Please Help! Oxycodone Withdraws!

Please help! (Long read but I am a single mom & don’t want to withdraw around my kids)
I’m 26, have chronic pain, and been on Oxycodone for two years. I had an anterior cervical discectomy on my neck January 2014. I've been up & down on my doses since the surgery. Hydrocodone 10s to Roxicodone 15mg. A month ago, my pain was under control and almost gone. My pain management doctor & I decided to wean me off of the medication slowly. I cut down from Roxi 15s 5x per day to Oxy 10HCL 4x per day. I had a flare up when taking my two kids to the zoo, took more than prescribed & was allowed to refill a few days early. They gave me a month’s supply. This was two weeks ago. My pain was still flared & I continued to take the same dose as if I was still on Roxicodone. I called them a week into my new prescription telling them that I was taking more than prescribed and I may be a few days short. A week later, I asked if I could be prescribed something else because I was still taking more. The PA’S nurse called me back two days later with intentions of bumping me back up to Roxi then changed her mind whenshe found out I didn't have many pills left to dispose. The PA didn't feel comfortable seeing me two weeks into a month's prescription and asked my pain management doctor. The doctor said that they refilled me early in the past and wouldn't do it again. They told me that I needed to come in on Oct 23rd when the refill is due. The scheduler said that early refills are explained in my contract & they just aren’t willing to do it again. I told the scheduler that I really needed to be seen to discuss withdraws as I only have 4 pills for 13 days. She said she would give the message to the doctor, but until then they would see me on the 23rd. This was on Friday so I knew I wouldn’t get any message back. I have some prescribed valiums too that I plan on taking if they won’t see me. I am already having heavy sweats from only taking 5mgs. I’m on Celexa and I’m taking Naproxen to help with my chronic pain. I'll be cold turkey on my oxy for 6 days if I don't get help. I have two toddlers & I am a single stay at home mom while my husband is deployed. I cut my 4 pills in to halfs but I'm really afraid of withdrawing around my kids. Should I call the doctor's office back this week asking AGAIN for help on how to deal with withdrawals around my kids?

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LMD:

I am sorry that you have to go through this, but perhaps there are some options.

YES, you most certainly should call your doctor back. Tell them you are withdrawing. They should help you.. it is not your FAULT that it is happening. It is a natural response. As a pain management specialist, they should understand this and help you. Of course, *should* is a big word here and it sounds like they may not be willing to help.

So, what to do? Well.. You have 4 10mg oxycodone pills remaining? You need to cut the halves in half again. I would suggest this schedule:

Day 1 - 2.5 mg in morning 2.5 mg around noon and 2.5 mg before bed : 7.5 mg total
Day 2 - 2.5 mg in morning 2.5 mg around noon and 2.5 mg before bed : 7.5 mg total
Day 3 - 2.5 mg in morning and 2.5 mg before bed : 5 mg total
Day 4 - 2.5 mg in morning and 2.5 mg before bed : 5 mg total
Day 5 - 2.5 mg in morning and 2.5 mg before bed : 5 mg total
Day 6 - 2.5 mg in morning and 2.5 mg before bed : 5 mg total
Day 7 - 2.5 mg in morning : 2.5 mg total
Day 8 - 2.5 mg your choice of time 2.5 mg total

It is not going to be easy. Not easy at all. So, therefore, you need to supplement with something. Find some Kratom and make tea or figure out another way to ingest it. This is going to help with the cravings. "Kratom contains alkaloids including mitraphylline, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine. These alkaloids act as mu-opioid receptor antagonist. Due to this function, the kratom is use as an alternative to opiates for those people suffering from opium dependence."

So, hopefully your doctor will help. If not, I would follow the above. Don't forget to drink A LOT of water and/or gatorade. Also, I find that chicken soup helps.

Good luck.

-D

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My doctor told me very early on into my pain management that he doesn't prescribe fentanyl & if I wanted that, I would have to be seen by someone else. Do you think they will brush me off when I leave the message? My doctor has ALWAYS been so compassionate and understanding about my pain since my husband deployed. It caught me off guard when they disregarded my concerns on Friday to be seen regarding withdraw. Granted, I was hysterical over the phone because the scheduler was giving me no hope whatsoever to be seen.

