Overuse of prescribed oxy, my journey to cutting down.

@uk-M-uk

Hi there, apologies that this reply is short for now but it's nearly 2 am and I'm just going to bed.

So, the 5 week reduction was really, really hard. I was given the whole 5 weeks of meds in one go, so there was loads of them in the house. The pain kicked in quite badly at first, but then when my pregabalin was upped (you taper up) it actually masks much of the withdrawal effects. Honestly, Google pregabalin, in the states I think it's called lyrica (you're in the USA right?). There's tonnes of stuff online about how ppl are calling it a wonder drug, when it's used to reduce/quit opiates.

What I will say is you need to be fully committed to cutting down, and the spiral upwards on dose after dose has to no longer be a pull to you, if that makes sense.

I'll get back to you tomorrow once I've slept, but stay strong and maybe start thinking of a plan on how you'll reduce the oxy. I did it 20mg a dose, so from 200x twice a day to 180x twice a day and so on.

Charlie x

Hey no problem same for me im off to bed - no im in the West Midlands UK

Hence why i replied - i gather your from UK?

Normally any talk of Oxycodone is from USA guys

And although i know its the same drug and same physical struggle - the way Prescriptions/Pain Management/GPs work here totally different

And i read loads of peoples "solutions" and its all like buy this drug or go to your doctor or local pain clinic and pay and ask for ....

Doesn't work that way here - so tight on the meds and the pharmacies question everything in my opinion

You seemed to be on alot more than me in terms of regular dose so id be interested to read more of your story

As you can see mine involved alot more different drugs - again fentanyl id advise Hey charlie

So ok wow im so glad i came across this forum and its so recent

Iv been keeping my issues secret for so long and i guess i fell into the trap of im the only one making a mistake taking more dose

So okay il condense this best i can

Im 26 was always fit and healthy - did loads of sport and worked since iv been 16 - never been to hospita at all

Then 4 years ago reglar agonising pain plagued me

After months of this reoccuring and 2 stone lighter im admitted to hospital - 8 WHOLE WEEKS as an inpatient and multiple wrong diagnosis later (including chrons disease, pancreatitis, lymphoma cancer etc) i was being pumped with IV morphine to the point my tolerance was so high i was on slow release morphine - 10mg IV morphine every TWO HOURS - then to a self press morphine machine and finally what was to become my nightmare

75mcg Fentanyl Patches with 4x 400mcg instant release Fentanyl losenges per day for breakthrough (all this WHILST inpatient)

So after being told that as im not eating or drinking and slowly being reduced to nothing im on an end of life Palative Care pain relief plan to "keep me comfortable whilst im alove"

My family GP had been following my progress was worried and called a consultant friend of hers over in the Gastrology Medical Dept (i was in surgery ward)

She came to review case - and no lie 24 Hours and two blood tests and MRI later she finds i have a blood clot - that was apparent in my FIRST scan in first week in my bowel but was MISSED by surgica consultant and now travelled to my Portal Vein - liver providing blood route - whih was now infected and i was septic

Was told i had till end of week for body to gt rid of clot before it reached liver and it was end of the road

ANYWAY - im here - so it worked but the damage caused so much pain it was unbearable (part of it was dependance too im sure)

I was on fentanyl for 2 years - i try to reduce and i sweat and feel like im dying (it really is a deadly drug not even good for a high just a KO Drug) anyway 2 years ago im on a program ro reduce but so hard and all of a sudden i vomit blood - i collapse - admitted in and told due to the initial damage to the portal vein it had caused internal varices veins in my oesophageus - so i undergo an emergency OGD and they stop bleeding over 3 procedures and 18 bands later its stopped

Whilst i was in the pain doctor comes and says - lets get u off this fentanyl - i was so happy - let me point out id never abused this prescription! I stuck to the dose but it was jus so much and so hard to reduce but id never took more

So he says we have this WONDERFUL new drug - great for pain and we can reduce when required

I

And welcome to the bain of my life

OXYCODONE - modified release tabs and instant release solution

From then till now iv lied to GP iv lied to family iv took so much more than my dose - suffered many times the night before im due a script because i took it all too early

I was recently asking for help

Then i was poorly again and was already being goven 700ml of Solution (5mg/5ml dose so its 700mg oxy per scription) plus 56 5mg tabs (which iv ended up chewing)

Now it seems my GP doesnt talk to pain clinic so they unaware of all i take so now they upped me to 56x 30mg tabs!

But KEPT my instant release and given more

And doc has kept same regularity

Iv told them and its like he says well u been on more before and ur in pain just try to keep to ur dose

Like come on just being honest was so hard for me

Iv told them and now its like no one wants responsibility - but to fix it someone has to take that responsibility and ownership

And whilst they battle that out im being given all this and i try to taper but theyre right there

So il take loads and tolerance will soar

Its a horrible drug

I guess i wondering what your 5 week reduction looks like?

Im all over place with my doses

I dont know how im coping as its up and down like mad

Sorry for long message but first time iv ever posted on anything. But something about your post and from the UK made me feel i should avoid like the plague!

But oxy and the withdrawal is evil

Hope to discuss this further

And just FYI iv never abused or dabbled in illegal drugs - only ever taken prescribed drugs and what i was given. Yet i did overuse then try to cope on days with low meds and even make excuses/lies to GP to get more till i had to tell them for my sanity and health

Thanks Charlie for this thread again

Good morning @uk-M-uk

Sorry about the confusion, it was late and I thought you were replying from the states.

