sickofmyself

First timer at this... Need help dropping oxy/heroin habbit
Hi there!!!
I am new to this. I have been taking oxy 30's for about 2 years now (300mg/day). About 6 months ago I started taking heroin because the pills were getting too expensive. I havent exactly been a good boy over the last two years but now I am seeking change in my life. This Thursday I am entering a 2 1/2 month program called u-turn for christ. It is for addicts/alcoholics who want to change and follow the lord. The problem is that I havent started to kick my habbit. The program does not detox you or provide any support for that. I am afraid of going there thursday and ending up kicking the oxy;s cold turkey, I know how painful the w/d's are and fear them more than anything in life.
My question is, what would be the best way for me to get off the drugs over the next three days with the leat amount of pain. I did not plan this program in advance, but after a long talk with the pastor of my church today, we both felt this was the direction I needed to go. I want to stop this habbit so bad but dont want pain from w/d or another addiction to a different substance like suboxone or methadone.
Any help or advice at all would be greatly appreciated. I dont really have any support from my family, they pretty much see me as a junkie and want nothing to do with my attempt at getting right in life. I am an emotional mess right now and just need a little help.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and in advance to those who reply with advice.

Josh

likehappiness

Josh,

There is not much I can say to you other than you will go through withdrawals regardless of when you stop. You may want to consider going to your doctor and telling them of your addiction and that you are entering a program and going to go through withdrawals. Many of us have gone cold turkey and I will NOT sugar coat it...it is one step out of hell. Most the time it takes about 5-7 days to even feel a little better. You can do it and you will need help and support during that time. Read the boards and google oxycodone withdrawal and you will figure out what is coming. Be prepared.

Just so you know...once it it done...it is done. There will be no more opiates in your system and you will be sober and move forward in your life. There is a better way to live life and it sounds like you are ready for it!

SeekingGrowth

Josh, are you in a position to do an in-patient detox at a rehab facility? That might be a little easier than trying to do it on your own, and you will feel more comfortable knowing you have medical people around to help you. I do some volunteer work at a local rehab facility where a 10-day stay is covered by most insurance. They step you down with suboxone for 4-5 days to get you through the worst of the opiate withdrawals, and then wean you off the suboxone over the next few days. If you don't have insurance, I know that the Salvation Army has a free rehab program.

sickofmyself

Thanks for the replies ... The program I am entering is not a medical program. There will be alot of good christian people around me and also other people going through similar situations... I am so tired of the life of oxycodone. I hate this drug and it has taken everything I worked so hard for away from me. Ive seen my family fall apart, my business go down the tubes and my friends walk away from me. I want to be free from this bondage so bad, I just couldnt ever bring myself to go through the w/d's. I didnt come clean and tell my family for so long so my actions and financial state made no sense to them. Once I came clean, I found out that instead of support, I am getting mocked and tortured every day. I just keep using more to take the hurt away. I am so excited to enter this program and finally make a turn around and get back to my normal self. I will have to work hard to regain trust from my wife and family, but I am sure it will come in time.
I started taking less today hoping that it will help in the days to come. Do you think I should get a few suboxone's and take them for the next couple of days and maybe that will help with the worst part of the w/d's.
Sorry for rambling, I just need to get some of this out somewhere. lol.

Thanks again for reading and for the advice.

georgiagirl5

Hi Josh, I am a few weeks off hydrocodone. Not going to lie...the first couple of days were really, really rough physically and emotionally. But things start to change....and I swear to you it gets better. Even in these few weeks it has gotten better for me! I am Christian too and participating in a program called Celebrate Recovery. With all that said, my prayers are with you. Give it to God. He can handle what you can't.

dragonfire613

As others have said, you are going to go through withdrawals regardless. Suboxone, in my humble opinion, only prolongs the inevitable. I believed the doctors when they told me suboxone withdrawal was very mild and not as bad as street opiates. I ended up on Suboxone for 4 years before I finally kicked from 1mg/day 12 days ago, and still went through the same hell I had been trying to avoid for so long.

The suboxone for me was useful in distancing myself from other users and the drug scene in general, such that when I did kick, I had no easy way to get a fix even if I wanted to. To me, that is the only reason anyone should use suboxone. When I did kick, I still went through 5 days of hell. I'm doing much, much better now after a dozen days sober, however, and it was worth every second of agony I went through, and then some.

You can do it... just when you're in the thick of it try to remember it is just temporary, and SR is here to give you support.