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How long have you been seeing the current pain management doctor?

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Just a thought... Could you ask them to prescribe you Tramadol for breakthru pain? Maybe they would feel better scripting that. Of course, now Tramadol is a schedule IV so who knows.

It sounds like you are already in withdrawal. Seriously: go find some Kratom. Thankfully, it is still a legal herb. Head shops usually carry it. Assuming there is a place near you that is open on a Sunday that carries it...try to find some. It is supposed to really work.

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Darwinski- I have been seeing my pain management doctor for two years. I have some old Tramadol from before he took over my care two years ago. When I called them earlier this week, I asked if I could be prescribed something for break through pain, a trigger shot, or a stronger dose of pain meds. They called back saying they would prescribe me back up to Roxi and then cancelled when they found out I didn't have many pills to dispose.

Do you think they may end my care? I want to call them asking for withdraw help tomorrow but I don't want to annoy them to the point that they discontinue my care. I was hysterical to the scheduler when she told me the doctor said he wouldn't see me until the 23rd. I know she didn't ask him, she just affirmed an earlier message that he didnt want to refill me until my script was due AND wanted to see me that day.

Will I be fired?

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Hard to say if you will be fired or not. I would lean towards no.

I really can't understand why they are ignoring you. If you started weaning, and you were still in a lot of pain, and the reduced amount was not enough, then the doctor should bump you back up. For christsakes, you are in PAIN!

I would call the office and ask leave a message for the doctor to call you back.

Otherwise, how many Tramadol do you have? Enough to keep withdraw away?

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I think they didn't bump me up at my last visit because I wasn't being assertive enough to say, hey I know I was weaning off but maybe I should be bumped back up so I don't get short again. Idk why the PA didn't suggest it.

What I don't understand is why it was her idea to bump me up to Roxi then changed when she realized I took a "months" worth in two weeks. Which equal out to what I was taking when on Roxi if she just did the math. I brought up the fact that I expressed to them in the first week I was taking more than prescribed and would be short. The scheduler told me that being short a few days vs two weeks is a huge difference.

I looked into my medicine cabinet and my Tramadol is gone. I'm not sure what happened to that. Its been so long since I was prescribed it.

I looked into some local herb places that sell Kratom. They are all closed. I will definitely go buy some tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestion.

I can only hope they give me an appointment about my withdraws and don't fire me for being perssistent on seeing the dr.

Not only am I sweating but now I'm having diarrhea & I took 5mg of oxy today!! I can't imagine what I will be like for 6 days with nothing.

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For the diarrhea, get Imodium which is loperamide hcl . . . an opiate.

Some people take it in combination with Zantac for withdraws.

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I left a message on the nurses line explaining that I was going through withdraws and asked if I could be seen before the 23rd to talk about handling these withdraws. That was 6 hours ago.

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Well, I hope you hear back soon!

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Thanks!

Do you know anything about the extensiveness of pain management UA's? What all are they looking for?

I was prescribed Valium a while back so I'm not worried about that. But, my dad gave me a few xanax to deal with the withdraws. I took some today. My mom said not to take anymore in case they randomly check me since I've ran short on my meds a few times.

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I called again this morning telling them that my withdraws were worsening. The doctor personally told the scheduler to come in right away. He said that he never got any of my messages that I left. I told him that I felt like I had no hope of seeing him until the 23rd. He said his staff responds that way due to the scrutiny that pain management doctors deal with for early refills. He was SO kind to me, explained that I needed to follow the contract and take exactly as prescribed. I told him how appreciate I was of him and how wonderful he is. I had to pee in a cup and give blood. I hope I don't get fired for my dad's xanax. I hope it just shows up as benzos and I can explain that I took my valiums that he prescribed a while back.He bumped me back up to Roxicodone. I would have never taken that Xanax had the scheduler not spoke to me the way she did.

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As far as what they look for in the UA... As far as I know, they are checking for the presence of the medicine that they are prescribing to you. The DEA has the authority to "audit" your record which includes the UA. They want to make sure you are taking it, and not diverting the medication.

