Oxycontin Withdrawal help

Hello all,

I currenty don't have a huge habit but the Oxycontin has made me feel the withdrawls that the Codeine I used to take has not. I currenlty in the middle of January started 20mg a day about went up to 40mg a few weeks later and then up to 60mg 3 times a week and then on this past week 60mg and a few of the days 80mg.

Now when I used to take Codeine it was not a huge deal to take a day or so off even 7 days with minimal side effects. Not sure if it's just mind tricks but I can go about 13 hours before I start to feel like shit or my mind just telling me this.

My symptoms are my legs feel weird or are sore, I could not sleep even if I tried and only slightly a runny nose. Of course after I take another dose it's gone. I want to know how I can get back down to where I am not having withdrawls as I really need my sleep. Even one night I could not even sleep when not taking Oxy after taking a xanax.

Should I taper my dose? what would that look like for the next few weeks? I am willing to do this but I still want to up the dose just once on the weekend I just want to use this only 1 time a week at about 60mg a pop, is this possible to do? Or can I subsitiute some of the days with codeine to help come down from the withdrawl. Also any tips for any meds or over the counter items I can use to sleep while going though this would help. Thanks in advance

To lower your tolerance you are going to have to go through some limited withdrawal. Check out Guide to narcotic withdrawal.

Once you are clean again you can likely take a large dose once a week with no withdrawal inbetween. If you don't want to get totally clean then you will need a steady dose every day in addition to your large weekend dose.

Perhaps as a first step try taking codeine throughout the week and oxy only on weekends.

edit:
the way you've gone so far makes me think you are going to have a difficult time limiting yourself to one dose a week.

I agree, Before I got Oxy I was doing Codeine 120mg-180mg a day 6 days a week. I was doing both at the start but then of course I left my codeine sitting and started doing just oxy. I think I might be able to go back to just doing Codeine during the week and Oxy on the weekends. Do you have any suggestions for sleep? I used to take Stillnox about 4 hours after my codeine dose but I am scared to use that to sleep while I am on Oxy, I have heard that it interacts in some way, is that true?

There aren't any special considerations of taking zolpidem with opiates other than the usual accumulation of CNS respiratory depression effects that I am aware of. If you are unable to sleep on opiates perhaps taking them earlier in the day would help.

reply

Amapola,

It's not the hard to sleep on opiates it's the hard to sleep while trying not to take them. It's the withdrawls that keep me awake. I tried Xanax while on withdrawl and that did not work to help me get to bed, is there anything better than that for the Oxy withdrawl insomnia.

If you read the thread I linked I'm pretty sure it lists diphenhydramine as your best option. Combined with some benzos would likely be ideal.

Luckily your habit wasn't very big at all. Granted, it is still going to be uncomfortable to stop, but it should not be unbearable. My advice would be to just stop cold turkey. Get some comfort meds, and just treat the symptoms for a week or so and you'll get through the acute physical withdrawal.

Go CT, and get some Immodium(loperamide) for GI problems. It is also an OTC opiate that doesn't cross the blood brain barrier, so it doesn't get you high but it eliminates most of the withdrawal symptoms with a high enough dose. There are a bunch of threads on it, check it out.

Also get ibuprofen for the aches/pains, some benzos (xanax, klonopin, valium, etc) for the insomnia, restlessness, and to help sleep. Doxylamine succinate can also help you sleep. It is a sedating anti-histamine which works better than diphenhydramine I think.

Make sure to keep hydrated, and make sure to keep well nourished. Keep your mind busy, just don't mope and dwell on withdrawal for a week.

Sooner than you know it, you'll be feeling better physically and mentally.

But if you have codeine, you could also switch to codeine for like 5 days, progressively lowering your dose, and then jumping off. Once you stop completely follow my advice above.

to limit withdrawals the easiest way is to wean yourself off. if you are at 60 mg a day, u should do 10 less mg a day every 2 days (for example 60, 60, 50, 50, 40, 40, 30, 30) untill u get down to 10 mg a day and then do that for a few days, and then they will be minimized...take some nyquil or benadryl to fall asleep....cold turkey is best way but u will suffer w/d....FYI u dont have it that bad, i have seen friends puking, diarrhea, cold sweats, the whole shibang....get out while u still can

with the relatively limited amount you've been taking, i'd just stop cold turkey. you'll be through the worst of any wds you get by the end of 24-48hrs and even then doubtful it will be much more than hot/cold flashes, diarrhea, trouble sleeping, loss of appetite.

keep increasing your intake at the rate you're increasing it and the wds get a LOT worse.

quit while you're ahead.

help

Guys,

Every night it seems like I am fighting it, today I was going to lower my dose to just one 40mg tab of Oxycontin but then I cut another in half and took 60 again. I am not sure if the nagging pain which is a empty dull pain in my legs and lower body is from WD but I get it every night at work around 2 and then dont get off work until 8-9 and I am suffering until then and I need to get home to take it and I know it will feel better, my nose was running a bit today too.

To tell you the truth the 60mg I took today I did not even get high from and I usually do and it only made my pain about 50% less, I still feel it in my legs but my runny nose is gone. I am so miserable at work that latley I want to quit because the day takes so long and I have been there 6 years, I never used to feel like this. I don't think i can stop Cold Turkey. If I did not take any Oxy the whole week I could only imagine what my work week would look like I would probally get fired because I would not get any rest. I am going to give you a list of all the meds I have on hand.

68 Oxycontin 40's yellow old formula, 30 tabs of Bupes 2mgnot 0.2 but 2mg (I have never taken these before but got them when I had a chance a few months back) 30 1mg Xanax and15 60mg Codeine tabs, I can get more codeine if I need it. What would be a good combo for me to help me get through the days until I can get back to just the codeine. Thanks for all your help and your replys

Hi Trevor99,

If you can't handle 40mg of oxy from your usual 60mg then try 50mg. As others have said though since your dose is still only 60mg your best bet would be going cold turkey over a weekend or maybe 3 days if you can take a day sick as well. Use no opiates during that time and it won't be fun but it seems you aren't going to be able to handle a taper where you feel a little crappy every day for a while.