When does hydrocodone withdrawals BEGIN????

I have steadily been taking hydrocodone for 14 years. I am tired. Tired of wanting the drug, wondering how much I have left, when I'll get more, and on and on. ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!!!!! I want my damn life back. If I stop and think it has been 3 days now since I quit cold turkey and really there is no other way. I am an addict and no addict I've known could slowly remove the drug from their life. I want to go through a day where I don't think about this damn drug. I have to watch myself forever. I have had many drugs over the years , cocaine, meth, methadone, hydrocodone, ambien, xanax, and even all in a days time. Let's not forget pot. Two I never want or wanted. Tobacco and alcohol. Thank goodness I had no desire for those. I never desired drugs period. I desired the affect on myself emotionally, so I didn't feel, or physically, to not gain weight or have energy. Ironically after 14 years truth is I never get that good feeling anymore so I started going without and my mind is trying to screw with me and tell me I need them. Need them to f@#k up my life more without a high? No thank you. I want control again or really never had it and have spent age 24-38 on drugs!!!!!!! WTF??????? I knew everytime , whatever the drug, that it never felt okay or right, no matter how high I was. I don't know the future, but I no I don't have one for sure unless I can stop this. Wish me luck. As long as I have been using I would've thought I would feel worse than this. I think I feel okay? Any help on what I should be expecting withdrawal wise would be appreciated?

For me after disc surgery and recovery I took (prescribed) Norco 10mg between 8-10 a day for 7 months cut down to 5-6 a day for a month and cause I'm tired of an appropriate refill and taken as prescribed 48-72 hour delays...I simply can't take that sh*t anymore so even with pain I went cold turkey. This is how it goes and what I recomend for person who has same idea with will power. First get down to 50 mg e 24 hours before attempting. Otherwise you are setting yourself up for a miserable failure. Buy a bottle of 325mg tylenol. Take last dose at night couple days when you have no plans. Go to bed and attempt to sleep best you can that first night. It may be all you get for next few days. You will need it. When you wake 12 hours later push yourself to atleast get up and eat and drink as normal. You will need it. After 2-3 hours (12 asleep and 2 awake) you will start irregular bowl movement and sweating with urge. Appetite gone. Take 1-2 325 mg tylenol every 6 hours to make up for that loss and for bodily sick symptoms, Force Gatorade (good electrolyte drinks, no soda or coffee) if you use tobacco or coffee take other form caffeine to ease that as coffee will dehydrate you, force an occasional nicotine use to not add to withdrawl. First 24 hours is rough. Try to sleep well that night although I doubt you will. 36-40 hours a second wave will hit HARD the worst. As long as you feel safe. Be alone. It's not something you want loved ones to see you go through I will leave it at that. 48 hours past it will subside to some calmness but excessive sweating, chills, bowel movement will become frequent water like movement. Fluids are important and atleast a meal a day. At 72 hours the worst is passed. You will have Flu like symptoms, sweating, chills, aches, etc. this is point you need not turn back unless you can fathom going through the phase again. You, unless addicted to a point of needing rehab, will be able to weather the storm from here. Over next days you will feel sickly, and need to remain hydrated. From there push yourself in daily activity as you adjust. Don't let it completely down you. Psychological factor is big. Don't be afraid to tell close ones what you are doing for support and understanding. Guilt, fear, all that will wear on your changes unless you are open and relieve that burden. Go to doctor and seek non narcotic alternatives and declare that is your wishes for your health if pain relief can be found in other methods. I leave it at that. Onset 12 hours, 24 hours rough, 36-48 sorry, awful, 72 hours and beyond, some sick symtoms and adjusting. Be strong at this point. Even though you will still have symtoms the worst of storm has past. It's up to individual from there. Believe in yourself that you are stronger than any urge.

If u can go days without taking anything and not be sick then u are not progressed into addiction yet. That is great. STOP takin those now. I have been addicted to painkillers for 7 years. I take 20 to 25 lortab or Percocet a day. 5 to 8 hours without anything and I can't function. It is the worst feeling in the world. I do not get high at all. I have to take that many to feel normal. I want to stop, and I have several times, but even after months of being sober I still don't feel good again. Please stop before it progresses. U don't want to go through what it can and will take u through. Good luck

I think I replied to the wrong post...oops but u sound " exactly" like me. Good luck with ure recovery

Hello... been on 5/500  4x day for one year. Quit!!!!! have had headache for days... runny nose? question, is it allergy time or is this withdrawal? Having epidurals... tired of masking the pain!

