January 3, 2008 - 9:47am
hi everyone, my name is joe and im 18 yrs of age and i need some help. ive been using oxycontin (unprescribed) for almost a year now. first it started just on the weekends. then it started boiling over into the weekdays and its been like this for a while now. i dont kno what to do. i usually dont get sick like throwing up but i get horrible akes and pains, very irratable, and very tired when not using. im also horribly depressed i cant even get out of bed to go to school. but im afraid to tell my mom. im just scared to what her reaction will be. i just dont want to let anyone down. i really dont know what to do. do i need to get help? should i tough it out and not mention it. and if i do so how long will it take for me to feel normal. any help would be appreciated
-thanks joe
January 3, 2008 - 12:49pm
#2
just get help
it doesn't matter what others will think you need to get this problem taken care of sooner rather than later. either get up with your moms or someone you trust and deal with this now before it becomes any worse than what it is now. believe me from too much experience it is better to take care of it when it is still a relatively short lived addiction rather than letting it carry on into your twenties and cause you to miss out on opportunities that you may not get again. good luck
January 3, 2008 - 5:36pm
#3
You should sit your mother
You should sit your mother down and tell her you need to talk to her about something very important. Let her know that you don't want to disappoint her or let her down, but that you feel you need to be open and honest with her. Tell her even that you were afraid to tell her and tell her how hard it is for you, except that you trust her and need her help.
This will help her to see how hard it is for you but she will appreciate how honest you are trying to be and that you went to her for help. You are going to need the help and support from your family if you are to be successful in treatment. It would be hard for you to try to get help but hide it from your mom and family. You mom could also help you to figure out what kind of treatment you need, whether you need detox, therapy, maybe even family counseling. This is all dependent on your situation so you should leave it up to a professional who knows whats going on.
Believe me, it may be hard for you to tell your mom but you will feel so much better in the long run and when you have her support and understanding when it gets hard. Good luck in everything and I hope you get help soon.
I'm a social worker, not a medical professional. All comments and thoughts are simply my opinion and experience.
January 3, 2008 - 7:55pm
#4
There are several things you
There are several things you could do in this instance. 1) You could go to your parents, 2) you COULD tough it out, 3) you could try and ween yourself off it, and 4) you could buy supplements or contact your local health care physician in order to recieve supplements and other medications that can help with the withdrawl.
Im not sure how close you are with your mom... I know, personally, when my mom found out about my previous addictions with cocaine and amphetamines, as well as my marijuana use she wasnt really supportive at all... So. I cant vouch either way.
As for cold turkey, unless you want to be in a deep depression and terrible agony, I wouldnt want to go this route. It just doesnt seem logical. With some drugs (like cocaine or heroin) you essentially HAVE to go cold turkey in order to stop those drugs (thats what I did).
However, due to the fact OC is a pill, you can take X amount of pills each day and reduce the amount each day incrementally. For instance, say you take 8 on a regular basis. The next day you take 7, and so on and so fourth. I actually used this approach to help me get off pharmacutical stimulants and it worked really really well. (To give you an idea of how bad my stimulant problem was, my worst day I abused 100mg of adderall XR, took 180mg of ritalin LA, and popped 216mg of concerta all within about 3 hours).
Although I cant be sure where you live, some places are pretty good for recovering addicts-- people who are addicted to pharmacuticals such as OC can go to their physicians without any problems; others, however, are not so lucky. However, if you're in an area where the community is overall supportive and you know you wont face any criminal charges and whatnot, then by all means go to your primary care physician. They can do several things: 1) They can put you on a drug called colonodine-- a heart/blood pressure medication which has been shown to help recovering opiod addicts, 2) refer you to a methadone clinic (though, I seriously doubt they will do this as methadone itself is also extremely addictive), or 3) they might do/prescribe you something I havent mentioned here such as potentially putting you on a time-released opiod which you can then ween yourself off of.
If you are not in an area though, that is overall negative might I recommend you look into buying a drug called kava-kava (sp. Im not sure what the exact spelling is). The drug itself is completely legal within the US. Several of my friends who are addicted to opiod drugs have used the drug to tide them over till their next fix or get clean off the drug. Essentially, all kava-kava is, is unrefined opium poppies that dont really produce a state of euphoria, yet still allow for the endorphin receptors in your brain to be fooled into still having that "high". However, I am not sure as to the extent of how useful kava-kava is, so do not take my word on it. Its just a mere suggestion.
