I'm on my third day of quitting cold turkey after using them pretty much everyday for 10 months. It started with 4 or 5 - 5/325's at first but the last 6 months more like 60 - 150mg a day (average 8 - 10/325 a day). 1st night was rough...chills, aches, bones felt like they were broken, left arm would twitch involuntarily, major anxiety. 2nd night I cheated a bit and took my last 25mg (1/3 of an 80mg) in one shot around 8pm, when that started to wear off, I took 2 AC&C's with codeine and smoked a bit of marijuana...fell asleep good and woke up today feeling great. Talked to drug addiction counselor and set up meeting for tomorrow morning, forced myself in the shower and to go out and do some shopping. Tonight I'm hurting again...cravings severe, achy (not as bad as 1st night though), smoked a little marijuana again to help smooth over the anxiety, took 2 - AC&C's again, forced myself to eat something (not hungry AT ALL lol) and took 2 more AC&C's with some milk for the pain and hopefully to help me sleep. Head is soooo clear though...last 10 months all I could think of was how many I had left, when and where was I gonna get more and when did I take my last one and when do I take the next. Nasty...that's not a life. I feel good and I know the physical discomfort will pass if I remain as stubborn in quitting them as I was in getting them. 12 years ago I had to go to rehab for crack addiction (i'm just one of those lucky ones lol)....after 8 years of daily crack use to no cravings and no crack since July 1997, I know this addiction can be beat too. I also found that yesterday, the more people I told (husband, mom, brother, friend) the less powerful it became...and tonight when I craved it, I told my husband and it took the power of the craving away. I'm gonna pick up some Nyquil tomorrow if I have a hard time sleeping tonight...heard this can help thru the first week or so of hurting nights. Contact me if you want and ill let you know how it goes with the counseling.
Yes same here....I had my gallbladder removed and was given morphine in the hospital loved it cause my pain would disappear and I would be asleep in a few minutes. Then came home with percocets doctor told me to stay home from work for a week. So here I am sitting on the couch in pain popping percocets. It's only been 4 days since I left the hospital and I can tell I'm wanting to take them even when I don't feel pain. They do make you feel good and basically numb for a short period of time. Kinda scary!!
I use percocet on an off recreationally. I'd rather use this than cocaine or exstacy. With percocet i get a mild high that helps me sleep. A wonderful way to wind down a hard day's work. Coke on the other hand keeps me up all night and the withdraw sucks. With percocet, I can choose to go without for months, and no problem. Legallize perc@@
i just want to share my story. I one day woke up with horrible burning pain on my back. Was givin so many medicines and nothing worked. I had two kids and the pain was keeping me from being able to even focus. So one dr. gave me Vicodin and then finally went onto Percocet. I have been on Percocet 7.5/325 for only 2 months at 4-5 per day. I decided one day that I did not want to take these stupid things anymore. So I stopped cold turkey!!! That was terrible. I got every withdrawal symptom in the book. So what I did was I took the rest of the pills I had and cut them in half. I took 3 halfes a day for 1 day, then 2 halfes a day for 1 day, and so on. Now I am on day 3 of none at all. The first two days even after I wheened off were total hell. It is MIND OVER MATTER!! Atleast for me it is. I woke up this morning and said I will have no more of this feeling crappy junk. I am going to get up and get going!! I have two kids and cannot be taking this junk. Even though the pain is still there I must tell you that my pain is actually less now that I have stopped these horrible pills. I was amazed that i could actually get so hooked on them in just 2 months. I was only taking 4-5 a day! I was amazed. I have been honest with my husband and everyone around me. That I think has been the biggest key for me! Every friend that i talk to i tell them what i am going through. If you are realy in pain and started to take these and this is what happened to you, there is so reason to be ashamed. Actually I take that back, no one should be ashamed!!!! It can happen to anyone!!! I have a nice house, a great husband, and 2 great kids and look!!! These pills don't have any prejudice!!! It can happen to anyone!!!
If in your head you tell yourself i need to stop these pills, just do it. I am on day 3 and I am feelng so much better again. better than when I was on the damn things!!! Just stop as soon as you can. I have read so many other peoples posts and you only take more and more!!!
The part that was bad for me is that i also stopped another med that I was on for the pain at the same time. Lyrica and that has its own withdrawals too!!!
