Aa
Oxycodone detox/withdrawal
Following the wonderful advice of several posters, and my husband I want to get off the Percocet completely. Is there a danger in stopping cold turkey for someone with other health problems and who takes a lot of additional prescription meds? should I taper off the dosages day by day? I am wanting to do this so that I can then find a pain management doctor with this out of my system. How long generally does it take Percocet to leave the system? Thanks for any help you can provide. Blessings to you and yours.
PS I will post my lengthy medication list in my profile if you would like to take a look.
PS I will post my lengthy medication list in my profile if you would like to take a look.
Here are some things that may help you with this struggle and to build up all the things that are run down and lost due to pain medication use over a long period. This is just a suggestion and should be ok'd by your physician to ensure nothing will interfere with any other meds you are taking. For many this has been a life saver, so I thought it couldn't hurt to share! Good luck! Turn your pain and cravings over to God!
THOMAS RECIPE:
If you can't take time off to detox, I recommend you follow a taper regimen using your drug of choice or suitable alternate -- the slower the taper, the better.
For the Recipe, You'll need:
1. Valium (or another benzodiazepine such as Klonopin, Librium, Ativan or Xanax). Of these, Valium and Klonopin are best suited for tapering since they come in tablet form. Librium is also an excellent detox benzo, but comes in capsules, making it hard to taper the dose. Ativan or Xanax should only be used if you can't get one of the others.
2. Imodium (immodium) (over the counter, any drug or grocery store).
3. L-Tyrosine (500 mg caps) from the health food store.
4. Strong wide-spectrum mineral supplement with at least 100% RDA of Zinc, Phosphorus, Copper, Magnesium and Potassium (you may not find the potassium in the same supplement).
5. Vitamin B6 caps.
6. Access to hot baths or a Jacuzzi (or hot showers if that's all that's available).
How to use the recipe:
Start the vitamin/mineral supplement right away (or the first day you can keep it down), preferably with food. Potassium early in the detox is important to help relieve RLS (Restless
Restless leg syndromeLeg Syndrome). Bananas are a good source of potassium if you can't find a supplement for it.
Begin your detox with regular doses of Valium (or alternate benzo). Start with a dose high enough to produce sleep. Before you use any benzo, make sure you're aware of how often it can be safely taken. Different benzos have different dosing schedules. Taper your Valium dosage down after each day. The goal is to get through day 4, after which the worst WD symptoms will subside. You shouldn't need the Valium after day 4 or 5.
During detox, hit the hot bath or Jacuzzi as often as you need to for muscle aches. Don't underestimate the effectiveness of hot soaks. Spend the entire time, if necessary, in a hot bath. This simple method will alleviate what is for many the worst opiate WD symptom.
Use the Imodium (immodium) aggressively to stop the runs. Take as much as you need, as often as you need it. Don't take it, however, if you don't need it.
At the end of the fourth day, you should be waking up from the Valium and experiencing the beginnings of the opiate WD malaise. Upon rising (empty stomach), take the L-Tyrosine. Try 2000 mgs, and scale up or down, depending on how you feel. You can take up to 4,000 mgs. Take the L-Tyrosine with B6 to help absorption. Wait about one hour before eating breakfast. The L-Tyrosine will give you a surge of physical and mental
Mental status tests
Mental retardationenergy that will help counteract the malaise. You may continue to take it each morning for as long as it helps. If you find it gives you the "coffee jitters," consider lowering the dosage or discontinuing it altogether. Occasionally, L-Tyrosine can cause the runs. Unlike the runs from opiate WD, however, this effect of L-Tyrosine is mild and normally does not return after the first hour. Lowering the dosage may help.
Continue to take the vitamin/mineral supplement with breakfast.
As soon as you can force yourself to, get some mild exercise such as walking, cycling, swimming, etc. This will be hard at first, but will make you feel considerably better.
THOMAS RECIPE:
If you can't take time off to detox, I recommend you follow a taper regimen using your drug of choice or suitable alternate -- the slower the taper, the better.
