Going cold turkey OxyContin?
OxyContin is one of the most effective painkillers on the market. It is also easy for the body to become dependent on OxyContin and stopping cold turkey is not recommended or necessary for OxyContin dependent users. In fact, when you learn how to treat OxyContin withdrawal symptoms, the first suggestion is to taper doses to avoid unnecessary discomfort. So what are the risks involved with quitting OxyContin cold turkey and what are some alternatives? Here, we address cold turkey issues and invite your questions about OxyContin at the end.
Cold turkey off OxyContin
In general, opioids like OxyContin (oxycodone) should not be abruptly stopped. Instead, it’s recommended that medical supervisor gradually taper your OxyContin dose before you enter the phases of early withdrawal. Stopping OxyContin without tapering can increase the severity of the symptoms you experience and may even result in relapse. What are symptoms of OxyContin withdrawal? Symptoms such as nausea, muscle cramps, vomiting, hot and cold flushes, anxiety and insomnia will be in full effect days or even weeks after you stop OxyContin cold turkey. Why does this happen?
When you withdraw from OxyContin suddenly, it can be overwhelming for the body. This is because after long term OxyContin use ,the body becomes physically dependent on OxyContin and needs it to function properly. But when you go cold turkey off OxyContin, your central nervous system reacts even more severely to the lack of OxyContin. You experience unncessarily intensediscomfort and withdrawal symptoms. In effect, stopping OxyContin abruptly startles the brain and central nervous system, causing it to go haywire.
If you decide to go cold turkey off OxyContin you can expect severe withdrawal symptoms such as muscle aches, sweating, agitation, anxiety, diarrhea, nausea and vomiting, and abdominal cramping. You generally experience these withdrawal symptoms within hours or days after your last dose of OxyContin. OxyContin withdrawal symptoms are intense and can frighten you even though they are predictable. And it can take up to 4-10 days for the body to balance out the chemicals before you start feeling normal again.
Cold turkey OxyContin withdrawal
OxyContin physical withdrawal symptoms usually last between 7 and 10 days. However, depression and cravings can last much longer. If not treated professionally, pyschological symptoms of OxyContin withdrawal can result in relapse. Symptoms that may be experienced are fatigue, cravings, depression, difficulty concentrating, anxiety, inability to feel pressure, irritability, sleeping problems, short term memory problems, lack of interest in sexual intercourse and difficulty making decisions.
Quitting OxyContin cold turkey
If you’ve decided to quit OxyContin cold turkey, what clinical traits should be present before doing so? Those who are best suited for quitting OxyContin cold turkey should have the following characteristics:
1. Be in good health
2. No serious health conditions that can be affected by withdrawal
3. Stay away from other drugs or substances that could interfere with OxyContin
4. Strong willpower
Stopping OxyContin cold turkey risks
Still, trying to quit OxyContin addiction abruptly is not recommended. It is not necessary that you provoke an intense and severe opioid detox and risk serious health complications. Risks of stopping OxyContin cold turkey include:
- extreme fatigue
- immune system shut down
- increased heart rate
- severe headaches
Get off OxyContin cold turkey
Medical professionals do not recommend stopping OxyContin cold turkey. Going cold turkey off OxyContin can result in unnecessary pain and in unexpected ways. Doctors recommend that instead of quitting cold turkey, you tapered off doses of OxyContin over the course of a few weeks. Your prescribing doctor will monitor your progress and adjust doses according to the reactions of your body.
Can I quit OxyContin cold turkey?
Depending on how heavy of a user you are, quitting OxyContin cold turkey can be really dangerous. If you have been addicted to OxyContin for months then you should not quit cold turkey but instead seek help from medical professionals. It is not recommended.
Cold Turkey OxyContin Questions
If you still have questions about quitting OxyContin cold turkey, please post your questions in the comments section below. We will try to respond to all comments promptly and provide you with a personal response.