first day off of percocet

[tryingthisagain]

I have been taking these pills for 6 months off and on for three weeks at a time. I have tried to taper myself off for the last time but I feel terrible. I would ususally take 6 or 7 a day and just cut back to about 4 a day. Yesterday I only took one and I have one left. I want to detox at home. What should I do. Any advice?

[Digginit]

You could get your doctor to prescribe Clonidine. It's an antihypertensive, but works well to diminish the sympathetic release you get in opioid withdrawal. Or you could get him to taper your percocet. Opioids are generally safe to detox from without medical help....though you may feel like crap. If you choose to go that route (nothing to help you detox), then pick a time when you have a week or so to get through the lousy feeling.

When I quit coke cold turkey it took a good two weeks to get over the really, really lousy feeling. Of course coke and oxycodone are totally different medications. Both make you feel like crap in withdrawal, but neither is generally unsafe to stop without a taper.

linz

[zapper]

Hi,

I have been on percs for a year, taking them any where from 5 and below that number, crushing and sniffing to get high, just plain in general so I don't go through with drawls.

Your lucky, for you have been playing w/ it for 6 months, so IMO your withdrawls should not be that bad, if able cut back more each week.

Fo myself? the cravings are so bad I ate 20 percs a few days ago, my pills that were to help me wean off, and now I have like 4 loresette, I am heading for a wreck, for the sellers I deal with don't have product and I have actually thought about Herion and that is something that I never thouyght of, so I am reaching out to you, do something "before" you end up #1 not having a seller for what you use, or you end up poping more and more each week or even day...I seldom if at all posted, yet seen your post and felt the urge to reach out...

I hope all works out for you,

Tammy

[In memory of miracle]

Yea...I feel ya. It's a crazy ride,no? I would have a talk with the doctor and see if he will help. Withdrawal is lousy any way you cut it. Can you get into a detox? Get all the help you can.Bless...Trish

[golf99]

I went cold turkey off of hydro's, benzo's and perc's. Yes the withdrawals are a bitch especially xanax. You are 6 months addicted, no good but not bad. Your withdrawals should be bad for maybe 2-5 days. After that it gets better. Suck it up and you will win!

Best,
Golf

[Phinneas]

Congrats on your commirment to get clean.

I did it cold turkey - lots of hot baths, Ibprofen, exercise and fluids. It wll feel like you have the bad flu for a few days to a week.

You can do this. Just hang on. Every 5 minutes, hour and day is that much closer to feeling better.

[Dawn10]

Congrats on realizing that you need to stop! This is a big step.
You can taper, and do all the physical comfort measures described, but I do need to warn you that just because your body may recover from the desire to use, your brain may be another matter. I say this from experience, not to scare you, but to caution you that the psychological withdrawal was so much harder for me. That is why when I tried to do it on my own I ALWAYS failed.
I needed to have some structured help in doing it and for me that was therapy and meetings. By claiming it outloud, I was finally cutting final string to my addiction--the secrecy and shame that kept me prisoner so long.
I learned so much in the rooms that helped me and still help me stay clean after 7+ years. Please consider it.

[tryingthisagain]

I have gotten through the day without taking a perc. I am sooooo excited. I feel like hell but I am excited!

[Aa_vark]

We're with ya! Congratulations! you NEVER HAVE TO USE AGAIN! Just for today,

Oh, have some They're great for preventing muscle cramps. Better still, a potassium suppliment....

[zapper]

Hi,

I am very happy that you went one day w/ out the perc's, please hang in there, the cravings is what get a person to use as for the w/drawls go I don't think you will end up in bad shap, then again I never dealt w/ it until now, yes now I'm in cold turkey mode. all opiates are gone, seller is dry, all sellers I know are. To be honest if I had pills I would use, if I had a lot to do a decrease YES I would have B/F hold them and do a slow reduction, last time he had held them the cravings were so bad, I was beging him to give me just one, I was on a 1/2 every other day! this was 6 months ago and look at me now? how fast a drop. If you feel like using come here and read the horror stories and keep busy, have someone you trust to hold your pills for you. I wish I had done a slow decrease when I had the chance, the adictional mind vs the logic mind, the adictional mind won and now I will pay the price of avoiding reality, This drug is so powerful, yet when it is abused is another ball game, God it is a love hate pill...

God Speed>>>>>>>>>>>
Tammy

[tryingthisagain]

Thanks for the words of encouragement. Today I start another day. I feel like crap but hopefull after I take a shower I will feel a little bit better.

[Paul83]

Hey tryingthisagain, a big congrats on having the courage to end this crazy merry-go-round and having the courage to reach out and ask for help. Through my years of drug abuse, the last stint I went on was with unsynthasized opiates for a period of 7mo's, with an everyday escalation until I was putting about 3 times as much into my system as you seem to be. I did a cold turkey withdrawal and was unable to function for about 5 days, which included working, eating & sleep. I can't stress to you enough how great it is that you have recognized this problem so early, most people spend years developing enough initiative to finally get serious about quitting. What I would reccomend is that you break any committments you have for the first few days. I went through a lot of "first few days" while I was still working & going to school, what I didn't realize was this stressed me out so much on a subconscious level and by the end of completing a hellish task I would always give myself a "justified" reward for completing it. That's a very bad trap to be in. I would also reccomend that you reach out into programs in your area to find others who are going through the same dilemma as you, as the good book says one addict helping another is without parallel and boy is that true. It helps a lot to meet people and share your hells with them, because at least for me, I felt like I had to haul my ass back there every day after and fess up to them. In a sense, it gives you someone to answer to, someone to keep a promise to. Good luck with this dude & remember that whether you feel high or low, keep in mind that nothing good or bad lasts forever and TODAY is the start of the rest of your life.

