Q: I’d like to stop taking my pain medication, but I’m worried about going through medication withdrawal. What will it do to my body? How long does it take to go through medication withdrawal, and what does it feel like?
A: Not all pain drugs cause medication withdrawal symptoms, so I assume you’re talking about stopping narcotics (also called opioids) such as OxyContin, Percoet, Tylenol #3 and Vicodin.
Stopping narcotics causes withdraw symptoms if you have been taking a high dose for a long period of time, and if you have been taking opioids regularly rather than intermittently.
Withdrawal from opioids most commonly leads to symptoms such as restlessness, sweating, runny nose or eyes, tremors, increased heart rate and increased blood pressure, but those effects stop within a few days.
Long-acting opioids, such as MS Contin and OxyContin, provide a steady level of medicine so that you don’t have peaks and valleys in the blood level. This means you can take a lower dose overall, so dependency on the medication is less likely to result.
Therefore, long-acting opioids are better for functioning daily with chronic pain, such as that of arthritis or fibromyalgia. Withdrawal symptoms usually are much less of an issue for most people who want to stop using one these long-acting pain medications.
Medication withdrawal symptoms are far more pronounced and occur very quickly when short-acting opioids are stopped abruptly. Short-acting opioids make blood levels of the medication go up rapidly and come down rapidly. When the blood level of the acting medicine drops quickly, pain returns quickly, leading to the need for additional doses (and higher doses overall). Short-acting opioids, such as Percocet, Tylenol #3 or Vicodin, are used for acute pain.
Whenever you're stopping narcotics, be sure to taper the dose under your doctor’s supervision.
Daniel Clauw, MD, Rheumatologist
Josie Woodbury, USA
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Amen sister!! Very well put.
I am 7 days off oxycodone from an injury in Bosnia years ago.. I'm thru the hard part.. The RLS (restless leg syndrome) is a bit rough. But I just think about my brothers in arms and what they have gone through and it make me feel my pain is NOTHING. It helps to think that too! I will tell ya, its not easy.. and i'm still fighting the addiction. I'm stonger than that, its a test of mental strength.. thats all... 7 days free, and I already feel 80% better... BUT, that injury is still there. Just gotta suck it up and drive on... MUCH better than what Mike explained happens.. and he's right! Be strong, it won't last forever!
D
hero
Hope u are well.
My doctor is being a dick' as he knws I'm in pain had 16 ops but he is still being a prick.
I want to go on holiday and he is telling me he all not give me more then a months meds and I want to go see family for 3 months in India.
It's such a joke I don't want to spend my holiday in pain or suffering.
Pls pls of anyone has meds to sell oxynorm or anything else morfeen based pls email me on nadnazir@hotmail.com
Thks
I want so desperately to stop...and have on many occassions have tried to ween myself off to no avail, due to the horrible withdrawl sysmptoms. I know there should be a better way. However, I have only medicare for insurance and truly do not have the money to go to a treatment center. Is there anything that can help me? Please, I'm despartate. By the way, I was an Operating room nurse for 29 years, helping others, can someone help me?
You need to deal with REALITY or you can just sit there in agony and pray to your pretend deity and feel proud of how hard you are. The pain will go on and on and on, year in year out, you can live it with it to a point and then you'll realise exactly how debilitating it is.
Perhaps you haven't had too many of those days where you physically had to crawl on your floor to the bathroom. Those days are great! Gotta love pulling yourself along the floor as you writhe in agony screaming because the nerves in your back are trapped.
I'm sure that you are in fact experiencing horrendous pain of your own, but your fear of narcotic pain relief is illogical. It doesn't make you "not care". In the correct dosage and administration it aides in reducing the severity of pain. It is very hard to completely eliminate it, but when I'm in so much pain that I'm wishing death was upon me, It's not a matter of "hardening up" it's a matter of doing whatever you need to in order to survive one more day.
