finished my radiation and chemo treatments for tonsil cancer back in mid/late june 07. been taking 10 ML every 6 hrs or so of roxicet and .3 ML of ativan every 6 hrs or so...but now docs say time to cut back....i have tried to cut back a few times but i sure get in a bad mood and am difficult to live with..so i went back to my regular dose...going to try again now...cut my dose in half today of roxicet..kept regular dose of ativan. looking for others' experience kicking roxicet and or ativan..

Hi Wayne
Rather than half your dose why dont you try spacing out you timing first.Instead of six hourly make it eight and see how that goes.when you start to reduce the actual dose,do it 1 ml at a time halving it is really a bit drastic when you have been on it for so long,and it needs to be very gradual over a couple of weeks.

Withdrawal from long term drug use is never easy and needs to be managed carefully,you will have problems but take it at your own pace.

good luck love liz

Your doctor should be giving you a phase out plan.

Roxicet is: Generic Name: acetaminophen and oxycodone (a SEET a MIN oh fen and OX i KOE done)
Brand Names: Endocet, Narvox, Percocet 10/650, Roxicet, Roxilox, Tylox

Cookey's got it right - too fast of a phase out can cause convulsions and even death.

SO is that the same as stoping Loratb cold turkey too ? And having shakes and not sleeping , and agitation and anxiety ? like almost actual physical symptoms is that possible ?

Shar,it isnt like having physical symptoms,you DO have physical symptoms. Sweating,shaking,palpitations,terrible muscle spasms and pain,headaches and even altered mental status.
Any pain or sedative/anti anxiety medication withdrawl after longterm use will cause all of the above.Some people choose to go cold turkey and will feel very ill for a short time and can as Gary said risk serious consequences,but the sensible thing to do is get a graduated withdrawl programme set out.

love liz

so I am NOT CRAZY and I probably should tell my dr..I have quite a few actually and I thought I could just NOT take them cus I dont know if anything hurts ..Nothing feels GOOD , but nothing hurts to that point and I dont want to become dependant . so about 3 -4 weeks after this last surgery I just stoppped taking everything ..and I think I am paying for it ,

Even with a medically supervised phase out you will still go through a short withdrawal period. Narcotics and many other drugs assimulate into the brain chemistry.

Lortab is another name for Vicodin.

Pain management is a good thing, not a bad thing, not to mention a basic patient right. It will speed your recovery. It is not that common for people who really need pain management drugs to become dependent on them.

However, Vicodin is not typically prescribed for long term use and it is a medium strength pain reliever.

I have known people who have become addicted to it.

Wayne,
I'm happy you are doing well. Your spirit seems to be upbeat. That's all good.
I went through mood swings, cold sweats etc. when my medications were changed ten years ago.
Gary and others are correct, pain management is a key to successful treatment and rehabilitation, but has some down falls. Any medication that has centrally acting agents (CHANGING OR ACTING ON BRAIN RECEPTORS) can cause dependance. I agree with Gary that Vicodin can elicit this. Vicodin is not available in Canada. Matthew Perry, Chandler on Friends was treated for a Vicodin dependance after dental surgery and, at the time was publicly admitting it.
If reducing or changing pain medications is changing your attitude and demeanour you should discuss this with your doctors and enquire about other possibilities.

Cheers,

Mike

wayne here...thanking all for input...i have started taking lexipro as of friday.... took the first pill(10mg)about noon and it made me pretty drowsy so according to the lexipro webpage i adjusted the next dose(yesterday) to 6PM closer to bedtime..will take the next dose at 6PM again. webpage and doctor said it may take a few weeks to be effective. doctor suggested it (lexipro) should make it a little easier to come of the roxicet and ativan. so far cutting my dose of roxicet from 10ml to 5 or 6ml has not been too hard to handle so will stay at half dose till the lexipro kicks in. my ativan dose i have cut back also but not quite as much. from .25 to .15/.20ml. it has been a brutal year with the suicide of one of my daughters and then my cancer diagnosis. now the challenge seems to be coping with my swallowing difficulties and dry mouth/loss of taste...oh and did i mention that i have lost a significant amount of hearing in the higher frequencies so all sound now sounds muffled. since i played guitar for a living until i was 33, this loss of hearing also hits me hard. sometimes i just don't know how long i can go on like this...doctor's assure me things will get better but throat cancer is one of the most difficult cancers as regards to recovery. also now have slight numbness and tingling in my feet and thumbs and forefingers. doctors again say this will improve over time.
i know all here in this forum have similar and even more difficult circumstances to deal with.
i wish all the best and will update the forum as i progress...hopefully my situation will improve and will give hope and support to others here.
recent thyroid mri showed two growths...one small and one medium sized...the first biopsy on the medium sized did not indicate cancer however the doctor wants another biopsy on december 27 to get a better sample and a more definitve answer as to benign/malignant....dear god i pray it's benign. (most are he says). will talk to you all again soon...and again thanks for all replies and support.

Wayne ,

I am so glad to hear that they have offered you some help. My Drs seem to think that Vicodin is NOT a problem for me and just keep giving it to me even when I go in and say I don't want to get addicted...I feel this way when I don't take it ...PLease give me somthing else for my next surgical proceudre ...... blah blah blah

They are just like oH you are OK ...If you were an addict you would be in here trying to get it ! Whatever ,,That is why I stop my vicodin and xanax COLD TURKEY ..and I tell you it has been rough and many many sleepless NIGHTS !!1

Shar