This is my first post and my first time on here. I am taking 3 20mg oxycodone IR pills a day and have been for 4 months now. We have tried every NON-narcotic pain med my doctor can think of and she told me she felt better about me using Medical Marijuana than oxycodone, so we started the paper work (I live in Canada) to start Medical Marijuana with Health Canada, but my paper work is not going to be done until sometime in October, so she put me on the oxycodone until the paper work is done.
I knew about how hard it was if you abused oxycodone, and I swore I wouldn't and would take it as prescribed, and for the most part I have. There may have been a day here and a day there where I took an extra pill, but for the most part I have stayed on the prescribed dose of 3 20mg pills a day. This past week I have started to notice withdrawal symptoms even though I have not stopped the prescribed dose. I have started to sleep longer, started getting anxious and nervous when I wake up. It is harder to wake up and get going, I don't want to. This has come on rather fast really, I am shocked. I have never used this kind of medication before, so I don't know what to expect. I am scared really. I don't know if I need to start withdrawing now, so it doesn't get any worse, because I imagine what is going on is that my body is wanting more than what I am taking and is starting to show with withdrawal symptoms even though I have not stopped taking it. I don't want to go up in dosage anymore, I am starting to get scared of it, I also deal with panic attacks and it almost feels as if my anxiety level is going through the roof this past week.
I do have a prescription for xanax, which I don't use unless I need to, I manage my panic attacks pretty good with paxil 40mg a day, but I have access to xanax if I need it. I was thinking it might be best for me to just get off the oxycodone now, since my body seems to want more of it. Is this something normal, feeling this way after taking 3 20mg pills a day for 4 months? You body wants more or something? Or is this something new that is going on with me, I hope not, last thing I need really. I am in my third year of M.Div studies and I can't let my family and church down and in a way that is playing a lot on my mind, I didn't intend to get myself in this situation and I don't want anyone to know. I have full neuropathy in my feet, hands and legs. My hands are starting to really hurt me now, it used to be my feet and legs were the worst, but it has moved up to my hands as well, but I would almost rather deal with the pain than deal with how I am feeling right now, physically and emotionally. I don't know what to do really, and I was hoping I could chat or talk to people that have gone through this before, find some support and friendship.
I am thinking I better just tapper off the oxycodone, even though my body is wanting more and starting (I think) the withdrawal symptoms to get my attention. Is it better to withdrawal by tapering my dose down to say 3 10mg a day, then 2 10mg a day, then 2 5mg a day etc. or is it better to just get it over with and go cold turkey? The most days I can get off would be 5 in a row, is that going to be long enough for me to get through the rough part, so that even though I may not feel better, I will fill ok enough to go back to school and work?
Any advice or help would be greatly appreciated and if I can help anyone else I would be more than happy to do so, I guess I could turn my own counseling training around on my self LOL (M.Div classes), but the first thing they teach you is that you need someone for yourself, I just don't have that around here. In this position, its hard to share your worries and concerns because people don't understand and tend to label you as a drug user, and that is so far from the truth. Anyway, thanks.
Blessings,