Any experience getting off Opiates?
 

I coordinated with my Pain Med Dr. to get off Avinza (morphine) today. He prescribed Librium and Hytrin. I need to get off it due to other medical problems that have become life threatening.

Any experience out there? (watching CSI Miami does not count :)

I know my reactions to withdrawals because I forgot to take my Avinza 3 times. Like the flu. A really, really bad case. I hit WD at about 30 - 34 hours.

I took Librium in 1970, but don't remember any problems. Hytrin? Dunno.

Dr. said to take my last Avinza capsule at 8am Monday, then take the Librium and Hytrin 24 hours later and 8 hours thereafter.

I read that withdrawal symptoms only last a few days to a week. After reading about Librium I was thinking I might prefer to just get it over with. Take Valium or something.

Suggestions appreciated....thanks... (Oh, I haven't set a date to do it yet, no hurry, once I am ready, I planned on taking my last pill Sunday morning, then I have 5 working days to be sick or get different meds or talk to the doctor again, etc.)

I was diagnosed with RSD in 1989, full body. I was on Fentanyl duragesic patches 100mg, plus ms contin(morphine)100mgX 3 daily plus dilaudid (morphine) for break through pain. My symptoms of withdrawal were, flu like, pains and aches, burning skin, tremors, sleeplessness, diarrhea, anxiety, agitation, confusion and some symptoms lasted for 8 weeks. Yours may not be anything like mine, given the amounts and time of use. I was given Clonidine for withdrawal. There is also a drug called Suboxone that can help with Opiate withdrawal, although the doc must be certified to administer. Suboxone is also beginning to be used for the treatment of pain, but this is relatively a new use for this drug. My drug of choice is oxygen. HBOT has helped me, more than anything else. I wish for you the best on this endeavor. Plan for this down time, videos, reading, music, walking seemed to help me, baths, anything that will make you more comfortable.
If you have any questions or need support I will be there for you. Lots of love and prayers, diana

My highest dosage was approximately 500mg of morphine a day. It took a couple of years but I am down to 30mg of Avinza a day and I use Oxycodone for BT pain.

I have not had any problems so far..... it may go real easy or it may be tough. I have never had to get off anything. Never smoked, drank alcohol or done illegal drugs, so quitting something I am dependent on will be interesting. Luckily I don't like it. The only "high" I get is from my family.

However, as I said, I try to stay prepared, thanks for the info on the meds. You were on a pretty high dosage compared to me. By getting down to 30mg I am hoping to make this easier. I had guessed a week, but it may take longer. Thank you so much for sharing.

I was on ms contin for about 2 and a half years taking 2 30 mgs a day plus 5 to 6 norco for breakthrough pain. My doctor dropped my insurance, gave me a 30 day supply and said see ya.

Well I couldnt find a doctor because nobody wanted the medi-cal, so at the end of the meds I went cold turkey. The withdrawals lasted about 8 weeks, but I didnt really feel normal until well into the 3rd month.

I had all the symptoms that are listed in the other posts, with the restless legs and sleepless nights lasting the longest. I will tell you that the first week was almost unbearable, so stick with the doctor. If you start getting to the point where it is unbearable give the doctor a call for some tramadol or something to take the discomfort down.

If you stay on the breakthrough meds that may be a saving grace while you kick the morphine.

Good luck :winky:

I primarily had night sweats and sleeping difficulties for about ten days. I had been on only a low dosage of methadone though.

Hi,
 

I was on Methadone for over 5 years. I went up on it about 2 months ago and started having other problems so I decided to go off of it completely. My Dr. thought it was important for me to go off of it due to the other problems so he told me how to ween down on it but I just decided to quit it and did with no problems. Some people can't go off of them with no side effects though. Each person is different.

I do take the Methadone when I am having a lot of pain but not on a regular bases anymore. I'm sleeping better and not as much sweating as when I was on it.

I think you just have to listen to your body as you do it and take it one day at a time. Good luck.

