[Businessman1]

I'm doing ok. Today was my first day back at work which was great for taking my mind off everything.

The evening is the time I find difficult. My gf is currently watching gossip girls which is enough to turn anyone to drugs. No wonder there are so many opiate addicts in this country. I'm so bored that I'm not sure what is making me nauseous; w/d or my gf's taste in TV.

Here's a tip for guys trying to get off opiates, make sure you get to the remote control first!

[xTerm]

The evening is the time I find difficult

For some reason, the evening times always hit me harder as well.
Wont be long now, youll have forgotten all about em about this time next week.
im gonna take a week of of em myself, probably starting tomorrow.. gonna take one of those so called "drug holidays"

[nelly005]

Ok, it's time to break out the ipod and add some great, new music...I ended up buying the whole cd of Thriving Ivory (Angels on the Moon) It's that good. My girls even downloaded it to their computers so I hear it all over the house now. So when any offensive TV is on, plug in and escape. My other fav songs these days are Saving Abels (Addicted) and Pinks (Sober) Do you see a pattern?? lol

My worse time is the morning. For so long opiates were my wonderful start to the day, now I'm back to looking forward to a cup of coffee....boring! I also didn't want to "waste" good meds sleeping through them. That was my wake-up call a problem was starting but it took two years to do something about it!! So now my biggest problem is my tomato plants are being attacked by horn worms!! So much easier to deal with, healthier too.

Beth

[Businessman1]

I'm still finding the mornings ok because I take 25 mg on an empty stomach as soon as I wake up. This still works for me.

I'm down to 65mg/day so I have another 20mg in the afternoon and then 20mg in the eve.

I have been trying to leave it as late as possible to drop the last 20mg but it's not enough to make me drowsy which is the feeling I crave.

I'm trying not to take the valium to avoid another addiction so I'm using flexeril. I took 20mg of that last night but I keep needing more to have an effect.

It's getting really hard now. I can tell the next time I drop my dose is going to be really difficult. I feel like such a junkie.

On the plus side, less oxy means I'm doing so much better at work. I didn't realize how numb my brain had become.

I think I wrote in my first post that I was taking 80-90mg/day before my op. I know now that I was kidding myself. I was taking at least 100mg of oxy plus 30-40mg of hydrocodone. After my op you could add 16mg of hydromorphone. I think I just stopped counting after a while.

My next drop is going to be to 45mg/day and I'm going to try it on Friday. I'm a little scared as I'm already craving more at 65mg. It's like my brain is starving. I know that sounds weird but I'm guessing some of you know what I mean.

Is there any merit at this point in changing my opiate from oxy to hydro to mix it up a little? Hydrocodone makes me sleep at least.

I have no intention of quitting - this stuff will not get the better of me - I'm too stubborn. Tapering is not as easy as I thought though.

[Robert_325]

I have no idea why you would be better able to sleep with hydrocodone than with oxycodone. But if that's the case then switch. It doesn't matter which drug you use, they are both instant release medications.

The sooner you get through this taper and jump off the better. You're going to find out as you taper that it's a really hard thing to do. Saying it's more difficult than expected is an understatement. Hang in there, it's all a part of the deal. You can't get out of the pain of w/d doing a taper/cold turkey but it's the fastest way to get clean. God bless.

[Businessman1]

I'm not sure either. Maybe because oxy is synthesized from Thebaine which is a stimulant and hydrocodone from codeine which is a depressant? (guess who found Wikipedia!). I really have no idea though.

They both make be sleep but I need more oxy to make me tired than Hydrocodone. Oxy makes be happier and more talkative than hydro.

Hydromorphone makes me sleep more than anything but I only have 150mg of that left so not enough for my taper.

Also, have you ever heard of anyone using Kava to help them through this? If so, do you have a view if it's a good idea?

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by Businessman1

I'm not sure either. Maybe because oxy is synthesized from Thebaine which is a stimulant and hydrocodone from codeine which is a depressant? (guess who found Wikipedia!). I really have no idea though.

They both make be sleep but I need more oxy to make me tired than Hydrocodone. Oxy makes be happier and more talkative than hydro.

Hydromorphone makes me sleep more than anything but I only have 150mg of that left so not enough for my taper.

Also, have you ever heard of anyone using Kava to help them through this? If so, do you have a view if it's a good idea?

