whistler

Hi, found this forum today. I am a paraplegic and have been taking two 40mg of Oxycontin now for 7 years, before that for 5 years I was prescribed half that. I came to the conclusion that many of my motivational and health problems started when I was prescribed Oxycontin.

I decided to taper off so in the past 5 days I am down to 25% of my daily dose. However, I have decided that I took my last reduced dose about 12 hours ago and hopefully can kick it. It is a bad weekend to try because of family coming around and I can be a real angry person. But I want my life back! I want to go back like it was 10 years ago.

I am a paraplegic so I don't have to worry about work or school. This is the most difficult thing I have tried in my life, just tapering off. I hope I can honestly say that I will never take another Oxycontin! If I had not stumbled across this site I would have given up. Thanks!

sugarbear1

Why not talk with a medical professional for a proper detox?

Be prepared to heal afterwards.

I wish you well on your sober journey!

Anna

Welcome, and I'm glad you found us.

whistler

So you don't think I can kick it on my own?

ScottFromWI

Only you would know the answer to that! Seeing a physician or therapist for advice is never a bad idea though, even if it's just an initial visit to make sure everything is OK before completely stopping any drug. You also may want to consider NA/other local support groups if you don't think you can do it on your own. Some can but some cannot. Congrats on your decision to get your life back, i certainly hope you do. And welcome to SR, please check out not only this forum but the others specifically pertaining to other recovery methods and substance abuse.

Coldfusion

Apparently, you have some health issues so a doctor prescribed this drug. The doctor definitely needs to be involved in the withdrawal.

Do you have pain issues you need to deal with also? I know someone who suffers severe pain, and she was only able to quit after six months of intensive in-patient treatment at a top institution.

amsterdampoe

You can do this on your own you just need a support group. I commend you for living instead of just giving up. please if you need any advise or suggestions send me a message. I hope to hear from you and I am fascinated to know why you started using in the first place. Can you still feel pain eventhough you cant move your extremities and how are you able to take the medication. If you tell whoever is giving it to you to stop you will be ok. The problem for most of us is that we give up and go get drugs because we can physically do it. Your story should be inspiration for all of us addicts that can walk and move and still feel so depressed about life. I think that you could be an inspiration to so many people and I am interested to hear and share stories

whistler

I don't know whether I would call them severe. I am a paraplegic so I can't feel pain below my armpits anyway. My shoulders hurt so I asked my doctor to help me come up with a plan to lose weight, instead he gives my Oxycontin saying that's what I needed. Now I weigh 50 pounds more, am lethargic, and now require assistance to get in my chair and in the shower.

I would rather live with the pain than not have any motivation and only get out of bed to take a shower.

amsterdampoe

No one can do this on their own and live a happy life to truly be sober and change one's life and be happy everyone needs a support group. Internalizing and not talking about our emotions and problems is the reason drug addicts use drugs. The people that talk about Dr.'s and therapists should think about people that have no access or resources to these luxuries. Why wouldn't everyone go to a spa or 30-90 day treatment center if they could. It sounds like a fantasy world to me because these options are not available to 90% of the addicts out there and even with that the percentage of people that relapse after treatment is still greater than 90%

Dee74

Hi whistler - welcome to SR

I don't think it's a case of you not be able to do this on your own - I think it's a case of it always being best to see your prescribing physician before you make medication changes.

That applies to everyone in my opinion

I have cerebral palsy. I've learnt the hard way that bashing against a wall again and again may knock it down in the end...but it's not the most painless way nor the easiest or most efficient way to do it, y'know?

D

whistler

Sorry, I can't send you a message until I post 5 times. This might be my fifth though.

whistler

I don't think you folks know my doctor. He is a pill mill, he wants to prescribe me a different pill EVERY time I see him. Seriously, anti-depressants because I am confined to a wheelchair and no one in my situation could help but not be depressed. I say "No, I'm fine!" and he says "But they will give you an extra boost!" So I take the prescription, fill it, and they sit in my medicine cabinet. If I am depressed at anything it's these darn Oxycontins. I asked him about long term opiate use and low testosterone so he tests my level and it's low. So he prescribes my testosterone patches that give me a rash so I quit using them. He feels my shoulders and says "You need a muscle relaxer you're so tense." I still have over half my original prescription from 5 years ago.

I should go see another Dr but I live in a tiny town and the travel would be hard to arrange at this point. I think my main addiction is mental.

I've got an appointment on this coming Monday. Just for fun I'll post what he says but I'll bet he still wants me to take Oxy. I'm gonna kick it on my own, I will show you that. I just wanted to know how long I'd have withdrawal. Not that it matters now, if it takes me a year it will be worth going back to the way I was.

I publicly give my solemn oath to every one here, I will not take any more Oxy from 4 AM this morning to the day I die.

Coldfusion

From what I understand, this detox can be difficult. Do you have someone to support you, or perhaps more importantly, does your partner support you in this endeavor?

Dee74

Yeah, it sucks but sometimes finding the right doctor means a little inconvenience whistler - I spent 2 years looking for a good one once.

You deserve better than a pill miller.

D

whistler

Well to be honest, my faithful wife supports me but also will do what I ask. So if I ask her for a pill, she gets it even if I told her earlier not to. That's why I just came back from flushing all the Oxys in the house down the toilet. It took me years and reading a lot to even realize what Oxys were doing to me. Every time I'd ask the doctor he'd say "I prescribe these to many of my patients and they never have any problems." Then I started reading this forum and saw how others were able to kick the habit, so now I'm all fired up too.

I really appreciate whoever started this website, thanks a bunch!

shoreladylu

good luck! be strong!