To the issue of withdrawals - they are hell on earth, but a doctor who plays with your dosage can make that particular hell much more prevalent in your life than it should be. In the majority of instances the doctors consult with you at best for 20 minutes once every few weeks. What you may not yet realise is that they prescribe not for your best interest but for fear of losing their accreditation. They have their own interests at hand much before yours. Add to that the fact that they don't like treating chronic pain patients because there's almost nothing to be done for them. It's not cancer - it doesn't have an end in sight. So the doctors become sick of the sight of you once you've failed to recover in the first few years. After that you'll find yourself in the too hard basket, at best an inconvenience to be tolerated.
I couldn't care less whether you choose to take pain medication or not. If you enjoy sitting there with your PTSD and the feeling of the shrapnel - congratulations. I for one, want to have any improvement possible in my quality of life. In a perfect world I'd not have to deal with withdrawal or medication ceilings, but I exist in reality and therefore I've had to deal with all of that in spades. I've had more surgeries, more withdrawals and more endless days and nights that I every wish to address. The most important thing is now. Right now. When tomorrow is here I will deal with that. But now, I've taken the smallest possible dose o medication I can to ensure that I get a tiny bit of relief. I am sitting on a burning hot heat pad to aid in the muscle spasms I have in my lumbar spine and I know that I won't sleep very well tonight. But I'll get through it because I have to.
God bless you. Your story and strength are an inspiration to me. I will include you in my prayers. Keep on fighting the fight!
Sincerely,
Kathryn
I guess all I can do is give my opinion to everyone looking for answers. I have Chiari Malformation and other cervical neck problems and I've had neck surgery in the past. I went on pain meds for over two years until they started taking over my life and I was always in pain regardless of how many I took. So I decided to get off them.
Was it easy? God no. And it actually scares me that there are people on this site asking about herbal quick fixes to get around detoxing and opiate withdrawal. How can anyone be so misinformed? Believe me, if there was a quick fix to opiate addiction...we would know about, esp considering that there would basically be no consequences to abusing opiates (e.g., heroin) whether or not you take them exactly as prescribed or not. The only way off them is to taper the best you can and then STAY OFF THEM - no keeping 2 or 3 on the side just in case. Either you get off or you don't. See any doctor and tell them what you are doing - they can give you beta blockers, anxiety meds, muscle relaxers, and a lot of other tools to get you off this poison.
But no matter what other drugs or "tools" you can get to help detox, you have to want it bad enough or it will never happen. Take action. Don't feel ashamed or anything, and do whatever you have to do to help yourself.
And for those of you asking "what about my pain?" Your pain will decrease SUBSTANTIALLY once you let your body adjust to being off the poison. You have to realize that your body has not dealt with pain naturally in a very long time, but it is good at doing so when you allow it to. Plus you will reduce your tolerance to pain meds tremendously, and then maybe take a shot at taking them do they work properly - meaning, not everyday!
If you need info / advice / help with your problem, there are a lot of good online forums with people that will help you every step of the way. Just reach out and ask for the help.
All this to say "Don't believe the BS that you'll be in less pain after detox." It just isn't true.
I didn't want help getting off my medications because I never wanted to. Listen to yourself and find another doctor also if your doctor won't help you. If you don't want to get clean and sober then don't.
I only took some when I got headaches.
Which is all the time! Bad migraines too.
Now, I'm a gym rat and I've been on the pills 2 months now...I'm going back to the gym for cardio and decided to stop all pills. I didn't realize why I was soooo tired all day n night, along with bad heaches.
I wondered what is a wd symptom, the headache, tiredness or both?
I went to a friend who works at a medical marijuana clinic and I took 3 hits.... Wow, headache gone n feel better. I'm sleepy too for once.
Am I detoxing? Or still in pain from accident?
Today I am 40 days clean! yay! NOT lol that means nothing to me bc i messed up to much.. Im a lil bothered that the article (which)was very right with what the editor wrote.. But a long term use of certain drugs (Oxycodone,Suboxone,Methadone) will cause severe, Post Aute Withdrawals aka (PAWS).
