It's Great To Be Free!

I have been completely off narcotic pain medications for a while now. My main challenge is remembering how to manage pain like I did before I was prescribed the pain pills. I can now sleep at night, I sometimes need a sleep aid but that's no problem. I now take aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen for pain, over the counter. It's like I lost my superpowers since those pills made me be more active, be happier, I never stressed about pain because those pills took the pain away! Don't look at this thinking I am anti-paid medication because I'm not! I kid you not, if I had a doctor that would prescribe them for me, I just may take them if the pain becomes unmanageable. But right now, I'm just a bit slower, there's less spring in my step, but I'm happy staying off the oxycodone for now. It was difficult to quit, a bit unpleasant, but that's where alcohol & marijuana can help with the withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal only lasts for a week or two and then you're home free. Just think twice about taking those narcotic pain pills. Some of us can handle taking them, then stopping, but some of us may have problems with it. I think it's a mistake to give them to young people without good reason knowing it could lead to a heroin addiction. Thanks for reading my blog, I hope it helps you!

Crossing The Finish Line!

It has been a week since I cut myself off. I am now through with the withdrawal symptoms. I went to see the film "Batman V Superman" last night which was 2.5 hours long and I left without a backache or in pain. I'm not wracked by pain or ridden with anxiety. It feels good to be free, and I have to make sure I never become addicted to these pills again. I'll be taking ibuprofen and similar OTC meds for pain when I need them. If you're trying to quit, don't stop trying. It's worth it to be free for me.

Still Struggling

I wish I could tell you that I was completely free but that would be a lie. Since I only sleep 4 hours and wake up in pain, I am taking one half of a Percocet 10 only at night before bedtime. I should have enough of a supply to last about a month and after that I will be required to find another solution. The days are easier now. A couple of days ago my anxiety levels were a bit high so I took a hit of of the remains of a marijuana cigarette and I was in a daze for a full day and night. It took the anxiety away but just one hit made me stoned. I don't want to be stoned so I have to steer clear from marijuana. So I have about a month to find something that will help me sleep through the night. At night I wake up feeling neural feedback in my arms, restless arms syndrome. It's not normal pain, it's discomfort that wakes me up and makes it impossible to sleep. I consider it a victory that I no longer need the drug during the day, but the fact that I need a small amount to sleep means that I haven't achieved freedom yet. When I run out and have to function without it, that's when I'll be completely off of Percocet 10. So I'm stretching this out for my own personal convenience. I'm taking ibuprofen during the day & my withdrawal symptoms are fading away. My allergies are returning unless those symptoms are the result of withdrawal. I'll post more later, thanks for reading!

Cold Turkey From Here

2 days ago I took my last half of Percocet. I take OTC sleep aids at night and Dayquil during the day for my withdrawal symptoms. I usually wake up after 4 hours of sleep but then I'm able to fall back asleep after a few minutes. During the day the most annoying symptoms are sneezing and a runny nose. My body is fighting against this change, but the days are getting easier. This is going to take a while before I feel normal again. I just keep telling myself that it's going to get better soon. Hang on just one more day.

Had A Not-So-Great Night

Yesterday I began taking a half a Percocet 10 3 times a day, last night I went to sleep and only slept 4 hours. I woke up in pain, feeling the withdrawal symptoms. Tonight I will take 2 sleep aids instead of 1 and hope that will help. It's as if my body is realizing that the drugs are disappearing and it's fighting back. Today I'm feeling the pain but I have to tolerate it. I have gained some relief by taking ibuprofen. This week may be the hardest week in this process. I have nasal congestion, aches, pains in my back and in my hands. The 2nd Season of Daredevil was released today on Netflix so I'm distracting my discomfort by occupying my attention with that. Here I thought the worst is over and it has just begun. I will get through this, I will not give up. My mind is more powerful than any hold a drug has on me. Determination is my super-power. If Matt Murdock can take a beating from the Punisher and survive then I can take a beating from my own nervous system as it tries to persuade me to just take a pill. Just take one, Dude, you'll feel better. It's only one pill, who will know? I will know. It's a trap. It would only stretch this out further. The line must be drawn here, right here, no farther!

1 Week Left Before Freedom!

Today I began cutting back my dosage of Percocet 10s from 1 pill 3 times a day, to 1/2 pill 3 times a day. I created this method after studying the success and failure of others who have posted their experiences. I'm doing well and am only experiencing mild anxiety and nasal congestion which are ordinary withdrawal symptoms. I will continue this dosage until next Thursday when I will completely stop taking these pills completely. I began this journey a few weeks ago and I admit to being worried about awful withdrawal symptoms after being on Percocet 10s for over 5 years. I will be free of chemical dependency, which is just another term for addiction. My pain levels are not very bad, taking ibuprofen and naproxen which seems to be an acceptable substitution for narcotic pain medications. My doctor offered me methadone in the past for pain and I told him that I have family members addicted to that and there's no way I would ever try that. I prefer a clear mind. I don't require intoxication. I don't smoke cigarettes or marijuana, I don't drink alcohol. I took these pills for pain management but what I have been taking is very much like heroin, only better. While some abuse these drugs I always took the prescribed amount at the proper time. 2 Percocet 10s at 10:00AM, 2 at 4:00PM and 2 at 11:00PM. Now I am at 1/2 Percocet 10 3 times a day and I'm almost done. So this is very doable, don't believe the hype that it's not possible. You can be free of these drugs and I soon will be.

I Can See The Finish Line Ahead!

Every day this gets easier. I've cut my dosage in half for almost a week, on Thursday I will drop my dosage from one pill 3 times a day to 1/2 pill 3 times a day. A week from this Thursday I will be completely off Percocet 10 Pain Pills. It hasn't been really easy, but it hasn't been as hard as I thought it would be. A runny nose has been the most irritating symptom of withdrawal, maybe a bit of anxiety, but that lessens every day. I was in a car accident back in the 1990s. A teenage girl was at a stop sign, and she was stoned. Just as I drove in front of her at about 35 MPH, she gunned it and slammed into me, turning my car completely around. I was left with an L4 Disc Protrusion & some spinal damage. My back hurts when I exert myself, so as long as I don't engage in heavy lifting, I'll be okay. I take ibuprofen and naproxen for pain right now and so far, it has been enough. I have learned methods of pain control that are effective without using narcotics. I will be so glad when I am finally free of this chemical dependency. There are a few drugs I will have to continue to take, like a medication that treats my tachycardia, for benign prostate, for acid reflux, and an antidepressant that keeps headaches away that I have been on for 20 years. These will be the only drugs that I will take other than over the counter pain medications. If you're interested in doing the same, just keep thinking of that finish line where you'll finally be free. The sign is small but I can make out what it says, way down the road. It says "YOU ARE NOW FREE FROM CHEMICAL DEPENDENCE & ADDICTION."