Cold Turkey off Oxycontin - How Long?

[DocT]

Not everyone gets addicted to oxy or codeine, even after long use. But for those who do, tapering off is the way to go. As my Chinese friends say, "Don't play-play." Even for those who are not addicted or dependent, tapering off is still a good idea.

 

[orca8589]

I went through withdrawals off of Zydone (a slightly stronger Vicoden) back in 2001. The withdrawal symptoms lasted several weeks, and after two weeks, I went to the ER and asked for help with it. I had no idea what to expect.

My GP had prescribed Zydone for a year, and due to my physiology, I didn't know I had become dependant on it. I have ADD, so hydrocodone and other narcotic pain killers are mild stimulants for me.

The ER doctor gave me Atavan, 1mg. pill, 3 times a day. To be blunt, it felt miraculous. I was taking a whole pill three times a days, then half a pill 3 or 4 times a day for a week, and just kept reducing the dosage amount until I stopped taking it altogether maybe three weeks later.

If you can handle Ativan, it might help with the symptoms and make life a little more tolerable and improve your sleep.

~Chris

 

[kvaughn]

++ on the cannabis. I was strung out on Vicodin prior to and after a knee surgery. The pot really helped with sleeping and eating healthy. Both of which were difficult but necessary to get better.--KV

 

[MikeH]

Well, it seems to be over. Exactly two weeks to the day that I quit taking them, I began to sleep normally. For a few days after that, I occasionally got jittery during the day. It seems that I did, as someone here speculated, have a milder case of it due to my efforts while still taking it. The days that I just lived with the pain when I was not going to be out and about rather than just taking it automatically may have paid off. Anyway, I am happy that I did not try to taper off because it would not be over for some time to come.

Thanks to all who responded with advice and information.

 

[KELAMA]

First and foremost, to the OP: congratulations!

This has been a very enlightening thread.

 

[jhalb]

Congratulations OP!! Great news. That reminds me, I have a friend who has been on Subutex for 2 years and can't stop them. Total of 12mg a day. He has had 2 botched back surgeries and really needs help with this. His doctor just told him to take one less every day until he is down to nothing. Please PM me, I don't want to take over this thread.

Thanks

 

[Lapedog]

My major congratulations. You deserve it! What you did is not easy and only someone who has gone through it can understand what torture it is.

 

[MikeH]

jhalb: I have let my platinum membership lapse and apparently can't pm any more. I'll get that taken care of, but meanwhile, it sounds like your friend may have a more severe problem than I had and cold turkey may not be best for him. As this has been my only experience with addiction I probably am not a good source for advice. (Actually not true, now that I think of it. After heart surgery in 1994, I became addicted to exercise. Really. I would not miss a day due to inclement weather. I would be out in a cold downpour walking several miles. I would get edgy and jittery if for some reason I missed a day.)

 

[KELAMA]

After heart surgery in 1994, I became addicted to exercise. Really. I would not miss a day due to inclement weather. I would be out in a cold downpour walking several miles. I would get edgy and jittery if for some reason I missed a day.)

^

I'm pretty much wired the same way. I've always been very active, with a super high metabolism.
I competed in triathlon, and also kayak paddle races for about 15 years. The endorphin high, is one of the greatest feeling in the World. Just feeling those endorphins firing into my brain when I'd be cranking up a steep grade out of my saddle on my bike rides, or sprinting on my runs along the boardwalk from the Mission Bay jetty up to the Pacific Beach pier and back, was addicting.

One month ago, right before I stumbled up this thread, I got caught on the inside of a decent size breaking wave, while I was out surfing in my kayak. The lip impacted directly on the back of my left shoulder popping it out. This prompted me to go to the VA ER Hospital the following day for x-Rays. One week later I had an appointment for an MRI, and the results were: massive rotator cuff tear, and complete tears to both my supraspinatus and infraspinatus tendons. Four more visits and consultations later, resulted in surgery, yesterday afternoon.

I was released from the VA Hospital at 7 p.m. last night. This early morning, as the pain/nerve injection began wearing off, I had to start using my prescribed pain meds...Oxycodone.
The pain level from this specific surgery (they had to cut me open), has been pretty high this first day post-op. I've taken 5 tablets since 4 a.m..

I also had a good friend/neighbor who stopped by this morning & brought me by a big tupperware container of chicken soup, along with some California legal medicinal edibles...

I have yet to try any of the edibles, but I'm interested in seeing if these help make me feel any better compared to the opioids. One would think that the plant source edibles, would have to be better for your body, than the pharmaceutical oxycodone?

Anyway, the real bummer, is knowing that I probably won't be able to do any surfing for a couple/three months.

Those socks: they were a gift from the VA, along with the surgery gown I had to wear during the surgery.

 

[TinyDog]

Screw the surfing for now... It will come back in time Glad to hear you are OK, Be careful of the meds, they can be sneaky on ones head. Wishing the best for a speedy recovery. TD No Tri's but several Marathons

 

[T. Erdelyi]

:sigh:

I am going to be undergoing bariatric surgery, and they want to give me pain meds.

When you go for the BS make sure all your other doctors understand what you're having done. Most doctors still don't understand how BS affects the absorption of all meds, especially pain meds and anything time release. I still argue with the doctors to this day because they don't think about the fact that RnY vs Banding vs stapling all impact how fast and where the bulk of your meds get absorbed then make the adjustments accordingly. Good luck with the surgery my friend.