Kava is okay to use if it helps you, so is valerian root. I still use valerian root myself, took some yesterday as I have sleep/anxiety problems due to permanent CNS damage. Kava shouldn't hurt anything at all. They both are definitely better for you than a bunch of valium. Hope it helps. God bless.

[Businessman1]

Does valerian root really work? I am super skeptical of these things...

What does it do for you?

Is the CNS damage from overuse of pain meds and benzos?

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by Businessman1

Does valerian root really work? I am super skeptical of these things...

What does it do for you?

Is the CNS damage from overuse of pain meds and benzos?

Valerian root "helps" a little. It's not a benzo and it isn't as strong by any means. It took me years before I would even try it. No supplements ever did the trick for me, this is one of the only ones that I could see any benefit from at all. And only if I take 3-4 caps at a time.

Yes the CNS damage is from abusing drugs, but remember I did that for over 35 years. I've never seen anyone with permanent CNS damage unless it was LONG term abuse. God bless.

[Businessman1]

I fell off the wagon big time last night.

I went out to a client event and stopped for a drink on the way home. I have no memory of what happened after 11pm or how much Oxy I had. I'm pretty sure I had way more than my daily taper allowance.

It's really unlike me to have black outs. My gf said I was a real mess when I came home. I have no memory of arriving home.

I had a valium yesterday afternoon and I'm sure it's the cause. I really didn't drink very much (5 drinks which is not much for me). It's like the benzos are changing my personality. I'm back on the wagon today and sticking to my taper but I don't think I can take any more valium - I really don't like what they do to me.

Not my proudest moment...

[xTerm]

Originally Posted by Businessman1

I fell off the wagon big time last night.

I went out to a client event and stopped for a drink on the way home. I have no memory of what happened after 11pm or how much Oxy I had. I'm pretty sure I had way more than my daily taper allowance.

It's really unlike me to have black outs. My gf said I was a real mess when I came home. I have no memory of arriving home.

I had a valium yesterday afternoon and I'm sure it's the cause. I really didn't drink very much (5 drinks which is not much for me). It's like the benzos are changing my personality. I'm back on the wagon today and sticking to my taper but I don't think I can take any more valium - I really don't like what they do to me.

Not my proudest moment...

Oh yea.. I really have to watch myself on benzos, ESPECIALLY Xanax.
It will absolutely lower my inhibitions and cause me to do things that I wouldnt
even think about doing without taking them.

I bought some in Mexico one day, me and my brother.
The last memory that I had of that day was taking some just after crossing the border.
I have no memory of going through border patrol check points, none of the drive home and definitely dont remember going to Port Aransas, abandoning my brothers van and walking down the street at four am.
The next memory i had was being in a cell, arrested for walking down the street, charged with a PI.
From what I understand, I never actually passed out, I just blacked out.
That was about six years ago, i dont take those things anymore lol.

[Businessman1]

I got all kinds of calls the following day from people wanting to know what I meant by the strange messages I sent them....

Strangely our top client called the CEO of our company to tell him what a good host I'd been. I found $2000 worth of bar receipts in my pocket. I was obviously buying everyone expensive drinks. I just wish I could remember.

Anyway I'm back on the wagon and have stuck to just 60mg today. I had planned to go down to 45mg but doing it too quickly is proving too hard for me. I'm going to go down to 45mg on Monday. My gf has gone out drinking tonight and I've decided not to join her. It seems that drinking makes quitting Oxycodone harder for me so I'll have to be boring for a while. At least it is an incentive to get off the oxy as quick as possible.

I'm wondering if taking a non-narcotic pain-killer such as Meloxicam might make tapering off oxy less painful. I ache all over and I can't eat. I've heard people recommend pot for this kind of thing but I don't use pot.

God, I sound so melodramatic...

On the plus side, my back feels great. All of you on here who are suffering with herniated or bulging discs should consider getting the op. 3 weeks later and my back feels better than it has in 10 years. The procedure has a 95%+ success rate. My surgeon was awesome. If anyone in the New York area needs a recommendation let me know. It's got to be better than trying to control nerve pain with narcotics. Lets face it, they are fun for a few months but they do little more than take the edge off nerve pain.

[klopper22]

Neurontin helped take the edge off for quite a bit when withdrawing. It helps me sleep too.

