KeepOnTrucking

Hello everyone. I have battled opiate addiction for the past year or so with the past five months being my more hardcore period of time with near everyday use. I was insufflating on average two to two and a half roxi thirties daily (60-75 mg daily with half of that amount mg-wise being absorbed intranasally) up until Friday December 31 2010. Tonight completes my 72 hour mark. I have been taking small doses of suboxone (one two-mg pill) daily. I do have a prescription for a thirty day supply, but I plan to take the suboxone only a week to week and a half in decreasing doses to get past my worst physical pains. How long could I expect to be recovering with a 50mg tolerance at a six month run of oxycodone use? I am asking because after day ten I plan to cut out the suboxone, as I do not plan to become physically dependent on it. After cutting the suboxone after day ten, how would you expect me to feel based on my information provided? Just would love some advice, input, and support from the online community. I am hoping to stay strong. Thanks everyone and best of wishes.

Dopafiend

Everyone is different, so what to expect with the withdrawls will be somewhat personalized. If you want to taper, or ween yourself off with suboxone than you should follow whatever schedule you and the doctor have discussed.

Have you read and or posted in the suboxone forum? They may have a better idea of what to expect when you taper off of that drug.

Best of luck to you

KeepOnTrucking

My doctor wants me to do six months but I refuse to be that dependent. Im just gonna do it... sigh.

Dee74

If you're determined to go against your Dr's advice then you may find the way ahead rough.

Best of luck KOT.
D

tsmba

Sounds like you might consider adjusting your attitude. My own best efforts only got me mired down in addiction.

FT

I personally failed at tapering from your dose of a two year postoperative addiction, even with my doctor(s) "helping" me. I recommend reading the "oxycodone withdrawal help" on this substance abuse thread, which has lots of people's experiences with symptoms withdrawal. I do NOT suggest doing it on your own, but your doctor is NOT your sponsor. Get help with NA or a supportive significant other who is willing to watch you like a hawk. Don't trust yourself to dose your own pills. Do NOT lie to your sponsor.

I am now off oxys cold turkey since December 15. I still feel the effects of withdrawal, but better each day with some surprise dips when I don't expect it. The worst part for me right now is never having a moment of feeling "good" like I used to on oxys until they started toxing me out, and I can't get to sleep for a long while at night, with creepy crawlies, joint aches, restlessness.

I failed miserably at tapering, which is why I had to cold turkey it. My story might help you, or others who are on this forum. Your dose isn't as high as a lot of people you'll read about here, but it was enough to cause you some misery now.

Another poster told me about PAWS (Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome). Google it and read about how long this may take to feel better. I didn't like hearing it may take up to two years to feel "normal" again, but if that's what it takes, it's better than the nightmare rollercoaster ride of oxy addiction.

KeepOnTrucking

Thanks FailedTaper. I know my dose isn't as high as some people's but I've been at this for two years with only a month or two max inbetween quitting and relapsing. It's just never been as bad as recent. I built a tolerance so quickly. I never have seemed to be able to allow my body and mind time enough to significantly heal. I've been prone to an addictive personality my whole life. My parents noticed it even when I was a child. Its just sad some people have this demon. I've been almost 48 hours off the bupe and five days off the oxy and am in mild physical WD still. The cravings are the worst at night. Sigh. I may take .5mg or less bupe today to keep me at bay even though I feel I shouldn't. Im looking for NA in my area and looking for new activities to keep busy. I know it will get better, with time being my best friend. My friend has been clean three months without any bupe in the past month or two and said she rarely ever thinks about oxy anymore. AND her habit was much worse than mine. I've just gotta adjust to how I get my "feel goods" in life. She said after a month it gets better but five days seems like ten million years at this point. I need to keep doing this though. support needed. Sigh. I was number three in my graduating high school class in 2006 and this is me now. It just doesn't add up or seem right! Five years is ample time for disaster.

jholt0130

KeepOnTrucking........KEEP ON TRUCKING!!!! It's worth it I promise. I have been off the oxy's since the beginning of december and I am finally getting some energy and motivation back. I noticed that you don't live all that far from me. If you need someone to talk to or need some good meetings to attend, let me know. Shoot me a PM anytime or if you like I will be more than happy to shoot you my number and you can call anytime day or night. I know how hard it is in the beginning and having someone you can talk to about exactly how you feel and what is going on can be a life saver.

KeepOnTrucking

Thanks so much for the support. PM me with your number.

jholt0130

KOT, check your inbox. you should have a PM from me. just please don't be shy. my phone is always on and is always attached to me......kinda wondering if that's an addiction too....oh well, save that one for another day and a completely different type of withdrawals! lol

Dopafiend

Glad your dumping the Suboxone keepontrucking. We are not supposed to give medical advice on the forum, so I did not say anything in my previous posts, but that stuff is just another opiate that you will have to deal with.

