Jenny, first of all, congratulations on your desire to get clean..... You are doing a great job and we are all here to support you.
Tapering does not work for me.... It does help with the withdrawals, but it also keeps the drugs in the front of my mind - I still obsess over them, look at the clock to figure out when I can take my next dose, wait for the euphoria to kick in after taking only one pills when I used to take three (and telling myself things like "I can take extra today and tomorrow I just won't take as many).
What I had to do (and this is just a suggestion - you have to pick what's best for YOU) was either flush them (like I did in Sept, after getting down from 12-15 a day to 1 1/2 in 6 days) or take one day and enjoy it and take the last few that I had (like I did this time) and then start over clean the very next day..... Trying to stretch those 3 little pills out over a few days is just going to make it worse. You're still going to feel withdrawal symptoms..... You might as well just say, "Ok, let's get it over with."
The mental part of the addiction is the worst for me..... Getting clean is hard, but STAYING clean is 100 times harder. I just started therapy again and going to AA meetings (have been twice) and I've been posting my butt off on here....
Telling my husband REALLY helped, too. He has never done a drug in his life & still doesn't really understand addiction, but it helped so much to not have to hide all of this. If I'm depressed or tired or my legs hurt, I can tell him the truth...I don't have to pretend to be okay when I'm not. This disease is so tough because we often keep it a secret from everyone we love and that creates even more problems.
Go to the drugstore and buy Alleve sinus and headache medicine, benadryl for sleep, gatorade, Immodium, multivitamins, chicken broth/soup, epsom salts, and then go rent a movie.... The sinus and headache medicine will help with the aches and pains, as well as help with the fatigue from the withdrawals. The epsom salts are great for putting in your bath - I take about 5 baths a day when I'm going through this because I get so hot and cold at the same time and my legs cramp so much and the bathtub is the only place where I feel okay.
In Sept, I took xanax for the first 3 days, just to help me with the anxiety of all of this and to help me sleep at night. I do not recommend this for everyone though because it is EXTREMELY addictive and withdrawals are even worse.... I've never had a problem with stuff like that because I HATE how they make me feel, so I wasn't worried about getting hooked on it.... so if you can take that or valium safely, that will help, too. This time, I just relied on ambien to help me sleep, but even that can be addictive to some people, so be careful.
Sorry for the long post..... I'm a writer, so I'm very wordy... LOL
Keep up the good work!! You can do this!
Danielle
DANIELLE: WOW THANK YOU....I DO HAVE A PERSCRIPTION FOR XANEX FOR TEST ANXIETY, I AM CURRENTLY GOING BACK TO COLLEGE. I HAVE NEVER ABUSED IT, I'M NOT QUITE SURE WHY...IT SEEM TO HELP ME STAY CALMER, EXACTLY HOW SHOULD I TAKE IT FOR THIS?> YOU DON'T FEEL THE 1/2 FOR THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS WILL WORK?
I AM LEAVING FOR GA FRI. FOR MY HUSBANDS FAMILY CHRISTMAS PARTY AND I AM SO SCARED TO BE GOING THRU WITHDRAWLS DURING THE TRIP! ANY SUGGESTIONS? I WOULD LOVE FOR MY HUSBAND TO KNOW.....I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT HIS REACTION WOULD BE......I LOVE HIM AND THE KIDS AND DO NOT WANT TO RISK LOSING THEM!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WRITING!!!!!! JENNY
I AM LEAVING FOR GA FRI. FOR MY HUSBANDS FAMILY CHRISTMAS PARTY AND I AM SO SCARED TO BE GOING THRU WITHDRAWLS DURING THE TRIP! ANY SUGGESTIONS? I WOULD LOVE FOR MY HUSBAND TO KNOW.....I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT HIS REACTION WOULD BE......I LOVE HIM AND THE KIDS AND DO NOT WANT TO RISK LOSING THEM!!! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WRITING!!!!!! JENNY
Jenny,
I know this will be hard for you cause it is for me. I was reading your story and I too am down to 1/2 to 1 pill a day of hydro. However, you mentioned taking 6 pills day for a while and now you are only on your 2nd day of taking 1 pill...This will be hard to try and wean yourself down with only 3 pills left. I have been stuck at this 1/2 to 1 pill a day for a long time. I have enough pills per month to take 4- 10 mg pills a day but I have never taken that much in one day.. I play mind games with myself about only being able to take 10mg per day and that's it. I need to take JR's advice and just flush them but I can't bring myself to do it for some reason. Saying that, you have gone from 6 pills a day now to 1 and now you only have 3 pills left. I would go down to a lower dose like spliting them in 1/2 and taking a 1/2 