[nelly005]

Hi Businessman,
A while back I confiscated some pot from one of my kids, told him I flushed it, but kept it just in case. I smoked some 4 - 5 times after the end of my taper. Even though I grew up in the 70's I was never one to smoke it...made me sleepy. Also I grew up in Florida and drinking age was 18, so I was at the bars...disco era..lol! I sure thought the pot helped me through those first bad nights, at least it got me through a few hours sleep. It also made me giddy/goofy, which was a welcome emotion at the time!!

$2000...ouch! I hope you have a good expense acct. policy!

I tried Meloxicam, didn't do much for me after using opiates, but it may be worth a try!

Glad about your back, it will make all this easier!!
Beth

[melinda7.5]

Originally Posted by Businessman1

I got all kinds of calls the following day from people wanting to know what I meant by the strange messages I sent them....

Strangely our top client called the CEO of our company to tell him what a good host I'd been. I found $2000 worth of bar receipts in my pocket. I was obviously buying everyone expensive drinks. I just wish I could remember.

Anyway I'm back on the wagon and have stuck to just 60mg today. I had planned to go down to 45mg but doing it too quickly is proving too hard for me. I'm going to go down to 45mg on Monday. My gf has gone out drinking tonight and I've decided not to join her. It seems that drinking makes quitting Oxycodone harder for me so I'll have to be boring for a while. At least it is an incentive to get off the oxy as quick as possible.

I'm wondering if taking a non-narcotic pain-killer such as Meloxicam might make tapering off oxy less painful. I ache all over and I can't eat. I've heard people recommend pot for this kind of thing but I don't use pot.

God, I sound so melodramatic...

On the plus side, my back feels great. All of you on here who are suffering with herniated or bulging discs should consider getting the op. 3 weeks later and my back feels better than it has in 10 years. The procedure has a 95%+ success rate. My surgeon was awesome. If anyone in the New York area needs a recommendation let me know. It's got to be better than trying to control nerve pain with narcotics. Lets face it, they are fun for a few months but they do little more than take the edge off nerve pain.

Hi businessman
I hope you don't mind , but I did get a little chuckle out of your evening...
But I'm glad your back on track with your taper...
If i were you i would do like you said and stay away from the drinks...
They are nothing but trouble right now...

Talk to you soon, Melinda

[BeavisMom62]

Hi businessman. I've been following your story and am proud of you. You are doing wonderfully so far. How are you today? Any wd's? How is the pain? I am a chronic pain patien myself, a horrible car accident at age 20 and an abusive ex for 10 years, so my back and neck are pretty messed up. I take Neurontin, Mobic and Robaxin every day, which dont totally take the pain away, but they do help. Like you said, I just wish taking narcotics every day was feasible and good for you like vitamins. I rarely get them from my dr, since hubby is an addict too and knows lots of dealers. Ive turned some of them in so that we would have no way of getting them, but he just keeps finding more people that sell drugs! On my own, I would never even know people like that, much less deal with them. I'm going to try a fast taper myself. I have about 10 Lortab left so I'm going to do like a four day taper and hope it works. the only thing is since my hubby is an addict too, he really isn't into stopping. but he is unemployed and I work in a doctor office for 20 years, so I'm the one that pays for these things. Sounds like I should just say "no, I have to pay bills" but its hard. And stupid. I hope I can do it this time. He says he will too, but I doubt it. If it wasn't for him, it would be much easier for me to quit.

By the way, I really love Valerian! It works wonderfully for me. I've also taken kava before as well as melatonin. they all help sleep. but somehow I always come back to Valerian. I've taken it for years. I used to have bad anxiety when I was going through my divorce and even took it during the day sometimes. Also the Sleepytime tea that has been suggested. they now make a Sleepytime Extra, which has valerian in it. Regular Sleepytime has chamomile as the main ingredient along with lemon grass, spearmint, etc. You can get it at the grocery store. Its wonderful. (of course I haven't started w/d's yet!). But I plan to use that, the thomas recipe and my good old hot tub, a life saver for my pain, so hopefully it will help through w/d's also! I just wish my hubby would. but he won't get in the hot tub for anything "too hot" he says!

[Businessman1]

Hey Melinda alway glad to amuse! I'm still getting calls from people asking what I meant by my messages... my gf said I was crying and falling over when I came home but I've managed to convince her that it was just the valium talking. I haven't cried since I was a kid. I'd love to see a video of it to see what I looked like.

