I do not have medical insurance and realize that I will have to stop this on my own. My husband is a user too (he is currently in a 30 day re-hab center that offers a safe and 'pain free' detox). Sound bitter? I am. My addiction started with bone spurs and IBS about 5 years ago. I didn't realize what was going to happen to me physically with continued use of the drug. I started with hydrocodone and progressed to low dose oxycontin but felt that I could never get the real relidf that I was looking for ( little dod I know that I was building tolerance to the drugs) so one day I decided to throw away what was left of my oxycontin and get out of my mental fog and just deal with my pain. WOW! That was the stupidest thing I have ever done 4 days later I had found another doctor and was begging for help because I was in so much pain and I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. I told him I didn't want the pills back I just wanted him to make all these side effects go away. His answer to me was 'All I can do is give the medication back to you - there is nothing else that will help you with your suffering.' So mouth agape I got my refill went to my car popped a couple pills and cried like a baby.

Anyways, I managed to switch from the oxy back down to the hydrocodone which is great but you would be suprised how awful that experience was for me. At first I was taking 10-15 10mg. hydros a day and have since gotten down to generally 5 - 10mg hydros a day (with some lip biting) I have found that Xanax greatly reduces the heart palpations and anxiety and I also try to sleep as long as my kids are in school. Additionally I take L-Lysine, a good multi-vitamin and do a colon/stomach detox every 60 days. These things have helped but I still have days when I can litterally smell the stink of the drug purging it's way out of me and I get the chills and sweats. You just have to keep trying - you didn't get addicted overnight you can't heal yourself overnight either. Say your prayer and thank God for everyday that your still here and healing.

Well, it sounds like you have got quite an ordeal there! MD's don't always appear to know that the medicines you are taking may just take away everything that is meaningful in life, by making the only reasonable thing the pursuit of drugs.

Oxy and xanax are both problematic, and both lead to tolerance and eventual increased dosage, invariably. I wish you the best of luck facing your trials and tribulations.

I greatly appreciate your post and await other member's idea regarding reassurance, camaraderie, ideas or differences that may come up.

Please continue to post your messages frequently as this is the essence of the purpose of this website, and you are a charter member.

DrFred