Ive read many and many pf these postings and there is one medication I have yet to read anyone mention. Neurontin. It is a central nerve stimulator and works almost in the same way. Right now there are afew clinics usign it in conjunction with two other meds for crack head and herioin users. It is even used for alcoholics. If I run out of my opiats, I use extra neurontin to help aleviate the WD. I would love t get off of the nercotics but having a broken tail bone and other pain problems, I have tried soooooo many different pills but the opiates are the only thing that helps. I have finally started using a Soma along with my pain pills and it helps alot. I wish all of you the best and hope your recovery is quick and long lasting. Cheers to each of you!!
You mentioned Tramadol/Ultram, I am on Day 8 of a Vicoden withdraw and my DR gave me Ultram and I will make it this time. I have no desire at this point to ever take hydrocodone again. Do not get me wrong I still had the withdraw, but Ultram helped alot! And it is Non-Narcatic. Good Luck and call your DR.
To all: I have been taking 2 10/500's three times a day (6 a day for those WDing that don't feel like math;) for three years. Every so often when my pain (relative pain as it's always present) subsides a bit, I stop taking the medication. I have quite cold turkey after taking 8 a day and for those who know already, this is one of the most excruciating things you can go through. I did read online to cutback gradually, which I just did as of last Friday, so I'm on day 5. This is the third time I've done this method and I have to say, it's much better and highly recommended. It IS a trade-off though. You will feel a bit antsy as you ramp down, but not near as bad as the 5- 7 days of hell you will go through cold turkey.
Here's my recommendation: say you're on the "prescribed" max dosage of 6 10/500's a day. On day 1, take one and a half in the morning instead of two. I usually ramp back half a pill a day until I get to half in the morning and half at night. Once you're there, JUST STOP. You will still withdrawal but not NEAR as bad as I've experienced cold turkey. If you feel too antsy cutting back half a day, cutback half every other day. Also, as bad and tired as you feel, go run every day during the process. It creates dopamine as runners often get "runners' high. It will suck but will help in the long run and wear you out so you can sleep well. I do not experience the severe GI issues with this method, although present a slight bit.
Too bad they haven't LEGALIZED the weed yet as it helps as well. Call your local congressperson (to be PC) ;-) Never considered tapping a vein with lady H, but I have to say, I pray for addicts because if it's worse than prescriptions they must be in constant hell.
Hang in there, all. There is light at the end of the tunnel. You just have to shake, sweat, and not sleep a wee little bit to get there!
Here's my recommendation: say you're on the "prescribed" max dosage of 6 10/500's a day. On day 1, take one and a half in the morning instead of two. I usually ramp back half a pill a day until I get to half in the morning and half at night. Once you're there, JUST STOP. You will still withdrawal but not NEAR as bad as I've experienced cold turkey. If you feel too antsy cutting back half a day, cutback half every other day. Also, as bad and tired as you feel, go run every day during the process. It creates dopamine as runners often get "runners' high. It will suck but will help in the long run and wear you out so you can sleep well. I do not experience the severe GI issues with this method, although present a slight bit.
Too bad they haven't LEGALIZED the weed yet as it helps as well. Call your local congressperson (to be PC) ;-) Never considered tapping a vein with lady H, but I have to say, I pray for addicts because if it's worse than prescriptions they must be in constant hell.
Hang in there, all. There is light at the end of the tunnel. You just have to shake, sweat, and not sleep a wee little bit to get there!