Hey BeavisMom62 glad your trying to stop but I had a question for you. I have started a few of my posts with the caveat that I am no expert on this stuff and I hate to use melodramatic words like "enabler" but.... it sounds like your home situation is a big problem. One thing I do know is that it is 10 times more difficult to stop anything if you hang around with people that still do it. Are you going to be able to quit with your hubby sat next to you every night with a stash of opiates? I have quit a few different things in my life - always when I moved away from the people I used to do them with.

If you pay for everything then it is in your power to make him quit with you? Or at least make him get a job...

All my oxy has been prescribed to me and I have never bought anything outside of a prescription. I saw a documentary which said that people pay $1 per mg on the streets so you must be paying a large portion of what you earn on this stuff.

Maybe a bit of tough love is needed. It sounds like that you want to do that from your post? It would really help you.

Thanks for following my story - I have found reading other peoples stories really helpful and interesting. I have had a few hard days. I managed to wait until 4pm today before having some Oxy so I am making some progress. My plan is to drop to 40mg today. I am going to keep to 40mg until Thurs when I plan to drop my dose again. Please let me know how your taper goes. Good luck!

Today the hardest part is not snapping at people. I've become very moody and highly strung. It's like I change every day - I should keep a diary. On Wed night I was the girl crying at the end of the party, yesterday I was like a 90-year-old man with achy bones, today I'm a moody teenager.

The Kava did nothing for me. I drank it once when I was in south east asia and it was stronger than alcohol, the stuff they have in the states is nothing like it. In south east asia they have kava bars. They get kids to chew the routes and mix it with their saliva. They then make it into a drink which tastes horrible. If you drink too much, you don't wake up for days.

Maybe I'll try the valerian...

[nelly005]

Good Morning, hope everyone is doing well!

I tried valerian last night. I average about 5 -6 hours sleep a night. I think it's having teenagers and for years I get up to make sure they're all at home. I took the recomended 2 caps and boy did I have very vivid dreams...ended up getting less sleep due to waking up, heart pounding...et al.
I'll wait a couple of days and try just taking one. At least they were good dreams!
Beth

[Businessman1]

Hey guys I need a bit of help and advice.

I'm feeling really terrible today. The feeling is the worst I've ever felt. I hurt all over. I keep dreaming that I'm awake and feel like I'm paralyzed. Every problem at work feels 10 times worse than it really is making me over-react in a really unprofessional way. Last night I fell asleep at 6.30 in the eve and slept for 12 hours straight until my alarm went off at 6.30am. I can't eat because everything makes me feel sick.

I'm down to 45mg/day and I can barely stand it. I thought tapering was supposed to avoid a painful w/d. What am I doing wrong? Have I reduced my dose too fast? Am I wasting my time tapering and should I just go cold turkey?

I'm so busy with deals at work right now that I really can't take any time off.

Valium does nothing for me (unless I drink with it). I was given 5mg tabs. I'm 6ft 200lb - should I try a larger dose?

I'm in so much pain I don't know what to do with myself. I was thinking of taking all of my daily dose in work hours and then getting some sleeping pills to keep me asleep between 7pm and 7am so I don't have to suffer.

I know I have to accept some discomfort for a while but this is way worse than just discomfort. Did any of you have this problem with tapering?

[melinda7.5]

Hi Businessman
Your not alone my friend...I did a taper of my oxycontin witch I chewed up I did not take then whole that = 16 5mg percs plus I would throw in a couple vic 10mg for good measure...so I was taking about 20 or so pills at a time.
i quit my oxycontin and stabilized on about 20 ten mg vic's a day and then tapered down from there...now I have a cleaning business...I work hard physically all day and I was so sick I would just cry,puke. and live on imodium for awhile...
I just wanted to tell you this so you know I know how you feel...
If you want to keep tapering you could save the drugs for when your at work and don't take any at home...that is what I did toward the end of my taper or on the weekends I would drop so by Monday I would be a little more stable...
But my back and my legs hurt so bad I would get to a house that I was cleaning and wonder how i would get thru it...but i did...