of pill for 6 days and then just don't get anymore. You are still going to go through withdrawls mentally and physically. I know. I have withdrawn from Methadone,percocet and Vicodin at very low doses and I have stopped. I was taking percocet for about 2 yrs and found out I was pregnant with my 6 yr old son and quit cold turkey. Taking ONLY a prenatal vitamin everyday throught my entire pregnancy. Then I have him and started with taking methadone for back pain. Man that was a BAD choice, I survived the withdrawls from it and moved on months later after being clean, to taking hydro. Sometimes I just don't learn my lesson huh??LOL anyway then I find out I am pregnant with my now 8th month old baby girl and I stopped the hydro cold turkey and was clean from Aug 2003 til April 2004 my whole pregnancy with her and started back this year. My point of telling you this whole long drawn out story is to give you the message that you can quit and stay clean and live a better life. You will see things so differently and wonderful. Life is truely great "Normal,sober etc. I have been there several times over the past 10 yrs. I can't say you'll never relapse,lord knows I have more than once but it is all up to you.. I wish you the best of luck with your journey. It isn't going to be easy but it can be done!!!!! I should take some of my own advice huh? Rae
Ps. What's up MJ? Glad to see ya on the board today. Rae
I know this will be hard for you cause it is for me. I was reading your story and I too am down to 1/2 to 1 pill a day of hydro. However, you mentioned taking 6 pills day for a while and now you are only on your 2nd day of taking 1 pill...This will be hard to try and wean yourself down with only 3 pills left. I have been stuck at this 1/2 to 1 pill a day for a long time. I have enough pills per month to take 4- 10 mg pills a day but I have never taken that much in one day.. I play mind games with myself about only being able to take 10mg per day and that's it. I need to take JR's advice and just flush them but I can't bring myself to do it for some reason. Saying that, you have gone from 6 pills a day now to 1 and now you only have 3 pills left. I would go down to a lower dose like spliting them in 1/2 and taking a 1/2 of pill for 6 days and then just don't get anymore. You are still going to go through withdrawls mentally and physically. I know. I have withdrawn from Methadone,percocet and Vicodin at very low doses and I have stopped. I was taking percocet for about 2 yrs and found out I was pregnant with my 6 yr old son and quit cold turkey. Taking ONLY a prenatal vitamin everyday throught my entire pregnancy. Then I have him and started with taking methadone for back pain. Man that was a BAD choice, I survived the withdrawls from it and moved on months later after being clean, to taking hydro. Sometimes I just don't learn my lesson huh??LOL anyway then I find out I am pregnant with my now 8th month old baby girl and I stopped the hydro cold turkey and was clean from Aug 2003 til April 2004 my whole pregnancy with her and started back this year. My point of telling you this whole long drawn out story is to give you the message that you can quit and stay clean and live a better life. You will see things so differently and wonderful. Life is truely great "Normal,sober etc. I have been there several times over the past 10 yrs. I can't say you'll never relapse,lord knows I have more than once but it is all up to you.. I wish you the best of luck with your journey. It isn't going to be easy but it can be done!!!!! I should take some of my own advice huh? Rae
Ps. What's up MJ? Glad to see ya on the board today. Rae
Hey Jenny - Danielle has provided you with a ton of useful info to help get thru the wd's. One other thing I found that helped me last time was to force myself to get exercise a couple of times a day. Take a brisk walk, anything to get active. It will help both emotionally and physically. Take care; Jim
Jenny I hope that sometime soon you can go to your husband.If for nothing else just to feel like your not hiden.As far as C/t or tapering that is a personal choice.What works for me may not for you Also I would think about getting into therapy.Staying sober is very hard.Besides wouldn't it be nice just to be able to talk to someone in your area?Thats not to say your not welcome here because I think you can see all our arms are open for you....mj
RAE: I HAVE QUIT SEVERAL TIME OVER THE LAST COUPLE YEARS, BUT EVERYTIME I GO TO QUIT AGAIN IT GETS HARDER AND HARDER....THIS TIME IT REALLY SEEMS UNBEARABLE TO JUST STOP......HOW I GOT TO JUST TAKING ONE, IS I WAS JUST GONNA STOP C/T. THAT WAS WORKING SO I BOUGHT 5/10 MG.....YESTERDAY I WENT THRU W/D BAD AND FINALLY I BROKE DOWN AND TOOK 1/2 THEN 1/2 MORE.......TODAY I WENT AHEAD AND TOOK ONE. I JUST CAN'T SEEM TO GET MYSELF OUT OF THIS VICOUS CYCLE!