For the Recipe, You'll need:
1. Valium (or another benzodiazepine such as Klonopin, Librium, Ativan or Xanax). Of these, Valium and Klonopin are best suited for tapering since they come in tablet form. Librium is also an excellent detox benzo, but comes in capsules, making it hard to taper the dose. Ativan or Xanax should only be used if you can't get one of the others.
2. Imodium (immodium) (over the counter, any drug or grocery store).
3. L-Tyrosine (500 mg caps) from the health food store.
4. Strong wide-spectrum mineral supplement with at least 100% RDA of Zinc, Phosphorus, Copper, Magnesium and Potassium (you may not find the potassium in the same supplement).
5. Vitamin B6 caps.
6. Access to hot baths or a Jacuzzi (or hot showers if that's all that's available).
How to use the recipe:
Start the vitamin/mineral supplement right away (or the first day you can keep it down), preferably with food. Potassium early in the detox is important to help relieve RLS (Restless
Restless leg syndromeLeg Syndrome). Bananas are a good source of potassium if you can't find a supplement for it.
Begin your detox with regular doses of Valium (or alternate benzo). Start with a dose high enough to produce sleep. Before you use any benzo, make sure you're aware of how often it can be safely taken. Different benzos have different dosing schedules. Taper your Valium dosage down after each day. The goal is to get through day 4, after which the worst WD symptoms will subside. You shouldn't need the Valium after day 4 or 5.
During detox, hit the hot bath or Jacuzzi as often as you need to for muscle aches. Don't underestimate the effectiveness of hot soaks. Spend the entire time, if necessary, in a hot bath. This simple method will alleviate what is for many the worst opiate WD symptom.
Use the Imodium (immodium) aggressively to stop the runs. Take as much as you need, as often as you need it. Don't take it, however, if you don't need it.
At the end of the fourth day, you should be waking up from the Valium and experiencing the beginnings of the opiate WD malaise. Upon rising (empty stomach), take the L-Tyrosine. Try 2000 mgs, and scale up or down, depending on how you feel. You can take up to 4,000 mgs. Take the L-Tyrosine with B6 to help absorption. Wait about one hour before eating breakfast. The L-Tyrosine will give you a surge of physical and mental
Mental status tests
Mental retardationenergy that will help counteract the malaise. You may continue to take it each morning for as long as it helps. If you find it gives you the "coffee jitters," consider lowering the dosage or discontinuing it altogether. Occasionally, L-Tyrosine can cause the runs. Unlike the runs from opiate WD, however, this effect of L-Tyrosine is mild and normally does not return after the first hour. Lowering the dosage may help.
Continue to take the vitamin/mineral supplement with breakfast.
As soon as you can force yourself to, get some mild exercise such as walking, cycling, swimming, etc. This will be hard at first, but will make you feel considerably better.
i have been taking 20 mg. of oxycodone hydrochloride daily for over two years (5 mg. 4 x daily) due to my leg having been badly crushed in an auto collision on December 2, 2008.. No non-narcotic analgesics have proved effective in diminishing the persistent pain, which i recognize will continue, indefinitely, to be an integral part of my (now 58-year old) life......i am grateful beyond measure to my Lord (Krishna) for having spared this life, and can only thank Him over and over, repeatedly, for having been so inexplicably liberal unto me with His Mercy.
i don't know (at this point in time) if you are still attached to the oxycodone or not, but i pray that you will feel better, and be able to overcome this bondage, and be happy and free.... :)
your servant,
bhuvana-mohan dasa.
i don't know (at this point in time) if you are still attached to the oxycodone or not, but i pray that you will feel better, and be able to overcome this bondage, and be happy and free.... :)
your servant,
bhuvana-mohan dasa.
happy- I understand what you mean. I do want to get rid of or at least find a way to control my dependence on pain medication. I am still very weak at this point, and I am just a very sensitive person emotionally. Just part of my personality. It's just been a really bad week so far for me.
Jaded- There really is not anything I can apply for at this point. I owe so many doctors and hospitals right now it's mind boggling. And that is not solely due to my pain issues, it has also been visits for chest pain which I have to get checked out if my Nitroglycerin tabs don't relieve it. I am checking with my local health department to see if there's anything they can help me with finacially.