Just stop while you can. I am so glad that I was only on them for a couple months , because I am sure that it would have gotten harder and harder.
I am done!!!! No more for me!!!!
If in your head you tell yourself i need to stop these pills, just do it. I am on day 3 and I am feelng so much better again. better than when I was on the damn things!!! Just stop as soon as you can. I have read so many other peoples posts and you only take more and more!!!
The part that was bad for me is that i also stopped another med that I was on for the pain at the same time. Lyrica and that has its own withdrawals too!!!
Just stop while you can. I am so glad that I was only on them for a couple months , because I am sure that it would have gotten harder and harder.
I am done!!!! No more for me!!!!
I was on percocet for two months for neuropathy. It didn't take long for me to start thinking they were the greatest thing ever. My MD abruptly stopped the drug about a week ago and dropped me as a patient due to asking for more of them..never mind he had prescribed them to begin with.
I actually haven't taken one for over a week...the first few days, I had no symptoms but then I started getting chills, aches, a feeling like I was going to crawl out of my skin..does it make sense to withdraw this late? Last night was the absolute worst, I thought I was going to die.
Tomorrow I am due to go to a well respected pain management clinic in this area. I have been truthful and told them about the percocets and also told them I did NOT want a narcotic..they are not the solution for diabetic neuropathy, I don't care what anybody says. They have been helpful thus far and promised to put me on a drug that I can tolerate and not become addicted to. Please, everybody out there that thinks percocets are the answer to a prayer..they are NOT. They will take over your life. I have never been addicted to anything before and I WILL kick this. I only hope the worst is over for me.
I actually haven't taken one for over a week...the first few days, I had no symptoms but then I started getting chills, aches, a feeling like I was going to crawl out of my skin..does it make sense to withdraw this late? Last night was the absolute worst, I thought I was going to die.
Tomorrow I am due to go to a well respected pain management clinic in this area. I have been truthful and told them about the percocets and also told them I did NOT want a narcotic..they are not the solution for diabetic neuropathy, I don't care what anybody says. They have been helpful thus far and promised to put me on a drug that I can tolerate and not become addicted to. Please, everybody out there that thinks percocets are the answer to a prayer..they are NOT. They will take over your life. I have never been addicted to anything before and I WILL kick this. I only hope the worst is over for me.
seems to me spy88 u may be addicted and r in denial if you take 6 a day you trumph my 4 and i can admit after 4 years im addicted
hi. i am a bit weary of actually writing about my use of percocet; it makes my situaion all the more real and problematic... here goes :]
i have never had an addictive personality, i am 32. when i was 19 i had a spontanious neumothorax(collapsed left lung 90% out of the blue), after 2 chest tubes and 2 surgeries to adhere my lung to my chest cavity(this lasted over2 years). after the surgeries, i became withdrawn and depressed with the most intolerable anxiety(all new to me). i'm sure that i had been prescribed pain meds here and there, but no addiction or thought of these meds had acurred. my girlfriend of 5 years had left and i was no longer able to play in the band i was in at the time.
one year later i was doing great, i had a new job and i had met the most wonderful girl in the world. i had then moved to nyc where she was from and had an amazing life(i never thought i would get another shot at love). a year and a half later i was experiencing siezures and later found that i had a very rare brain tumor. after my first surgery (14 hours) i was sooooo happy to be alive and yes i had been administered percocet for the pain, but no problem (i actually refused the pain medication). 9 months after i had been diagnosed with yet another brain tumor (not very happy about that one, but was optomistic to get this one over with. needless to say that girlfriend of five years also left me two months before my second surgery. a week after my 30th birthday and five years(5 years seems to be some sort of pattern here) i had another brain surgery(only 10 hours this time).
when i awoke from this one i felt completely and utterly ALONE. WHERE HAD MY LIFE GONE, MY GOLDEN RETRIEVER AND THAT ANGELIC GIRL OF MY DREAMS(bit corny, but true)??? they're gone.
i spent the next year in shock, i could not face the fact that i have lost everything that i knew.
i remember finding a leftover percocet in a drawer 5mg, i broke it in half...walah! i started to smile, make plans, picked up my guitar and started writing again~ holy sh*t! after all of those failed anti-depressents...this works!!!
