I have been taking pain pills for 9 months and i dont know if i should quit cold turkey or if i should taper down. what would be the best way to do this? Does anybody know. I take about 5 hydros a day
Welcome to the board! This is my opinion. Some popel can taper and stick to the schedule and quit at a very low dose. I have tapered successfully taking hydro's a couple different times If you think you will cheat and not stick with it than just quit and go cold turkey now before your dose starts to increase.
If you feel you can taper than I would drop 5 mgs every 5-7 days ubtil you are down to 5-10 mgs and then stop. There are many OTC medications that will help your withdrawl symptoms and even if you didn't take them the withdrawl won't last forever. Your looking at feeling like you have the flu for about a week. You have only been using for 9 months it probably won't be that bad. Good luck~ Rae
If you feel you can taper than I would drop 5 mgs every 5-7 days ubtil you are down to 5-10 mgs and then stop. There are many OTC medications that will help your withdrawl symptoms and even if you didn't take them the withdrawl won't last forever. Your looking at feeling like you have the flu for about a week. You have only been using for 9 months it probably won't be that bad. Good luck~ Rae
Sunshine,
You are in the right place if you are looking for help. I am new to this site and quit cold turkey about 3 days ago now. I was takin about 7-8 hydros a day for the last 2 years. I am currently in the middle of my withdrawls and i must say it is hard as hell BUT there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Get out before you are in too deep. I have spent more time on this site in the last 3 days than on my comp. in the last year. The people here are angles and they know what they are talkin about. They knew what i was feeling before i could say it and have helped me every step of the way. There is help if you truly want to quit. The first step i believe come with self motivation.
Trin
You are in the right place if you are looking for help. I am new to this site and quit cold turkey about 3 days ago now. I was takin about 7-8 hydros a day for the last 2 years. I am currently in the middle of my withdrawls and i must say it is hard as hell BUT there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Get out before you are in too deep. I have spent more time on this site in the last 3 days than on my comp. in the last year. The people here are angles and they know what they are talkin about. They knew what i was feeling before i could say it and have helped me every step of the way. There is help if you truly want to quit. The first step i believe come with self motivation.
Trin
hey sunshine,
i have never had luck in tapering i was a cheater, i went cold turkey of a high amount of hydro, xanax and soma prolly between 30-40 a day and lived to tell about it, i doubt at the amount you are taking will be bad going cold turkey i can only give my experience and you can take it for what its worth, in my opinion going cold turkey is uncomfortable but you get it over with in less then a week, as opposed to tapering (if you can stay honest) then you prolong the inevitable. plus depending on how long you have taken 5 a day for will depend a lil on your discomfort level. but 5 sure seems low compared to may of our stories, but none the less is all the same danger. expect some cold/flu like symptems for 3 -5 days cold turkey after the 3rd day you should start feeling better. also restless legs acheyness headache insomnia and some depression. with lots of support you can do this, you have all us here and i would suggest n/a or a therapist for face to face support that is important as well. soem one to be accountable too makes a huge difference in our honesty. good luck your in my thoughts and prayers no matter what you decide
terrianne
i have never had luck in tapering i was a cheater, i went cold turkey of a high amount of hydro, xanax and soma prolly between 30-40 a day and lived to tell about it, i doubt at the amount you are taking will be bad going cold turkey i can only give my experience and you can take it for what its worth, in my opinion going cold turkey is uncomfortable but you get it over with in less then a week, as opposed to tapering (if you can stay honest) then you prolong the inevitable. plus depending on how long you have taken 5 a day for will depend a lil on your discomfort level. but 5 sure seems low compared to may of our stories, but none the less is all the same danger. expect some cold/flu like symptems for 3 -5 days cold turkey after the 3rd day you should start feeling better. also restless legs acheyness headache insomnia and some depression. with lots of support you can do this, you have all us here and i would suggest n/a or a therapist for face to face support that is important as well. soem one to be accountable too makes a huge difference in our honesty. good luck your in my thoughts and prayers no matter what you decide
terrianne
Hi Sunshine...Welcome! :)
I'm pretty new here also and have an addiction to percocet's and Vicodin. I went cold turkey for 5 days and the w/d was pretty bad, so I would probably do the tapering off thing if you think you can do it. Regardless what you choose, this board is so wonderful, helpful and knowledgable. (Ooow, spelling is bad today!)
Everyone here has a problem or had a problem with pills and know what you are going through. They are all so supportive. You'll be able to find all sorts of info on here and be able to post and "vent" anytime you need to. :)
I wish you the very best of luck.