Ok, so I'm right in thinking you're on a much smaller oxycodone dose than I am? What did u say, was it 50mg?

I'm going to give you the advice that I followed about this, and it's too sit down with your pain doctor, and fess up to taking more than you're prescribed. It won't shock him, it's a natural occurrence with oxy as we become tolerant we take more and that becomes secretive as you know in your mind you're being 'naughty' for the want of a better word.

He'll then write to your gp instructing him on how to reduce you back to your prescribed dose and will add in some pregabalin. Not only do they stop the withdrawal effects but they also interact with the oxy and intensifies their strength. It's a great pain killer, and is most importantly a non opiate. It's worth suggesting it to the pain doc if he doesn't say it.

You need to be strong and put yourself out of the vicious circle of secretive and lies as it'll destroy you.

Please, fess up to your pain doc.

I paid to see mine privately instead of waiting to see him on the NHS for 18 months. It was the best £190 I ever spent.

Good luck hun.

Hey

So no i was originally told to take 50mg

I managed to reduce my FENTANYL down a lot

But that stuff so so strong i was just strung out constantly

I was on a low dose and with so much pain i had to keep taking a hell of a lot more

As well as other opiates -

Like i was weaning off the fentanyl AND on oxycodone with the aim to stay on oxy only

But when id managed to come off fentanyl they didnt up my oxy and i was in agony

I too made excuses about working away etc but recently during an inpatient stay in hospital i was in so much pain but none of my regular doctors where there and this consultant refused to give me any more drugs - now i had a prescription due on the monday but on the friday id run down to the point id have to take HALF my prescribed dose till the monday

I fessed up and told all this to the doctor (i wasnt in there due to meds issues but rather my long term issue)

This doctor was DANGEROUS as i was constantly vomitting i couldnt keep any of mt meds down - the solution oxy or tablets

At this point i think i was taking around 90mg :

(Instant) in morning and 90mg at night but often needing a top up of 15-20 mg 1-2x per day as breakthrough was a killer

The doctor said all i can give u is IV morphine (i asked for patch but he wouldnt prescribe till i saw a pain team doc or nurse or my consultant both of whom wouldnt be in till the monday)

Charlie - this doc prescribed 2.5mg-5mg IV morphine - only every 4-6 hours! I was so panicked as i was already feeling like death and i knew this would cause withdrawal

I was so scared i was honest about it all and he still would not do it

The sister on the ward was so concerned she spoke up during this ward round and said that i take this as prescription not illegal narcotics

And he "kindly" on the next sat morning upped it to 5-10mg! BUT the new ward i was on couldnt give IV but IM only

This was 2 weeks ago and it was hell

Id had full on withdrawal and my bed was soaked in sweat

My doc came on the monday and she BLEW UP whe was so angry

I then saw pain nurse who hs now given me a dose to stick to - a slow release morning

And a slow release evening with 4 x instant release during day

Its still a really high dose but i hope i can reduce to a lower one over next few weeks - like you i have long term pain so understand ill be on some meds but this level is so high due to tolerance it does not have effect

I rarely feel the euphoria - i take what i need to take for either pain relief or to simply function!

I guess atm the temptation is to take more still - and sometimes to crush the MR - i have no idea why- its not like i want the rush ( rarely get it ) but il take the meds the pain goes but i feel so low and like i cant get into anything its like i feel i must take more to get me up and out etc

Is this something you have experienced? I think its more mental maybe? Like i need to resist that - my tolerance must come down though so i can hve lower doses and deal with the pain

I hate the idea of being on it i was so fit n healthy and i have a good job as manager in a good institution but all of it i worry i could lose due to this medicine its so scary

Also - and im so sorry to keep rambling but you seem so open and i feel your story relates in many ways i mean i never go on forums and i rarely use social media even i really am a go out and socialise person to extreme but like due to all this its stopped

Have you found that on the much higher doses you needed to take due to the tolerance level rising - that you noticed a difference in mood?

Like ok i had to take more to have the same relief effects (like u the odd one or two here and there snuck up on me and the 50mg per day rose significantly) but as i took more and more iv felt so low

Not depressed id say but like cant get into anything - even as daft as tv shows - used to love a good netflix binge but i cant even get into that all since i been on the higher dose!

I really hope you continue to do well - seriously though if your offered Fentantyl - refuse! I think Oxy is an evil drug for withdrawal and addiction its fast and relentless

But Fentanyl is seriously so powerful

They told me months after i was given it - the guidelines changed for it to be Terminal Cancer Pain and End of Life pain relief only

Its 50x more potent than morphine ! Didnt believe it till i read it officially

And to come off that - id say withdrawal was different to oxy But just as brutal

Anyway

Sorry for the essay again

I wish all of you on here rhe best of luck

Please try to keep this thread updated

Its so encouraging to hear the progress

@2Ritchie2168 sorry, do mentions work here? The above didn't lol, I'm trying again :O

All I can say to that is "wow you did it!"  Great job and keep up the good work.  I know how hard it can be.  I'm struggling with being reduced when all was going so well before.  Once again...great job!

Thank u @Miss Jewel I really do hope u get into a rhythm with your reduced meds, again using pregabalin really helped me and I'd urge anyone trying to do the same to try it.

Good luck, stay in contact on here.