This is by far the worst withdrawals you can get.. Not to be foul mouthed so excuse me but like i said i have been clean for 40+ days and i still have bad diahrea as well as waking up sweating; and that terrible cold.hot.cold.hot feeling. As a recovring addicti know...Please dont go down my path God Bless you all.. One Day at A Time
If you have money you buy the strongest from the chemist. No doctor prescription is needed because the owner of the chemist also wants to make money. I have been on antidepressants for ages and no doctor have bothered to evaluate me or see if I still need them. All I do is go with a previous prescription to the chemist and buy some all. You guys are lucky that your drugs are controlled. I love you all and will keep praying for you every day.
Lydia Kinyua - Nairobi - kenya
In my Health Records it is written that I am a drug seeking addict. I am actually just a patient seeking pain reliving medication. I hope that someday the medical community will be able to tell the differance. I have been on every pain pill known and have had epidural shots. I am left to deal with the shards of glass pulsating thru my body and the little knives cutting me from the inside out all on my own. I will do this untill my mind breaks.
DOCTORS SUCK AND THEY ALL SHOULD BE GIVEN CHRONIC PAIN IN HELL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'll be as brief as possible. I have had 17 major spine surgeries over the last 27 years. I now have a entire spine held to gether with 26 bolts and two titanium rods plus a 4 inch plate in my neck. The reason I mention this at all is because of drug seekers.
I found myself looking for a new general family doctor last week. Because of the stigma with drugs for junkies is a hot topic. Especially those on welfare and driving a new cadillac type individual I came prepared with films and hospital proof and my entire back MRI's. This was done to provide proof I was not a junkie seeking pain meds.
You know what? After taking two hours to review my information the doctor finally said I can't afford anymore time with you what is it you want!
You mean I just wasted my time trying to eliviate any suspicion of abuse I would be able to not show proof and still get whatever I requested and I was reminded of this protocol his office has by the doctor himself to me face to face. No wonder the DEA restricts pain meds. With the data I provided this doctor with would be proof and give the doctor some recourse should I be found in possession with pills he prescibed at a party etc.
Laura, I wish I had a way to print your story that is so true, real and accurate. If anyone feels an urge to do something nice here is a request of your readers. Can some one copy and print this story and mail it to me please. I live on Social Security Income and can't afford a printer. If you would mail to Terry Zinger (818)745-5088
21092 Creekside Drive Lake Elsinore Ca 92532.
See there is more proof I am not a junkie looking for a fix. I had real good paying teaching job and earned enough SSA credit that I paid into the system and I am 59 on Medicare also is proof I am disabled and apparently a responsible contributor to the system not on aid like junkies.
In closing you can try and get the stigma removed or just deal with the misconception that I am a junkie will just be on them.
4 times per day! I still have pain in my intestate though my cramping is greatly eased! The stabing ache in my large intestin is the warden over my life:( I am not a victom and would appreciate any hope other than Gods mercy and grace, which with out, I don't know how myife could carry on! I have tried everthing!
Ty dr Reddy and dr. Sharma :)
Rant over. Thanks for reading. Please try to be well and cope guys/gals. This is discusting. My European, Australian,etc. friends put up with NONE of this. Those places are for the people. I pay my bills in full so that can not be the issue. It is this one broad. Grrrr
I don't claim to have any answers For you but here's what worked for me:
Find a good RA MD & PCP that will work together
Give your meds a chance & if theydon't work tell the Docs.Call Abbott Labs Foundation @1-800-222-6885 to get assistance with your out of pocket medication costs.You will have to provide information according to your financial needs but it didn't take long. My only problem is my family. Mom & Dad don't believe that I'm in pain! They think it's "inflamation of the joints!LOL. Any suugestions on how to get OVER this? All replies are welcome.
Like Laura, I too was had a full life before this condition struck – a career, husband, owner my own home, etc until this condition hit me like a bolt of lightening and destroyed my life. I was unable to work for several years while I saw doctor after doctor seeking a diagnosis and ultimately help and eventually lost my job, home and husband. I now barely get by on a disability check bt would be able to work full time if only I could find a doctor willing to do so.Little did I know that a diagnosis would only be half the battle and that the hardest part would be finding a doctor that would actually treat me.
I was fortunate to have found a great doctor who kept me comfortable for many years but once he retired, I was on my own again. The physicians that I have seen since him do not prescribe enough medication to keep me comfortable and have forced me to take medication that made me deathly ill rather than just prescribe more of the medication that actually works.
