I'm 38 hours into Oxycontin Withdrawal...Help

Here are a few generally accepted options available to you over the counter from pharmacies or health food stores, online supplement suppliers etc:

*Dextromethorphan (DXM, primary ingredient in cough suppressants) -- I suggest capsules or Delsym liquid (the latter being far more expensive but lasts twice as long and may produce better results because it's metabolized differently by the body into a different ratio of the two primary metabolites), in roughly the dose recommended for coughing....read up on this in google for more tips on its use for this purpose. DXM can partially suppress NMDA receptor activity, which is one of the pathways that is over-exciting your nervous system right now in the absence of external opioids.

*Magnesium: muscle cramps/back spasms, mild effects on the hyperalgesia you're experiencing, acts as a mild NMDA antagonist like DXM but via somewhat different receptor profiles so using multiple NMDA antagonists can be safe and achieve better results in my personal experience (and that of many other people -- these can also be used to help combat, prevent and mitigate opiate tolerance but that's a topic for another time!)

*L-Theanine (amino acid): also an NMDA antagonist, though weaker than DXM and perhaps a bit stronger than magnesium.....considerable calming effect via acting on GABA, but is quite safe in doses significantly higher than usually suggested on the label: do your own research to decide dosing for yourself, but I've taken upwards of 600mg at a time on occasion for anxiety and opiate withdrawal symptoms with no undesirable effects of any kind, as have many others.

*GABA: if you don't have access to benzodiazepines, Lyrica or Neurontin etc (all of which act on GABA receptors/pathways), taking this with or without L-Theanine can have a mild calming effect and help mitigate the over-activation of your nervous system in the sudden absence of opiate agonists which you are physically dependent on.

*Loperamide (diarrhea, stomach/digestive issues, in higher doses can help actually take the edge off withdrawals but greatly exceeding the recommended OTC dosage isn't something I go around suggesting.....read up on using loperamide for withdrawal and decide for yourself how to approach this one)

*Ashwagandha: This is a somewhat more unusual one, and a bit challenging for some people's digestion; I suggest doing your research first before deciding whether to add this to your list of withdrawal self-treatment options but it can definitely be an effective one. Has applications for both withdrawal symptom relief and mitigating tolerance.

*Lactoferrin: another supplement you can get at health food stores/online supplement suppliers etc, which acts against nitric oxide, another excitatory neurochemical that is working to over-amp your nervous system in withdrawals and is involved in both pain states as well as opiate tolerance. Has the fringe benefit of being a powerful natural antibiotic (it is one of the chief immune aiding agents in mammalian breast milks).

*Melatonin: aids with sleep obviously, also can fight tolerance, has minor withdrawal symptom relief traits.

*D-Phenylalanine: blocks an enzyme that breaks down your natural endorphins, can have mild benefits for alleviating withdrawal. Doses for this purpose range from 500mg to 3-4 grams per day. Should be very safe, though obviously not if you have PKU (phenylketonuria), a sensitivity to phenylalanine. Generally if you have PKU, you know it.

I hope this helps....If I think of anything else I'll be sure to post another reply to this thread. Good luck.....I've never been in quite exactly the same position you're in, but for various reasons I've certainly had more than my fair share of experience with withdrawal during tapers, unexpected pharmacy errors/delays in getting orders in, mistakes made by my doctor in writing prescriptions, etc etc so you definitely have my sympathy and I'm sure that of many of the others here!

The good news would seem to be that when the new week begins you should be able to get this taken care of and get your next pain med fill soon....I know it seems like an eternity right now, and this will definitely be a good reminder for both you and your doctor(s) to take extra precautions to ensure that there is some kind of buffer for situations like this, so that you're not going to immediately run out if there is a delay -- particularly right before a weekend like this -- in getting a new prescription....you'd think that I myself would have long since had a perfect system for preventing this sort of thing but I am actually having some problems with my pharmacy at the moment too; I'm not in acute withdrawal because of it, thankfully, but it certainly has thrown a wrench into the works of my current tapering plan and you have my utmost sympathy!

Please do update us when you can.....