here i am now almost 3 years since my last brain surgery, 3 years and a couple months since my heart was smashed, and 2 years since that 2.5mg percocet. since that day that i had smiled i have been on 10mg's 2 years now 4 or 5 a day.
no smiles, not many friends, sex...too embarrassed to say how long it has been, but no interest. i want out, that pain in your stomach...life. if things can get real bad then they can also get really good too.
not looking forward to more pain, but if that's what it takes to rip up that perscription so be it!
i wish all of you whom are suffering love, life and light~ michael
i have never had an addictive personality, i am 32. when i was 19 i had a spontanious neumothorax(collapsed left lung 90% out of the blue), after 2 chest tubes and 2 surgeries to adhere my lung to my chest cavity(this lasted over2 years). after the surgeries, i became withdrawn and depressed with the most intolerable anxiety(all new to me). i'm sure that i had been prescribed pain meds here and there, but no addiction or thought of these meds had acurred. my girlfriend of 5 years had left and i was no longer able to play in the band i was in at the time.
one year later i was doing great, i had a new job and i had met the most wonderful girl in the world. i had then moved to nyc where she was from and had an amazing life(i never thought i would get another shot at love). a year and a half later i was experiencing siezures and later found that i had a very rare brain tumor. after my first surgery (14 hours) i was sooooo happy to be alive and yes i had been administered percocet for the pain, but no problem (i actually refused the pain medication). 9 months after i had been diagnosed with yet another brain tumor (not very happy about that one, but was optomistic to get this one over with. needless to say that girlfriend of five years also left me two months before my second surgery. a week after my 30th birthday and five years(5 years seems to be some sort of pattern here) i had another brain surgery(only 10 hours this time).
when i awoke from this one i felt completely and utterly ALONE. WHERE HAD MY LIFE GONE, MY GOLDEN RETRIEVER AND THAT ANGELIC GIRL OF MY DREAMS(bit corny, but true)??? they're gone.
i spent the next year in shock, i could not face the fact that i have lost everything that i knew.
i remember finding a leftover percocet in a drawer 5mg, i broke it in half...walah! i started to smile, make plans, picked up my guitar and started writing again~ holy sh*t! after all of those failed anti-depressents...this works!!!
here i am now almost 3 years since my last brain surgery, 3 years and a couple months since my heart was smashed, and 2 years since that 2.5mg percocet. since that day that i had smiled i have been on 10mg's 2 years now 4 or 5 a day.
no smiles, not many friends, sex...too embarrassed to say how long it has been, but no interest. i want out, that pain in your stomach...life. if things can get real bad then they can also get really good too.
not looking forward to more pain, but if that's what it takes to rip up that perscription so be it!
i wish all of you whom are suffering love, life and light~ michael
I myself have not experienced addiction, however I watched from afar as both my mother, and one of my sisters battled drug addiction. Prescription drugs. Eventually my mother took her own life, having overdosed on a drug called Darvon. My sister, sadly, followed suit and almost three years ago gave her life to Vicodin. Having seen two of my close family members die at the hands of prescription narcotics, I am now fearful of taking any medications. I tend to research any and everything my doctor prescribes for me. I was given percocet after having a cesarean with my fourth child, and found it to be so incredibly nauseating that i opted to stick to motrin. I am guessing it is somewhat of a good thing that I do not tolerate narcotics pain relievers well at all-it serves as yet another deterrent for me. My heart goes out to all of you who have experienced an addiction, and it is my fervent hope that you all will be able to overcome it. I do truly understand that it is not something the majority of people intend to do when they are given a scrip for this type medication. And I give kudos to all who are seeking assistance and or advice in stopping the meds. Don't give up, it is not worth your life. And for those whom you would leave behind by allowing the meds to win the battle will suffer for many long years as they yearn to see your face just one more time, and they will question themselves... "What if I had only talked to them, would it have made a difference, and would they still be alive today?"