The ONLY way that chronic pain patients are going to be treated with respect and receive the proper care that we deserve will be to find a lawyer willing to bring a class action lawsuit against every “pain management” physician that has refused to treat us or has under-medicated us, the AMA for imposing impossible guidelines for doctors to adhere to and start hitting these people in the only place that will make a difference – their pocketbooks. Until we are willing to stand as one and put an end to this BS, we will be living with and dying in pain. There is a DIFFERENCE between drug addiction and drug dependency, WE ARE NOT JUNKIES but a whole helluva lot of doctors and nurses themselves are, medicines’ dirty little secret.
Are you in WA state? Who is your Dr.? I'm in pain and my primary physician is on leave. I can't get any relief from the less experienced dr. Hope u will respond.
Does anyone know of an experienced dr. who will treat real pain?
My kids grew up without me being able to do anything physical with them. I was close to bedridden. As a last shot, my doctor decided to finally address the pain issue.
From 5mg Vicodin, over the course of the next 9 years I was titrated up until I was taking 80mg O/C am/pm with 30mg OxyIr x 3/day for breakthrough pain. I felt like I got my life back again. I lost 120 pounds over the these years. I started working out and running. I was virtually pain free.
Unlike the hydrocodone, which gave me a slight buzz that I didn't care for, the oxycodone seemed very clean, with no 'high'. ***I have never sought to get high from pain medication, let me make that clear.***
In mid-2009 my husband of 26 years left and left me without health insurance. My doctor worked with me. I didn't qualify for any patient assistance because Iwas still married to a man who made lots of money (which he didn't give me, btw.) Instead of writing the O/C 80s which cost almost $900/month out of pocket, she gave me the equivalent in OxyIr, or 30mg x 8/day which only cost me $135/month.
Because of the split I wound up living with my daughter many many miles from my home state. Doctor graciously wrote presecritions for me until February of this year, when she said that she had to stop what with not seeing me for a year and being out of state.
As of April 7, 2011, I had 150 30mg pills. I cut back and cut back incrementally. With each cut, the pain returned in greater force and has not abated. Today, August 16th, 2011, I have 24 1/4 pills. Yesterday I took 60mg total, today and tomorrow I will take 45mg, then 30mg for two days, then 15mg for two days and then by next Monday I will be out. I have no insurance, no doctor, no money, but I don't qualify for any of the programs available here. Cruel, eh?
***I have never taken more than I was prescribed.*** I've not ever seen my problem addressed in any forum because they're usually folks who've abused or oevetaken the meds and need help. I have often taken *less* than allowed simply because I paid attention to my body to see if it was needed.
This is no slur on anyone here...it's as real for me as anyone else. I just haven't seen anyone talk about the legit user detoxing.
Right now I've been seeking info in these forums for help. I know that the pain is going to flame on once all the meds are out of my system. I need some help here, if you please:
What is the half-life of oxycodone? How long does it remain in the body? I do have massive amounts of ibuprofen (which I'm not supposed to take due to 3 ulcers from it), magnesium for cramping and my other friend, Xanax .5 which I've taken for sleep for 7 years and which will be the next thing I have to taper off of. I've been 12 hours without a does. Does it get worse than this further along?
Help? Answers? I'm going through this right now and would love any feedback you can give me.
Thank you all so much!
Real deal is there are people who have ligit reasons for the use of 'dope'. This 'norco' term is only a form of PC BS,that doesn't do any one any good.
I didn't see ay mention of why or what in the original inquiry, but I truly hope you find what ever you are seeking.
Try Hazelton in MN- an in treatment facility. If you don't have the pocket -they may be able to finance you. If you really want to kick-that is.
Been there, done that, got the tee-shirt (which now has many holes),for over 40
years- aimee
PS: A Hep C survivor since the age of 15.
i would make a comment myself, but find it worthless, it is pretty much the same story.
i feel bad for us all. i would just like to know what we could do for all of our pain to stop all of the pain killers, and get on with our life.
any comments?
I am a stone maker I actually carry my pain medication everywhere I go, I never leave home without them.