I have been taking hydrocodone 10/500 for about 2 years. My dr rx's me 90 (1 3x's a day) when I have my rx filled they do not last 7 days. I have noticed I have taken up to 9 a day without even thinking about it at the time. I started taking 1 3x's a day, and have gradually escalated to way more than I should. I love to take 3 about 6 min. before I eat because my food tastes so much better.When I run out I have cold sweats (flu like symptoms), no motivation to do anything. I loose my appetite, in the past I lost 8 lbs within a week b/c I didn't have any to take before I was suppose to eat. I get diaherra really bad within 12hrs of not having them, which makes it hard to eat too. I can't concentrate on my job, becaused all I have on my mind is counting down the days until I can I my rx refilled. My hands shake a lot after about 8hrs of not taking them. My sister has had 2 brain aneurims, one that actually ruptured & she lived through it, so her dr rx's her hydrocone 7.5/325. When I run out on my rx I will get up in the middle of the night & take her's, that makes me feel a piece of s**t, since hers are only 7.5 I take 4 of hers at a time, so she is usually out in less than a week.
I am going to try to take the person's advice about slowly cutting back a little each day. That sounds like the easiest way to get over this without telling your dr your addicted. I think if I ever tell him when I do need pain med he wouldn't give me any
I am going to try to take the person's advice about slowly cutting back a little each day. That sounds like the easiest way to get over this without telling your dr your addicted. I think if I ever tell him when I do need pain med he wouldn't give me any
i take at least 40 and somedays up to 60 ..10/500 hydrocodone's every single day and have for over three years i have quit a few times cold turkey and e few times with help of suboxone and rehab... taking as low a dose as you are describing probably won't ever cause withdrawels i mean 3-5 is less than the dr. prescribed dose if you take every 4-6 hours as prescribed but if you ever do get to taking more the withdrawels will kick in usually within 12- 18 hours and be in full force by 24 hours you will experience severe stomachache aches and severe diarrhea as well as very painful leg pains so best thing for you to do is if you only take 3-5 a day atop now before you do get a problem cause the withdrawals from hydro's is not something you wanna experience
That is alot of Hydrocodone! I had taken Hydrocodone and Percocet, due to a broken Vertabrae, for the better part of 2 years within normal dosage. I never did go through Withdrawls if I did run out early. Then some Jackass decided that I should be on Fentanyl...ride from HELL! Anyways, I took that for 15 month, got up to 100 mcg/hr Patches and then tapered myself back down to 50mcg/hr. when we moved and I couldn't find a doc to even accept me as a Patient let alone perscribe meds. So...I stopped...Cold Turkey...No Good...Hell...Bad...and this one could actually kill you going the turkey way. This sh*t is 80 times stronger then morphine...I went through the full range of Withdrawl Symptoms. hot cold sweats, nausea, shaky, you name it. Anyways, there is no clear concensous on how long the Withdrawls last from this stuff, some say weeks, some docs say months. On day two I cracked and went into the ER with Bloodpressure of 148/98 and a Pulse of 105. The Doc gave me Clonidene which gets down the Pressure and incidentally binds to the same receptors as opiates and so fakes out the Brain into believing there is no pain :-D and he gave me some Valium to take away the Anxiety. it works...I am now taking just the Clonidene, although unfortunately I believe that my stupid body is getting used to them. But it does work. Alot of times, unless you take alot of them, yes Pills are addictive, but it is very much also psychological. If any of you still are trying to kick these things...try the Clonidene!!! Get to a doc and ask...can't hurt!!
So I am also "addicted" to lortabs. I cant seem to stop taking them. I have an rx for 90 a month (3x an day)... but I have been taking about 6 a day. I have 10 pills left and want to quit so badly. I have to stop taking them. My husband and I are trying to get pregnant so I need to be off them for that, but most of all just general health is the reason. Everyone thinks that I only take 2 or 3 a day, and I know I should tell my husband the truth so he understands why I am going through withdrawals (and doesnt just think I am sick and make me go to the dr). I also have an 8 year old daughter who is my life. But when I am coming off of them or about to run out, I am irritable, grumpy and just plain mean to everyone around me. its not right. I HATE IT!