I feel for all of you on here as I am going through the same thing. I have been taking Percocet 10/325 since my surgery in May and started to abuse them, taking sometimes up to 3 at a time up to 5 times a day. Even though i have a doctor that likes to give them freely, I know I need to stop taking these because they are controlling my whole life :'( Everything revolves around taking these pills. I have actually experienced withdrawl symptoms a few years ago after a previous surgery but I wasn't taking near the amount that I am now. It took me almost two weeks then (cold turkey) and it was pure HELL!! There are places that you can go if you have insurance that will detox you, but they make you stay for 10-14 days. Although I am sure that it would be better to withdraw in a place where it is medically safe. I think that may be my choice this time as I know that I can't taper off, I am too addicted and I will abuse them instead of taking smaller amounts. it's going to take alot of strenghth but I would rather be living a drug free life!!! None of us CHOSE to be addicted to these pills, it just happens to certain people and the best thing to do is find another way of dealing with the pain because it WILL take over your life...not just physically but mentally as well. I wish the best for all of you that are going through this. After I go through these withdrawls, I will NEVER take another narcotic prescription again! And for those of you on here that are just starting to take them, I would recommend to stop now before you find yourself in my position and others on here. Good luck and God Bless!!
I have been on percocets for 4 or 5 months now. I am only 20 years old too. I have a serious case of endometriosis and it was hell before I got the meds. But now I got a surgery for it and I want to slow down on the percs but I feel like I'm going to die. I have chills and hot flashes. Start picking at everything around me. I can't sleep. I shake so bad it's crazy and I don't eat for days. I just want to know how I can ween myself off without having withdrawls like this. I heard like a detox med can help can it?
I had a bad motorcycle accident on 2/28. I broke both hands, my ankle in two places, dislocated the ankle and broke my humerus (upper arm). I had to have a steel plate and 8 screws in my arm. The docs sent me home with percocet 7.5/325mg, morphine 15mg and risperidone .25mg (anxiety). They had me taking 2 percocet & 1 morphine every 4 hours! I was so loopy I didn't know if I was coming or going. A week after being out of the hospital I started cutting down the dosage on my own. For the past 5 months I've been only taking 1/2 of the percocet 3 times a day to "take the edge" off the pain, or so I thought. It didn't eliminate all my pain (which was NOT a constant pain, so I really didn't need to take it on a regular basis), just made it bereable. Well it's been almost 47 hours with NO percocet or risperidone.....it's been HELL! The flu type feeling, on edge, ache, crankie, no sleep, can't get comfortable and the feeling of wanting to crawl out of your skin.....even getting off of such a small dose as a 1 1/2 pills a day is horrible. I also have a best friend that the docs gave her Adavan for her anxiety......well, beware of that too......you also go through the same type of "flu like" withdrawals of that drug too with a dosage of 6mg a day! We spent 4 hours on the phone last night talking about it. It helped me this weekend with the withdrawals to stay at home, and just talk to my friend to keep my mind off of the withdrawal pain. I drank coca-cola, watched movies (if I could stay focused) and talked with my friend. It's NOT easy, and I feel for anyone that is taking a higher dose. I chose to do this "cold turkey" since my dosage was already reduced, but cold turkey is NOT easy. I wish you all the best of luck getting off of this highly addictive drug.....I would have NEVER kept getting an Rx for this stuff if I would have known how addictive it really is.
Hi All
I was on Percocet (I have other names for the "cet"part) for nine months, and a strong dose at that. The 10/625's for herendous pain that later was diagnosed as Spinal Stenosis. My id**t family Dr. kept referring me to all the treatments I didn't need, so I messed around for six months hoping that the stenosis would go away through means other than surgery. Finally I grabbed the bull by the horns, went to a surgeon, and I feel GREAT after my operation. On Sept 26th of this year I ran out of the Perc's and quit cold turkey, and WOW, that was BRUTAL. I had a very weird feeling for the first four days, night sweats beyond belief, interrupted sleeping, runny nose, runny eyes, Diarrhea to beat the band. Chills then sweats, then chills again..it was terrible.
Slowly the symptoms started to go away, and today I feel perfectly normal again, no sweats at all, and everything else is normal.
If you have to quit, and you want to go cold turkey, if you can make through the first week to ten days, you should be home free, don't let the pill control you, you control it, you dont have to be a slave to it, and you will know the joy of feeling normal again.
