How To Quit Narcotic Pain Medication

So you’ve found yourself the victim of a minor surgical procedure or unfortunate accident resulting in a prescription for a Narcotic pain medication. They come with many names and dosages. Hydrocodone, Vicodin, Lortab, Percocet, Norco, Oxycodone, OxyContin and more. Most people will take as prescribed. Some people may not even finish the bottle. Then there are people that will ask to use YOUR bathroom to check the cabinets, drawers, mirrors, and take a good look at the items on nightstands and dressers on the way in and out. Which one am I? Shut... up.

An alarming article from drug watch.com states “Americans account for 99 percent of the world’s hydrocodone (Vicodin) consumption, 80 percent of the world’s oxycodone (Percocet and Oxycontin) consumption and 65 percent of the world’s hydromorphone (Dilaudid) consumption, according to the New York Times.“ So chances are you have at one point, or are now, or will be in the future prescribed Narcotic Pain Medication. So if you have been on these little darlings for three months or less and realize you need to quit, this article is for you. Hopefully you are in this group and not the 3-12 month or the Mother of Entrenched Addiction 1-5 years or more. I’ve quit prescribed pain medication at every increment I’m listing and I’m giving you my experience. The intention is to help you quietly and safely take control back of your life. I’m not a doctor, I’m an recovering addict. I’m speaking to what worked for me and this is not to be construed as medical or legal advice. So, three months on an average dose of let’s say Norco 10/500mg. Say, started at two daily now it’s 6-8. Yes, tolerance builds that fast. I’ll list the 1st hour to a slight feeling of normalcy. Hold on because... This sucks.

RECOMENDED SUPPLIES

PEDIALYTE / SLEEP AIDS(preferably Rx) TREADMILL(safe walking place) / YOGURT/APPLESAUCE(you won’t be eating much) SOFT ASS TOILET PAPER(very soft) / FAVORITE POSITIVE MUSIC / THREE DAYS OFF

* The easiest path is a sublingual film Suboxone/Naloxone or other brands will allow you an EXTREMELY FREE PASS but require a specially liscensed Physician but well worth the effort. Friggin’ Well Worth It!*

HOUR ONE- You are out and it’s too much of a hassle to get more or your doctor(s) have cut you off. It’s hour one and the only real discomfort is coming from your constant thinking about the fact you are out creating some anxiety. Hold on.

HOUR EIGHT- You are starting to feel uneasy to say the least. Yawning more than normal feels good but the frequency is abnormal. Stretching your legs seems to be an increasing nessecity that brings little relief. The legs... this is why it’s called “Kicking” and you are about to rival Pele. Drink some fluids and eat a little of you can.

HOUR EIGHTEEN- So... you are feeling like absolute hell. You are extremely uncomfortable, you’re sweaty. You don’t know whether to run, try to sleep, laugh or cry. You’re on a slow ascension into the misery of the fight between your flesh and your mind. If you didn’t know before you will know now the power that your flesh has over your mind. When it wants what it wants, then we test your true will. Right around this time most people are thinking about if they wish to continue. If they are still holding some pills, taking a dose now brings insane relief in the not fast enough time in takes to enter your blood stream. I encourage you to stay strong.

HOUR TWENTY EIGHT- Why soft ass Toilet Paper Davy? “ Because over the last three months you haven’t been as regular as you are normally. In fact, you are probably way behind schedule because Narcotic Pain Medication binds your bowels like Hannibal Lechter on his moving dolly. Hopefully you are relatively close to a bathroom with sound proofing, or understanding roommates or family. You are catching up on missed movements with “Trumpet Ass!” It’s uncontrollable, loud and garunteed. At least your focused has been shifted momentarily from the legs that you want to surgically or brutally remove. Your pupils are huge so you look like a weirdo and everything you see is fuzzy. You have probably gnashed your teeth and growled a few times in search of some reprieve. DRINK SOME FLUID AND USE THE TREADMILL OR WALK Even small amounts and short distances. MAKE YOURSELF! About this time prescription sleep meds or barbiturates can relax the extreme symptoms. If none, a beer or cocktail can have some fleeting effects of relief. Any relief is good. Try and sleep after the Excersise, Cocktail(s), Barbituates, whatever. I personally would take a huge pull off a hard bottle of booze. (Id regret this later in life). Good news is you are approaching the height of Kicking and can expect...

HOUR FORTY EIGHT- This is the crossroads. If you have in your possession any type of similar pain medication you have probably taken it. If you know anyone that has them, you’ve probably called them. If these options are exhausted or your resolute to continue I commend you. At this point you have Panicked, Rethought The Plan to Quit, Explosively Shit loudly so much your happy about the soft ass toilet paper. It’s unfair to say you wiped when you are gently dabbing your balloon knot in pain after the Kraken is released. You have cried a little, slept very little, excersised barely and have had little to eat or drink. Well congratulations because you are too far to screw it up now. Do not have to start this process over. Hopefully the planned relief that you stocked have come in handy. They worked for me. At this point it’s advised to walk. Getting the heart rate slightly elevated from activity is not the same as the thumping you heard laying in the dark on your bed or floor, sweating, retracing every move in the last three months hoping you dropped or stashed a random pill. Wishing again and again that you could sleep. BATH TIME. I know it doesn’t sound good and you feel like a strung out cat with a instinctual dislike for water. Do it. This marks the beginning of the end.

HOUR SEVENTY TWO- Your fuzzy vision has cleared up with pupils dialing back to their pre Nosferatu size. You’ve managed to put away a little food and drank an appropriate amount of electrolytes. The bath was life changing but there is lingering withdrawal effects. At this point refrain from the alcohol if used, and non habit forming sleep aids could still be useful. Stop any benzodiazepines to avoid dependency on them as well! HOWEVER... you are not going to be feeling great for a few more days maybe longer. You are not going to enjoy restful sleep and fatigue will be saddled to you for up to a few weeks. This only drives home the resolution to never take that cursed prescription again. If this part one of the series for relatively “light users” applies to you be thankful that you did not graduate to further independent studies. Some of us recieved their masters degrees in doctor manipulation, street acquisition, theft from anyone possible and the perfected ability to deceive those we are closest to. Also, be thankful and consider yourself warned that going beyond this level has a very high probability you will not be alive inside of two years. Hope this helped and remember... “you have to be stupider than a sack of dog poop to even put one pill in your ugly mouth.”

-anonymous