[golfpro1]

I am a 50 year old male who has had 4 rotator cuff surgeries in the past three years.
The surgeon started me on the Oxycontin road 2 years ago this coming December.
He botched them and kept prescribing this drug.

I have intermittemtly gone on and off it but the off has been for maybe 1 week max.
I realized this past week that I have been sneaking around using them just to feel good,it really gives me the burst of energy and feel good that used to just be my normal personality.
They are 20 mg and most of the time I will just bite off 1/2 or a 1/4 of one in the afternoon, the sleepy part of the day for a pick me up.
I haven't taken a whole 20mg dose in well over a year and that is the truth.
I coach HS baseball and am person in high regard in the community so it was a shock to myself when I came to this realization and I feel that I need to keep it to myself.

I did reach out and speak to my primary care Doc and he said "with my useage it was no big deal and to just stop, that it was a water soluable drug and would get out of my system in about a week."

Friday I decided that was it so I went cold turkey, I spent all day Saturday and Sunday yawning and sleeping, very irritable and withdrawn from the family I so love, I am an outdoors type and spent most of the weekend inside but I refused to give in.

Is this typical?
Is what my primary care doc said true in that I just need to get through this first week cold turkey?
Is cold turkey OK and will it take longer than a week?
I am VERY determined [person but just need the right direction.
I can't believe that I find myself in this position and writing this email!

[twinkiedooter]

Basically oxy is synthetic heroin. There is no easy way to kick heroin, I don't care what your dr has to say about that. He's the one who hooked you, but you, unfortunately are the one who has to kick this habit. If you can somehow go cold turkey, good. But if you can't don't feel sorry or worry as a lot of other people can't stop taking this drug either. If you are a very determined person and willing to go through withdrawl of this drug, then by all means please do this as the sooner you stop taking this drug and needing it for a pick me up, the better it will be for you mentally and emotionally to have won over this insidious drug that doctors tend to dispense at the drop of a hat for everything and anything. They have no clue as to just how addictive that stuff really, truly is. Yes, I do sound down on doctors, but they tend to be pill pushers in my estimation (at least the majority of them are).

[golfpro1]

Synthetic H ? That is scary and quite honestly hacks me off at the surgeon who by the way has left the state to practice ortho elsewhere. My primary care is the one who said just quit, I have been with him for 14 years
Can you shed any light on a timeframe to get through this?
This is my fourth day into it and feel much better today in that the blues have passed and my head feels clear but last night was weird, I had muscle cramps and twitching in my lower legs all night, it was like electricity running through them, quite uncomfortable and it is still going on as I type this morning.
Is this normal too?
Anyone on here tha can give some words of encouragement will be appreciated.

[isabelle]

The thing that you describe could be RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME and could or could not be related to your withdrawal. If the leg pain continues... see a doctor. The medication prescribed for your leg condition would not be a narcotic.
Good luck with staying off the pills. It sounds as if your doctor was right and you are going to make it.

[golfpro1]

Thanks Isabelle,
The leg stuff just started last night I'll see how it goes.
I "have" learned that biting off 1/2 or 1/4 is worse than taking the whole pill as it releases the dose almost immediately so I thought I was doing myself a favor but was actually doing myself more harm than good.
Words of encouragement are invaluable especially since this is new to me.
I have never been an addictive type and wasn't really concerned about this until the last couple of months then it was like wow what have you gotten into? or did someone get you into?
I've read so many different opinions about the timeframe most say a week but some have said much longer hopefully I am on the backside of it and since my doseage was small it will be a shorter amount of time :>)

[ANB428]

Congratulations on realizing that you have a problem. My mom is in the same boat. She started taking that medicine a few years ago after knee surgery and is still taking them for the "pain". I have told her that she needed to stop, but she hasn't yet. It will be very hard to just stop cold turkey. And good job on coming this far. Continue to do good and the more days that go by the better you will start feeling. I would say that after about one more week you will feel back to normal. I don't know anything about your symptoms but I wanted to congratulate you on taking the first few steps. Keep going and hang in there. Good Job!!

[excon]

but I refused to give in.

Hello pro:

Drug addiction is in your brain mostly - not your body. The above is what you NEED to do. The worst is over with.

excon

[twinkiedooter]

Your body is just reacting normally to the withdrawl of the H. You have to remember that you are stronger than the drug and have a good plan to keep your mind occupied so you don't think about this anymore. I used to do self hypnosis on myself for dumb things or habits I had. This worked for me, but I wouldn't suggest that you just jump into trying self hypnosis until you are over the symptoms. The self hypnosis would be for not wanting to go back to taking this drug ever again. You essentially have the shakes which comes with the withdrawl of H. This is normal. Would suggest that you just go with the flow so to speak. You are doing great. Now up to day four. I congratulate you on being tough and wanting to quit. Quitting smoking and H are almost similar, but believe it or not, quitting smoking is harder!