Hang in there, if you can get through 2 weeks, your home free (at least I was)
I was on Percocet (I have other names for the "cet"part) for nine months, and a strong dose at that. The 10/625's for herendous pain that later was diagnosed as Spinal Stenosis. My id**t family Dr. kept referring me to all the treatments I didn't need, so I messed around for six months hoping that the stenosis would go away through means other than surgery. Finally I grabbed the bull by the horns, went to a surgeon, and I feel GREAT after my operation. On Sept 26th of this year I ran out of the Perc's and quit cold turkey, and WOW, that was BRUTAL. I had a very weird feeling for the first four days, night sweats beyond belief, interrupted sleeping, runny nose, runny eyes, Diarrhea to beat the band. Chills then sweats, then chills again..it was terrible.
Slowly the symptoms started to go away, and today I feel perfectly normal again, no sweats at all, and everything else is normal.
If you have to quit, and you want to go cold turkey, if you can make through the first week to ten days, you should be home free, don't let the pill control you, you control it, you dont have to be a slave to it, and you will know the joy of feeling normal again.
Hang in there, if you can get through 2 weeks, your home free (at least I was)
Hello,
Today is my 3rd day "off" Lortab 5/500 cold turkey, simply put it's not something fun to go through, in my case however I had to have 3 surgeries from December 2008 to June 2009, and this is why I am in my current situation " Diverticulitis" lets just say don't get it, And to pass on to those of you who may or may not know, Percocets,Vicodine,Lortab,Hydrocodone, are all in the Watson Family brand name of drugs they all do the same thing some are stronger than others but the same family of medicine Opiots, I got hooked cause I was on them for so long 1 year, every day, I am going through hell right now with my stummock verses my colon issues "withdrawal "Symptoms" my head pain is a little better today but the last two days not so good, the goose bumps and sneezing has come down a lot mostly my Tum Tum upset nausia and dealing with running to the bathroom more often than usual, I can say my constipation is gone from taking the pills for that long, my doctor has been tapering me down from Oxycodone 5mg to Lortab 5/500 but it took all summer to get me to where I am or was up till last Thursday yup I thought I needed to take more to get rid of my pain cause I needed more pills to get rid of the pain cause I got a tolerance to them, fun! not!, twice my doctor tried to taper me off this before and twice I had to take more for pain, but now I know from going through this withdrawal don't take more on your own talk to your doctor or find a doctor if you don't have one or are an addict, get on the taper down system, I am saying this cause what I am going through is not fun! by any means of the word fun! and yes "herb" green bud does help but no matter what you do you still have to go through it if you choose cold turkey, for me it was a simple choice I ran out cause I took more before next refill 3rd time this time in 3 or 4 months, we tried methadone made me sick as hell, and I think I used up all my aces with him at this point but is was pain from surgeries, now with the taper down I was at recently taking 10-5/500 Lortab twice daily once in the early afternoon and once in evening was suppose to take 2x5/500 every 6 hours, I had a supply of 240 pills for a month ran out in a week and a half to two weeks, so there lies my situation as of now, I am trying to be done with the damn! pain meds for good this time I hope cause I am not in much pain anymore from my surgeries and I just want to get off them the high just isn't worth it, it runs your life around it and I got two weeks till my next refill and hope I can say at that time I am all done with them, That's my story hope it helps someone out there that is going through what I am right now holding my own and trying to get there the hard way instead of taper down way cause I messed up hopefully for the better but I wouldn't do it this way my way if I knew it was gonna be this bad I had no idea!, choose the taper down with your doctor it's the best way and you won't have to go through it at all.