Kidney stone pain is terrifying sometimes when acute breakout pain happens, this is pain so intense it numbs your mind, thats when I use T-3s.
For the longer grinding systemic type stone pain I use oxycontin.
For those that are in pain use these medications without fear just be responsible, the research is in and says that these types of drugs rarely cause dependancy in people who actually use them for what they were made for, short term relief.
For those who use these drugs for recreational use yes they can be addictive, and extremely dangerous when mixed with alcohol.
If you don't need them don't use them.
Smoke grass if you want to get high.
The difference is w/out my norcos it knocks off my daily situation and makes it hard to get going . Now I'm sitting here typing this in extreme pain on both shoulders, but I just don't have the $ to get my arms fixed, but I'll tell you all this ....it sux w/out it
Now I was a raver, so let's just say I have done every drug known to man..minus anything with a needle, and I quit alllll of that cold turkey, but the adderall is the hardest to quit, and norcos are right behind it. So I'm saying like some other people on here....mind over matter......if you took to many, and r hating life until your next refill ....maybe now is the time to call it quits, unless you REALLY need it!!
Both of my meds together make memfeel normal, I'm worried what life will be off it....
I wish someone would have told me the lifestyle changes that occur with taking pain medicine. I have been on pain medicine for three years now. I have tried to quit many, many times and have failed miserably everytime. My withdraws are more than a little shaking. My temperature spikes up and down. I get so fatigued that getting out of bed is difficult. I get the shakes. I vomit anything I try to eat or drink. My kidneys feel like they are throbbing. I start to think about ending my life when the pain is so bad. I cannot find a way to end my battle with pain medicine. My situation requires that I take it due to medical issues, and now my body is so addicted to it, that it begins to shut down when I don't have it. I get seizures. I need help. Can anyone please give me some advice? I need someone that can relate to help me.
helpmewithmyadd@hotmail.com
good luck all
Fb
If you need someone to talk to that can relate to the lives we live email me
asphaltcowboy51@gmail.com
Fb
If I can help anyone please email me.
asphaltcowboy51@gmail.com
Fb
It only lasted about 3 months then I was back on the norco's 10's I take 8-10 a day and never run out before my next month. I have a pain contract with my dr and he gives me 6 months at a time.
I have had 5 surgeries on my shoulder and 8 pins, 6 to hold my shoulder in the socket, 1 for my shoulder muscle tendon, 1 for my bicep muscle tendon. I am in pain all the time, and I think I need to take the pain meds.
I know what stopping will feel like as I have before.
I feel like it is time to stop, I know I should. But that is the farthest it goes, is thinking about it. I want to stop and have asked my dr for withdraw meds. But he tells me that its not a good idea if I want to function on a daily basis. I think my only option is to slowly cut down until I can stop. Any help please? Good luck to all of you. It is hard to live a normal life on these meds. Thank you, Fb
Best of luck to you all. A good life awaits you.
KNOW U CAN DO IT.
Toby from southern NH
Good luck and keep moving, even if its only to the front door, or around the block. Mobility is the key to staying limber NOT allowing this crap to kick our butts!
The most relief I get is from a product called BioFreeze my massage therapist told me about BioFreeze is a gel based menthol rub that eases the immediate discomfort enough allowing me to relax so that I can go to sleep. I own it in a pump bottle, on the go packet, and roll-on. I know its not a cure but it gives minor immediate relief.
Along with discontinuing the meds, I purchased a sleep number bed to help relieve the pressure on my joints. (The real difference came when I finally purchased a quality pillow that helps align my spine) Its been amazing. I have acutally slept an entire night, quite a few times!!!!
Yes, I have been through the system... back surgery, have a ruptured disc in the neck, spondolosis myopothy and I've been on all types of muscle relaxers, pain meds, epidural block (9 sets) finally enough is enough I felt like I was crumbling in front of my mirror. I just decided that although I had no choice to stop the meds I could make this work and I had to keep a positive mind to remain saine.
Although this is not a cure my physical therapist tried something different from what I have ever done in PT this past summer as a last resort prior to another surgery. An exercise that is noted as "nerve extension exercises." (I will not lie it hurts like you may have never hurt in therapy before, but.... it worked, and is still working!!!) Look into it, maybe it will help you, it sure has helped me and I do them at home on my own.