JR is right.... exercise was also a BIG help..... Even when I didn't feel like it, I would go out and ride my bike or go for a walk and it would boost my energy level, help with the restless legs and cramps, etc.
In Sept, I quit taking hydrocodone after 2 1/2 years.... On the 2nd or 3rd day of withdrawals, I had to evacuate because of a hurricane. We were stuck in bumper to bumper traffic, driving 5mph on the Interstate.... It took 6 hours to go 60 miles (then the rest of the trip took another 7 hours).... so I've been on a long car trip in the middle of this.
It wasn't bad. I did the driving so that I had something to focus on, to take my mind off of what I was going through. I have heated seats and rode with that bad boy on the entire time (and it was still over 90 degrees here!). I took Immodium every so many hours, even if I thought I didn't need it, took motrin or ibuprofen every 4-6 hours, and drank A LOT of water. I have a little portable dvd player that fits in the car and I put my favorite movie on to listen to, but you can also buy a book on tape or your favorite cd....
As far as the xanax, I took as little as possible..... 1/4 of the pill during the day if I was anxious and then 1/2 at night. Everyone is different, so follow your prescription for the correct dose.... I had panic attacks for years before this, so the anxiety was a lot worse during withdrawals than for other people, but I was so scared of getting addicted to something else that I didn't want to take more than I absolutely needed. You might want to try only taking it for sleep if you can.
If you are leaving town on Friday, the worst will be over and you should be okay. You'll be tired and have no energy, but you probably won't be needing to stop to use the bathroom every hour on the hour or anything like that. If you can't tell your husband the truth (and I recommend that you do, but I understand completely if you can't), why don't you just flush the remaining pills and then tell him you have the flu?
In Sept, I quit taking hydrocodone after 2 1/2 years.... On the 2nd or 3rd day of withdrawals, I had to evacuate because of a hurricane. We were stuck in bumper to bumper traffic, driving 5mph on the Interstate.... It took 6 hours to go 60 miles (then the rest of the trip took another 7 hours).... so I've been on a long car trip in the middle of this.
It wasn't bad. I did the driving so that I had something to focus on, to take my mind off of what I was going through. I have heated seats and rode with that bad boy on the entire time (and it was still over 90 degrees here!). I took Immodium every so many hours, even if I thought I didn't need it, took motrin or ibuprofen every 4-6 hours, and drank A LOT of water. I have a little portable dvd player that fits in the car and I put my favorite movie on to listen to, but you can also buy a book on tape or your favorite cd....
As far as the xanax, I took as little as possible..... 1/4 of the pill during the day if I was anxious and then 1/2 at night. Everyone is different, so follow your prescription for the correct dose.... I had panic attacks for years before this, so the anxiety was a lot worse during withdrawals than for other people, but I was so scared of getting addicted to something else that I didn't want to take more than I absolutely needed. You might want to try only taking it for sleep if you can.
If you are leaving town on Friday, the worst will be over and you should be okay. You'll be tired and have no energy, but you probably won't be needing to stop to use the bathroom every hour on the hour or anything like that. If you can't tell your husband the truth (and I recommend that you do, but I understand completely if you can't), why don't you just flush the remaining pills and then tell him you have the flu?
Jenny2: Well, see we have something in common. I know how you feel about the husband thing. The only good thing, I think, is that my husband works off 4 months at a time. So it is a lot easier to hide. It wasn't for a long time. Before this job he was here every night. So things were a lot more tense then. Now there are only 36 days out of the year I have to cover. Or have had to! Right now I am still clean but it is only day 5. Let me rephase, Thank you Jesus for day 5! That sounds a whole lot better. And believe me, you are right, Prayer does work! I have plenty of testimonials on that subject! So all of your Prayer is appreciated. Speaking of which, just last month I wrote in my Prayer journal that I needed God to send me a Prayer partner. Somebody I could talk to and trust yet someone who understood me and my "baggage." Isn't He so mysterious?!
And mj is right, the hot baths are great!! The more steam the better. Many times I have rerun my water in one bath setting!