The last time I took norco was at 7 pm on Saturday.it is now Monday morning 445.I can't sleep,my legs are hurting (restless legs),I've been having diarreah since I woke up Sunday morning,my body was aching and it felt like flu symtoms.I've been taking vicodin for two years everyday but I'm not prescribed.I've been having to buy them off the street spending $20 to $100 a day everyday.I started taking them to get a buzz and now I'm too far gone.so my withdrwals started like 12 hours later.and I'm still withdrawing now.its hard to quit so don't get hooked.I feel like I can't work without them.

I was taking 14-24 10mg Norco per day for the last 2 years and prior to that I was taking 30 per day for a few months. Prior to taking 30 per day I was taking between 10-20 per day for 2 years. An unexpected event occurred 2 weeks ago and I was forced to face my addiction and get help. I tapered down from 20 last monday to 16 tuesday, 14 weds, 11 thursday, 8 friday, 5 saturday and sunday and then to 4 this monday. Tuesday I had one pill and now it has been almost 48 hours free from the painful grip of norco. I was scared to death of withdrawal so I planned a strategy to minimize symptoms which has worked unbelievably well. I never thought it would be this easy!!!

Once my taper hit friday and the 8 pills I started taking Clonidine 0.2mg once in the AM and once at around 5 PM. It really helped with the anxiety and edgy feelings as well as the weird skin feelings. I had been taking vitamins even while on the Norco but I started the day with a multivitamin and 2 Withdrawal Ease capsules. I also added Ultram 10 mg pills x 2. I would take these whenever the withdrawal sensations began. I only needed between 2-6 per day. Ultram works on the same receptors that Norco interacts with thus it reduces the symptoms of withdrawal but does NOT produce a buzz. One thing about Ultram is that it can be addictive and once the 3-7 days of the initial withdrawal is over it must be stopped and preferably weaned down as well. Ultram is NOT a controlled substance but it must prescribed by a physician. Additionally I have been taking a 5mg Valium on select nights and have had NO trouble sleeping. I am also taking the Withdrawal Ease pills at night.

Exercise is important so I have been walking, running, swimming and doing pushups/pullups etc for the entire time. I have also been eating light and drinking endless gatorade. I start the day with a glass of OJ with the pills which gives me a little energy. A quiet place to stay and decompress is critical as having distractions such as kids, phones and other responsibilities will just add to the anxiety level and make the withdrawal symptoms worse. I am lucky in that I have a second home on the beach which has provided the exact type of place needed for withdrawal. Any quiet, safe place will do though.

Norco has ruled and ruined my life for the last 5 years and it is incredibly rewarding knowing that it can be beat. It has a hold on our lives that fills us with self doubt and traps us in a loop of worry and craving. Getting rid of it and getting through the first part of recovery can be tough but the first step is the hardest. When you are in deep, getting out looks like an impossibility but once you make the decision to do it, it will be the best decision you ever make. If I had known it would be this painless I would have done this years ago. I ran out of pills a number of years ago and was forced to go cold turkey and I just remember what a complete nightmare it was and could not face that again. Doing what I have done above can get you through withdrawal and on to the next phase of your life!

Hi maybe someone can answer my question.  I was on di-hydrocodiene for a bad back for years, steadily the amount went up and at that time I was also drinking heavily, and for an extra buzz would take more.  Finally after 10 years of trying to go sober I finally have and have got my arse into a BAHons degree in counselling and psycotherapy which is giving me something to focus on.  I knew that as long as Ihad the codiene I would be okay.  Now that became unhealthy taking  up to 15 30mg a day - so easily done for me! I thought well I've combated the drink it is now the tabs time - went to the doctor and told him so I switched to a non-addictive pain killer for my prolapsed disc.  My question is - I feel sh*t! 5 months off booze and 2 months off codiene - I thought I would feel fab, energised etc. etc. but no - tired all the time yawning all day - feel like Im walking through treakle, hot flushes, cold shivers, stone and half weight loss. weak bladder - WFT is going on? My counsellor thinks it could still be withdrawal off the di-hydrocodiene but 8 WEEKS? thought I might be going through the change (Im a 46yr old woman) had a blood test Negative? can anyone please shed some light?

