He should never detox oxycodone alone! It is very dangerous. He needs to go to the hospital for a safe medically supervised detox!

They will give him meds to alleviate the painful withdrawals.

Please talk to him!

Good Luck!

Hi there-
I detoxed at home with a doctor's supervision. I was in contact with him to let him how I was doing. Your son has classic withdrawal symptoms. Because he has tried to quit in the past but wasn't able -- he should have a medically supervised detox and then a rehab. After that a 12-Step program is almost always helpful!

Good luck and keep us posted!

oooh, should not do this alone... lots of help here tho..

Hi butfish4grief,

It's nice to hear that you'd like to help your son and aren't kicking him out of the house (so to speak).

Oxycodone and all the other opiates (drugs which are in some way related to the opium poppy) are extremely dangerous for a few reasons:

The first reason being that the uninitiated (those who have not built a tolerance to opiates' effects) are at risk of death by 'accidental' suffocation as this drug and most opiates are CNS (Central Nervous System) depressants and can fatally slow breathing until it stops. Alcohol is also a CNS depressant, for instance.

Secondly, opiates actually *change* brain chemistry over time, and depending on the amount taken, how often, and for how long all factor into the ability to recover from this type of addiction. Opiates (when abused) change a person's primeval drives (food, water, sex, motivation, etc.) so that opiates become #1 on the list. Everything else is secondary. Family, kids, work, friends... get in line.

Third, it will ultimately leave you penniless or worse, as more and more of the drug is needed just to feel 'normal'.

You mention that your son can't get his prescribed meds because he has no money. Are the Rx meds opiates? Is that how he got started on Oxycodone? Do you know how long your son has been using Oxy/opiates and why (chronic pain, etc.)? Believe me, the longer these drugs are used (or *abused*, I should clarify), the more difficult it is to stay clean of them. Also, how old is your son?

I don't agree with the comments about detoxing from oxycodone/opiates being 'dangerous'. Painful and extremely uncomfortable are understatements and I would never wish opiate withdrawal on anyone. However, it is very rarely life-threatening. The worst of the symptoms (severe self-hating depression and terrible drug craving being the absolute worst) will peak at the 3rd or 4th day and symptoms should start to get better and be mostly resolved within a week or so. The hard part is staying away once free from the opiates. And make no mistake, ONE pill can set off a relapse and your son will be right back where he started, or even worse.

I don't agree that he needs to go to a hospital for a 'detox'. It's 'tough love', but letting him feel the severe pain of withdrawal may be the lesson he needs to learn. People have been withdrawing from opiates for thousands of years. It is pure hell, and he will wish himself dead, but it does end and is not considered medically life-threatening as opposed to alcohol or benzodiazepine (Xanax, Valium, etc.) withdrawal which CAN be fatal and should be medically supervised.

I think if your son told his doctor that he had a problem with opiates, the doctor would try to help. However, if the doctor is the *source* of the opiates, your son may be very averse to basically 'cutting off his connection'. In many cases, the doctor will prescribe enough pills so that your son can taper down his use over time, minimizing withdrawal symptoms. The only problem is that if you are an addict, tapering down just won't work. Someone else needs to hold his pills and hand them out according to the doctor's schedule. And do not think for a moment that your son will not FIND the pills if they are hidden. They need to be out of the house and he can't know where they are.

I feel really bad for your son. No one ever dreams of being a slave to a drug. It is truly a love/hate relationship. I can't tell you how many times I've been on my way to buy opiates with the last money I had in the world, hating myself all the way, telling myself to turn the car around, but the 'reward' of a few hours of not having to worry about ANYTHING won out every single time - even though I knew it would only make my problems worse. But then you're out of opiates again and just want more, feel even worse, are broke, and so the cycle goes.

Compared to other drugs of abuse (cocaine, Ecstacy, etc.) opiates are actually relatively 'safe' (except for those who inject their drugs, but this is due to needle use and the chemicals besides opiates that are also injected); the only risk being overdose (and addiction of course). If you can believe it, Sears used to sell needles and morphine (another opiate) in their catalog in 'the olden days'.

You can search the Internet for the 'Thomas Recipe Opiates'. The Thomas recipe is a list of vitamin supplements to get your son's brain chemicals back to 'normal' levels and offers advice on how to help (not overcome) the symptoms of withdrawal. Exercise is one of the most important things your son can do, even though it is the last thing he will *want* to do. Even a short walk will help.

Tell him that these drugs are a dead-end and WILL ruin his life - no doubt about it. He can either continue the cycle of abuse and withdrawal (which gets worse every time) or he can just agree that he has to 'break up' with opiates for good. If there was one thing I could tell my son, it would be to NEVER even try opiates. Then you won't know what you're missing (feeling on top of the world for a very short time in exchange for all of your money, belongings, sanity and even your very soul!)

I hope this helps you and your son in some way. Feel free to Private Message me if you'd like.

Hi, I am addicted to Oxy's myself. I am taking about 30mg a day. So thats one pill. I am doing this only to feel "normal" I agree with Boston123 I have "tried" to detox at home many times... I got upto 11 days once.. and I was no where near dying(even though I felt like it).. Yes I felt like complete *hit.. But the worst is the Cravings and Staying away... The withdrawls your son is having is very normal, I am not a Dr. But Boston is right BENZO's are very very dangerous to detox at home.I think he will be fine at home, he just needs to get the receipe for the Thomas Recipe! Boston mentioned.. You can type this in goodle and find it..I do like this web-site but if your looking support and Lots of answers.. I suggest going to www.drugs.com click on Forums and go to "need to talk" there are allot of people on their that know what they are talking about.. I will pray for your son.I wish you luck..

princess, im taking four 30's a day and a few percs.. all as prescribed..

but its just to feel normal.

i am a chronic pain patient who is so tired of drugs..

i just needed to vent..

merry Christmas
Brother Frankie
A Biker for Christ

I feel for you guys who have chronic pain and have to take addictive opiates. It's such a catch 22.

I have been in your sons shoes many times. It is important that he weines slowly off the opiates. This doesn't mean he won't feel awful, but it will be much easier. Make it through the first week and the physical withdraw should be next to nothing. If this is for legitamate pain, you may need to talk to your Dr. about the financial situation and ask for suggestions. I suffer from chronic pain, and through research, I am learning what has caused my pain and trying to fix what I am putting in my body. You would be surprised at how toxic we can become and how much pain that can cause. Good luck!

rember when we all felt normal with out any oxys. I wish I never started, but theres never a time like now to stop because so many people are going through the same thing and the longer you wait the harder it"ll be. but even if you relapse dont give up. you can do anything you put your mind to.

newlife10... wish we could ho back to those days.. man i wish

i'm definitely glad to see that others are feeling the way I do...
ive been sober for 5 days, but I want the pills so badly to feel normal.
i dont want to relapse, but I dont want to be in pain anymore...

:(

Just to clarify a few things. It IS dangerous to detox at home. You can go into seizures. I know several addicts this has happened too. If they were not in he hospital, they could have died.

If he gets help through your local hospital his changes for a successful recovery go up 20 percent.

Good Luck!