goingtokicksoon

Well, I jump off oxys on Thursday, and I'm currently down to 15 mg a day (and dropping by 2.5 mg every day). I thought speeding up the taper would make things worse (as I had a few bad days back at 25 mg/day), but once I got my dosages small and spread throughout the day, things seemed to help. I don't feel great, but I don't feel awful either.

All my doses are currently 2.5 mg. Sure do hope this 2 1/2 week taper will make paying the piper slightly easier as it seems I've paid him bit by bit through the tapering process (and no, I have not deviated from my taper plan one bit.) Saw my pain management doctor the other day and he gave me Zanaflex to help with the WDs. Anyone had it before for opiate withdrawals? Apparently, it can work similar to clonidine in lowering high blood pressure (but there are some concerns about elevated liver enzyme tests in those who use it regularly). I plan on using it once in the morning (2 mg) and once at night (4 mg) to try to get some sleep, and yes, this is use as directed by my doctor. He wanted me to slow my taper down, but I told him that I needed the acute WDs over (or severely lessened) by Feb 18 as it is my son's 1st birthday and it is my gift to him (and my wife) since I've been on opiates since before he was born.

Thankfully, my epidural steroid injection is still working. They said that I can get them on a schedule, like once every 4-6 months. If they keep the pain from my disc herniations in check, there is no medical reason to go back to the Percocet. This is the plan as discussed with my docs. Yes, I know possible side effects of the injections. Still, getting a couple a year isn't so bad, especially if they aren't wasted by the doc shooting them in the wrong area. My doc now knows where to put them now after failing once and succeeding the last time. Also, medical cannabis (in edible form) has helped quite a bit already, particularly with the nausea that I started to experience a few days ago.

Here's to Thursday, February 9, the day that I step on to the battlefield of opiate detoxification! Wish me luck!

Stride34

Hey man,

Well I can't speak about the pain issues, but as far as WD goes, getting off 15 mg should be a walk in the park. That really is a very low dose.

Good luck, you can do this. all the best

goingtokicksoon

Thank you. The very most that I had been up to was 50 mg a day or 5 Perc 10/325. And, I have only been on the pills for a year.

I had my worst symptoms during the taper when I went from 30 mg to 25 mg day. I do hope that every time I hit a snag and experience some WDs, that I will have a little less to deal with when the taper is over. I have some time off though, just in case.

Luweez

What a wonderful gift you are giving to your family and yourself!

goingtokicksoon

I pray that it will last. I'm here more as a pain management patient whose time on the meds needs to be over for awhile (because other alternatives have worked). I haven't been taking them outside of my docs parameters and he/they watch me very closely, i.e. **** tests. Doc said that he was impressed that I was motivated to do this without any nudging and that its good to know that I'm not just "pissing up his leg" to get more pills.

If needed, I suspect I will go back on them again. The key words are "as needed" and "as prescribed". This means if I cannot get up and walk from one room to another because I physically can't handle the pain, I will probably take something for pain and muscle relaxation. But, if I can preemptively keep this situation at bay, then no more. I've lost 50 lbs since my injury and I'm still losing. I now need to start going to the Y to strengthen up my core a bit. Every little bit helps, and getting whatever endorphins I have flowing is also important to this detox.

The key is that, at the dosages that I've been at for the management of lower back pain, I know for a fact that I can taper down and off. This taper hasn't been easy, but so far so good and I'm going pretty fast. Digestive issues have set in today. Now I know why I keep reading to get some Imodium.

goingtokicksoon

**** test = UA

neferkamichael

You can do this. Prayin for ya.

IvanKatz

We're in the same boat practically - under the care of a pain mgm doc. I got off my meds 5 weeks ago and finally started the gym. Unlike you though, I didn't lose 50 lbs LOL!
I gained about 25 over the last 2 years. If I can hit the gym hard for a couple of months, I know I can get the weight off.
I am being SUPER CAREFUL about my back though! Actually a little OCD about not injuring it because I know what that means.... Walking, swimming, Elliptical, etc. No weights until I strengthen my back and core muscles.