Today is my 3rd day "off" Lortab 5/500 cold turkey, simply put it's not something fun to go through, in my case however I had to have 3 surgeries from December 2008 to June 2009, and this is why I am in my current situation " Diverticulitis" lets just say don't get it, And to pass on to those of you who may or may not know, Percocets,Vicodine,Lortab,Hydrocodone, are all in the Watson Family brand name of drugs they all do the same thing some are stronger than others but the same family of medicine Opiots, I got hooked cause I was on them for so long 1 year, every day, I am going through hell right now with my stummock verses my colon issues "withdrawal "Symptoms" my head pain is a little better today but the last two days not so good, the goose bumps and sneezing has come down a lot mostly my Tum Tum upset nausia and dealing with running to the bathroom more often than usual, I can say my constipation is gone from taking the pills for that long, my doctor has been tapering me down from Oxycodone 5mg to Lortab 5/500 but it took all summer to get me to where I am or was up till last Thursday yup I thought I needed to take more to get rid of my pain cause I needed more pills to get rid of the pain cause I got a tolerance to them, fun! not!, twice my doctor tried to taper me off this before and twice I had to take more for pain, but now I know from going through this withdrawal don't take more on your own talk to your doctor or find a doctor if you don't have one or are an addict, get on the taper down system, I am saying this cause what I am going through is not fun! by any means of the word fun! and yes "herb" green bud does help but no matter what you do you still have to go through it if you choose cold turkey, for me it was a simple choice I ran out cause I took more before next refill 3rd time this time in 3 or 4 months, we tried methadone made me sick as hell, and I think I used up all my aces with him at this point but is was pain from surgeries, now with the taper down I was at recently taking 10-5/500 Lortab twice daily once in the early afternoon and once in evening was suppose to take 2x5/500 every 6 hours, I had a supply of 240 pills for a month ran out in a week and a half to two weeks, so there lies my situation as of now, I am trying to be done with the damn! pain meds for good this time I hope cause I am not in much pain anymore from my surgeries and I just want to get off them the high just isn't worth it, it runs your life around it and I got two weeks till my next refill and hope I can say at that time I am all done with them, That's my story hope it helps someone out there that is going through what I am right now holding my own and trying to get there the hard way instead of taper down way cause I messed up hopefully for the better but I wouldn't do it this way my way if I knew it was gonna be this bad I had no idea!, choose the taper down with your doctor it's the best way and you won't have to go through it at all.
I got another e-mail from someone who's had several spine surgeries and has gotten to where she has to go for treatment afterwards to make it through the withdrawals. She says doctors were NO help (and she's a NURSE) and that she finally got the best advice from addicts. (sad) Here's what she sent:
I'm hoping your friend is already doing better, but just in case she's still having difficulty here are some tips that will hopefully help at least in a small way.
1) heating pad for aches and pains in legs, shoulders, neck and upper back, can alternate with ice pack if you like. Don't leave either on for more than 20 minutes at a time.
2) over the counter Tagamet, will help with withdrawal pain, stomach pain.
3) over the counter Lomotil for diarrhea, take it after "every" bowel movement.
4) over the counter Flexall, Ben-Gay or other topical ointment for achy muscles.
5) be prepared to change your clothes multiple times a night due to night sweats.
6) soak in warm bath as often as possible, hot-tub if you have one.
7) fluids as much as possible, food very slowly.
8) teeth hurting or tooth ache, take "oil of clove", rub it on tooth and gums. Can get it at health food stores and sometimes Wal-Mart, Walgreens.
9) If you are dehydrated or need help getting off your meds, go to the emergency room, be honest with them and tell them you need some help.
10)to reduce your anxiety, talk to someone. Someone who knows what is going on and knows you will need their help to have someone to talk to when you start feeling anxious or when your anxiety increases.
11) Go on-line and do a search on BrainTalk Communities, when you get to this sight, look for topic of addiction. You will find the most helpful, compassionate, caring and knowledgeable people who have been where you are and will help in any way they can.
12) Pray. Best help you will find.
xo girlie --
I'm hoping your friend is already doing better, but just in case she's still having difficulty here are some tips that will hopefully help at least in a small way.
1) heating pad for aches and pains in legs, shoulders, neck and upper back, can alternate with ice pack if you like. Don't leave either on for more than 20 minutes at a time.
2) over the counter Tagamet, will help with withdrawal pain, stomach pain.
3) over the counter Lomotil for diarrhea, take it after "every" bowel movement.
4) over the counter Flexall, Ben-Gay or other topical ointment for achy muscles.
5) be prepared to change your clothes multiple times a night due to night sweats.
6) soak in warm bath as often as possible, hot-tub if you have one.
7) fluids as much as possible, food very slowly.
8) teeth hurting or tooth ache, take "oil of clove", rub it on tooth and gums. Can get it at health food stores and sometimes Wal-Mart, Walgreens.
9) If you are dehydrated or need help getting off your meds, go to the emergency room, be honest with them and tell them you need some help.
10)to reduce your anxiety, talk to someone. Someone who knows what is going on and knows you will need their help to have someone to talk to when you start feeling anxious or when your anxiety increases.