Hang in there it wont be forever...and when you get thru this you will know you can do anything...
talk to you later, Melinda

[annamichelleo]

Oxy, hydro a go go, opiates are all the same. I didn't think that last winter when I started having all this mind bending leg pain. I thought I was getting MS or something. The Dr.'s thought I was pulling a fast one, in there telling them how I was going from jogging every day to barely getting through the grocery store. By the time they did the MRI and found that I had a couple crushed discs pushing into my spine it was too late. I'd called an old friend, who called an old friend, and there I was with my new friends doing anything and everything to feed the heroin addiction that I am currently kicking. Current as in, I had a suboxen this morning and I did a bag around 5, which is way down from the 5-6 bags a day I was doing. I've spent the last 2 days tapering and sweating, and wanting to rip out my eyeballs. Now it's cold turkey. I'm planning on drinking all the water I can keep down and telling myself it's all in my head. Someone wish me luck, please? Honestly, I'm scared I'm never going to feel good again.

[melinda7.5]

Originally Posted by annamichelleo

Oxy, hydro a go go, opiates are all the same. I didn't think that last winter when I started having all this mind bending leg pain. I thought I was getting MS or something. The Dr.'s thought I was pulling a fast one, in there telling them how I was going from jogging every day to barely getting through the grocery store. By the time they did the MRI and found that I had a couple crushed discs pushing into my spine it was too late. I'd called an old friend, who called an old friend, and there I was with my new friends doing anything and everything to feed the heroin addiction that I am currently kicking. Current as in, I had a suboxen this morning and I did a bag around 5, which is way down from the 5-6 bags a day I was doing. I've spent the last 2 days tapering and sweating, and wanting to rip out my eyeballs. Now it's cold turkey. I'm planning on drinking all the water I can keep down and telling myself it's all in my head. Someone wish me luck, please? Honestly, I'm scared I'm never going to feel good again.

HI annamichelleo
I sure wish you luck I wish there was something else I could do for ya...
I will put up the Thomas recipe for you...
You will feel good again just not for a few days...
keep us posted on how you are doing...
Talk to you soon, Melinda

THOMAS RECIPE

If you can't take time off to detox, I recommend you follow a taper regimen using your drug of choice or suitable alternate -- the slower the taper, the better.

For the Recipe, You'll need:

1. Valium (or another benzodiazepine such as Klonopin, Librium, Ativan or Xanax). Of these, Valium and Klonopin are best suited for tapering since they come in tablet form. Librium is also an excellent detox benzo, but comes in capsules, making it hard to taper the dose. Ativan or Xanax should only be used if you can't get one of the others.

2. Imodium (over the counter, any drug or grocery store).

3. L-Tyrosine (500 mg caps) from the health food store.

4. Strong wide-spectrum mineral supplement with at least 100% RDA of Zinc, Phosphorus, Copper, Magnesium and Potassium (you may not find the potassium in the same supplement).

5. Vitamin B6 caps.

6. Access to hot baths or a Jacuzzi (or hot showers if that's all that's available).

How to use the recipe:

Start the vitamin/mineral supplement right away (or the first day you can keep it down), preferably with food. Potassium early in the detox is important to help relieve RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome). Bananas are a good source of potassium if you can't find a supplement for it.

Begin your detox with regular doses of Valium (or alternate benzo). Start with a dose high enough to produce sleep. Before you use any benzo, make sure you're aware of how often it can be safely taken. Different benzos have different dosing schedules. Taper your Valium dosage down after each day. The goal is to get through day 4, after which the worst WD symptoms will subside. You shouldn't need the Valium after day 4 or 5.

During detox, hit the hot bath or Jacuzzi as often as you need to for muscle aches. Don't underestimate the effectiveness of hot soaks. Spend the entire time, if necessary, in a hot bath. This simple method will alleviate what is for many the worst opiate WD symptom.

Use the Imodium aggressively to stop the runs. Take as much as you need, as often as you need it. Don't take it, however, if you don't need it.

At the end of the fourth day, you should be waking up from the Valium and experiencing the beginnings of the opiate WD malaise. Upon rising (empty stomach), take the L-Tyrosine. Try 2000 mgs, and scale up or down, depending on how you feel. You can take up to 4,000 mgs. Take the L-Tyrosine with B6 to help absorption. Wait about one hour before eating breakfast. The L-Tyrosine will give you a surge of physical and mental energy that will help counteract the malaise. You may continue to take it each morning for as long as it helps. If you find it gives you the "coffee jitters," consider lowering the dosage or discontinuing it altogether. Occasionally, L-Tyrosine can cause the runs. Unlike the runs from opiate WD, however, this effect of L-Tyrosine is mild and normally does not return after the first hour. Lowering the dosage may help.