So I was thinking about taking 2 a day for 3 days then 1 a day for 2 days starting tomorrow. But I am already feeling anxious and I am having aches and pains all over. HELP! How hard will this be? What should I tell my husband. He is a great guy and would do anything to help me, but I am afraid he will be mad at me for lying to him all this time. I have been taking 10/500 lortabs for 4 years, but the 6 a day has been the last 4-5 months. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
So I was thinking about taking 2 a day for 3 days then 1 a day for 2 days starting tomorrow. But I am already feeling anxious and I am having aches and pains all over. HELP! How hard will this be? What should I tell my husband. He is a great guy and would do anything to help me, but I am afraid he will be mad at me for lying to him all this time. I have been taking 10/500 lortabs for 4 years, but the 6 a day has been the last 4-5 months. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Guest wrote:
Okay, Heres some advice coming from an "in the closet" addict.
I too have major pain problems & I am prescribed hydrocodone. My RX is gone in a week or so usually.... I have been physically addicted for years & my family /friends know I had problems in the past, so I just dont tell them I have an rx at all now...
But, I was engaged to a guy last year & I told him all of it... He knew I had problems, he knew about my real pain, & he handled it pretty well.... He thought I was taking 3-5 a day when I was really taking 8-12 a day. (I kept a stash hidden from him & got good at keeping it a secret)
When I thought I was ready to quit, I knew what was about to come (withdrawals) & I debated whether I should tell him the truth or what to do... I knew I couldnt handle the withdrawals AND him being pissed at me for lying to him, so heres what I did. (I think it might work for you also)
I told him I wanted to try getting off my meds, to see if I could handle the pain I had (which was why they were prescribed in the 1st place). I didnt tell him that my Rx ran out 2 weeks early, & I couldnt get them refilled or any of the details. I just played it off like I just wanted to stop taking the meds, see how bad my pain was, & all that... He was supportive & was there 100% during the week from hell of my w/d which helped me a lot...
My advice to you is to do like I did... I know you wanna be honest, b/c noone likes lying to their spouse. But, I'll be honest with you.... I dont see how telling him the truth right now is going to help anything. Its just going to make him pissed at you, & all hell will break loose. Add that to the hell you're going through with the withdrawals & thats not gonna do you a bit of good. Just tell him you wanna see if you can stop taking the the pills, because you want to see how bad your pain is to see if you really need the meds anymore... Tell him that because youve been on them for so long, your body has gotten used to having them & you might be a little sick for a few days... That way, he'll understand why youre sick, & hopefully you can avoid getting him pissed at you. & if you end up getting them refilled again, just tell him that the pain got to be too much for you to handle.
I hope this helps a little... If I can do anything, even just listen, Im here... I'll check back later...
Good Luck!
So I am also "addicted" to lortabs. I cant seem to stop taking them. I have an rx for 90 a month (3x an day)... but I have been taking about 6 a day. I have 10 pills left and want to quit so badly. I have to stop taking them. My husband and I are trying to get pregnant so I need to be off them for that, but most of all just general health is the reason. Everyone thinks that I only take 2 or 3 a day, and I know I should tell my husband the truth so he understands why I am going through withdrawals (and doesnt just think I am sick and make me go to the dr). I also have an 8 year old daughter who is my life. But when I am coming off of them or about to run out, I am irritable, grumpy and just plain mean to everyone around me. its not right. I HATE IT!
So I was thinking about taking 2 a day for 3 days then 1 a day for 2 days starting tomorrow. But I am already feeling anxious and I am having aches and pains all over. HELP! How hard will this be? What should I tell my husband. He is a great guy and would do anything to help me, but I am afraid he will be mad at me for lying to him all this time. I have been taking 10/500 lortabs for 4 years, but the 6 a day has been the last 4-5 months. Any advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Okay, Heres some advice coming from an "in the closet" addict.
I too have major pain problems & I am prescribed hydrocodone. My RX is gone in a week or so usually.... I have been physically addicted for years & my family /friends know I had problems in the past, so I just dont tell them I have an rx at all now...