Going to a shrink after stopping my meds gave me a huge boost too!
For the first time in many years, I'm actually at that place in my life where I'm actually WORKING for my future instead of wandering if I'll have enough meds 'till refill date. My life doesn't revolve around arranging dosage to fit a "situation" Social, work, or whatever. I'm still having a little trouble sleeping but I think as I continue my physical conditioning, my brain will fall into place.
I must say though... As I sit here I dread getting outta this chair because I'm so *&%^ing SORE from gym day #2. I figure the workout pain is way easier than W/D pain though. LOL!!!!!!!

goingtokicksoon

Ya, for some reason oxycodone suppresses my appetite and it just added up over the course of the year. Gained some after two steroid injections, then lost it again. I'm sure you will get yours off if you are going to the gym and all. I haven't worked out for about 4 months (and that was just one day). Hoping just to start light cardio and core training 3 days a week. Or, if I can't make it there, I can do my PT exercises at home and use the strengthening function of my Tens Machine for my lower back.

Agreed on the WDs being more painful than workout pain, unless the pain from the work out is a reinjury. I hear you. I'm very careful about moving now. My herniations occurred when I was scooping just 4 inches of snow. It wasn't the bend, but the sideways throw that did it. Still afraid to shovel snow, and haven't done so yet. (If I had to choose between WDs and my original injury, I'd take WDs any day!)

Thanks for your message. Continued best wishes in your recovery/secession from painkillers. 5 weeks off is awesome. I hope the "PAWS" isn't hitting you too hard. I'm a bit worried about that in my own case.

goingtokicksoon

Well, I can give a status update here. Today I was at 12.5 mg and I can definitely say that I'm in some level of WD. Temperature regulation issues, bathroom issues, flu-ish in general, anxiety, insomnia. I guess this will happen through the end of the taper. Hopefully, it won't last a full week once I am fully off. Maybe I'll get away with a 3-4 day detox. I'm already taking the various detox supplements that I've purchased to try to get ready for the big day. Down to 10 mg tomorrow. I remember when that was one, or a portion of one of my regularly prescribed doses. I've come a long way already (and I shall plod on)!

Bring it on WDs! Every day behind me is one day closer to being free of this no-longer necessary dependency. I'm going to take my one 4mg Zanaflex in order to see if it helps with sleep and muscle pain tonight.

IvanKatz

If you've taped down well enough, you should be good. A few suggestions when you get off completely... Lots of bananas and GOOD nutrition! No caffeine or as little as possible. Hot showers or baths! A jacuzi works wonders if you have access to one.

goingtokicksoon

Don't have access to a jacuzzi, but I'll definitely be taking hot showers. If I can't keep down bananas, I'll eat some too. I also have Potassium supplement to take to cover that angle. The caffeine will be hard, as will the nicotine. I still use an e-cig (Blucig, which I highly recommend to those who want to quit smoking tobacco while still using the same motion) or chew nicorette, so I'm sure I'll have to at least maintain both of these at a minimum level.

Feel like I've tapered really fast. I revamped my original schedule to finish in 2 weeks rather than 4. 4 felt like I was hanging on too much.

NoWhereGirl

How are you doing today GTKS? Hanging in there? I'm pulling for you! I'm so incredibly impressed you were able to taper so well, good for you I tried and couldn't, needed extra help (under doctor supervison) so I hope you're doing well. Keep us posted!

goingtokicksoon

Thanks NoWhereGirl. Yep, I'm down to just 10 mg today and I've divided that into 5 doses. Its strange to be taking 1/4 and 1/8 of a pill that I used to take without thinking. I still have some mild WD symptoms, but I did sleep last nightly thankfully. Currently, my legs are shaking hard. I just can't keep them still. Glad that didn't happen last night!

Two more days after today! 7.5 mg on Tuesday and 5 mg on Wednesday. Never thought I'd be taking 1.25 mg of oxycodone per dose, but I'm pretty sure that my WD symptoms are lessened because of it.

I'll be checking in as the days roll on.

IvanKatz

You're almost there buddy! Just think.... Next (not this) Thurs, you most likely will have no physical W/D Symptoms.
A few suggestions, from experience, EAT NUTRITIOUS food! Eggs, bananas, soup, drinks LOTS of fluids! I cannot emphasize that enough! I must have drank at least a gallon of low cal gatorade a day.
If you're having too much trouble with sleep, as you likely will, your doctor can prescribe something for that. When I went off for the last time, I didn't sleep worth a damned for 4 days. My doctor prescribed some meds that knocked me out for ten hours the first couple of nights. I cannot express how much that helped me - the sleep that is. Sleep, good sleep, is key in W/D in my experience.
BTW , please keep in mind this was MY experience... Like I said, if you get into trouble, ONLY your Doctor can determine what is best for you.