Continue to take the vitamin/mineral supplement with breakfast.

As soon as you can force yourself to, get some mild exercise such as walking, cycling, swimming, etc. This will be hard at first, but will make you feel considerably better.

Thomas"

[kakhenebery]

the only thing that helped me get off pain pills was a drug called suboxone but i think its a miracle,it really is. i started using pain pills because of back problems to and i couldnt give them up when the time came to. i needed help and i went to a suboxone docter and it really is a miracle,maybe that would help u if u dont think u can live without the oxys.

[nelly005]

Hi Businessman,
Quitting, tapering, cold turkey...it all sucks. But it does work and is worth it for your health and sanity.
It's probably a good idea to take your meds during the day for work just to make it through. I know it's hard to keep food down but try to eat healthy. Is it possible for you to make it through tomorrow (Friday) come home from work and go cold turkey for the weekend?? I know it sounds very scary but that would give you the weekend to go through the worst of it. Maybe call in sick Monday?
I stopped vicodin at 40 mg. a day cause it did nothing for me, same as what's happening with you.

Reminders; breathe...deep cleansing breaths, it helps pain and stress.
Thomas recipe
Hot showers
You are not alone!!
call if you need to, Beth

[jerr_dan]

I feel your pain. I have many of the same problems and have sufferd in the same way for a long time. Its sucks being dependent on meds. I want you to remember something for me, no matter what others say they don't understand the difference in addiction, dependence and tolerance. Addiction is basically the seeking of an escape from problems in your life through sex **************** drugs and other behaviors or all the behaviors i have stated, not for chronic physical pain. The seeking of drugs for chronic physical pain is not wrong and does not necessarly mean you are a drug addict. When taking drugs for chronic physical pain your body will build a tolerance to the medications you are taking, through no fault of your own. Different meds have different rates of tolerance building but eventually they all do it. Dependence on prescription medication for legitimate medical problems means you suffer nasty withdrawls when you abruptly stop taking the meds and then need to find more meds to stop the legitimate pain from the original problem and the withdrawls as well. This situation is known as getting dope sick. The problems would however, never occur if the medical community would prescribe legitimate doses taking into account the tolerance factor. However due to the current state of affairs in this country doctors that help are few and far between. Most doctors, unless your in hospice and terminally ill, will not keep increasing your doses taking tolerance into account. The reason for this is pharmacies and insurance companies. The insurance company and or pharmacies will contact the medical board about doctors prescribing practices this is how doctors are scrutinized constantly and explains their reluctance to help.
All things considerd their is a way that you can get the meds you need. Your medications and frequency of doseing is kept private and confidential and no one but the doctor and you are prive to you situation. I beleive this is the way it should be always. The first obstacle is to have your legal medical privalge attached to you pharmacy records. In a conventional setting this is not possible because the pharmacy is bound by no ethical code legally or otherwise. Insurance companies are even worse and are not bound by medical confidentality period. If my suggestions are followed you will receive proper doseing and frequency and will find doctors more than willing to help. The only drawback is you will foot the entire bill because the evil insurance companies will be cut out of the equation.
What you need to look for are medical clinics with onsite dispensing. What this means is you medical record and pharmacy record are a part of the same entity, hence medical privilage is attached and a judge must sign a warrant to get a peak at yoyr medical records. This almost never happens because of the medical confidentality laws and the fact that you personally must waive confidentiality and it goes as far to extend even after you are dead. Wow what a gift! Due to these reasons the medical clinic you choose will feel confident that their prescribing practices as well as the medications you take will be a closely guarde secret and in this setting you can get the doses and frquency up to par. This is totally legal and i beleive the best way to operate period. I don't want anyone knowing my business for any reason. That why its called my business. Its ashame that its come to this in america and hopefully in the future new leglislation will curb this need but i doubt it. Its my opinion that the goverment lost the war on illegal drugs so now they choose the medical community and legal drugs for their new war. The sick and debilitated suffer as a consequence and this and its the most disgusting attrocity i have ever witnessed. I feel sorry for parents that have lost a child due to prescription abuse, however thats not my fault and i and others like me should not have to pay the price for youthful stupidity.