Dr Jimmy I'm sorry to hear that you're going thru this horrible time. You have my sympathy, as I have been thru withdrawls from Fentananyl patches a few times. I sure hope this is straightened out for you tomorrow. I didn't realize there were items over the counter to help with the withdrawls. I sure would have tried some of them. I don't know for sure if they work or not.

Take care

hugs
Loretta

Thank you for all the support, advice & empathy...I'm still not able to type very much...I'm now 61 hours without the Oxycontin...The muscle jerking in my arms and legs are gone, thank god...I still have a runny nose that won't quit, but the watery eyes are done...My wife nursed me through like a champ...She stayed up through the night 2 times, because she wanted to keep an eye on me...I love her so much, I would be nothing without her! She took my blood pressure once and it was 155/80...I was surprised, because I'm wearing the clonidine (high blood pressure) patch...I had fevers and then horrible sweating...I soaked through numerous shirts and felt quite gross...I have to say I'm doing better in many ways now, but it's still so uncomfortable being me...In addition to being without the oxycontin, I was also out of percocet...So not only was there the withdrawal, but also no pain relief at all except Advil...For the first day and a half I didn't even feel the pain, it was just the hell and sickness...and then it seemed like as each layer of sickness peeled away, the pain began to be felt more and more...I don't know if that makes any sense...I don't know if I'm even right in my head yet...I'm just rambling here...anyway, the worst is over I think...I decided that I'm not going back on the Oxycontin...I can't be held prisoner to some medicine that does this to my body if I run out of pills, or even am late by a couple hours taking a dose. I don't know what I'm going to do, but I'm going to hope the percocets are enough along with my body's natural pain killing...If not, then I'll take it day by day I guess. I'm going to try to take a hot shower tonight or tomorrow morning...Again, thanks for all of the support and empathy...It really helps to know there are other people who have gone through and are going through what I'm going through...I hope you all have some relief from your pain...Hugs & Handshakes...byeeeeee

Eric

Thanks Tina...I've never had insomnia in my life, but I can't fall asleep tonight to save my life...My neck is hurting so much and I feel tired, but every time my head hits the pillow my mind starts racing from 1 thought to another to another and I twist and turn and then I finally sit up and go online to keep my mind occupied and pass the time...I feel like I'm past most of the worst effects of the withdrawal, except the pain and the inability to fall asleep...It's very frustrating...So where else would I turn, but to this forum once again to complain and vent...lol...I hope I'm not coming across as feeling sorry for myself...I'm just miserable and don't know what to do with myself

I'm so sorry you are going through this:( The only time I had this issue was when I actually had some sort of stomach virus and because I was throwing up so much and terrible diahrrea my medicine wasn't staying in my system and I had to wean down quickly...

This was during one of the biggest snow storms on record for our area....and the sickness lasted almost 7 days for me...It was the worst I have ever felt in my life.....

I remember the feeling of like it was ice in my veins....but was sweating like crazy...

Anyway....just wanted to say that we can truly empathize...

I was really blessed the one time I waited until a Friday afternoon years ago to get my medication and it was before the Christmas holiday....Well, I didn't know my PM's office closed at 1pm for a party and then all went home...So when I got there at 3pm....all closed up...

My Dr. actually left his home and drove all the way to my house to give me my prescriptions!!! This was the start of us becoming actual friends outside my appts....I live in a very populated city so this is extraordinary for a Dr. to do something like this....

After that...My Dr. ok'd it to save a few days of medication to have on hand for a weekend if something like that ever happened again...but I have also learned to never wait until the last minute...

I will certainly hope and pray that you can get by on just the Percocet if you really choose to stop the Oxycontin...I wouldn't try to make that decision now as things look so bleak after this...But whatever works best for you...If your pain is manageable without it....than this is a great thing to only need the Percocets...

I'm glad you have had your wife helping you...

Just make sure you stay hydrated that is IMPERATIVE...I survived on bananas, white rice, and applesauce after the first 3 days when I ate nothing....

Do NOT drink Gatorade or sweet drinks like that....it can actually make you more nauseaus...

VitaCoCo water is the absolute best thing....I would dilute it a bit to a glass of water and take a few sips every 15 to 20 minutes......This has more potassium than two bananas...and it has some needed sodium as well....