11) Go on-line and do a search on BrainTalk Communities, when you get to this sight, look for topic of addiction. You will find the most helpful, compassionate, caring and knowledgeable people who have been where you are and will help in any way they can.
12) Pray. Best help you will find.
xo girlie --
In college I would take pain pills every once in awhile if someone randomly gave one to me, and we'd veg out all night on the couch with our friends. I never thought they were that great or that I could ever get addicted to them. I did at the time know a bunch of people that were addicted to pain pills, especially oxycontin, and I thought the whole thing was ridiculous because they didn't even seem that great.
Well when I moved to a new city after graduating a year and a half ago, a guy in my new circle of friends sold percocet 30 mg's and everyone I knew would take them occasionally. Every once in awhile he would give me one for free (I had to only take a little tiny piece of it at a time or it would make me throw up). And again I didn't really notice anything special, I never went out of my way to get them but would take some if given to me.
Well after awhile my boyfriend started taking some too occasionally, and gradually I noticed that on the nights we would take them together, we would stay up all night talking, basically just saying how amazing the other person was and what a great relationship we had. And normally I am an outgoing person, but I also realized that I was way MORE outgoing on the percocet because I would have conversations with people that I normally could care less about, like all of a sudden it was interesting to hear Joe Blow go on and on about his flag football team when normally I would try to change the subject.
Well my boyfriend and I started taking them more and more (a few nights a week, often in a row) and then I started noticing another pattern. On the days after taking them, before taking any more, suddenly we both were having the "worst" day ever. It's crazy to me how long it took for me to notice that it wasn't really just coincidentally a horrible day but it was withdrawl. It took me even longer to convince him that that was what was going on.
Well it eventually got to the point (and we're talking probably 6 months from when we started) before we started taking them every night, but we wouldn't during the day so we could be "productive". But I always felt so lazy and lethargic and depressed until I came home and took another perc, and then suddenly everything was great and amazing again. So I started taking them during the day too behind his back because I couldn't get through the day without it like he could.
Well even when it got like this, every once in awhile we would try to "detox" every once in awhile so we didn't feel like addicts that had to take it every day. This was absolutely miserable. The next day we would just sleep all day but not a comfortable sleep, one where we are tossing and turning and have body aches and extremely runny noses, and are both just extremely irritable and grumpy and get into fights if we get in each other's ways. Then after the one day of hell we would start taking them again and start the cycle over.
Well I eventually started interviewing for a new high profile job and did not want to f*** it up by being on percs OR having withdrawls, so I stopped taking them cold turkey. First day, miserable sleep all day. The second day I feel depressed and lazy and cannot motivate myself to do anything, even carrying on a conversation feels like torture. The third day the same thing but a little less, and by the fourth day on I am pretty much back to normal. A week later I can't even tell and feel totally back to my normal outgoing, friendly self. Well after the initial interview I start taking them again that night, again all day and all night til I move on to the second round of interviews. Again I give myself a week, feel like hell, eventually feel better, interview, then start taking them again. Then a month later it's the third round of interviews, again a week of hell, interview, start taking them again.
Now I was just offered the job, and know I have to quit them once and for all because I cannot be "perc hungover" at this job, but I can't rely on taking them everyday to get me through it either. It seems so easy to just stop taking them, but it is ridiculously hard. The withdrawl symptoms are miserable and the depression for a few days is unbearable, but even once you make it past that point and feel "normal" again without them, the temptation to do them is still there. The nights where my boyfriend and I stay up all night just talking about the most pointless things that seem so important at the time, or talk about things we normally wouldn't have the guts to bring up, or if you take them to get through an otherwise awkward social situation that suddenly is bearable and even fun, or if you're feeling upset about something and they just cheer you up, the temptation is always there. Even if you're doing something fun, the percs make them MORE fun.
My boyfriend is in deep denial about his addiction. I know I am addicted, and know I need to try to stop and am currently not taking them. But he keeps thinking it's fine and gets really touchy if I try to bring it up and has the "whatever, I like taking them so I'm going to keep doing it" attitude. It makes me sad because I know it is really shortening his, (and was shortening my), life.