The only other items that help with my arthritis are making sure I keep my tennis shoes in great condition and replace them regularly as needed. And, ceasing all intake of soda products (to which I was highly addicted!)
Know that if you read this and you find any hope then what I have been through & continue to battle on a minute by minute basis, day by day basis will have been worth the time that it takes to find the little things that work for me.
Good luck and keep moving, even if its only to the front door, or around the block. Mobility is the key to staying limber now allowing this crap to kick our butts!
so now the little sleep I usually get is like a mirage -- and I taper as best as I can with one month's supply split into two months.
Looks like I will be forced to grow my own medicine!
PS I am worship leader, youth leader and game leader in my church... talk about mixed feelings. My kids deserve a parent who is not suicidal due to daily torture. I love life and I love God and country... it breaks my heart to be made into a criminal!
They gave such a restful sleep that I've been taking half a pill for sleep every night for 2+ years and would like to taper off. What is the best way to finally get rid and yet get a restful night's sleep. I'm 86 yrs-old and insomnia is not unsuaul for seniors. I've never taken any in daytime or more than l/2 pill at night.
Not being able to breathe and getting a lung transplant was what I thought would be just about the hardest thing a person could go through and I am truly lucky to be alive. But, chronic pain is very difficult and certainly affects your entire quality of life. Good luck to all of you.
I decided to go off LorTabs cold turkey. Ten days into the withdrawal, I suffered a severe pain in my stomach like no other I have ever experienced. I threw up and passed out and then slept for about an hour. I have felt much better since then. But I am still weak and am limited to what I can do, but I'm getting there. People - don't let the doctors kill you.
During our search to find a doctor who could tell us what was wrong with my wife, the majority of doctors we met were the type who would tell us that she just needed to "tough it out." They told us that she couldn't be in that much pain, without a visible injury. Some told us it was just in her head.
As bad as the doctors who do not care or understand pain are the doctors who buy in to the pharmacological push for non narcotics, especially tramadol. Tramadol, from our experience, is far more addictive and outright dangerous than any narcotic pain medication ever given my wife. The withdrawal is horrendous, and she suffers mercilessly trying to stop. Unfortunately, tramadol is about the only medication being pushed on my wife. So she really has no choice, mild pain relief with the associated seizure like symptoms, and hell coming off, or no pain relief at all.
If the government wants to fight a "war on drugs", they should do so and stop hurting real pain patients. The doctors are so scared that they're pushing an insidious drug on people.
My wife has almost been driven to utter despair and questioning the point of living due to pain, and America's refusal to treat it. We're adults. We understand that narcotic pain medications are addictive. It's a trade off that we should be allowed to make. Let her take an addictive drug, but be able to get up and be active, or lay in bed 24 hours a day because she is in too much pain to do anything at all. So far, she has only been given the option to suffer.
Physicians wrangle and often struggle with the issue of narcotic based pain medication. In the United States, and within certain states, the States Department of Justice are utilizing a PMP- or prescription monitoring programs. These record any and every time any citizen in their respective state is prescribed any scheduled medication, be it SII, SIII, SIV, and SV. Certain States also monitor non scheduled drugs as well. This system is designed to tackle persons who "Dr. shop", as well as used in criminal proceedings against physicians who prescribe potentially addictive and potentially abusable medication to persons with no medical need for such drugs. The systems are also used civilly to revoke a potentially violating Dr.s license to practice medicine. To get to the point- Dr.'s are becoming both timid and paranoid with regards to prescribing these medications. In recent times, doctors have begun to underprescribe due to the fear of both criminal sanctions as well as civil proceedings filed against the him/her by the patient and by the government. Physicians are aware of the PMPs, and they don't like the Department of Justice monitering what and who they are prescribing to. This has created a sense of fear in the medical community. Clinicians will often admit to colleagues that they fear being penalized by the PMP systems for treating legitimate patients. These systems record how often, and how many patients are being prescribed what medication, in what dose by the specific doctor.
