Weening off percs

[Egill]

Hello everyone. I suppose I might be considered a bit of a “light-weight” to some, but I would like to get opinions from everyone who has experience in weening off opioids. A little background. I was a professional for 33 years. I lifted weights, trained mma and was in more real life and death hand to hand combat, firefights than most people. I also had a few fights I. The octogon but nothing to write home about. During this period of time in my life I sustained multiple gunshot wounds, stab wounds, broken bones, etc. my career came to an end in 2014 and I have been laid up in bed 80% of that time ever since. I have had 7 surgeries including 2 reconstruction surgeries on my feet and a double fusion with instrumentation and a double lamenectomy. I still have 4 herniated discs in my neck and 2 in my T-spine but I’m trying to avoid any more surgeries. My body has changed dramatically. At 6’4” a went from 288 pounds with a 10.5% body fat to now weighing 330 pounds of nothing but fat. I’m a disgusting fat pig and the atrophy in my body is heartbreaking, especially in my calves where they are pencil thin. Anyway, it’s now time to start rehab, PT, and weening off. I have been on 60 mg of Percocet for the last year. Prior to that I was on a ridiculous amount of opioids. The doctor switched me to Suboxone which, had I known better, I would never have agreed to use. But that’s another story. Anyway, my pain management doctor lowered my dose today. Instead of 6 10mg pills he wants me to take 5 10mg pills. It sounds reasonable. I have also been taking gabapentin 900mg x4/day. Also Duloxetine 20mg and clonidine.1mg at bedtime. I’m expecting to get all the symptoms of mild withdrawal, including anxiety, insomnia, rls, and increase in body pain. My pain management doctor suggested that I use canabis. I don’t smoke and have other problems with my lungs and esophagus so I’m not going to start. I tried an edible that my son bought me and I damn near lost my mind. I tried others with THC and also lost control. The anxiety is horrible. My doctor told me to use a 20:1 tincture. I have an 18:1 tincture that I tried today. It didn’t seem to give me any relief and possibly even increased my anxiety. Is it possible that there’s some kind of negative interaction between cannabis and Gabapentin? Any suggestions or ideas or shared experiences I would greatly appreciate. Thanks for your time!

 

[MsDiz]

Hey, welcome to Bluelight!!

I’m really sorry to hear you’ve been through some tough injuries. As someone who has competed in sports it’s incredibly heartbreaking when you lose the gains you spent a long time building up.

You’re making a good choice getting rid of the percs, you really shouldn’t suffer withdrawals too badly. You’ve been cut 10mg so it seems like it’s a slow taper and that is definitely best. I’m sure you’ve built up your anxiety about it to be way worse than what it will be.

Part of tapering is trying to remain positive, take the opportunity to go for a walk if you can. If you can’t then do something you enjoy that will distract you. Have you any hobbies?

Gabapentin is a great drug for nerve pain but it’s also pretty great for opioid/opiate withdrawal too. So it will help. It shouldn’t be interacting with the cannabis. I am the same as you, cannabis causes me extreme anxiety and it’s just not a drug I can tolerate.

I think your Dr seems like he’s doing a slow taper as I’ve said and I don’t think you’ll have any issues with it at all. Slow and steady is the goal.

If you need to ask any other questions we are here. We actually have a sub forum you might be interested in Sports and image enhancing drugs.

Again, welcome to Bluelight!

 

[Snafu in the Void]

Hello everyone. I suppose I might be considered a bit of a “light-weight” to some, but I would like to get opinions from everyone who has experience in weening off opioids. A little background. I was a professional for 33 years. I lifted weights, trained mma and was in more real life and death hand to hand combat, firefights than most people. I also had a few fights I. The octogon but nothing to write home about. During this period of time in my life I sustained multiple gunshot wounds, stab wounds, broken bones, etc. my career came to an end in 2014 and I have been laid up in bed 80% of that time ever since. I have had 7 surgeries including 2 reconstruction surgeries on my feet and a double fusion with instrumentation and a double lamenectomy. I still have 4 herniated discs in my neck and 2 in my T-spine but I’m trying to avoid any more surgeries. My body has changed dramatically. At 6’4” a went from 288 pounds with a 10.5% body fat to now weighing 330 pounds of nothing but fat. I’m a disgusting fat pig and the atrophy in my body is heartbreaking, especially in my calves where they are pencil thin. Anyway, it’s now time to start rehab, PT, and weening off. I have been on 60 mg of Percocet for the last year. Prior to that I was on a ridiculous amount of opioids. The doctor switched me to Suboxone which, had I known better, I would never have agreed to use. But that’s another story. Anyway, my pain management doctor lowered my dose today. Instead of 6 10mg pills he wants me to take 5 10mg pills. It sounds reasonable. I have also been taking gabapentin 900mg x4/day. Also Duloxetine 20mg and clonidine.1mg at bedtime. I’m expecting to get all the symptoms of mild withdrawal, including anxiety, insomnia, rls, and increase in body pain. My pain management doctor suggested that I use canabis. I don’t smoke and have other problems with my lungs and esophagus so I’m not going to start. I tried an edible that my son bought me and I damn near lost my mind. I tried others with THC and also lost control. The anxiety is horrible. My doctor told me to use a 20:1 tincture. I have an 18:1 tincture that I tried today. It didn’t seem to give me any relief and possibly even increased my anxiety. Is it possible that there’s some kind of negative interaction between cannabis and Gabapentin? Any suggestions or ideas or shared experiences I would greatly appreciate. Thanks for your time!

