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48 hours ago I went on a little strike...

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Chronic Pain
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Posted 10/10/2011 11:18 PM (GMT 0)
I decided that I had had enough of the pain meds and just stopped.

For the record, YES, I am currently regretting that move and am about to end the strike.

I know, I know, nono .  But, I just HATE the way they make me feel!

rolleyes  

Posted 10/10/2011 11:56 PM (GMT 0)
My online Friend
I am in the middle of oxycontin withdrawel....boy the symptoms suck. Runny nose,blurry vision from watery eyes,cramps, sweats not fun and I am day 3 of no oxy. The vixodin isnt helping take the pain away from my bad left leg. I know what you are going thru. Try to stick it out but please call your doctor and tell him that you went off all your meds. The doc could give you clonipin to relieve your withdrawel symptoms.

Keep us posted as how you are managing the symptoms.Dont think that you are an addict it is our bodies telling us we are dependent on the drugs.
Posted 10/11/2011 1:20 AM (GMT 0)
I have done that before, and for the same reason. I can't stand the drugged feeling, the forgetfulness, the whole side-effect spectrum. Then I realized how bad life is without the meds. I can't stand the way they make me feel at times, but I can't stand staying in bed all day not functioning without them. Have you talked to your doctor about this?

I hope it gets better. Acceptance can be a very tough obstacle in medical management.

Praying for you,
Mindy
Posted 10/11/2011 5:14 AM (GMT 0)
Cathy,

Oh, honey - I've been there. And I've done the exact same thing - more times than I can count. I can't advise you what to do - you need to make that decision.

The one thing I will say is that - if you've been on these meds for awhile - our bodies ARE dependent on them (completely different than being "addicted"). And withdrawing from them can be very difficult and not fun. That's why most people give up and get back on them. Some people think that w/d lasts a week or so... I've NEVER found that to be true.

Anyhow, we are here to support you; please be safe.... and reach out if you need someone or some support.

Many hugs, Tina
Posted 10/11/2011 2:44 PM (GMT 0)
Just one thought. Forgive me if I'm being redundant as i don't know your situation. But if you had the right medications than they wouldn't make you feel awful. As one very good doctor told me once it's not unusual to only tolerate *one* type of pain medicine. That's why they make so many.

It took me years to find a combination that didn't make me hate the way I felt. Either I couldn't think or I couldn't function or I couldn't tell you what day it was or it changed my personality completely.

Then when I did find the right one. My whole life changed for the better. Now of course the doctors want to take it away. But I'm not going down without a fight.

Maybe you already know this and don't want to do it this way, but the withdrawals don't need to be so awful. A good doctor would wean you down slowly. I did it once and the rule of thumb is 10% less each month.

You sound like one hell of a tough cookie and might not want to take that long. Or you could look into suboxone <sp?>, though I would highly suggest researching it to death in how one should take it because most doctors don't even know the right way.

Sorry if none of this applies to you. Just had to say something because doing what your doing is so painful in so many ways and I don't like to see people suffer needlessly.

Imme
Posted 10/12/2011 6:15 AM (GMT 0)
I certainly understand your feelings. The only medications that really messed with me and made me feel 'drugged' were Lyrica and Cymbalta! I take time release pain meds and something for break through pain. For me it's finding the right dosage so I have a reasonable amount of relief without falling asleep every time I sit down. But it's all so different for each of us.

I have lessened the amount I take over the past year but it's been at glacial speed. My doctor is happy to help in any way he can as long as my ideas are reasonable and safe. I don't know an exact percentage to cut back if you want to but I think that 10% number sound reasonable. Expect it to take way longer than you want to but it can be done without horrific pain and suffering. You might try just lowering the amount of what you are taking, very slowly, and see if that makes you feel better.

Just a thought~
Chutz smilewinkgrin
Posted 10/14/2011 2:02 AM (GMT 0)
As of today I have some new changes to get use to.

1. We are keeping the Percocet.
2. We are going to 2 Robaxin a day instead of 3
3. We are adding Prozac every morning
4. We are adding Clonazepam every evening.

I do need the 10 mg Percocet, the pain is that bad right now. There's nothing I can do to change that. I sleep until 7 a.m., get up, take a shower, and go back to bed. When I get up, I mope around the house with little to no motivation. The winter doldrums have started setting in early. When we discussed it all, he wanted me to try the Prozac (I do suffer from clinical depression, but have never medicated) and see where that puts us. He started the Clonazepam because I have been an insomniac for a month and am at my wits end with not sleeping. I am looking forward to a good nights sleep for a change.
Posted 10/14/2011 10:10 AM (GMT 0)

educ8athome said...
As of today I have some new changes to get use to.

1. We are keeping the Percocet.
2. We are going to 2 Robaxin a day instead of 3
3. We are adding Prozac every morning
4. We are adding Clonazepam every evening.