Marcus

Be careful trying to play doctor. If you pop those subs too soon you will put yourself into a world of hurt. Precipitated withdrawals are the real deal. Obviously supervised medical detox is your best bet, but If you truly want it withdrawals are manageable. You just have to convince yourself that your are done. Do not give yourself any window of opportunity to get more and go for it. Embrace it and remind yourself you only have to do it once. Find somewhere safe to hole up for a few days to get past the worst of it. Try to sleep thru as much of it as you can. Keep reminding yourself that this is what needs to be done. You don't want to start a new program while still using. Good luck. Be strong!

sickofmyself

You guys are all right... I just have to suck it up and deal with this. I got myself into it, I can get myself out. I DO want away from this drug enough that I think I will be able to get through this. I just cant wait til the day the pain stops.
Today is the first day and I am just so uncomfortable, HOT, and the restless leg stuff is starting. In the past when I have had w/d I get real bad cramps ( i think from the heroin). I hope that doesnt start since I have rid myself of the heroin for a couple of weeks now.
Thanks for the help and support. Ill keep you updated til thursday.

Opio

Is there any way that you can get some more time to get through the withdrawal? If you are going to a facility that doesn't do detoxs and you are still in serious withdrawal how is that going to work? I don't mean to be discouraging of your plans, but you should make sure that you are walking into something that isn't well thought out. Are you sure that they would even take you if you are still dopesick?

sickofmyself

Opio... I thought about that. They said to taper down until thursday and they will help me from there. I will have no access to any meds, But if need be they will take me to a local hospital. I know it will probably be one of the hardest things ive done. ( Ironic how I let this drug control everything in my life) but I feel that this is the time. If I wait any longer the next program isnt til november and I fear that I might continue using until then and maybe decide not even to go to the program. I am praying that this is the right decision and that god will get me through this. This opportunity came up so last minute that there wasnt really time to do it any other way except to wait until the fall.
SR seens to be helping me too, i am getting great advice, and also seeing different sided to what I think.
Thank you for everything and Ill be miserable for a while, but I need to get through this one.

georgiagirl5

Josh...it sounds like you really want to stop. That is an awesome first step. When I first started to stop, I was not really sure that I wanted to stop. But as the last few weeks went by, I realized I did. My life is becoming so, so much better. I want to have a baby. I have some goals. I never had these things really when I was on Norco. I actually really believe my life will be better without Norco, instead of two weeks ago when I believed my life would never be good again without Norco. So sounds like you really want to stop, and you have just had it. Hang in there and keep us updated. I said a prayer for you today.

sickofmyself

Well, Tomorrow is the big day. I will go into the program and see how it goes. Today was absolute misery and i feel like I would rather die than continue with the full blown w/d's I am hurting in ways I never knew possible.
I will update you tomorrow morning before I leave and then I dont know when I will get back here to tell you how I am doing. Please pray for me and wish me the best.
Georgiagirl- Thank you for your prayer. I have to keep going and remember how devastating this drug is. I can honestly say tho, if there is a time i would like to turn back, its now.
Thanks guys, talk to you soon

livingrin

Josh,
I read your story and I see myself. I too was doing the same exact thing you were mg and drug wise. I too realized I hit rock bottom, lost everyting in my life that ever meant anything to me. I called my family and confessed what I've done to myself. They were sick, and so mad but yet they reached out and helped me. I was always the healthy working out type, worked 2 jobs to get what I always dreamed of. I had lost almost 40lbs in a matter of 6 months. My father was ready to cut me off and disown me, he asked me how did this happen? All over degenerative disc disease and a growth on my spine. My doctor never told me what I was in for when he gave me roxi's and oxy. I should have researched them. I never took meds like that before and they turned me out. Anyway my point being I too am hitting a Christian rehab here in jersey, bad thing is its a damn 8-10 wk wait list! I took it upon myself to get off the meds, enough is enough, I want my life back. 4 days of subs then now 5 days of being totally clean. It wasn't easy but it wasn't the worst. I actually feel decent today, I want to do things for the first time in god knows when. I am becoming alive again. Your going to experience some w/d regardless of how you do it. The place I am going to attend told me I had to be 5 days clean, yours didn't require that? If your going in just going c/t after that size habit its going to be tough but it can be done. Any possibility you could get a few day delay on entry to maybe do a short sub detox make it a bit easier on yourself? Whatever you do best of luck, you can do it.

georgiagirl5

God bless, Josh. Praying for you. You can do it.

peaceinthepines

Good luck, Josh!!
Sending lots of positive energy your way. You CAN do this, really.
It sucks BIG time right now, but 1 week from now it will be better, just remember that!

CarolD

Prayers going out Josh...