Paul

[tryingthisagain]

I think I realized my problem early on because I have seven month old son and evertime I look at him I get disgusted with myself. I am quitting for him. I actually started taking the percs after the doctor gave me a prescription for my c section and I realized how good they made me felt. I get a weird reaction to them. Instead of making me sleepy I get energized and can stay up doing laundry until 4 in the morning. When I ran out I called a friend that goes to a pain management clinic but doesn't take her pills. She gives them to me. How do the dr's that prescribe the things not get arrested?

[zapper]

Hi,

The doctors the give out Rx's are in most too careful, there are some who are crooked, they wil get caught. Alot of money to be made w/ this drug and thank God I don't know any of these doctors I would surley be really more messed up.

On the opiates I too would ge energy, yet w/ some form of calmness and God I can' even start to think about those feelings for those feelngs get me craving, as of right now? I am out of opiates, I am rapid detox mode this is the fisrt day in a year without them, so far...I have the sweats an runs, it is going to get worst. My sellers ran dry, so no pat on my back for that is why I have stoped as of now and hope I can in the future...


God Speed>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Tammy

[inneedofhelp19]

Hi all. Someone please write me I am in desperate need of help.

[Lily]

In need of help, how can I help you? What is it?

Blessings, Sheila

[kj3880]

Hi,
I'm on my 18th day off the percs, but I couldn't do it alone. I started NA a month ago and the other addicts encouraged me and helped me. One member hooked me up with an addiction doc who prescribed suboxyn, and that got me off the percs pretty easily. I haven't had many cravings or physical symptoms at all. Do you have insurance? It's easy to get on a suboxyn program in my area, DC. I'm gradually weaning off the suboxyns but it's nothing like getting off the percs. I'm doing just fine. I couldn't do it alone though. No way. Get to a meeting if you can. NA isn't perfect, but I know it's the right place for an addict like me. Contact me anytime, pm if you like. I'm on here a lot.
kj

[kj3880]

Oh and by the way, tapering off percs, don't make me laugh...that never works for us addicts...I don't know why but it's quite impossible to taper unless maybe you check in somewhere and an RN holds your pills til it's time. Believe me, I tried that route about a hundred times...
kj

[inneedofhelp19]

Sheilla.

I am 19 and am truely addicted to percs. I do any i can get my hands on. Sometimes up to at least 20 a day. I realize I have a problem and I want more then anything to stop. I live in Canada and have moved up with my grandma for a month, she lives in the States. She thinks its to visit. I want to use this time to quit cold turkey. I'm on day 2 without them and I feel like ****. They are always on my mind and Im scared that I might die, I knwo it sounds stupid. I've been keeping myself busy exercising and drinking lots of fluids. Do you have any advice for me. Do you think I can do it? I have no dealers or anything up here so I cant get my hands on them. Any words would be nice, I just need to talk. I have no parents, and if I did I would tell them. I most certainly do not want to tell grandma.

[kj3880]

Who can you talk to? Do you have a counselor you can go to? Can you get to an NA meeting? What about a family doctor? The doc wouldn't have to tell grandma (you are over 18) and may be able to help you out with some meds to get you through this, or get you to a doc who can prescribe suboxyn if you need that to get through this. I urge you to get your Granny to take you to a doctor or clinic. And be honest with the doc. Trust me, they hear this all the time, sweetie. You are certainly not alone.
kj

[inneedofhelp19]

kj3880,

Thank you for replying so quickly. I really do love this site. It makes me feel good. I am in the States and I live in Canada. I have no coverage or anything up here. My grandma cant afford for me to see a doctor or anything/one for that matter. Cold turkey is my only hope and I truely think I can do it. I was just hopping that I could get some pointers or advice to make this time a little easier and how long will this crappy feeling be for. I have been drinking lots of fluids and going for walks and drinking lots of fluids. The only thing is I cant sleep or eat and that is concerning my grandmother.

[kj3880]

Well, if you have to, you have to. Lots of people on here have done it. I wish I knew your area better. If you can get to an NA meeting (check the NA site, the meetings are free), the folks will help you once you get there. You will meet people who will support you, even to the point of picking you up and taking you to a meeting, or whatever. You can just treat it like the flu. But be advised, we're not doctors, so be careful, you can get real dehydrated from withdrawal. hang in there. Can you get some motrin or anything for the aches? I would go to the ER if it gets real bad. They have to treat you even if you have no money or insurance if it's an emergency. Just be honest with people, and I think you will find that they really will help you more than you suspect. People do sympathize with pain pill addiction, it's more common than you may think.
kj

[Lily]

If things get really bad, you can go to an ER. perhaps you can get some clondine to help. I came off of vicodin which I do not think is a strong.

Yes, plenty of fluids and keep us posted. blessings and prayers going up! Sheila

[inneedofhelp19]

Hello Shiela. I have been drinking lots of fluids, mainly water. I have been told that gaterade is good too. I cant sleep at all nor eat. When I do i get sick. How long will this last for? I was addicted for a good year. Will it take months to recover. I am down at grandmas for a month and i was hoping that i would be good when I go home. Errg this is going to be a long process isnt it?

[Thundar301]

hello , since I don't know where in the "States" you at , I offer you this advice, go to Narcotics Anonymous, NA, homepage and use the links there to find the Area of the USA you are in , get the local hotline number and call it , get some help if you need it please, even just another addict to chat with and ease your mind. take in a meeting, go get some diner or coffee together. best wishes to you, Dean