Oh!- Day 3 of gym for me.\\\SORE legs and butt!\\\ No weights just yet just 3 miles of walking, a swim, and an Eliptical trainer... Oh! and the Jacuzi at the end of each workout.... OMG what a treat that is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It makes my back feel soooo much better. I was having to put a TENS unit on when I got home but a 15 minute soak in the Jacuzi is just a good and the narc meds....

NoWhereGirl

Good for you, yay! That's great You can do it!

Being able to sleep is a HUGE issue for me as I'm kicking and getting back into good regular habits. It's hard enough as it is, add lack of sleep on top of it and I'm a NotHappyGirl prone to slipping. Things just seem brighter and easier to manage when you can sleep and eat more normally! Now if I could just get in a little exercise... but one thing at a time. I don't want set myself up for failure and get defeated and depressed if I don't meet all my goals at once. Just get through today and determine what I can do if I'm still feeling ok by the end of the day.

Happy to hear things are going so well for you for another reason: my husband. He's had back problems for years after a major car accident. He had bi-level fusion surgery last year and the hardware removed last October. He gets the epidurals, but not regularly due to it being a Worker's Comp issue, they do the bare minimum but we recently got married so now he can get on my insurance. Either way, he's been on opiate pain management for years which I hope one day he will be free of, but it's not there yet. (This is why I struggled, they're in my house 24/7) He's not taking nearly as much as he is prescribed and one day we hope he might be free of them too. Too soon to tell right now for us but kudos to you because I know dealing wtih that is hard enough as it is so keep up the great work!

goingtokicksoon

Thanks! I hope your husband finds a way to find relief, and I do support the controlled use of narcotics as prescribed by a legitimate PM doc. It sounds like he may need them, and its good that he doesn't take all that he is prescribed (something that would have been impossible for me given the limits of my prescriptions). I have avoided surgery, mostly b/c many people have told me that outcomes won't be any better with surgery as opposed to without.

The restless leg stuff and anxiety are killing me today. I may be taking a round of benzos to deal with this. Maybe I'll try my "Extra Sleepytime Tea" with valerian root first before going down that road. I'm starting to have the feeling that my taper dose is so low that I am in WDs already. It will be interesting to see what the next to days bring.

Just noticed that I'm grinding my teeth as well, something I never normally do. Anyone had this WD symptom? I suppose it is related to anxiety.

IvanKatz

Yeah..... The anxiety and malaise... it's a bitch - but at your taper.... Shouldn't last too long.

NoWhereGirl

Thanks and yes, he is under care of a legitimate doctor for his pain management and his ortho surgeons etc. It's just been a long road with no end in sight and honestly, I can't say he's really any better having had the surgery (and he's not sure yet either, there are good and bad days still) so I can't say I blame you for not going that route! It was a painful one to be sure.

Yes... I've had the anxiety with the teeth grinding (more like clenching for me), restless agitated feelings, twitchy legs, pacing, can't think straight/easily confused, sweating, hot/cold, all of the textbook stuff. It does suck, but hopefully it won't last as long for you with the lowered tapering. I dunno about benzos.... they scare me because I've heard bad things about them in some ways so I'm trying not to go that route myself and end up on another merry-go-round. The tea sounds like a great idea, I think I'll get some of that myself. Some of them don't even taste bad these days! :P Benadryl seems to help me because I get the watering eyes and nose on top of the rest and also helps me relax by making me a bit lethargic, I guess. (It's the same stuff they put in Tylenol PM so makes sense!)

goingtokicksoon

Ya, the benzos won't be a problem for me. I have the .5 mg pills and I break them in half and sometime even 1/4 (these are very small dosages). I find that they do, in fact, help with anxiety. As far as getting hooked on them, they are boring and basically just put me to sleep.

Ya, bendryl, unisom and tylenol pm don't cut it for me any more. I have sleep covered fairly well though with other 'medicine'.