Author: SnapShawt
Posted: Sun Jun 30, 2013 11:25 am
JustDoIt, it sounds like you’re on the right track.
If you are going to try an Oxycodone taper and avoid the Suboxone (which I do agree is best if you can do it), then I would suggest BABY steps with a willing doctor. At first you may get away with bigger percentage cuts, but the lower you go so also should the percentage, otherwise you’re defeating the purpose and actually cutting larger and larger doses (doesn’t make sense I know, but do the math and you’ll see). A proper taper is done very, VERY slowly. I was doing that until my old PM doc poofed and I was forced to the new one and the Suboxone (don’t take this as regret, just what I had to do – I can’t blame the new PM doc).
It just makes sense that tapering off is always better if you can, and I think I would’ve completed that had it not been for my situation. That way you’re just done with it. BUT, if you find the taper just hits a road block or something else, then Suboxone would be a good alternative to at least (I hope, I’m not at the point yet) give you a softer landing. I know, being 36 hours post induction later this evening, that had I just been forced into WDs without this you wouldn’t be reading this right now. The pain I could have dealt with by not moving mostly, but the WDs would have me in a ball on the floor screaming for my Mom. She passed last month, and if she showed up then I’d KNOW serious hallucinations were coming on!
You have to follow the best course you know, and it sounds anyway like you have an understanding doctor (and count your lucky stars on that if true). So many are scared (rightfully, not their fault) into forcing patients into a state of misery it’s not funny. This country needs to get its head out of its proverbial butt and stop regulating these doctors into oblivion. Yes, shut down the obvious pill mills. But leave honest physicians otherwise alone and stay the hell out of that which is between them and their patients. And you all know the difference between that and a pill mill, it’s just obvious. A PM doctor with a line of patients out the door and down the block filtering in and out like water with scripts is just bad news, clearly. A PM doc with a regular patient load who happens to have many (which he will, he’s a PAIN management doctor) on strong opiates is just a doctor doing his job. Will some still fool him? Sure, he’s human and it will happen. But those innocent folks who need help shouldn’t pay the price for it, and right now they are.
Okay, I’m going off topic and ranting now, sorry.