As a rsult of prescription monitering programs, physicians would prefer a patient find alternative ways to manage pain rather than prescribe opiate based analgesics. It's dependant on the individual physician. Some physicians operate under the assumption that anyone using any type of opiate based medication had better be in stage IV termnal cancer. They prescribe NSAIDS as well as opiate antagonists such as Tramadol to patients in need of medication to mitigate chronic pain. These drugs are not nearly as effective (some contemporary research suggests the efficacey of Tramadol/narcotic Antags with respect to pain mitigation to be 0%), nor do they have nearly as high an abuse potential and a much lower potential for dependance. As such, legitimate patients often suffer in pain due to underpresibing, or non-prescribing physicians, who are afraid of loosing their livlihood as physicians.
Patients need to understand that the various laws and the varioius monitering systems are in place by virtue of abusers (both patients and physician), specifically high profile persons (celebrities, politicians, athletes) who have either died from an overdose, or have made public statements implicating the physician for their arrest/poor decision making and "addicaiton", rather than taking any personal ownership or for their actions. As such, society, the courts, and the government have become reactive by putting in place these various systems to both remind and to some degree intimidate physicians to be dilligent/honest with prescribing, as well as to catch and deter drug abusers who chase different physicians for multiple prescriptions. Unfortunately, along the way, many many people who are in legitimate pain and suffering have become victims of this process.
In certain States, the laws are more restrictive than others. A great example is California. California has one of the most comprehensive prescription monitoring programs in the United States, which was started ahead of other states because of moron celebrities and high profile persons who were involved with prescription drug abuse. However, in California, you can walk into a storefront office, in which a licensed physician writes Medical Marijuana "referrals" to nearly any patient, so long as they have the $125, and the $75 renewal fees. Marijuana is entirely unregulated in California. A patient can buy, and subsequently use any amount he chooses. The laws regarding Medical Marijuana are very liberal (however may begin to change in the near future) in California, while the laws in place to monitor legitimate pain based medications are very restrictive.
Withdrawl from many medications, opiate or otherwise is common in any patient who's been using those lawfully prescribed medications for any extended period of time. Physicians have an obligation to treat a patients pain respobsibly, which often involved the use of opiate medication, as well as a comprehensive pain management program utilizing other treatements such as PT, Yoga, medical massage and so on. As such, when the time comes for a patient to begin titrating his/her dose, the physician needs to see to it that the process is administered respobsibly and will have minimal impact on the patient. The patient should never suffer. If the patient is suffering, the Dr. did not meet his legal "duty" as the patients health care provider.
Physicians should never withold medication from a legitimate patient, be it a pain patient, a psychiatric patient, a hypertensive patient, whatever. They are obligated to treat a patient respectfully and respobsibly. If pain meds are appropriate, then the patient should be prescribed the meds accordingly. There are exceptions however. Persons with a prior history of illicit substance abuse typically have a very difficult time finding a physician who will prescribe them any controlled substance. It's unfortunate that these patients receive substandard care, but in those cases, the liability placed on the physician is much higher than it would be with an "ordinary" patient. It will be nearly impossible for those specific patients with former illict drug habits to be prescribed any amount of any scheduled, controlled substance.
If your physician is not treating your pain pursuant to AMA guilines, I would IMMEDIATELY find a new physician. A patient has the right to effective, competent health care. In the discussion above, it involves the treatment of both chronic and short term pain. There are many great "alternative" (although still opiate agonists) pain medications which are long acting and have lower abuse potential. Methadone is currently receiving attention again for it's beneficial properties when used accordingly to treat chronic pain. Other long acting medications like Oxycontin are very effective, though the drug has a terrible stigma because of the various high profile cases with celebrities, and due to the civil suit brought against Purdue and other manufacturers regarding improper labeling and distortion of clinical data. However, long acting pain medications WERE and still ARE the most effective treatment options for CHRONIC pain patients. These drugs would not be appropriate for the 19 year old student who suffered a stress fracture of the foot. In those cases involving a traumatic injury/pathology and/or post-op treatment, an IR released med is appropriate. Short acting drugs like Hydrocodone 10s,5 and/or Oxycodone 5s or 10s are typically used in these instances. As stated in the body of the article, these drugs create a spike in plasma levels, but fall quite rapidly. After the duration of treatment, those patients will generally be taken off all narcotic pain medications. At that time, the clinician may or may not utilize a drug like suboxone to minimize and discomfort associated with withdrawl.