[golfpro1]

Update to help others in my situation.
1. twinkie I too am from small town OH and keeping myself busy has been helpful
Although difficult in a small town :>)
2. This site is very helpful
3. Wednesday things are getting MUCH better, no more blues, nerves still twitching a bit.
4. It's like a fog has been lifted from my brain and eyes, much calmer and not as
Panicky or desperate feeling as before.
5. Not 100% but comapred to the first three days it is an amazing difference.
6. excon is right it is mainly in you head there are some physical withdrawl symptoms the
First few days that are just horrible but once that passes the lights come back on.
7. I also sought out other advice from some docs and everyone wanted to add me as a
New patient for around 1,200.00 and put me on something called sublaxone? It
Appears that there are guys out there that may be good intentioned but also I
Spoke on the phone to some shifty sounding guys that appeared to want to take
Advantage of someone in a desperate situation, BEWARE.
8. You CAN do this on your own, next step is flushing about 100 of these and that will be a
Personal celebration of liberation tonight!

[twinkiedooter]

Am glad you steered clear of the Suboxone. This is the "new designer" drug that's essentially the same as oxy and just as addicting if not more so. Oh yes, they'll happily take your money with both hands (as they probably need another vacation home payment or Rolls payment).
Glad to hear you're getting physically better from this insidious drug. You are apparently one of the very few people who can actually withstand the withdrawl symptoms and come out ahead. Most people just run back to the dr and get another rx so they don't have to face reality. You being older makes all the difference in the world. You want your life back and are bound and determined to get it back. Reality is SO MUCH BETTER than being in a drugged state any day.

I had an addiction to Fiorinal for many years. I took it for 11 years due to the discs in my neck indenting on my spinal cord causing me horrible headaches. It was the only thing that wouldd help me. My neurologist warned me that I would probably have to take this for years and could have possible liver damage from it. He strictly regulated my monthly amount of pills (bless his heart for this by the way) and I did not have any liver damage. One day I just decided that I have to quit Fiorinal as I was just sick and tired of being dependent on any drug. It was not easy for me to go without. I had headaches from hell to put it mildly. I suffered for weeks until this got out of my system. I would only take just so many aspirins a day for the headaches. Eventually the headaches got better and subsided a lot. This was all due to a horrible auto accident where I was rearended and frontended all in the same accident sustaining a double whiplash to my neck and upper body. I also had a tremendous amount of stress in my life also which did not help my neck from seizing up into spasms. My dr was very proud of me as he had told me years prior

#8 is a GREAT idea. If you can actually physically let go of this evil drug... I will join you spiritually in your personal liberation celebration tonight.

Much love and hope for a better LIFE!
Twink

[excon]

8. You CAN do this on your own, next step is flushing about 100 of these and that will be a personal celebration of liberation tonight!

Hello again pro:

The SYMBOLISIM of an addiction BEATEN is VERY STRONG, and VERY SATISFYING!!

excon

[TroveMistress]

I have dealt with many addicts. Withdrawl is both mental AND physical. Find some AA or NA meetings to go to. Having support and interaction with others who have or had the same problem will greatly help the recovery process. My husband is a physician and we see this in patients from other physicians. We limit our RX for controlled substances as much as possible.

[golfpro1]

Still doing fine without using any other Rx to kick this stuff.
Got that late afternoon drag yesterday and opted for a Diet Pesi Max!

Previous night no cramps but last night had a tugging or pulling sensation on both outer ankles, kind of felt like an emg I had many years ago.
Just when I thought it was over there still appears to be residual affects going on BUT make no doubt about it the more time you get behind you the easier it gets you just need to be strong.

My mental milestone is Saturday and Sunday, I do not want to go through that again.
This is the same method I used with the 4 rotator cuff surgeries and it started feeling like I could do something's but knowing I was still under strict orders to not do anything, would go back in my mind to the first 7 days of hellish pain, remembering that kept me in check.

Being a totally happy guy with a great life and family, Saturday and Sunday having thoughts of divorce, leaving etc, everything was a negative, hated everyone and everything including life itself and I am a very spiritual guy and don't nromally have those thoughts.

So if this sounding board is of any help to anyone keep this in mind, those feelings pass.
Like my ankle surprise last night I don't know what the next day, night or week will bring but I am secure in knowing it will be nothing like the desparte feelings of Saturday and Sunday.

[golfpro1]

Update,
11 days out from the last dose and I feel great!
All of the nerve quivering has stopped and although I did have one or two tired feeling days I think we all do especially at 50 :>)
The best thing of all is knowing that if you get past those first 3 days you can do this on your own.
I don't claim to be so all knowing to speak for everyone though, I'm not a generally depressed person and have a wonderful family and life so for those who don't it may be a different matter altogether.
However being 50 and not sneaking around anymore and feeling like I'm keeping a dirty little secret is also a great feeling.
This is probably my last post and thanks to all who had input into this.
Folks just know that if I did it after over two years that you can do ittoo.
As most poster have said the first 3 days do suck day number one being the worst and day three definitely craving a "little" (yeah right) pick me up but the first two are mainly feeling tired, drained and sleepy with some feelings of depression but they pass.
The feelings of depression in my case were false, unwarranted and just the drug.
DO NOT GIVE INTO IT AND YOU WILL BE FINE!
PEACE and GOD BLESS