Last, if all else fails, check yourself into a rehab center.
I hope everything works out for you man... I know how bad addiction can be. If you need someone to talk to, Im here to listen.
(edited by TeamPharmer)
January 3, 2008 - 9:22pm
#5
OxyContin dependence
Hi there;
I have experience of opiate habits going back to around 1977, so I have a fair idea what I am talking about here. OxyContin has only been on the market since 1996, so is a fairly unrecorded drug when it comes to WDs and the like. I have had the 'pleasure' of a habit though; the thing is that tolerance to OC develops so quickly in relation to other opiates that nobody should really develop a recreational habit at all. Used in its proper medical context, there have been far fewer reports of problems than you may expect, but then that always seems to be the case with properly used prescribed meds. I found that after only two weeks, I needed 320mg to obtain the effect of my first 40mg tablet. Waste of money then. But I DO require them for an arthritic problem and simply take my 2 x 40mg tabs daily with no problems at all. Leave the oxycodone for the genuine pain patients or you'll end up battered or dead for debt and what's more, never again will you feel like that first tablet made you feel.
Gaucho
"NEVER ingest anything unless you are 100% sure what it is."
(edited by TeamPharmer)
January 4, 2008 - 3:27pm
#6
Be true to yourself
this is the crucial time, your inner spirit is screaming at you to get help! so , do it! no more excuses. your 18, you can go to the doctor. tell the truth. Read my article where i had to face my denial. this is the second day without opiads for me. the heaviness is starting to lift. I told my doctor what i was doing. He admired my honesty and saw the pain i was in- i hit bottom mentally and physically. he then prescribed me non narcotic medications to deal with my chronic pain. i have a syrinx in my spinal canal. i also have withdrawal medications if i need them. so far, they seem to all be working. but mentally and psychologically is the hardest. please, get real, be your self again!
To be true to my inner spirit. to be free from all that slowly destroys my mind, body, spirit. Is to enjoy this moment and do my best through laughter or pain. Nothing can be too much for me, for my Guardian Angel surrounds me with divine light, love
January 10, 2008 - 7:48pm
#7
JPD and Angel
Would both of you please reply and let me know how you are doing? If you want, you can just reply in my Starting on Suboxone thread, which is where Im going to kinda journal my progress. I really want to know how each of you are doing, and JPD, I wanna hear how the Sub is working for you so far.
January 11, 2008 - 3:35pm
#8
In the same Boat
Hey joe,
Reading your story was like reading what me and my boyfriend are going through right now. We started off with 30mg and now run through 10 80 mgs in two days. We luckily have some very nice connects that also have some meds to help wean us off of them. We are going to try that first but i know that when i dont have the pills my legs are so achy, i yawn constantly which is so annoying more then anything and the cold sweats are pretty bad too. I have a great relationship with my mom which is the reason i am not goin to say anything. I got myslef into this mess and i am going to get myself out. Just know that your going to feel terrible for a couple of days and then maybe if you prepare for the withdrawl it may make it easier to handle. Dont give up! Good luck with kicking the habit
January 11, 2008 - 3:48pm
#9
That's a good theory 'I got
That's a good theory 'I got myself in this mess so I'll get myself out" and no doubt has every opiate addict said this at one point or another. Somehow things just usually don't workout like that though. More power to you though if you can do it alone. Also knowing that you are going to feel horrible doesn't make things better, it usually makes you want to postpone the inevitable. Good luck to both the OP and jerz, hopefully "kicking" the habit won't be as hard as you think.
Check with a licensed MD before you take any suggestions!
Depends on the relationship you have with your mom, but most parents are pretty supportive. You may need help, I don't know the extent of your usage. I've had friends do it cold turkey, but most get into a methadone or suboxone treatment plan. All I can say is OC used wrong is the Devils pill and it will take some time for your brain to recover. Good luck and kick it while you can.
Check with a licensed MD before you take any suggestions!