First commend yourself on your recovery and journey.

Alas nobody can be on opioids forever. It sounds like your doctor is good/cool and is working with you, though. Personally I find high THC cannabis to make certain pains (broken bones/muscle tears/etc..etc..) to actually become more noticeable. I think you would benefit MUCH more from pure CBD or a dominant CBD to THC product. The weed kids smoke now gives me too much anxiety and other bad things (at least until you develop tolerance).

Depending on how adjusted you are to 60mg you are definitely going to feel the 10mg decrease - but it's probably not going to send you into any major withdrawal.

I just want to maybe mention Kratom if you haven't heard of it (are you in the US?), and definitely keep us updated.

 

[Egill]

Hey, welcome to Bluelight!!

I’m really sorry to hear you’ve been through some tough injuries. As someone who has competed in sports it’s incredibly heartbreaking when you lose the gains you spent a long time building up.

You’re making a good choice getting rid of the percs, you really shouldn’t suffer withdrawals too badly. You’ve been cut 10mg so it seems like it’s a slow taper and that is definitely best. I’m sure you’ve built up your anxiety about it to be way worse than what it will be.

Part of tapering is trying to remain positive, take the opportunity to go for a walk if you can. If you can’t then do something you enjoy that will distract you. Have you any hobbies?

Gabapentin is a great drug for nerve pain but it’s also pretty great for opioid/opiate withdrawal too. So it will help. It shouldn’t be interacting with the cannabis. I am the same as you, cannabis causes me extreme anxiety and it’s just not a drug I can tolerate.

I think your Dr seems like he’s doing a slow taper as I’ve said and I don’t think you’ll have any issues with it at all. Slow and steady is the goal.

If you need to ask any other questions we are here. We actually have a sub forum you might be interested in Sports and image enhancing drugs.

Again, welcome to Bluelight!

Thank you!

 

[Egill]

Hey, welcome to Bluelight!!

I’m really sorry to hear you’ve been through some tough injuries. As someone who has competed in sports it’s incredibly heartbreaking when you lose the gains you spent a long time building up.

You’re making a good choice getting rid of the percs, you really shouldn’t suffer withdrawals too badly. You’ve been cut 10mg so it seems like it’s a slow taper and that is definitely best. I’m sure you’ve built up your anxiety about it to be way worse than what it will be.

Part of tapering is trying to remain positive, take the opportunity to go for a walk if you can. If you can’t then do something you enjoy that will distract you. Have you any hobbies?

Gabapentin is a great drug for nerve pain but it’s also pretty great for opioid/opiate withdrawal too. So it will help. It shouldn’t be interacting with the cannabis. I am the same as you, cannabis causes me extreme anxiety and it’s just not a drug I can tolerate.

I think your Dr seems like he’s doing a slow taper as I’ve said and I don’t think you’ll have any issues with it at all. Slow and steady is the goal.

If you need to ask any other questions we are here. We actually have a sub forum you might be interested in Sports and image enhancing drugs.

Again, welcome to Bluelight!

Thank you!

 

[Egill]

First commend yourself on your recovery and journey.

Alas nobody can be on opioids forever. It sounds like your doctor is good/cool and is working with you, though. Personally I find high THC cannabis to make certain pains (broken bones/muscle tears/etc..etc..) to actually become more noticeable. I think you would benefit MUCH more from pure CBD or a dominant CBD to THC product. The weed kids smoke now gives me too much anxiety and other bad things (at least until you develop tolerance).

Depending on how adjusted you are to 60mg you are definitely going to feel the 10mg decrease - but it's probably not going to send you into any major withdrawal.

I just want to maybe mention Kratom if you haven't heard of it (are you in the US?), and definitely keep us updated.

Hi thanks for your input. I did try kratom a couple months ago as an experiment. I purposely stopped my Percocet in order to go into withdrawals and substituted with the kratom 500 mg capsules. I did a little research and determined that I needed to take about 25 of those suckers. I was amazed at the initial results! I immediately felt a wave of relief and euphoria similar to taking opioids! I was ecstatic! After about 3 hours I felt like I needed to take more so I did and the thought of how many bottles of this stuff I would have to buy entered my mind. After taking several doses of 25 throughout the day I felt bloated and nauseous and then it hit me. I was sick as a dog for the next MONTH! I stopped taking them and went back to the Percocet once I started feeling sick but it was too late. I felt like I had poisoned myself. I could only eat a few crackers and drink soup broth for about a month due to horrible diarrhea like I have never experienced in my life every day for a month. I couldn’t even leave the house. I lost 30 pounds. My wife was worried but I refused to go to the hospital. I don’t know if it was a bad batch of kratom, if I took too much or had an allergic reaction to it but now I am afraid to go near kratom again haha. As far as the CBD goes, I will try the 30:1 blend. My pain management doctor told me that it’s necessary for the CBD to contain a small amount of THC in order for the human body to process the CBD. He suggested 20:1 but the closest thing I could find was that 18:1 stuff.