Comments on: 7 years of Narcotic pain Medications for chronic back pain, How do you stop The withdrawals?

By: ydrpmg

ydrpmg — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 12:14:19 +0000

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.

By: JEFF

JEFF — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 08:05:37 +0000

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.

By: Link

Link — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 12:55:56 +0000

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.

By: John R

John R — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 07:06:49 +0000

— 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!

By: Shy

Shy — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 16:08:24 +0000

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.

By: Katie

Katie — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 11:03:06 +0000

At least you were taking the meds for what they are intended for…pain management. I feel for you! WOW! But the good side is, you were never mentally addicted to them. Once the withdrawl symptoms subside, you should be good to go. Your doctor can help you with controlling the symptoms, but that means taking another med in the place of the opioids (narcotics). I don’t have information on how long it will take for you to feel better since you were on them for so long, but I would think you should be getter better soon. In my Mental Health book, the symptoms you describe are what originally gained the term “kicking the habit.” Its terrifying, I know. According to my book, the symptoms should subside in about a week, but everyone is different. Hang in there! You will get better soon, and I am happy to hear about your recent success story.

By: Windy

Windy — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 04:57:47 +0000

Don’t rush to quit the pain meds so quickly. You’ll need therapy to slowly wean yourself off. Did the last doctor tell you to stop taking pain meds? Any doctor would know that you just can’t quit like that. Even with anti depressants, a person has to slowly work their way off of them. It will take a while but it will happen. The doctor needs to keep prescribing it to you in a way you won’t go through withdrawal so severely. You literally could die because of the side affects–vomiting, pain, headache, etc. I wish you the best of luck. I hope you go after the original doctor who put the wrong screw in you back and never double checked and left you in pain. You must have missed a lot of things in life. I could only imagine what you must have gone through. Hang tight, and you’ll get where you want to be. Take Care.

By: lovargirl158

lovargirl158 — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 22:09:09 +0000

the best answer I can give you is just deal with it. the reason why you feel all the pains is b/c you body is trying to regulate it self again being that you’ve stop taking the medications.. it’s going to be hard just to deal with all the pains, I understand where your coming from my mom went through spmething similar to your situation it took the whole family to get her to stop and coop with it all. hang in there!!!

By: WHITELIGHTINING

WHITELIGHTINING — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 15:25:42 +0000

get rid of the pills ect .just roll a fatty & pass it to a friend

By: hecla 1

hecla 1 — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 09:36:10 +0000

Check out medically supervised rehab centers in your area or talk with your Dr about a weaning process for the medications you are currently taking….there are medications that can help with the withdrawl symptoms or at a medically supervised rehab program can help develop a weaning protocol so that symptoms are not so severe….this is something that will require medical supervison as the withdrawl can be quite severe sometimes….Good Luck