Ada

Thanks for sharing your experiences.

My game plan right now is to do as the Pain Med nurse said. She is an FNP, but probably follows the doctor's orders on it.

I plan on taking my last Avinza at midnight Saturday night. At around 30-34 hours my withdrawals normally hit. So around 6am Monday morning life will be unpleasant. I planned on taking the Librium and Hytrin at that time. I took Librium without consequences many years ago. I have never taken Hytrin.

I have a history of "just quitting" meds without causing any severe problems, but Morphine is a lot different --- I am hoping by taking the meds I will not hit the wall, but just be miserable a few days. So far, I have taken Vioxx, Celebrex, Paxil and others for long periods of time. Guess I am just lucky.

One of my worries is my breathing. I am on a Ventilator for sleeping, or even taking naps.
My SV unit has a patient disconnect alarm, but I turned it off because I haven't needed it.
Guess I will turn it back on. Heck, it has 6 different alarms, and my oxygen concentrator has a couple, so if I accidentally knock the mask off, I will hear at least one alarm.

My Service/Medic Alert Dog is being trained as a hearing dog for me ... too many years flying KC-135s in the Air Force. I am still fighting the VA for hearing aids. I got SSDI 4 months from when I dropped my package off (that includes receiving the first check) but the Veteran's Adversary is tough. Luckily my Service Dog already cues me when someone is at the door or my wife is coming home. I am not deaf, just have huge hearing losses in 2000 hz up.

Thanks again for how you handled it. Quitting cold turkey and being treated like that is against the law in Calif. A doctor HAS to refer you out here. They can lose their license if they don't. What a crappy doctor to just dump you. I was told to go to the ER if I needed morphine (mostly when I was back visiting family in the midwest). Scary.

So glad to hear hbot is still relieving your pain
 

[
Diana just wanted to say it is so nice to hear hbot is still relieving your pain. I have been trying to get in to a chamber for two months- its not easy. But I am so excited at the possibility of getting off all this medicine and being able to drive again and have a life. thank you .

Good luck and prayers for you coming off your meds I hope it is not to awful and experience for you. Are you changing meds? I tried to go off mine but the pain underneath was just too unbearable. I hope you are more successful.. CZ


QUOTE=DianaA;325034]I was diagnosed with RSD in 1989, full body. I was on Fentanyl duragesic patches 100mg, plus ms contin(morphine)100mgX 3 daily plus dilaudid (morphine) for break through pain. My symptoms of withdrawal were, flu like, pains and aches, burning skin, tremors, sleeplessness, diarrhea, anxiety, agitation, confusion and some symptoms lasted for 8 weeks. Yours may not be anything like mine, given the amounts and time of use. I was given Clonidine for withdrawal. There is also a drug called Suboxone that can help with Opiate withdrawal, although the doc must be certified to administer. Suboxone is also beginning to be used for the treatment of pain, but this is relatively a new use for this drug. My drug of choice is oxygen. HBOT has helped me, more than anything else. I wish for you the best on this endeavor. Plan for this down time, videos, reading, music, walking seemed to help me, baths, anything that will make you more comfortable.
If you have any questions or need support I will be there for you. Lots of love and prayers, diana[/QUOTE]

I am going to get off Morphine for at a few months to see if my brain recovers any and my Respiratory system.

If you google Avinza and problems ........... or was it side effects? Anyway, there are several paragraphs covering what some people have trouble with. I understand 95% of the people do not have these problems, but I have a BUNCH of them.

I hurt my back today, but still plan on going off it. Take my last one tonight at midnight. Take a 25mg Librium and 1mg Hytrin tomorrow evening, per the doctor and see how it all turns out.

If it isn't working well after 4 days, I will call the dr. to see if there is a plan b.

Has your Pain decreased??
 

Dllfo, HI, I wanted to know if your motivation to go off the opiates is that your RSD pain has decreased? And if so do you know why? And If not, I was wondering what your plan is too handle the pain? Thanks CZ