Jaded- There really is not anything I can apply for at this point. I owe so many doctors and hospitals right now it's mind boggling. And that is not solely due to my pain issues, it has also been visits for chest pain which I have to get checked out if my Nitroglycerin tabs don't relieve it. I am checking with my local health department to see if there's anything they can help me with finacially.
Not being able to get opiates is not exactly a sentence to suffering- there are other medications for pain :)
I'm sorry you're feeling depressed and can't get your anti-depressants. That with the WDs from the percoset are probably compounding eachother. I know it's not a short-term solution but is there any type of medical assistance you could apply for? I know it's hard to qualify and a big pain sometimes, but it might be a way to make sure you can get your medications.
It will get better eventually and you're probably over the worst of it. I know it's hard to see that right now. I have been having a hard time pain-wise as well lately so I can commiserate with not being able to do anything. Just walking from one room to another has been painful for me and it's really depressing. I hope you start to feel better soon!
Happy- I know people make thier own choices and I wasn't saying anyone was making Grace suffer. I suppose I should have used different wording as what I meant was "No one should expect you to suffer". It's not hard for me to understand that someone in pain would make a bad decision. When my pain gets flaring I can't think straight, let alone make the best decisions.
It will get better eventually and you're probably over the worst of it. I know it's hard to see that right now. I have been having a hard time pain-wise as well lately so I can commiserate with not being able to do anything. Just walking from one room to another has been painful for me and it's really depressing. I hope you start to feel better soon!
Happy- I know people make thier own choices and I wasn't saying anyone was making Grace suffer. I suppose I should have used different wording as what I meant was "No one should expect you to suffer". It's not hard for me to understand that someone in pain would make a bad decision. When my pain gets flaring I can't think straight, let alone make the best decisions.
I don't have an issue with you at all. But either you want to get off of the narcotics or you don't. If you do, going to the emergency room for a shot of dilaudid isn't going to help you- that's not my issue, it's just the plain and simple truth. I'm not trying to make you feel bad. It's just reality.
Jaded, nobody is making anybody suffer. We all make choices. Grace chose to start taking a habit-forming medication for which she did not have a prescription, and now she has to quit it. My point about the dilaudid was that it would extend the process, making it more uncomfortable in the long run. That the short-term gain would result in more long-term pain. But that's something the people over at substance abuse might know more about.
Jaded, nobody is making anybody suffer. We all make choices. Grace chose to start taking a habit-forming medication for which she did not have a prescription, and now she has to quit it. My point about the dilaudid was that it would extend the process, making it more uncomfortable in the long run. That the short-term gain would result in more long-term pain. But that's something the people over at substance abuse might know more about.
No you didnt hurt my feelings at all. I was directing my statement to happyhmom.
Sorry but I am just having a really hard time right now. I basically spend most of my day in bed crying I am just really depressed and on edge. I am completely out of my antidepressants, and no money or insurance to pay for them.
Sorry but I am just having a really hard time right now. I basically spend most of my day in bed crying I am just really depressed and on edge. I am completely out of my antidepressants, and no money or insurance to pay for them.
I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. I don't have an issue with you at all and I don't want you to feel bad. I understand that even people who have issues with meds can be in pain and no one should be made to suffer.
sorry I was just trying to update and be open and honest. You seem to have an issue with me for some reason. I wont post anymore its not worth feeling like crap. I can do that alone 24/7
You need to be telling these doctors about your history with oxy, though, or they will just give you more narcotics (as the ER doctor did).
I guess I don't understand the difference between the shot of dilaudid he gave you and just going back on the oxy- either way you went back to narcotics. I know I'm being harsh here, and please understand that I'm just not going to sugar coat things for you even though I want to because I know you are hurting. I know you want to not tell doctors about the oxy because then they won't give you more narcotics, but without telling them you have no way of knowing whether that is the right choice or not.
Some people can not take narcotics. They are not a medication for everybody. Including people with a history of inappropriate use and addiction, and physical counterindications. There are other methods for relieving pain- opiates are not the only way.