This is really long but I guess my point is this: I used to make fun of people addicted to pills because I thought it was so pointless and stupid and not even a real drug. And I didn't even realize I was become dependent on them until it was already too late. And the withdrawl symptoms blow!!! You literally just want to crawl out of your own skin. And the cravings for them are still there even when you are done withdrawling. It is horrible and I wish I had never started taking them!!!!!!!!
Well when I moved to a new city after graduating a year and a half ago, a guy in my new circle of friends sold percocet 30 mg's and everyone I knew would take them occasionally. Every once in awhile he would give me one for free (I had to only take a little tiny piece of it at a time or it would make me throw up). And again I didn't really notice anything special, I never went out of my way to get them but would take some if given to me.
Well after awhile my boyfriend started taking some too occasionally, and gradually I noticed that on the nights we would take them together, we would stay up all night talking, basically just saying how amazing the other person was and what a great relationship we had. And normally I am an outgoing person, but I also realized that I was way MORE outgoing on the percocet because I would have conversations with people that I normally could care less about, like all of a sudden it was interesting to hear Joe Blow go on and on about his flag football team when normally I would try to change the subject.
Well my boyfriend and I started taking them more and more (a few nights a week, often in a row) and then I started noticing another pattern. On the days after taking them, before taking any more, suddenly we both were having the "worst" day ever. It's crazy to me how long it took for me to notice that it wasn't really just coincidentally a horrible day but it was withdrawl. It took me even longer to convince him that that was what was going on.
Well it eventually got to the point (and we're talking probably 6 months from when we started) before we started taking them every night, but we wouldn't during the day so we could be "productive". But I always felt so lazy and lethargic and depressed until I came home and took another perc, and then suddenly everything was great and amazing again. So I started taking them during the day too behind his back because I couldn't get through the day without it like he could.
Well even when it got like this, every once in awhile we would try to "detox" every once in awhile so we didn't feel like addicts that had to take it every day. This was absolutely miserable. The next day we would just sleep all day but not a comfortable sleep, one where we are tossing and turning and have body aches and extremely runny noses, and are both just extremely irritable and grumpy and get into fights if we get in each other's ways. Then after the one day of hell we would start taking them again and start the cycle over.
Well I eventually started interviewing for a new high profile job and did not want to f*** it up by being on percs OR having withdrawls, so I stopped taking them cold turkey. First day, miserable sleep all day. The second day I feel depressed and lazy and cannot motivate myself to do anything, even carrying on a conversation feels like torture. The third day the same thing but a little less, and by the fourth day on I am pretty much back to normal. A week later I can't even tell and feel totally back to my normal outgoing, friendly self. Well after the initial interview I start taking them again that night, again all day and all night til I move on to the second round of interviews. Again I give myself a week, feel like hell, eventually feel better, interview, then start taking them again. Then a month later it's the third round of interviews, again a week of hell, interview, start taking them again.
Now I was just offered the job, and know I have to quit them once and for all because I cannot be "perc hungover" at this job, but I can't rely on taking them everyday to get me through it either. It seems so easy to just stop taking them, but it is ridiculously hard. The withdrawl symptoms are miserable and the depression for a few days is unbearable, but even once you make it past that point and feel "normal" again without them, the temptation to do them is still there. The nights where my boyfriend and I stay up all night just talking about the most pointless things that seem so important at the time, or talk about things we normally wouldn't have the guts to bring up, or if you take them to get through an otherwise awkward social situation that suddenly is bearable and even fun, or if you're feeling upset about something and they just cheer you up, the temptation is always there. Even if you're doing something fun, the percs make them MORE fun.
My boyfriend is in deep denial about his addiction. I know I am addicted, and know I need to try to stop and am currently not taking them. But he keeps thinking it's fine and gets really touchy if I try to bring it up and has the "whatever, I like taking them so I'm going to keep doing it" attitude. It makes me sad because I know it is really shortening his, (and was shortening my), life.
This is really long but I guess my point is this: I used to make fun of people addicted to pills because I thought it was so pointless and stupid and not even a real drug. And I didn't even realize I was become dependent on them until it was already too late. And the withdrawl symptoms blow!!! You literally just want to crawl out of your own skin. And the cravings for them are still there even when you are done withdrawling. It is horrible and I wish I had never started taking them!!!!!!!!