We have an old saying....."if you feel better you'll heal better"....so getting off of pain meds "cold turkey"....whilst sounding good(in theory).....isn't really helping you recover properly...so if you want to get off OC(fair enough), you really need to find a suitable alternativeI(your surgeon/Gp should be able to help you with this)

Take it from someone who has spent a lot of time healin' from a lot of different surgeries, ^^^^^this is an absolute truth^^^^^^. I look like a convict from a federal prison who's been shanked about a dozen times and lived and that statement "....if you feel better, you heal better." is spot on, I've been healin' and bein' operated on goin' on 14 years now, 4 knee surgeries with a TKR of my left knee when I blew it apart jumping across the stream in the yard, I hit a patch of mud and my body went one way while my knee continued to move in a total different direction. It literally exploded inside the skin.

There was so much damage it started me on pain killers big time back on '03. Then there have been 4 surgeries on my right shoulder with 2 major rotator cuff repairs 2 minor repairs and a detached bicep. 6 anchor screws and over 100 stitches anchoring to the 2 sets of dissolving screws over 5 years. Countless broken bones, stab wounds, stitches and more reasons to keep me on pain meds than off.

Over my entire life having been severely addicted to narcotics 3 times at the hands of the pill pushin' doctors, I weaned myself off every time. I've learned to live with them and take them when I need them and because I drive everywhere for the Mrs and myself I can't and won't usually take them during the day which limits my use to the after dark hours.

All this is a moot point now as you've already posted that you came out the other side of the rabbit hole no worse for wear, good for you sir. As for those who are still dealing with the pain, all the above advise is accurate. As for smoking as a means of pain relief? If you've had any kind of bone fusion these can take up to a year to be complete and smoking of any kind will inhibit bone growth and weaken the point of fusion.

If you've had the surgery and it's been a year, smoking for pain relief vs opioids is a valid option providing it's allowed where you live, you've finished that period where it's now past where the smoke inhibits bone growth, there's no reason not to try if you have that as an option.

Also NSAIDs (Advil, naproxin, aspirin) are a no-no after spinal surgery and fusions. It's always best to consult your doctor and as Laurence recommends, get a pain management doctor if you're in that much pain. They should be able to put together a course of medications that'll provide you with relief and not impede any benefits derived from the surgeries.

I suggest that you go see a PAIN MANAGEMENT DOCTOR! They will be able guide you through tapering off and help you deal with any residual pain and how to deal with it.

^^^^^^^^This^^^^^^ and be honest with your doctors, if you drink, tell them, if you smoke let them know, the more they know the better equipped they'll be to help you deal with the pain and get you healin' up as fast as possible.

 

[Lapedog]

Plant source edibles are considerably better (read not harmful at all) for your body than Oxycontin. In truth opioids are not bad for your body as long as you have a functional liver that can break them down. The problem comes mostly from the addiction and abuse of them. However in effect plant based edibles are much less harmful have less potential to cause problems. Some people find them to be extremely helpful, some not very helpful. One thing is for sure you will have a lot more noticable effect mentally from plant based (we're both talking weed here right?) products than opiate ones. It is up to you to decide if that mental effect is positive or negative. Let me say that your mindset going into it will largely determine if you find it positive or negative. It's kind of like getting drunk the first time if you go with it you will have a positive experience, if you try and fight it you won't.

 

[KELAMA]

Screw the surfing for now... It will come back in time Glad to hear you are OK, Be careful of the meds, they can be sneaky on ones head. Wishing the best for a speedy recovery. TD No Tri's but several Marathons

^ Thanks, TD- I appreciate your comment.

Plant source edibles are considerably better (read not harmful at all) for your body than Oxycontin. In truth opioids are not bad for your body as long as you have a functional liver that can break them down. The problem comes mostly from the addiction and abuse of them. However in effect plant based edibles are much less harmful have less potential to cause problems. Some people find them to be extremely helpful, some not very helpful. One thing is for sure you will have a lot more noticable effect mentally from plant based (we're both talking weed here right?) products than opiate ones. It is up to you to decide if that mental effect is positive or negative. Let me say that your mindset going into it will largely determine if you find it positive or negative. It's kind of like getting drunk the first time if you go with it you will have a positive experience, if you try and fight it you won't.

^ Since my surgery early Thursday evening, I've taken exactly 8 Oxycontin tablets, and late last night when my pain level was at it's highest, I ate half of a lifesaver cherry ring edible. It's hard to believe that something so small and tasty (I could've eaten a whole bag of these), could be so potent! I felt, "dazed and confused!" I honestly didn't like the feeling from mixing these 2 different type of medications, but the oxy wasn't helping with the pain...

I hope that in another day or two, I can stop with the meds altogether.

As for the OP and the other member's commenting here: I feel that I have a better appreciation/empathy for just how difficult this has been for you.

I had a simple shoulder surgery that will heal quickly. I couldn't imagine how difficult it would be having to live with chronic debilitating back related pain, or other types of chronic pain, that would require me to take this medication every single day just to cope.

 

[22-rimfire]

MikeH; congratulations on getting through this ordeal.

Kalama: It has been about two weeks. I hope things are improving dramatically in terms of healing and the pain.

Anyone know if Silenthunterstudios has had his surgery?