I guess I don't understand the difference between the shot of dilaudid he gave you and just going back on the oxy- either way you went back to narcotics. I know I'm being harsh here, and please understand that I'm just not going to sugar coat things for you even though I want to because I know you are hurting. I know you want to not tell doctors about the oxy because then they won't give you more narcotics, but without telling them you have no way of knowing whether that is the right choice or not.
Some people can not take narcotics. They are not a medication for everybody. Including people with a history of inappropriate use and addiction, and physical counterindications. There are other methods for relieving pain- opiates are not the only way.
Yes I should have told him I suppose but I guess I was being a coward and afraid that he would not help me at all if I told him about the Oxy. Yes my husband does deserve for me to step up to the plate and I feel that I am. I am off the Oxy completely. The ER doctor even offered to give me a script FOR percocet and I turned it down, which I admit was hard for me to do.
I have made an appt to see my reg doctor and get some more tests done. I feel that I might have a pinched nerve, after previously working in a factory production line doing repetitive motions every day for 6yrs. Not really sure but the ER doctor said he recommended an MRI of my neck. Which I have no idea how I am going to pay for. I am already in so much medical debt at this point I am surprised I am still being seen by anyone.
I have made an appt to see my reg doctor and get some more tests done. I feel that I might have a pinched nerve, after previously working in a factory production line doing repetitive motions every day for 6yrs. Not really sure but the ER doctor said he recommended an MRI of my neck. Which I have no idea how I am going to pay for. I am already in so much medical debt at this point I am surprised I am still being seen by anyone.
That's surprising, pain meds usually make people more itchy but now that I think about it, I've heard WDs can too. At this point, I'd say you should probably continue with CT since you have made it this far.
The reason I asked if you told the doctor about stopping the percoset is because stopping meds like that suddenly can cause an increase in pain and in places that you don't normally have pain or have anything "structurally" wrong. So the doctor's guess about a bulging disc may have been different had he known about the percoset.
I would definetly try to get in with a doctor soon so that they can start running tests to find out what's causing the pain and start treatment.
The reason I asked if you told the doctor about stopping the percoset is because stopping meds like that suddenly can cause an increase in pain and in places that you don't normally have pain or have anything "structurally" wrong. So the doctor's guess about a bulging disc may have been different had he known about the percoset.
I would definetly try to get in with a doctor soon so that they can start running tests to find out what's causing the pain and start treatment.
Well, Dilaudid is a narcotic, quite a bit stronger than Oxy.
Not telling the ER doctor that you were possibly having withdrawals could have been dangerous. I understand that you are embarassed and you want to protect yourself, but this is a serious medical issue. Your health really depends on your ability to step up to the plate here.
Your family wants to have you around for a good, long time. Don't you owe it to them to get yourself out of this predicament and start being more up front with your doctors? Don't you owe it to your husband? How many times is he going to go through withdrawals with you?
Not telling the ER doctor that you were possibly having withdrawals could have been dangerous. I understand that you are embarassed and you want to protect yourself, but this is a serious medical issue. Your health really depends on your ability to step up to the plate here.
Your family wants to have you around for a good, long time. Don't you owe it to them to get yourself out of this predicament and start being more up front with your doctors? Don't you owe it to your husband? How many times is he going to go through withdrawals with you?
No I didn't tell the ER doctor, but I have stopped the Oxy for three days now. It took the Dilaudid about 30mins to kick in and it did help with pain and helped me get some sleep. Thanks for your info about the Flexeril, I kinda have a new medication phobia. Although I am getting better. Something I have noticed is since I stopped the Oxy is I am itching a lot, it's really annoying.
I have taken Flexeril in the past, and it makes me so sleepy and very cranky. Everyone is different though. I know that many people have great success with it. I hope that it helps your spasms.
Did you tell the ER doc about your coming off the percoset? I am not sure what the Dilaudid shot will do for that, whether it will set you back or not :(
Have you discussed it with your PCP yet?
Have you discussed it with your PCP yet?