Of course, every doctor is different and they can say whatever they want whenever they want. But AFAIK, the main purpose is to check that you have the prescribed medication in your system. Now, if you come back positive for methamphetamine, coke or H, then you may have a problem. I doubt the xanax will be an issue. I really do. If anything, tell them you had one from 10 years ago that you took.

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>> He was SO kind to me, explained that I needed to follow the contract and take exactly as prescribed.

AWESOME ! :-)

I had a feeling that front office staff or the PA's were over stepping. I'm glad you got it resolved. Here is hoping you have no problem getting the script filled - fingers crossed --> x=

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Thank you so much for being supportive and keeping me distracted while I was going through all of that!

I didn't have any issues getting my script filled. However, my doctor ordered a UA that was accompanied by a bag to be sent off to a lab & my blood drawn. I think I may be in trouble for taking my dad's Xanax. Ugh! I hope he doesn't fire me. I don't know what to say if he brings it up.

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I doubt you will be in trouble for the xanax.

In all likelihood, he sent the blood off to a lab to perform complex testing utilizing a more advanced (and accurate) method of testing such as gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC-MS). This is so he can cover his butt and yours from the DEA. They will be looking for specific levels of oxycodone. This is for diversion purposes. That's really all the DEA cares about IMO. They, along with your doctor, want to make sure that you are taking the oxycodone and not selling it. Alternatively, he may be looking to see if you are using H or similar. So, as long as you are not doing either of those, I think you'll be fine. If there was xanax in your body, then they most likely already know this from the UA they did in the office. Most likely, your doctor looks at the results of the UA before handing over your scripts in office.

BUT, if the subject does come up . . . Either lie and tell him you took one you had prescribed to you from 10 years ago that you had saved, or just tell the truth. I often find that the later is the best route to follow.

I'm happy to help. Looking forward to hearing what happens next! :-)

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PLEASE, re-read my comments to you after you read it the 1st time. You are an addict. Now to help you is to admit that phase. 2nd. You should be asking your doctor for a long term pill like 12 hr or more. This will HELP you in your addict state of mind.
You will not like the long term pill or patch because you will not get a HIGH off them. However it will control your PAIN. Isn't that why you take them in the 1st place. I am surprised you would even bring up your children because you are running a risk in keeping them. The children are not some type of instrument to use against the doctors. You are young and the faster you commit to a better life the faster you will have fun once again. God Bless

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Sorry you got yourself into this mess. However life is just around the corner if you choose that path. This path has control of you. Yes you will go through withdrawals and make sure you do not take any type of caffeine intake. It will take you 7 days to feeling good again. However it is rather strange your doctor did not put you on long acting pain meds. Guess many doctors have not had the proper schooling for chronic pain patients. Patients as well should learn all they can about the do's and don't with any type of med's. Life goes on till it stops for you. God Bless...

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I know how you feel honey, I am a single mum with a toddler and detoxing off fentanyl oxycontin oxynorm and xanax it's really hard ihave severe rheumatoid arthritis and am in constantly in pain for a detox you should be given chlonidine valium and some kind of anti psychotic such as seroquel or zyprexa for agitation and anxiety I would also think that considering you are a legitimate pain patient your pain physician should give you the option of a ketamine drip to cover not only your normal pain but the rebound pain you experience while detoxing detoxing will always increase your pain levels exponentially I couldn't even stand people touching the bed it hurt so much you should definitely be in hospital if pain physician won't admit you go thru emergency and get a different one

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Bless your heart....A doctor is supposedly under oath to keep patients pain-free, as much as poss, anyway. However, I realize, too, that sometimes our addictive personalities can interfere with what's real pain vs the subsequent, addiction that way too often seems to take over mind and body. I would try asking again...even suggest that the Dr. prescribe your meds in a lesser amount, yet more often---in other words weekly vs. monthly-- And / Or have yourself an accountability partner who will hold and dole out meds as you need them.

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Lmd i feel your pain withdraw is not a nice feeling could u go to emergency room for pain just tell u in pain management at least u will get something for pain i always come short on my pain medicine always and i am tired of living like an addict feel pill not helping anymore i send prayer up for u

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just be honest with your doctor and your pharmisist......

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