[nelly005]

Hey Bizman,
If you do decide to go cold turkey Friday evening get all your ducks in a row first. Do your grocery shopping tonight, you won't feel like eating but you have to! Buy a bunch of potatos...bake 4 -5 to eat for the next couple of days. It has as much potassium as bananas but is easier to keep down. When your over stressed and not eating your body needs potassium it helps heart function...very important. I had a strange virus (couldn't keep anything down) a few years ago that put me in the hospital for 4 days, my white blood count went to 28.000 (norm is 11,000) and my potassium level was so low they put me on heart monitors and gave me 7 bags (w/ the I.V.) of potassium over 3 days. It burns so much they give extra morphine while bag was plugged into I.V....it still hurt.

Stay away from caffeine until you can easily keep down food.

Plan to just lay in bed or on sofa...read or watch movies.

Let your girlfriend know what you're going to do and that you won't feel like talking or listening to her (tell her nicer than that though) but to make sure you have healthy food to eat. My husband would make me scrambled eggs, I could manage eating that, but he would go get me hambugers or pizza for dinner...not good! He's not much of a cook and I didn't plan ahead.

Buy some Emergen-C at health food store, mix w/ water

For me, it would have been hard to go c/t with any opiates around...do you still have a lot? Got enough valium?

Changing my diet like I have and having so much less pain I sure wish I had done this instead of all the meds!

let me know how you're doing today,
Beth

[Businessman1]

I spoke to my doctor today. They want me to not take any valium. They said it makes it harder not easier...

They also want me to drop my dose quicker to get through it. I don't know who to listen to any more.

I found my lost hour from last week. I went to my local pub this eve and the bar tender told me I was there last week entertaining the whole bar. I still have no memory but at least I know where I was....

I might try cold turkey this weekend because I can't stand much more of this feeling.

I just came back from drinks with clients. I can tell you that alcohol is the only thing powerful enough to stop the pain. Maybe drinking through it is the answer. Today I don't want to be me.

[Robert_325]

Originally Posted by Businessman1

I spoke to my doctor today. They want me to not take any valium. They said it makes it harder not easier...

They also want me to drop my dose quicker to get through it. I don't know who to listen to any more.

I found my lost hour from last week. I went to my local pub this eve and the bar tender told me I was there last week entertaining the whole bar. I still have no memory but at least I know where I was....

I might try cold turkey this weekend because I can't stand much more of this feeling.

I just came back from drinks with clients. I can tell you that alcohol is the only thing powerful enough to stop the pain. Maybe drinking through it is the answer. Today I don't want to be me.

I obviously disagree with the drs concerning a benzo during opiate detox. As long as it isn't abused using it like the Thomas Recipe suggests, only for a short time, it's perfectly okay. I'm NOT saying to keep an ongoing benzo script and drink alcohol with it. Benzos are dangerous and very addictive if not used correctly.

If a person begins to wonder if tapering down off RX opiates is really the best thing to do then it's probably time to jump off cold turkey. That is my experience at least.

Tapering was always harder than a cold turkey for me. At least doing a cold turkey you know "about" when you'll be better. You would start feeling better after day four or five into the detox and then each day is better. But as long as you are tapering down you continue to stress out about it and it never ends until you ultimately cold turkey at the end anyway.

If I read your post right you're at 45mg per day. That's not THAT high of a dose. You could taper down another 20mg and you're still going to feel w/d symptoms when you stop. You'll still have w/d unless you literally taper down to zero. I would dread the thought of having to taper all the way to nothing.

You could get the worst of this over this upcoming weekend. If you started NOW you would be feeling better by Monday I would almost promise. This time next week you could be feeling like a new man. I would just get it over with and go for it. That's me and you would agree this time next week too if you did it. All you've got to lose is a bad habit. God bless.

[Businessman1]

If I try having nothing this weekend and then go back to 30-40mg on monday, am I likely to feel less w/d than I am now?

I can't be a mess on Monday, I have an important meeting. That may sound like a bad excuse but my job is important to me and I can't screw it up. w/d is making me really irrational.

I bought some over the counter sleeping pills and brandy. I plan to sleep through the pain this weekend.

I had a plan and I want to stick to it. I chose tapering because I know that with my job there are certain times I need to be on my game and with tapering I can control that.

If can drop to 20mg over the next week then next weekend will be my last on oxy.

[Businessman1]

BTW Robert, how many times have you been through w/d? Were you ever addicted to Oxycodone?

Is it true that it is the worst opiate to get off?