But, I was engaged to a guy last year & I told him all of it... He knew I had problems, he knew about my real pain, & he handled it pretty well.... He thought I was taking 3-5 a day when I was really taking 8-12 a day. (I kept a stash hidden from him & got good at keeping it a secret)
When I thought I was ready to quit, I knew what was about to come (withdrawals) & I debated whether I should tell him the truth or what to do... I knew I couldnt handle the withdrawals AND him being pissed at me for lying to him, so heres what I did. (I think it might work for you also)
I told him I wanted to try getting off my meds, to see if I could handle the pain I had (which was why they were prescribed in the 1st place). I didnt tell him that my Rx ran out 2 weeks early, & I couldnt get them refilled or any of the details. I just played it off like I just wanted to stop taking the meds, see how bad my pain was, & all that... He was supportive & was there 100% during the week from hell of my w/d which helped me a lot...
My advice to you is to do like I did... I know you wanna be honest, b/c noone likes lying to their spouse. But, I'll be honest with you.... I dont see how telling him the truth right now is going to help anything. Its just going to make him pissed at you, & all hell will break loose. Add that to the hell you're going through with the withdrawals & thats not gonna do you a bit of good. Just tell him you wanna see if you can stop taking the the pills, because you want to see how bad your pain is to see if you really need the meds anymore... Tell him that because youve been on them for so long, your body has gotten used to having them & you might be a little sick for a few days... That way, he'll understand why youre sick, & hopefully you can avoid getting him pissed at you. & if you end up getting them refilled again, just tell him that the pain got to be too much for you to handle.
I hope this helps a little... If I can do anything, even just listen, Im here... I'll check back later...
Good Luck!
Glad I found this discussion. I'm up tonight w/d from hydrocodone. Started with the 7.5's 3/day then 4/day - now up to 10's 4/day (120/month). Like one lady said, mine is also gone w/in 2 weeks and like 2-3 days because I start to taper as I see the bottle emptying. I actually would like to know if anyone knows of a natural or OTC med that helps with the withdrawal. Like most of you, I am prescribed these for legitimate medical reasons - deteriorating disks, spurring and displacement. I am a recovering alcoholic of 13 and 1/2 years, so I know the power of addiction. These pills give me back some life because they do help with the constant pain however, I'm not in denial. I know that I am abusing them. I'd just like some relief from the withdrawal. Anyone with any natural or OTC ideas?
I'm quadriplegic due to a drunk driver, i have been on some form of pain medication for chronic pain (Percocet, Darvocet, Vicodin ) for almost nine years using increasingly more as time goes by due to tolerance build up, sometimes taking more than one kind at a time. I recently decided it was in my best interest to quit (even though I still have pain). I am doing so by going cold turkey, the last time I took anything was Tuesday around noon, it is now Thursday @1:00pm. I went through an hour or two period where I wanted to crawl out of my skin but other than that and the pain I normally have I'm not having any other withdrawal symptoms, no mood swings or sweating and no insomnia. I am paralyzed from the chest down so I don't really notice a lack of motivation. I'm wondering if this is at all normal or if and when I can expect to have my butt kicked by withdrawal symptoms? Thanks for any input
I started about 5 yrs ago just as a social drinking type of thing , my Dr started me on 40 5 mg a month because of a bad back with 2 refills , back then i would give some to my friends and they would last the whole time, as time went on it was up to 90 with 2 refill and by year 2 i was out before my refill date, then i started buying 20 and 30 10 mg at a time and they would only lsat a weekend , at this point im taking up to 10-15 10 mg's a day , then i run out of money and have to try and make do with whatever i can come up with. I have missed work in the past because i thought i could not make it and then trying to hide the bad feeling from my wife and kids makes it even worse , I only had 4 monday, 1 tuesday , and today i have none. I know i need to fight thru this but i just dont know if i can make it , i wanna call someone now and just get a couple to make me feel normal.
