Hi Pandora,
I, too, was chemically dependant on a number of narcotics following a major car accident and back surgery.
I did come off all of my meds. but it took a good six months of tapering VERY slowly. It got to the point where I was cutting pills into quarters and taking the little quarters throughout the day. Pain in the butt, absolutely, but I was also tired of living my life around watching the clock to take the next dose.
I did go through a really nasty withdrawal that lasted almost three weeks, even with tapering so slowly. There is a medication they can give you that really helps called Klonodine. (I think that's the right one, there's also Klonopin and I get the two confused.) We started adding in this medication as I was tapering to help with the withdrawal symptoms right away. It was wonderful!!
Chronic pain is a nasty animal but I did learn that our body will create pain just to get the meds. I feel like a totally different person after getting off.
All the best to you and please don't hesitate to write back if there is anything I can help you with. I started taking these narcotics in April 2004 and got off in October 2006.
-Meg
I, too, was chemically dependant on a number of narcotics following a major car accident and back surgery.
I did come off all of my meds. but it took a good six months of tapering VERY slowly. It got to the point where I was cutting pills into quarters and taking the little quarters throughout the day. Pain in the butt, absolutely, but I was also tired of living my life around watching the clock to take the next dose.
I did go through a really nasty withdrawal that lasted almost three weeks, even with tapering so slowly. There is a medication they can give you that really helps called Klonodine. (I think that's the right one, there's also Klonopin and I get the two confused.) We started adding in this medication as I was tapering to help with the withdrawal symptoms right away. It was wonderful!!
Chronic pain is a nasty animal but I did learn that our body will create pain just to get the meds. I feel like a totally different person after getting off.
All the best to you and please don't hesitate to write back if there is anything I can help you with. I started taking these narcotics in April 2004 and got off in October 2006.
-Meg