If benedryl doesn't work for you and sometimes it didn't me, you might could try unisom. I found alternating the two did better for me. Everyone is different.
And mj is right, the hot baths are great!! The more steam the better. Many times I have rerun my water in one bath setting!
If benedryl doesn't work for you and sometimes it didn't me, you might could try unisom. I found alternating the two did better for me. Everyone is different.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP....I WISH I WOULD HAVE LOGGED ON SEVERAL MONTHS AGO!!!!! EVERYONE HAS BEEN SO NICE, THANK YOU FOR NOT CRITIZING WHAT I'M TRYING TO GET HELP FOR....I HAVE TO GO FOR NOW ,BUT WILL TRY TO BE BACK ON LATER TONIGHT OR MAYBE WED MORNING AROUND THIS TIME......THANK YOU AGAIN FOR EVERYONES HELP!!!!! I WILL KEEP EACH OF YOU IN MY PRAYERS!
I know what you mean. Danielle gave a lot of suggestions to you that I know will work. It isn't going to take away your aches and pains totally but it will help a great deal!! Another thing I used to get was Comtrex Cold and Flu. They are OTC pills that come in day time and night time. They worked great for me. SO did just 500mg of tylenol. You have got to find what works best for you. It is a cycle that addicts go through. The mind games,watching the clock,counting the pills,counting the days etc. I know it will be hard but you CAN do it. Sometimes when you want something bad enough you can accompish it over time. Addiction takes time and it will take time to stay clean and feel better again but you will. Hang in there! We are all here for you!! Rae
Jenny2: I know right now it may be hard but I know that concentrating on your strengths helps too! Do you have a hobby or something that use to excite you to do in your spare time? For me, I like scrapbooking so I started gathering a lot of items that I could work on to pass the time. It may sound crazy but I assure you, your mind will be distracted! With good things! Like today, I am getting my children ready to go eat and go to the park. I haven't taken my kids to the park in 2 years. My youngest child has gone once but not because I took her. But I have to get out or I will be right back to concentrating on my weakness. It seems like your walls become your safe haven. Just you, your home and your pills. It has, if you are like me, your safe zone. No one knows here and no one can hurt me here. Today is the first day in a LONG time I have been ready to climb out of the box! So keep your head up, it's getting better for me so I know it WILL for you too!!
Hi Jenny - Yikes, I can't believe I forgot to mention the mot important thing that helped me to get and stay clean: NA/AA. Please consider it and give it a try. It has been the best source of ongoing support for me. Jim
Jenny2......welcome to the board........WOW.........you have been given a lot of great advice here today! I am truly very happy for you to have finally come to us. I started posting on day 4 (got 40 something days now) of my w/ds and this sight has been a Godsend to me.
The only thing I would add to what's been said is........go easy on yourself when you make the trip.......don't make yourself over do it to please the relatives.....that sort of thing. The most important thing I have learned in the past few clean weeks is not to try to do more than I have to.
Let the small stuff go. It's all small stuff . Be kind to yourself and get plenty of rest or at least quiet, peaceful time as you can.
The less commitments and plans I make, the smoother my life goes and the easier it is not to think about needing a pill.
Keep up the good work! Take care..............
I'VE SPENT ALOT OF MY DAY BEING BUSY......NOW I'M WAITING FOR MY COMPANY FOR DINNER!!!! MAYBE IF PEOPLE WERE HERE I COULD KEEP MY MIND BUSY! I'M NOT EVEN TOTALLY OFF......BUT I KNOW I HAVE MORE....IT'S INCREDIBLE HOW IT TOTALLY CONSUMES YOUR MIND! I FELT REALLY GOOD ABOUT THINGS THIS MORNING TALKING TO EVERYONE....I THOUGHT IF I LOGGED BACK ON I FEEL UPLIFTED!!!! I JUST TOOK TYLENOL.....STILL HAVE REALLY BAD HEADACHE, I'M NOT USE TO FEELING PAIN....
Hey you yes it takes awhile your body is use to haven the drugs in it it may take awhile to get use to not having them.I'm so proud that you came here.That was such a big step for you.Yes keeping busy does help.I'll be here for a couple if you would like to talk.....mj
Stay busy..... you will notice the symptoms less and less if something else is occupying your mind.
Eat well....take BC powder or ibuprofen for the headache (make sure to drink a cup of coffee or a soda with it... caffeine helps with the pain reliever to constrict blood vessels and get rid of the headache).