As humans...we can survive without food for quite awhile....but fluids are absolutely essential....

Keep us posted....Hopefully your wife will be able to get and fill your Percocet as soon as the office opens this morning...I hope they are open today even though it's still a holiday.

…..morning Jimmy!

I'm wondering how you are doing…and if you got your med's filled….and if you stopped taking the oxycontin? …also are the BT med's working for you on their own? If your willing to share your experience with us…I'm interested…as I went through a very similar experience a while back. I din't like taking the Oxycontin, and to be that dependent on it….so my Dr is trying other options…and at my request…we are trying non-narcotic first. ….Gabapentin….Lyrica….Cymbalta….and so forth.

Thanks!

SE

Oh my Gosh, you brave soul for going it "alone". That can be very dangerous I would think. With the long acting or BT meds that would be twice as bad. I'd probably go to ER and ask to be knocked out.

I was without once a while ago and it was horrible. Part of the problem was the panic - the fear of how bad it was going to be. Once I got through the first night with Tylenol PM to knock me out I felt so empowered - however I realized it wasn't about "kicking a drug that I did NOT Need", it was about needed pain relief. Two different things. I had my Dr. call me in something that was legal to call in i.e. Norco.
Your body's pain is tenfold, trying to deal with your normal pain, then your withdrawal pain.

Being a prisoner to our meds is terrible, however I always say that being able to have something when really needed is a Godsend. I guess it depends on how and when you look at it.
I really hope you're doing okay!!

Thanks for updating us...Sorry to hear you are still having troubles....

The part about still having diarrhea....it's usually due to not being on completely solid foods yet...so there isn't much to "bulk" back up...

Hopefully you can start eating more bread, rice, and bananas....these have the nutrients but also good for better bowel movements...

Sneezing and congestion is a common occurrence with narcotic withdrawals...So...if possible I wouldn't take cough medicine for it as it's really not a cold or allergy issue.....but I guess if it helps...I'm sure it hurts the neck and back:(

As I wrote before...if your pain can be managed with just being on Percocet....then that is wonderful.....But if it can't....then just speak with the Dr. about being ok with having a few days of extra medicine in case this ever happens again...Most Drs. have no problem with this....

Keep us posted.....and thankfully you are over the worst of it...even though you may still have those ups/downs for a bit longer....

Just FYI Medicalkid....A Dr. in the US cannot call in a Schedule 2 medication....So they were just trying to help him until he (or his wife) could get into the office to pick up a prescription...

Unfortunately most Drs. do not consider us picking up our medication too late as an emergency....I think that was meant to be for a Dr. calling into a hospital or a Pharmacy for a cancer patient with immediate pain needs...

It's not something that most Drs. will ever do for just regular pain patients. They would just tell them to go to the ER....

Yes...he could have called in Vicodin or Tramadol...to help....

Again...this is one of those threads that helps the rest of us learn how to speak with our Drs. about having at least a few days of medication saved up for times like these...

Eric...we certainly hope you are doing better today!!

Yep...I'm just speaking of most Drs. and being in PM for over 11 years, and reading boards like these...I've never heard of a Dr. calling in a Schedule 2...So everything I wrote was from what I "think" a Dr. goes by...certainly not what my thoughts are...

But hopefully you can talk to your Dr. about having just a few days extra as this is something that many Drs. are more comfortable with as emergencies/travel does come up..

Ok...don't want to keep hijacking the thread here...

Eric...hope you can come on soon to give us another update on how you are doing..

I tried Kratom once when I had to wait for 4 days for my doc to call in a refill on my pain med(norco) and it kind of helped. It's a legal herb in most states in the U.S. and I've also heard Kava can help. The Kratom I tried twice. Once was a powder form that you simply take or make tea out of, the other was a syrup type mixture you just drank.

All of the other options above are probably much better, as when I had to endure it I had xanax, wellbutrin, and zoloft which probably helped immensely. Take hot showers, try to exercise(i know that sounds crazy). I've been on prescription drugs that have withdrawl effects for a long time, of which those 4 days waiting for a refill were worse than any other drug I've weaned myself off of. Including smoking for 7 years, alcohol, and anti depressants.

Good luck and pull through, it's only temporary. Easy to say though I know.