot for muscle aches.
i could also use some recommendation (based on experience) if we should cold turkey WD or use the suboxone?

any support is needed, and any advice is greatly appreciated!  we are all so excited to get off of this an ready to embrace any pain as freedom; it just helps to know that you are not alone.

[Mask4u]

Massage can help work the toxins out of muscles  drink lots of water after the massage. Do get thomas recipe when you can. It has a long history of helping people.

[ifeelinfinite]

thanks so much.. i'm thankful for the advice and support  (:  i'll surely be taking your advice.

and.. gnarly name!

[gnarly_1]

HI im glad to see your taper plan is working for you...it sounds like you are doing great
tapering for me was a grind I had to come off of 150ml of methadone and it took 8 1/2 grueling months to do...as for the withdrawal symptoms wile tapering the most therapeutic thing I found was a good hot soak in the tub..it not only helps the ackes and pains but it relives some of the anxiety dont under estimate this therapy it also helps with sleep if you take one right b/4 you jump in bed....sleep is usually a problem when you down to detoxing...also I found that taking a calcium/magnesium/zinc supplement cut the withdrawals down considerabley you can get it at walmart its 6 bucks for 250
take 4 in the morning and 4 at dinner time you will notice a difference in a couple of days ....keep up the good work your almost there and life is so much better not being chained to a pill bottle good luck and God bless.....Gnarly        

[ifeelinfinite]

anyone else have any suggestions for the muscle aches during WD?  i've been in a lot of pain today, although i'm still tapering (40mg today).  i've heard icy hot works, and hot showers.  any other advice would be great.  (:

[ifeelinfinite]

yeah, we've decided to stay away from the suboxone.  with the thomas recipe/amino acids and some advice from recovering addicts we've made a list of things to help with the WD, which will come during the week of may 10th.  i just hope it's not as bad since we'll be down to 10mgs by that time.

thank you so much for all of your help.  (:

[dominosarah]

Yes you will have wd's from the sub and most say it is worse than coming off your DOC.  Our bodies are chapped at us for abusing it and it is just letting us know and at the same time it is very forgiving.  I just looked at it this way....I needed to rid my body of the toxins that i had fed it for so long.  Keep posting         sara

[ifeelinfinite]

thanks for the advice on the thomas recipe and amino acids - didn't even see anything over there!  and i am trying to convince the other two people that suboxone is a bad idea from the streets but they're convinced it'll help.  even with subs, you can still have WDs so i'm 99.9% certain even if they take 'em i'll go CT.  thanks again (:

[dominosarah]

Read the health pages on the right hand side of the page and check out either the Thomas Recipe or the amino acids.  That will help ease some of the symptoms of going ct.  Putting healthy things into our body is always a plus.  I hope you dont go to the streets for any drugs....that is just way to dangerous and those meds need to be given under a doctors care.  Glad to hear you are going to get some aftercare.......Keep posting        sara

[ifeelinfinite]

i know i shouldn't even consider getting either on the street but i REALLY don't want it on my records.  i'm going to be a teacher and i really need to keep a clean record, so it's hard.  it's more likely that we'll go ct.  /:
and i've already decided on going to NA.. in fact, i'm going to look for the one closest to me now.

thanks for responding and for the support  (:

[avisg]

If you are going to take either methadone or suboxone you need to be getting it from a doctor plz dont get if off the street that dangerous and keeps you in the addictive cycle .It sounds like you two have already come a long way .Keep it up .CT is a very nasty week but by 7 days things are far better .Next thing is would would check into some recovery care so once you get clean you dont end up back in the same cycle there are many different choices an addiction therapist aa/na ,smart recovery ,a church Pastor whatever you can do that fits for u . Continue to post we will be here to support you .