I do need the 10 mg Percocet, the pain is that bad right now. There's nothing I can do to change that. I sleep until 7 a.m., get up, take a shower, and go back to bed. When I get up, I mope around the house with little to no motivation. The winter doldrums have started setting in early. When we discussed it all, he wanted me to try the Prozac (I do suffer from clinical depression, but have never medicated) and see where that puts us. He started the Clonazepam because I have been an insomniac for a month and am at my wits end with not sleeping. I am looking forward to a good nights sleep for a change.


I find Percocet gives me more "energy" and a less doped up feeling than hydrocodone. I also take Clonazepam for sleep and it helps, though recently my pain has gotten worse but I just switched to Percocet and sleep well. If the klonopin doesn't help ask about lower the dose and adding Ambien 10mg...I hate ambient but it lets me sleep like a baby even if I've in really bad pain.I get the depression thing to, I never thought pain could do that to me. BTW Hand pain is no fun at all :/ I get shooting pain into my hand from a herniated disc and about a year ago I crushed my hand between 200lbs and a concrete floor and the pain is super hard to treat! I was started on hydrocodone but I had to take 15mg at a time for the pain to stop but the percocet was so much better at a much lower dose! Good luck!
Posted 10/14/2011 1:09 PM (GMT 0)
I am not starting the Clonazepam until I get home from my mini-vacation. I left the doctor's office in Chattanooga and headed southeast to just outside of Jacksonville to see my brother and his family. I am sure all of the fun we have planned will aide me in sleeping until I get home. <3 I am hoping that the Prozac will improve my daytime mood, though. It is tough feeling lifeless all day long. I have a lot of life left in me, and want to live it.
Posted 10/14/2011 1:48 PM (GMT 0)
I sure hope you have a nice mini vacation Cathy and that your pain level lowers and you can get some good sleep.
The med that is helping me right now is Remeron. It helps me sleep, which i haven't in years and it is helping my depression. The tear ducts have been shut down for now. Hope it lasts.

Take care and enjoy your time with family.

Suzane
Posted 10/14/2011 8:42 PM (GMT 0)
I too hope you have a nice vacation Cathy. Having a time out for relaxation is important for everyone. I too was on Remeron for quite some time for depression and it works well for me, with some weight gain issues, although the restful sleep lost when I stopped it is missed. Right now I am on nortriptyline and trazodone for depression and sleep, and they do help without causing weight gain or more fainting issues.
My tear ducts are sadly still active as the Lupron keeps causing more depression than normal for me. I hope you lose that lifelessness soon. Many of us here understand what you mean and are here to help. Try not to let that lifeless feeling keep you from asking for help.
Mindy
Posted 10/15/2011 9:37 AM (GMT 0)
Educ,
A lot of people hit a lot of great points..first off I think a vacation is a great idea it will give your body some time to rest from all the medication and they will work better..as for me..I was on very high doses of pain meds (200mg fentenyl,30 mg oxy and soma..I went on yes, remeron, an anti-depressant and was able to cut my pain meds more than half..I take way Less and can think straight, laugh and can go out again..sometimes those wires in our head get confused..depression and pain ..try to treat both but stay aware too..listen to your body.
Posted 10/15/2011 3:23 PM (GMT 0)
Cathy, I sincerely hope you get some much needed relief. I know that lifeless feeling all too well and it sucks. My aunt took Percocet and it made her feel that way. (Just a thought.)

For what it's worth I take Clonozapam for sleep and it works like a charm. And I can take 20mg of Ambian and still lie awake!

Imme

PS: Lasardo, I find it really interesting that you've been able to cut your pain meds in half! I wish I could find an anti-depressant that I could tolerate.
Posted 10/16/2011 4:23 AM (GMT 0)
First of all, I start by saying that as a general rule, I am not a drinker.  On the one or two times a year, maybe, that I do drink, one drink and I'm feeling fine and there's typically not a 2nd drink.

My brother is a bouncer for a local bar.  One of the perks is being able to get a nice discount on liquor.  Him and sis have been making me a variety of different drinks that have become some of their faves.  Today my brother filled my water bottle for me while I was dressing for a day out in St. Augustine.  Before leaving, I took all of my pain meds.  I drove the entire trip down and my arms have been paying for it ever since.  I grabbed my water bottle from my brother and headed out.

That was NOT water in the bottle!  ROTFL!  about 1/3 of the way through my drink, coupled with the Percocet...lets just say that mama had a very enjoyable day!  My son was cracking up at my mellowness...again, I was enjoying the lack of pain.  I'm sure it was a sight!

The Prozac seems to be a positive thing.  I do have more energy and while I did nap today, I haven't felt the need for a nap the previous two days.  For months all I have wanted to do was nap.  That is a huge improvement!

Thanks for all of the input.  I had to get away from home.  I couldn't ever put it that way to my husband, because his feelings would get hurt and all that jazz.  But, it is the truth:  I needed to just get away from home for a few days.  NOW I am in a mind set where when I return, I can function as the wife and mother that I need to function as.

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