Hope you are able to get to some meetings, best of luck!

NeedMyLife

KeepOnTruckin...that you want off is a great attitude! You should be proud of yourself for that. How you get clean is completely up to you by the means that works best for you. Find support to strengthen your committment to get clean. I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to have at least one person who cares about you and your recovery by your side. If you have a doctor trying to help you come off the drugs...that is good. But you need to take care of your emotional self too and the doctor can't do that.

As others have commented, there are many people here with similar stories and experiences who are willing to listen and share. I am over 2 weeks clean of oxy now and each day is progressively better. One piece of advice that I will share without hesitation is to keep hydrated as best you can. Water and Pedialite worked best for me. Some of the crappy symptoms you will feel are due to dehydration and it only compounds the withdrawal symptoms.

Best of luck with your plan and stay connected!

KeepOnTrucking

Day five has been rough. Night time brings anxiety.... th insomnia I have been dealing with makes me want to cry. I have a job and I am so scared of tomorrow. Melatonin and xanax put me to sleep for four hours. Noting more and I am awake eight hours before work starts. Im never putting myself through this again. Jesus. When will I naturally sleep again? Ambien.... wish I had some.

FT

KeepOnTrucking,
I am off oxys since December 15.

My insomnia is horrible. When I hit a night I actually sleep all night (almost), I think, "At last!) Then, the next night... Geez.

We have to wait this through. Our drug brains are telling us we need a substance to make us sleep. We have messed with our natural sleep centers with our drugs, and now we have to lay down new tracks.

I am a full time university student at age 59, work almost full time, and this not sleeping thing really derails my concentration. I've tried B vitamins without much noticeable change (none actually). I do notice that on the days I am the most physically active, those are the days I sleep the best at night.

You are so young still, your system is more resilient than old people like me, who are naturally more prone to insomnia. Some people drink chamomile tea, valerian tea, or take Melatonin, but those things have never worked for me.

Over 20 years ago, I quit alcohol, which used to me my drug of choice, and which put me to sleep every night. Don't repeat my errors and jump from one substance to another, only to look back at your life and regret. I try not to regret as much as learn, but there it is.

Dopafiend

5 days is awesome! Remember when you could not go longer than a day without it? This is the start of a great new beginning for you. The clean life is such a better alternative to the hell we often lead as practicing addicts.

The no sleep will get better each day. I am at day 28 off of oxy, and things have REALLY turned the corner. Just take it a day at time, and I guranatee you will see the improvement too!

KeepOnTrucking

Just about this very hour I am at six days. Today is markedly better than yesterday. The boredom and stir craziness and insomnia and rls is the worst. A few sneezes here and there and my bowels are solid(ish) again lol. I accidentally induced precipitated withdrawal with suboxone too soon after oxy (18hrs) my first day clean and as horrific as it was, I think it sped up my detox. Immensely. This has truly been an experience that has made me now realize that I will never do something like this again to hurt myself. Once I sleep and wake up it gets better each morning.

cleanup

Ive tried several times to get off oxs. I have here and there but am pretty much doing 30mg to 80mg. Anyones advice and supports would be much appreciated since im alone on this. it may not be that big of an amount but any advice would be much appreciated

KeepOnTrucking

Cleanup..... im at a week sober today. Its no picnic and it has to be something YOU want to do. Because the drug always says "do meeeee." Im not longer physically ill but having to suppress craving is hard. I've realized you're gonna do the drugs and destroy your life and shorten your life span immensely.... OR face the inevitable, make the decision to take charge, go through the dope sick week and run the other direction once you heal and go build a new healthy lifestyle. Its hard as hell but I think it will all be worth the suffering in the big picture.

Ocelot436

I too have been down this road too many times to count.

KeepOnTrucking

Today started out kind of, well, unmotivated. Once motivated I cleaned out my car and walked a brisk paced mile in the park. Getting some sun and finally exerting some energy made me feel so much better. I even felt like hanging out with a close friend and socializing although I crapped out wayyy earlier than I used to. My world is flipped upside down but its getting better. I think positive change is a direct result of the effort you put into it. I feel "lost puppy" like and feel out of my element in settings that used to be everyday places... work is more difficult but ill be okay. Karma works crazy too... I got a promotion at work today as manager / head barista at my job today after being clean a week. In recent months I have been able to put on QUITE a good show for everyone but I wasn't fooling myself. Going forward with my true potential and creating a healthy lifestyle is my goal overall. Sorry I just went all existential or some $H1T. I think speaking about the problem and venting here is therapeutic. Looking forward to see how I can try hard to make tomorrow good.