It's difficult to be a chronic pain patient. Finding adequate treatment is often a battle. These battles take a toll on the physical as well as the spiritual wellbeing of the patient. I know all to well because I've been a chronic pain patient for 6 years now. Fortunately for me, I have access to quality physicians and quality health care, as well as professional background in medicine.
Good luck to everyoone out there.
Just a couple of questions...
What is the drug called to help you get off narcotics. Could it help with your pain if taken regularly? Can it help long term for pain? Because this could be an alternative to narcotics I've heard. Not sure if it is true, but would like to find out. I guess there r not many docters out there who can perscribe this. Why? Seems to me that it would be safer. Why do patients have to struggle not to go through withdrawels if this is the answer to it. R they withholding care for this do to money reasons. why do only specific patients have the right not to feel bad if they r about to come off pain meds. Ok enough questions. can somebody respond... Thanks Jacky
Just remember the rolling sensation will come back naturally once you are off the medication and the depression will stop.
If you can not get any more drugs I would take antacids keeping the acid chemicals released from your brain during withdraws will help the anxiety and keep you from going to the bathroom more then for times a day. Good luck just think how good your kidneys will feel and having normal shits before you shower will be great huh??
But the suboxone works to get off as long as you have been in the withdrawls for at least 24 to 48 hours.
Day 1: Head ache and tired
Day 2: Sever head ache, exhaused, running to the toilet every minute, hot and cold sweats, vomitting, and pure hell
Day 3: Exactly like day 2, but 10 times worse.
Day 4: Not sure what to expect.
To mention I have not slept for 3 days either. Please talk to me and help me get through the next 2 days. Heard 5 days is the key, and Friday is day 5. Who has quit cold turkey and found success? What were your days like?
PS You have to be ready to QUIT!!!
ps.its not worth it in the long run.i mean i dint jsut start using i had back injury.
good luck.
I'd been taking close to the max dosage of Lortab 5/500 for about 3 months for treatment of chronic pain (max doage = 8 tablets in 24 hours due to acetaminophen toxicity). While initially it was extremely effective and allowed me to function better that I have in years, I found it required an increasing dosage and that dosage was less and less effective for the chronic pain. I knew that any further increase (or even continued use at that level) put me at risk of liver damage.
So I quit cold turkey -- but I would caution others against this approach. I spent 2 days in bed with classic withdrawal symptoms - severe sweats, increased pain, hot/cold, anxiety, dysphoria, shaking, etc.
The first 48 hours were by far the worst. Then things got slowly better. After 5 days, only minor symptoms remained. After 8 days, it was just my old friend, chronic pain, remaining.
My doctor later advised me that most, if not all, of these withdrawal symptoms could have been easily avoided by slowly tapering off and carefully timing my tapering dosages. At the time, I just wanted off the narcotics. But looking back now, I wished I'd been smarter about how I achieved that. Clearly, I did it the hard way. You don't have to.
But if you're already a day or two into a cold turkey withdrawal (from a similar drug and dosage), know that the worst will be over in a day or two.
If you haven't yet started, talk to your doc about a way to taper off that avoids the worst of these symptoms.
One last thing. I am now off of all narcotics and plan to remain so for the forseeable future. But my chronic pain remains a very serious problem that severely limits my activity. I'd tried many other treatment options over the years without success - both traditional and alternative. Exercise clearly helps - but only to a limited extent. So I have not closed the door to opiate treatments in the future. I am just not in a big hurry to travel that road again.
As always, YMMV.
The side effects getting off meds can be as bad as getting on them. But, they do pass. It's still worth it to try out meds if they may benefit you.
p.s. Everyone reacts to meds differently. We don't know what Michael was taking. Taken correctly, meds are probably not gonna kill you. Talk with your doctor, then follow his/her advice...
THANKS RICHARD LOMBARD
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