when i don't need to take oxy for pain what do i do about the withdrawls?

Question

i have had numerous surgeries, including a spinal fusion in my neck. i have to take oxycodone for the pain. however there are obvious side effects that are undesirable. like no libido(my wife complains). sometimes i can handle the pain without the oxy. but, what i cant handle are the withdrawls. I have tried xanax but i still feel crummy. any ideas on what to do for the withdrawls i would greatly appreciate.

Sorry, i did leave out some details. Thank you all so much for your help. I have been on the oxy for about 2 years at 80 mg 4 times a day. they are extended release so i cant break them in half. i appreciate the home remedies and i will definitelty try these. But are there any other meds that i could take for the withdrawls that when i don't need the oxy i wont go through the withdrawls. The main problem is that a lot of the time i really do need the oxy for the pain. i just don't want to be taking them just for the withdarwls. as i said this is affecting my marriage as it seems with any oxy med i lose my sexual drive, which my wife tells me is affecting our marriage. thank you all for your support and great answers

Answer 1

First and foremost you should talk this over with your doctor. He might suggest you take just a half a pill or another medication to treat you dependency.

Answer 2

You don't state the dose you are on, nor how long you have been using the oxycodone.

Anyways - discuss the fact that you want to get off the meds w/ your MD at your next follow up. Ask about starting to taper the dose down.

Example: say you take 5mg 3 to 4 times a day. Instead of stopping it cold turkey (hence the withdrawls), go down to 5mg twice a day for 5 days (or 1/2 a tab 3 to 4 times a day for 5 days - as long as they're not extended release). Then after the first 5 days, cut the dose by about 1/3 to 1/2 again and do it for another 5 days, then go down to 1/4 of the original dose for the next 5 days to a week, then stop.

This should greatly reduce your withdrawl symptoms.

If at anytime the pain comes back - try to stay at the dose you've tapered to, or one step above it. You might find a lesser dose will do the trick (pain-wise). Plus, then you don't have to start the taper over again when you want to get off the meds all together.

Hope this helps...

Answer 3

When a pain doctor puts you on an extended release medication like Oxycontin, you are supposed to take it at your regular times whether you are in pain or not. It is not an "as needed" medication. Check the information sheet they give you from the pharmacy, it will say the same thing. Usually the doctor also gives breakthrough meds to be used as needed when the pain is worse, but the Oxycontin is for constant releif and should be taken on a regular schedule regardless of the pain level and is not for as needed administartion.

Answer 4

First of all, have you been taking this narcotic responsibly, according to the doctor's orders? You do not specify for how long you have been taking oxycodone or how many pills you take per day. Also, how long ago was your last surgery? You need to be very careful with narcotics, because once you start, its not that simple to stop taking them. The best way to deal with withdrawals is to slowly taper them. Ask your Physician to gradually decrease the dosage on a weekly basis. Never discontinue a narcotic abruptly! Some patients have reported symptoms such as: rapid heart rate, sweating, insomnia, headache, flu-like symptoms, stomach pain, dehydration, convulsions. For some reason, eating( a full stomach) relieves some of these symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms may be at their worst for the first week and you should NOT attempt to do this on your own. Seek the help of your pain management team, who can assist you with medications to help you sleep at night, and help you feel better during this difficult time.

Answer 5

I refused to go to Oxycontin for this reason, I will go days without taking my percocet sometimes, and other times I have to have it to move. I take the percocet, so I am in control. Maybe you should go back to percocet instead of oxy? Or ask your doc to write it for a lower mg pill so you can take less of it if you need.
I know withdrawals are horrible, but your doctor could also write you a prescription for something called compazine sp? that will help with the nausea and chills.

oxycontin also has a side effect of lowering your testosterone levels, if your doc hasn't checked them.... ask him to, he can give you testosterone shots which really help things move better in the bedroom.

Good Luck!

Answer 6

Here is what I suggest to get you over the worst part of the withdrawals.

To help with the withdrawals take hot bathes with 2c. of dissolved Epsom salts and soak for 30 minutes. The skin is the biggest organ of elimination and this will help pull out the drugs. Use a loofa to clean the pores and this will help pull the drugs out even faster.

I recommend you drink purified water mixed with mineral water 50/50. This will replace the minerals that are exiting your body continuously.

I suggest that adults and children drink 40 ounces of water per 100 pounds of body weight every day and 2c. a day of fresh carrot juice, to flush the medicine out of your liver. You can take 500mg of calcium and magnesium twice a day to help you relax. Drink chamomile tea throughout the day and evening to help you stay relaxed.

Use a powdered fiber supplement twice daily to pull the drugs out of your intestines where they can store.

Two of the questionnaires in this forum did follow this program to withdraw from drugs and it did help. I've enclosed a link where you can read their response to this program.

If you have any further questions please let me know,
Billie77

Answer 7

Becareful with you pain doctor if he puts you on another drug...I am addict to percosets and now I am on 80 mg of methadone. So I went from one addiction to another. I started to come off and the withdrawl is unbearable. I refuse to do it. I am starring this queston and keeping track cause someone might have a good answer...Thank you

Answer 8

Try using something homoeopathic. Check out Nux Vomica, Belladonna, Lycopodium.
Eat lots of Bananas because they're high in potassium.