Withdrawal Symptoms Methadone - 7 years of Narcotic pain Medications for chronic back pain, How do you stop The withdrawals?

Question on morphine sulfate kadian and Hydromorphone. I was 38 when I hurt my back 2001 The doctor have given me Vicodone 10/660’s dose rate for 2 years then I finaly had back surgery 2003. The doctor who did my surgery placed a fixation screw 12mm to long, and never seen his mistake even after many visits and newer MRIs, this wrong doing which lead me to have more pain. Rating my pain scale a 5 to 10 and nothing less for just over a year. I was commited to a bed and couch for one year. During this year I have taken vicodone with hydromorpone on a steady bases. I thought my life was over and almost ended it. I could not take the pain anymore and I never felt normal with all the pain medication, antiflamatory medication and mussel relaxers. I really thought my life was over until I went ti the twin City Spine Center, They saw the long screw that was palced in my back from the first surgery Doctor right away. This lead to a second Life threating spine surgery 2004 with a 70% chance of dying. The surgery went well but I had severe nerve scaring due to bone growning around the bad screw and into my spinal nerve. Anyway this lead to a long life of pain medication until 2008. Since 2001 to 2008 I have been on many of the hard narcodic medication with Morphine Sulfate and hydromorphine the last type of medication I am on. I just had my third spine surgery March of 2008 and its a miracle that my Nuro spine surgeon has fixed some bad nerve compression and nerve scaring to a point that I dont need my medications anymore. I am trying to stop cold turkey and I am having major withdrawals I have every one mention. I landed in the emergency room 2 day in a row this week with major bloataion, and severe pain of the stomack. I am very nervous, and shakey, I cant sleep, My head is pounding, I have hot and cold sweats, and I cant sleep. I did not realize that my emergecy room visits was because of my quitting cold turkey. There are time at bedtime I am having such a hard with drawal symptom that I take 1/2 a pill but nothing works. I have went a week already but the symptoms are not stopping. What can I do to get over this severe Withdrawal symptoms. I know this was a long writting but it was to give you an Idea that I have been on my pain medications for 7 years until my back was finaly cured by a very good Doctor.

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Tagged as: Chronic Back Pain, Cold Turkey, Hot And Cold Sweats, Hydromorphone, Kadian, Morphine, Morphine Sulfate, Mussel, Narcotic Pain Medications, Nerve Compression, Pain Medication, Second Life, Severe Pain, Spinal Nerve, Spine Center, Spine Surgeon, Spine Surgery, Stomack, Surgery Doctor, Withdrawals

ydrpmg

I have been taking only a fraction of what you were taking and I tried to taper down. I am still having really awful withdrawal symptoms the same as yours. Go back to your doctor and insist that you get help with the withdrawal. I stopped taking medications because I want to. Now I am really much more aware of how awful serious addiction must be. Going through this is hard enough. Take care and get help. I plan on doing the same.
JEFF

I survived a crushing back injury at work and spinal stabilization with all that metal hardware. They don't tell this, but not only do people develop tolerance to narcotics (so you need more meds) , but your body's natural pain mechanisms, "endorphins" shut down over time too, (so you need more meds). Then you're caught in this vortex of rebound pain, and self reinforcing behaviors. I was convinced my pain was "real". It was then, but I continue to be surprised by how much pain I can tolerate since I quit taking. A few rounds of cold turkey withdrawal and impotence failed to motivate me to quit. The latter I blamed on the doctors "who botched" my surgery. I lost a great high paying job, my marriage ended in divorce when the girl of my dreams had enough and walked out with my children, and I landed in bankruptcy court and had to sell all of my pocessions. Still wouldn't seek help. An urge to sell pills to pay for pills and a near arrest brought me some what to my senses, which led to me fining out about "out patient" treatment. Remember, my pain was real, I didn't want to be locked up with a bunch of junkies. Out of vanity and denial, I found a local addiction medicine doctor, and with regular visits to his office, I was able to quit over a period of 8 months. He substituted the morphine, oxtcodone with suboxone/subutex and put me on a long slow taper. I now wonder why I waited so long. Incrediably, those 800 mg Ibuprofen horse tablets, that I thought were worthless before, work great. He allowed me to take zanaflex for muscle spasms, which worked great too. But then I started freakin out every time the weather changed, started dreaming about drugs instead of woman, and missed using to cope with all the other things that my bad back "screwed" up. I was forced to go to NA if I wanted to see my kids. I learned how to cope. Don't suffer anymore. You don't have to. Only problem is cost, don't wait untill you are completely broke. It was nothing though compared to what I lost even though it is a crime what drug companies charge. The subutex is now generic. Figure out a way to pay about $1200 for the first month. Your doctor can write subutex, once he trust you enough to not be shooting your meds. New studies show it can be used off label for "pain" and your insurance company will pay if it is perscribed that way. I am now working again and building a life and relationship with my kids. I now have overnight visitation. But, I lost much, there was much damage, I'll never have my wife back and so I lost my family in a sense. Don't wait to long.

I have been on methadone for nearly ten years now for the treatment of chronic pain from Fibromyalgia. As a woman of child bearing years it was important for me to find relief but also be able to go off this medication should I choose to try to get pregnant. My rheumatologist is the most wonderful doctor I have ever had and he has yet to steer me in the wrong direction. He says that because the methadone is fat soluble it can take over a month sometimes two to get out of a person's system, but that if I ever need to go off or we find something better that by weening the dose down he could have me completely off this medication with in a month give or take a week or two. I have tried cold turkey several times through the years and almost died trying to prove to my self that I still had control. These opiods completely alter your body chemistry and the withdrawl of cutting back too quickly or completely can cause you to have heart attacks or even strokes! DO not try this alone!!! Your doctors will help you willingly and if they don't there are dozens who will. If done correctly the symptoms while not plesant can be tolerable. If you are trying to regain your life and health, the smartest thing to do is medical detox. Most programs can have you off the pills in about two weeks and systemically clean in 1 to 2 months. I hope this helps, and good luck on your journey.
John R

--- You should NEVER attempt to quit cold turkey after taking that dosage of narcotic pain medication for that long. You need a physicians assistance to slowly withdrw yourself from the medicaiton over a long period of time and during this time they will give you other medicatins that will help you deal the any problems you might have. Attempting to go cold turkey can lead to serious problems and in some cases even death.
--- You should already be going to a pain control center already if you have been taking the medication as you described. Federal law requires that taking pain meds after the healing period of an injury must be handled by a cerified pain control center/ doctor..
--- Talk to you pain control doctor and tell him its time to stop, believe me, he will be happy to help you slowly wean off it. I am talking from experience, I take oxycontin40 and HYDROcodone 10/325 and I back off every few months with my doctors help just because i don't like taking that much. I take the medication because I have to, not because I want to and I take full advantage of my doctor's expertise. Trying to stop alone, cold turkey, no way!
Shy

Cold turkey is a not-so-good idea. The withdrwals are horrific. The symptoms are exactly as you described and then some. There is also a pyschological withdrawal process. When most people stop for different reasons they will still go through it. As Wendy has a wonderful answer. Please go and talk with your doctor. I went through detox,lasted about 2 weeks in the hospital and about3weeks at home, mostly on the couch. You have most of the symptoms down pact, It is dangerous to do it on your own. If you need to go to the er again, tell them what you NEED HELP with. I sincerely am sorry for your situation and pray that you get the help.