gonzo78

I was taking between 30-45mg of percocet a day for about 10 years. (7.5/325 x 3-5x pr day) . Before moving out of state, I decided I wanted to spend the money and get on suboxone to get off of the pain meds and try to start living a normal independent life. Well, I made it the full 28 days of 8mg suboxone that my Dr. prescribed me. starting at 8mg and tapering down from there. I finished the prescription and literally after about 5 days I remembered exactly why I was on the percs to begin with. Pain that makes me want to eat a bullet all freaking day. Localized sharp pain that radiates through my entire body, that no treatement has every help with. Acupuncture helped, but didnt fix. I had about 10 percocets stashed, and finally couldnt stand it anymore and took half of one while feeling terrible guilty and totally defeated. Now, I feel terrible, physically. I feel worse on then off, or at least I think. I know now Im still hurting, but feel like I have the flu. Obvious withdrawl symptoms. hot/cold, cold sweats, diarrhea, the whole 9.

Does anyone know what is wrong with me??? Why is this happening and what can I do to not feel this way...

Somebody please help. I dont have insurance nor the money to see a doctor unless I know what to tell him/her. But right now I just want to die.

gonzo78

I should add that before going back to the Percocet, I tried all over the counter meds with no help. Aleve, Tylenol etc. none of that ever helped, which is what got me on the script to begin with.

Could the Percocet in my system be counteracting any suboxone still in my system even after a week off of it??

Dee74

Hi Gonzo

I don't really understand this - you have the money if you know what to tell them is wrong?

Sometimes it takes a while to find the right doctor who can help. I suffer with chronix pain and it took me many months to find my current Dr.

Now I have a regime that's mostly exercise - and it works.
I'm not saying that's your solution - just that your solution is out there...somewhere.

find a good pain management doctor, be honest about all your problems and tell them what you've told us here

D

gonzo78

what I mean about "having the money" is that I really don't have the money. But, if I have an idea as to what the problem is, It will be more likely to get me to go broke finding the right doctor. Otherwise I'm too afraid to just go to a random doctor.

I've been through everything man. seriously. physical therapy, eastern medicine, exercise, everything I can think of. But nothing has helped aside from acupuncture, which is honestly just far too expensive to keep up with without insurance.

I don't understand why I'm feeling like this. why I feel like im in full withdrawal, when I'm not really. Granted I could be withdrawing from subs, but I would have felt like this much sooner, rather than after I started back on the percocets.

Its a really ****** feeling, knowing that I went through all that with such determination, but failed due to the same reasons that got me started in the first place. I didnt go back to perc because I needed a "fix". I went back because my real pain was still there and I could not function. So I bit the bullet and took half a perc at first, hoping that would help a little without putting too much oxy in my system. now I keep taking halves but I feel like I'm in full withdrawal. So could the oxy be countering the suboxone thats lingering in my system? Why is perc making me feel so sick?

Dee74

Sorry, I'm not a Dr and we can't give medical advice here anyway Gonzo.

I tried everything too. It took me a good 2 years of solid searching to find a good pain management guy.

In the end, I didn't want to live on my own disastrous attempts at self medication anymore.

The only other thing I can suggest is free clinics - they're not pain management specialists but they are free or low cost - or calling 211.

Free/Low-Cost/Sliding-Scale Clinics
2-1-1 Call Center Search

D

Lyoness

Hi gonzo, that sounds really rough what you are going through! I'm still on my suboxone taper but I, too, worry about the pain issues, now and when I get off. I hear you about the money stuff, too. I would love to be able to afford acupuncture. The only thing I do know of is that some acupuncturists are now doing what they call "community acupuncture" where they will do a clinic and see several people at once. Prices I've seen are around $20. You might try calling acupuncturists in your area and see if any of them are doing this or could refer you.

I agree with Dee that maybe trying a pain specialist first could be a good way to go. As far as possibly being in withdrawals, it certainly sounds like it. Could you just call your former doctor and ask him if that's what he thinks is happening? Maybe he could give you a referral in your new area?

Stay on SR, you'll find lots of information and support here. You might try posting on the Newcomers and main Substance Abuse forums, too. They get more activity. Good luck!

mamatothree

How long was it between taking the last suboxone and then taking the percs?
I'm down to one strip a day and if I try to take anything that day of taking a sub I won't feel anything. If I wait three to four days I can feel it but it's never enough... (gotta love addiction). Then I go back on my subs and I'm fine.

By the way I know it you shouldn't be in withdrawal of Sub if you are on the percs. But I'm not a doctor and have not gone through withdrawal with it yet. I am interested though as I am having surgery later in the year and also have talked with my PCP about stopping this Sub stuff seeing as my pain isn't totally cared for. She wants to put me on a low dose of narcotics a day so it eases my pain. If given to me like that I won't abuse them. I've been going through the illegal way to get them, hoarding them, binging, and then withdrawal, because not one doctor will take care of my pain. That's a whole other story though.

Anyway, what I was going to say is that Suboxone can also be used for pain. But it's a much lower dose than for addiction. If you cut the strips up then maybe it won't be so expensive to try it. I do know that my arthritis and my joints and my anxiety and sleep are a HUNDRED times better since being on Sub. Unfortunately my migraines and back pain are not cured or helped at all. Hence the need for surgery and daily meds...

Did I ramble enough for you? Sorry... I hope I helped a little bit.

asouth34

I had a two week lapse in Suboxone treatment due to financial problems and let me be the first to tell you that Withdrawls from Sub is like pill sick times ten. I was on 12-16mg a day, I didnt have the best doctor and she basically told me however I took it was fine as long as I did, and I thought that it was fine as well. I had to jump from 12mg of Suboxone a day to nothing well 2 Tramadol's a day that my PCP gave me to help with the WD's and I was horribly sick for 2 weeks until I got back in treatment. Those two weeks were pure and evil hell. Diarrhea, no energy or desire to do anything, depression,thoughts of suicide,and when I say no energy or desire I didnt even want to wash my hair for those two weeks. I had to finally force myself just to take a shower. The thought of food made me sick at my stomach, this was all during Thanksgiving btw. Thanksgiving this year was awful to say the least. The most that I eat during those two weeks was maybe half a plate of food and that is all two weeks combined. I couldnt even drink much either. I am normally packing around a Mt Dew as if it was attached to me permanently.
I have heard that if you take opiates while on suboxone that it will just block them, but if its the stronger opiates like fentanyl or things like that it can cause withdrawal symptoms.Google it or look on WebMD they have alot of good information on things like this. I definitely love Suboxone for pain, I dont go out of control with it and it works for me anyways.It takes all my PMS cramps away, TMJ pain, toothaches, anything like that.

Bessy

Im about 40 days off subs after 4 long years and its still horrible, ofcourse im using quite a bit of other opiates to not feel the sub withdrawals, go figure. are you worried about whats going to happen when you come off subs? i hope you have a plan. i detoxed in jail then got kicked out of my program at my drs. but i never want to go back bc i dont want to go through this hell again. best of luck