I take flexeril and I find it does help. I have muscle spasms all the time, though, and have taken muscle relaxers for pain for a while. Flexeril does knock most people out and like everything affects everyone differently.
It could be a rebound headache from the diaudid. If you have stopped taking the percoset, it's likely that as well. Stopping the percoset also could have been the cause of the muscle spasms.
Have you ever had an MRI of your spine?
It could be a rebound headache from the diaudid. If you have stopped taking the percoset, it's likely that as well. Stopping the percoset also could have been the cause of the muscle spasms.
Have you ever had an MRI of your spine?
I forgot to add that I was given a shot IM of Dilaudid for the pain and Zofran. I am having a horrible headache today, has anyone ever experienced this before with Dilaudid?
Woke up early this morning with severe pain and muscle spasms in my neck shoulders and down my arms. My husband took me to ER and they gave me a script for Flexeril 10mg. The doctor that examined me was very nice and understanding, he said he thinks I might have a bulging disk? Not sure what that all means I am supposed to see my reg doctor for more tests. Have any of you taken Flexeril before? Has it been helpful or just puts you to bed basically? TY for your posts and advice.
I would also not recommend trying to go to a PM doctor and get treatment without "coming clean" about this past. It is not safe for you, and it is not fair to the doctor. Your doctor needs to understand your history with narcotics to make the best choices for you.
When it comes to pain care, honesty is always the best policy.
When it comes to pain care, honesty is always the best policy.
Jaded, I agree with you.
Grace, I would definitely go to the doctor to get a taper plan and maybe the doctor will give you other medications to help with the withdrawals. You have other conditions, so you really should see a doctor.
Flower
Grace, I would definitely go to the doctor to get a taper plan and maybe the doctor will give you other medications to help with the withdrawals. You have other conditions, so you really should see a doctor.
Flower
Oh.. I just saw your blog and med list. With your heart conditions, I don't know if self-tapering is that great of an idea. I just want to be clear that I'm not recommending it at all. I do still understand your reasons. Just please be careful and if you start feeling like something is wrong you should call a doctor or go to the ER. I don't think going CT would be good at all.
Any medication is dangerous to take or stop taking without doctor supervision. I know you're in a tight spot here, though, and I really do empathize with you as I don't know what I would do if I were not able to be in a good PM program with a good doctor. Pain is pain regardless.
Please just be careful. I know you know your heart better than anyone else so if something feels wrong, please get checked out.
Any medication is dangerous to take or stop taking without doctor supervision. I know you're in a tight spot here, though, and I really do empathize with you as I don't know what I would do if I were not able to be in a good PM program with a good doctor. Pain is pain regardless.
Please just be careful. I know you know your heart better than anyone else so if something feels wrong, please get checked out.
I would taper if I were you. I have had to cut my dose in half (although I think I take a good deal more than you have been taking) for a few days due to a problem with getting my prescription filled and it was very difficult for me.
I do believe that a lot of it is mental, too, and if you go into it expecting to feel as good as possible, it will go a lot better for you. I don't know how long it would take to leave the system as I think it's somewhat different for everyone and depends on how much, how long you've been taking it.
In a regular situation I would say to ask the doctor but I understand why it wouldn't work out that well for you. If it were me, I'd cut out half a pill a day for a few days and then another half, etc. Some people can do it quicker, some slower.
I wish you all the best with it and I hope it goes smoothly.
I do believe that a lot of it is mental, too, and if you go into it expecting to feel as good as possible, it will go a lot better for you. I don't know how long it would take to leave the system as I think it's somewhat different for everyone and depends on how much, how long you've been taking it.
In a regular situation I would say to ask the doctor but I understand why it wouldn't work out that well for you. If it were me, I'd cut out half a pill a day for a few days and then another half, etc. Some people can do it quicker, some slower.
I wish you all the best with it and I hope it goes smoothly.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Pain Management Community
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
Could it be something you ate? Lack of sleep? Here are 11 migraine triggers to look out for.
Find out if PRP therapy right for you.
Tips for preventing one of the most common types of knee injury.
Here are 10 ways to stop headaches before they start.
Tips and moves to ease backaches
