How can you get off percocet at home with no withdrawals?

Answer 1

It depends on a number of different factors - the patient's tolerance to the opiate, the strength of the opiate taken, how long it's been used, how big the patient is, etc. However, the reality is that there's no way to do it without withdrawals - that's just the facts of human physiology. The only thing you can do is to lessen the impact, and that's not as bad as it might appear if you're prepared physically and mentally to do it.

Having been dependent on opiates for many years, and having had to increase and decrease my dosages many times over that period (10 years), I've used incremental dose reduction many times to lower my dosages. Usually it takes about 4-6 weeks depending on the drug. Since I use the strongest dosages of the strongest opiates, it takes a bit longer for me than it might for someone using less for a shorter amount of time.

In incremental dose reduction, what you do is cut the pill in half or in quarters. First try taking half your normal prescribed dose, and see how you deal with the withdrawals. If it's too strong, then start with only a 1/4 reduction in dosage. Take it for a week, then drop another 1/4. If the withdrawals are too strong still, then stay at 1/4 dose reduction for another week, then try again. When you can tolerate the withdrawal, then reduce by another 1/4, and repeat the weekly process. Keep doing it until you're completely off of the drug.

Since I'm retired on disability, I have the luxury of being able to sedate myself heavily and remain in bed when dealing with large dosage reductions and withdrawals. Since most people don't have that available to them, it might take longer or shorter amount of time to reduce the drug to the point you can stop taking it.

It also helps to take an OTC med to compensate and ease the withdrawal pain. Two of my favorites are Tylenol Rapid Release Gel-tabs, and Bayer Back and Body Aspirin. I also use them frequently when I don't fell like using any Percocet for breakthrough pain. Bayer works better for withdrawal pain though. Aleve or prescription Naproxen will also help.

Withdrawal drugs essentially ease the withdrawal process, but they can make you sick if you take them at the wrong time. I personally don't like using them as it's just something else in your system you have to deal with at some point. But each person is different, and it really depends on how you deal with withdrawal symptoms.

You should ask your doctor for anti-anxiety and anti-nausea meds (you'll need the anti-nausea meds toward the end), and set aside time off to do it. Make sure you've got someone around for the first few days, as you're not going to feel like doing anything and you'll need help with food prep.

Keep an ample supply of water and Gatorade/Powerade around to keep your fluids up as you'll be sweating a lot. It's really not more uncomfortable than a bad case of the flu. Keep warm, and have plenty of mental distractions, e.g., movies, games, music, etc.

Regardless of how you do it, you should never try and reduce your dosages without your doctor's involvement. The body doesn't respond well to withdrawals, and each person's body reacts differently. You don't want to experience sudden withdrawal related problems,and your doctor can help you navigate that minefield.