You are doing great!
Eat well....take BC powder or ibuprofen for the headache (make sure to drink a cup of coffee or a soda with it... caffeine helps with the pain reliever to constrict blood vessels and get rid of the headache).
You are doing great!
I also have taken lortab 10 for about a year now. I was up to 12 a day and have weaned myself down to 3 a day. I heard of this medicine suboxzone to help with the withdrawl symptoms. I took 1 this morning and have had no withdrawl symptoms all day and have not taken 1 lortab. Has anyone heard of this medicine and do you think it is a good idea?
I have also been taking lortab 10 for about a year now. I was up to 12 a day and have weaned myself down to 3. I heard of this medicine to help the withdrawl symptoms, it is called suboxone. I took 1 this morning and have had no withdrawl symptoms and have taken no lortabs today. Has anyone heard of this and do you think it is a good idea?
Do not put to much attention to the withdrawn, you probable not going to have them if you are taking 1 pill a day, do not get to much interest in that withdrawn it only get you into all the symptoms, in my case I was using a narcotic NUBAIN which is almost close to Demerol or morphin, my scare was only to the withdrawn that all my friends were talking.
In my case I remmember the first day that I took the decision to quit, but I really was getting ready, first thing that I did was to speak with my wife and after I heard her about her opinion about my addiction, I told her al my secrets that I was using to get the drug, checking account, driving to get the med,place that I use to hide my self, I told her not to leave me alone in the bathroom, the first day is the worst because the craving and some symptoms as flu, but that was it, after several days I could say 7 days I was really ready to start it by my self.I was listen some cd's of god words they really help you, because you get up and down depression but not that bad, if you get into 14 day, you are really stronge enough to do it againd, and if you fail try againd, I attemp several times and I really fail, but when I found this forum everything was easy and every one here helps yopu a lot.
You know what , for my the hard decion was to accept that i was and addict, once you accept it, you will be heal, and also accept that you need help from some one if you are not able to do it your self.
Congratulation to try,try and try you sound pretty stronge and that you really want to do this, do HOT SHOWERS AND a lot of motin and also Benadryl they will help you.
In my case I remmember the first day that I took the decision to quit, but I really was getting ready, first thing that I did was to speak with my wife and after I heard her about her opinion about my addiction, I told her al my secrets that I was using to get the drug, checking account, driving to get the med,place that I use to hide my self, I told her not to leave me alone in the bathroom, the first day is the worst because the craving and some symptoms as flu, but that was it, after several days I could say 7 days I was really ready to start it by my self.I was listen some cd's of god words they really help you, because you get up and down depression but not that bad, if you get into 14 day, you are really stronge enough to do it againd, and if you fail try againd, I attemp several times and I really fail, but when I found this forum everything was easy and every one here helps yopu a lot.
You know what , for my the hard decion was to accept that i was and addict, once you accept it, you will be heal, and also accept that you need help from some one if you are not able to do it your self.
Congratulation to try,try and try you sound pretty stronge and that you really want to do this, do HOT SHOWERS AND a lot of motin and also Benadryl they will help you.
Jenny,
Just wanted to say hi, and welcome you to the board. I look forward to getting to know you a little better. It sounds like you are ready to make the break, and like the rest of us, you are also scared of what it will bring. I can not say for sure what your will be like, as most of us will have the same sort of withdrawals, but everyone handles them differently, but the fear is the same.
Have faith in yourself, and remember, you are so not alone. There are people all over the world that are suffering with the disease of addiction. I warms my heart to see so many seeking recovery, but at the same time it breaks my heart to see yet another having to suffer with this disease.
I wish you the best, and hope I can help you if you need it. Again, welcome to the board, you are in my prayers.
God Bless,
Lady M
Just wanted to say hi, and welcome you to the board. I look forward to getting to know you a little better. It sounds like you are ready to make the break, and like the rest of us, you are also scared of what it will bring. I can not say for sure what your will be like, as most of us will have the same sort of withdrawals, but everyone handles them differently, but the fear is the same.
Have faith in yourself, and remember, you are so not alone. There are people all over the world that are suffering with the disease of addiction. I warms my heart to see so many seeking recovery, but at the same time it breaks my heart to see yet another having to suffer with this disease.
I wish you the best, and hope I can help you if you need it. Again, welcome to the board, you are in my prayers.
God Bless,
Lady M