From these posts, it seems that withdrawal symptoms for one thing are usually alleviated by substituting for another equally addictive substance. Treating Hydrocodone addiction with Tramadol is a case in point. Sure, you may feel great on the Tramadol, but it has its own very severe and unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. While you're taking it you feel great and alert, as it disrupts the serotonin reuptake mechanism, leaving more of the serotonin neurotransmitter in your synapses. You won't easily get depressed while on Tramadol - you're doing great all the time. But as you try to abandon Tramadol, you feel like c**p - muscle aches, pains, you feel sick, etc. Do yourself a favor and stay away from it...
Hey there...
So i have been reading over a lot of your responses... It actually is giving me some comfort knowing that there are others out there feeling what I am feeling.
I especially can relate to the first comment, taking them after work, before movies, when socializing and on an everyday basis.
I started taking norcos for the high. My boyfriend introduced me to them about 9 months ago... I am not a big drinker or partyer. I started taking them like 2 or 4 times a week... Like 1 or of them. I thought to myself, "Hey this is no big deal, I can go days and almost weeks with out thinking about them and still sleep fine."
Well, I will tell you, I was wrong! I eventually got prescribed to them and started taking 1 -3 or sometimes 4 a night. Every time I went out and socialized, I would start with 1 and then continue with halves for the rest of the night.
I felt anxious when I didn't have them on me, even if I knew I wasn't going to take them... I would always think about it.
Now it has been 11 months... I took a bunch on friday night and again on saturday...... I quit on SUnday cold turkey.......
I am just now starting to feel sick, but most of all! I feel depressed and irritable with everything.
My feet and lower legs are cramping, my stomach is turning and I have real bad anxiety.
Most of all I am ashamed of myself... I just look back and wonder how I got this way??????????????
I am struggling with the fact that I can take these and they are completely accessible to me... But I have never wanted to give up something so bad in my life!
GOd, grant me the Serenity, to except the things I can not change, the courage to CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN, and the wisdom to know the truth.
:'(
So i have been reading over a lot of your responses... It actually is giving me some comfort knowing that there are others out there feeling what I am feeling.
I especially can relate to the first comment, taking them after work, before movies, when socializing and on an everyday basis.
I started taking norcos for the high. My boyfriend introduced me to them about 9 months ago... I am not a big drinker or partyer. I started taking them like 2 or 4 times a week... Like 1 or of them. I thought to myself, "Hey this is no big deal, I can go days and almost weeks with out thinking about them and still sleep fine."
Well, I will tell you, I was wrong! I eventually got prescribed to them and started taking 1 -3 or sometimes 4 a night. Every time I went out and socialized, I would start with 1 and then continue with halves for the rest of the night.
I felt anxious when I didn't have them on me, even if I knew I wasn't going to take them... I would always think about it.
Now it has been 11 months... I took a bunch on friday night and again on saturday...... I quit on SUnday cold turkey.......
I am just now starting to feel sick, but most of all! I feel depressed and irritable with everything.
My feet and lower legs are cramping, my stomach is turning and I have real bad anxiety.
Most of all I am ashamed of myself... I just look back and wonder how I got this way??????????????
I am struggling with the fact that I can take these and they are completely accessible to me... But I have never wanted to give up something so bad in my life!
GOd, grant me the Serenity, to except the things I can not change, the courage to CHANGE THE THINGS I CAN, and the wisdom to know the truth.
:'(
Keep living the prayer-you have it almost right:"God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference." Count the seconds and the minutes if you must; the withdrawal will come to an end and you WILL have your life back.
i had back surgery 1/6/09 i got 4 screws 2 rods and a metal cage in between my vertabre and fuesd together i was taking vicodin 5/500 and 7.5/750 then i got perkasets 5/325 then i got loratabs 7.5/500 then the last i was taking was norrcos 10/325 for a lil over 8months i was taking pain pills the norrcos i only had the norrcos for about a month and 2weeks i was taking 2 vics aday or every other day the perks i would take 2aday or every other day the loratabs i would take 1 aday or every other day the norrco i would take 1 aday or 1 every other day i didnt hav all them at one time i went for the vics to perks then loratabs then norrco shoud i hav with drawals if i stop taking the norrco if so wut she i hav and how long thanks