Thank you

Rox 

It's hard to get off norco,but gotta be done....

If I begin to run out...I always make sure I have one for bed otherwise I will not sleep. Tossing and turning, hot and cold sweats, restless legs not to mention when you wake up you'll have the sh**s...bad. Smoking weed helps my withdrawls...mood wise...but nothing else really. I end up making my own concoction. LoL. When I wake up with withdrawals I will take an 800 mg Ibuprophen,immodium*has tiny tiny amounts of opiates...to plug you up* any blood pressure pill *preferably clonidine*, and I never take my muscle relaxers as prescribed because I don't like them...but when I'm hurting too bad I will take 3-4 with some tramadol. At night...I do the same thing only I add either nyquil or ambien. Sounds like a lot sh*t. sh*t. It is a lot sh*t. But it helpsl and is easily accessible. After about a week I was feeling better and Ibuprophen actually helped with my herniated disc...imagine that. Ibuprophen actually working?!!!! It was a miracle. Withdrawing sucks so hardcore but if you can tough it out...you wont ever have to go through it again. Marijuana does help with fibromyalgia patients too and all sorts of sore muscles/ back aches/head aches...smoke that through out the day...not at work preferably...but I hope this helps.

Suboxen is a miracle drug thats for sure!!

So I'm on day 7, and I actually feel yuck. Very drained and depressed. I hurt myself at Work and my workmens comp. Doctor has had my on Lortab 10-325 for approx. 5mos. I've never exceeded 4 in a day, but I've taken Them consistently since. Im tired of taking them, I'm a single mother of 2 and I work 50hrs a week and I'm to the point I'd rather deal with the pain. These things make me mean. Day 1 was ok, days 2 & 3 were the worst! Started feeling better on day 4 & 5. Day 6 &7 depressed and tired. So what worked for me... Jogging, hot baths, Benadryl at night, and chocolate!! I found a position y'all should try to sleep in, turn your AC down cold, put a fan on you (naturally causes your muscles to tense and rls stops. ) sleep on your stomach and put your arms under your tummy/chest. I promise you it works!! Good luck everyone!! You can work through the withdrawals i promise.

Hi . I was taken anywhere from 5-10 pills a day for 6 years I took anything from a lortab ,oxy , Percocets, opanas . What ever . I got so sick and tired of working my ass off for a pill and Hated having to worry about running out and where the next high was coming from . Weaning my self off wasn't an option it had to be all or nothing. So I got on Suboxen But I didn't want to trade one addiction for another so I took very little. What my doctor told me to take in a day was what I took in a week . I did this for a month then I stopped taking that too . I also smoked weed in order to be able to sleep and eat . But now I am 3 months clean off pills and 2 months off every thing . It can be done . Trust me I know its hard I never missed a day of work although it took everything to be there. You got to be stronger than ur addiction. Bayer back and body is a miracle pill. Good luck

Hi, my name is Shauna. Have some concern. Just left mypain management center and they have taken me off my script of vicodin.. they just switched to a new toxicology company and my tests have come back negative for the past 3 tests meaning i am not taking my pills?... very confusing as I have been taking these religiously 3 times a day for over 3 years now. I go back in 2 weeks to go back over whatever issue they are having with my results, however they stopped the vicodin just like that and now I have some fears of how this is going to react in body withdrawals. They said I shouldnt have any withdrawals seeing how I dont have it in my system... however I know what is real and true, I have another 3 tabs left and plan on making them last and hubby says that I will be affected, he has been in recovery for over 13 yrs and guess knows about this. After reading many posts re; w/d, getting nervous and my head tells me to go find someone else to get scripts from. Not doing it, plan on addressing this with my current provider.... just need to know what really to expect after all these years of taking this. They did increase the tramadol however, they are 2 different therapies with 2 different reactions.... Please, if you have any info on this would love to know. Am I to expect that I wont have any withdrawals seeing how their test comes back negative even though I know how much I have been taking and for how long..... and if I am going to get to encounter withdrawals, how long before they start and end... ugh!

Im going through it right now . L4 and L5 are blown out quality of life is shot . I don't have any answers , all I can say is your not alone .