Pretty Pills aka Tracy
I'm pretty new here also and have an addiction to percocet's and Vicodin. I went cold turkey for 5 days and the w/d was pretty bad, so I would probably do the tapering off thing if you think you can do it. Regardless what you choose, this board is so wonderful, helpful and knowledgable. (Ooow, spelling is bad today!)
Everyone here has a problem or had a problem with pills and know what you are going through. They are all so supportive. You'll be able to find all sorts of info on here and be able to post and "vent" anytime you need to. :)
I wish you the very best of luck.
Pretty Pills aka Tracy
excellent advice Rae.the taper is supposed to be at least 5 days then drop..
Hey Sunshine......welcome to the board. You are very smart to quit now before it gets worse. I am not making light of your addiction at all, but to quit at 5 a day will be easier and much smarter than what most of us went through. Thank God you woke up now and didn't let it get worse. I was taking 150 mg. a day of hydro for a few years, and my w/d sucked. But yours should be much more bearable.
I would say taper if you can, it's hard to do for an addict,and there is no shame in not being able to. If you find you can't do it,just flush them and hang on for 3-5 days. It will be uncomfortable, but nothing worse than the flu, as stated above. Take care and good luck! Keep posting and reading and let us know how you are! : )
Hi Sunshine and welcome - you have been given some great advice by some wonderful, caring people. Good luck on your journey to "freedom". Please keep posting and let us know how youre doing. Believe me, it helps to talk to people who understand. Also, you may want to check out some N/A or A/A meetings in your area. One thing at a time, one day, hour, minute at a time.
You will be in my thoughts and prayers. You can do this.
Love,
Marie
You will be in my thoughts and prayers. You can do this.
Love,
Marie
Hey guys thanks or all of your post. I think i am going to taper down and then quit cold turkey. I have tried to quit 3 times but was not successful. I get through the withdrawals and around the 6th day i get depressed and have no energy. That is the wost part of it. I am on a anti depressent zoloft but it still does not help. right now i am only taking about 5 hydros a day. Last month i was taking about 7-8 hydros a day so i have cut back just a little bit. For me trying to quit the mental part is the hardest i can hanlde feeling like s*** for a couple of days but its the mind thing that is hard. Thanks
sunshine
sunshine
Sunshine,
Yes the mental part is the worse. The more and more days that go by it does get easier. The cravings come less and less. I do agree if is tough. I will have 2 months hydro-free tomorrow and I think about using a few times a day but nothing like last month. The urge is there for about 30 second and goes away. When I am stressed or just having a bad day I think about it even more. I try and post a lot and do things to occupy my time. Sitting around thinking about it only makes them worse. Surround yourself with non-addicts and they cravings will be better! Well unless they are non-addicts that get on your nerves,LOL
Anyway, let us know how the taper goes and keep us posted on your progress!! Rae
Yes the mental part is the worse. The more and more days that go by it does get easier. The cravings come less and less. I do agree if is tough. I will have 2 months hydro-free tomorrow and I think about using a few times a day but nothing like last month. The urge is there for about 30 second and goes away. When I am stressed or just having a bad day I think about it even more. I try and post a lot and do things to occupy my time. Sitting around thinking about it only makes them worse. Surround yourself with non-addicts and they cravings will be better! Well unless they are non-addicts that get on your nerves,LOL
Anyway, let us know how the taper goes and keep us posted on your progress!! Rae
my last few attempt at tapering ended up just increasing the pills and finding other avenues to get more pills.
I know if I get a script today with the intention of tapering in two weeks I'll have access to several scripts from the various Doctors I see.
I am having to be honest and I wish I were back to where I took less and the w/d would be easier and I am fighting everything in me to stay home and not go get a new script.
after reading so many posts and the strength and amount of drugs some were taking for much longer periods of time I felt very relieved that I had not progressed that far but know how easily I can be.
I would encourage you to just go cold turkey or be honest with someone and have them help you taper.
I am brand new and barely off the pills for a day but I know if it were me the tapering would just extend my addiction and I'd be back again worse.
I know if I get a script today with the intention of tapering in two weeks I'll have access to several scripts from the various Doctors I see.
I am having to be honest and I wish I were back to where I took less and the w/d would be easier and I am fighting everything in me to stay home and not go get a new script.
after reading so many posts and the strength and amount of drugs some were taking for much longer periods of time I felt very relieved that I had not progressed that far but know how easily I can be.
I would encourage you to just go cold turkey or be honest with someone and have them help you taper.
I am brand new and barely off the pills for a day but I know if it were me the tapering would just extend my addiction and I'd be back again worse.
I tell you what makes it hard is i get to that day where my body feels good again and thats when i really start to crave a pain pill. It has been 2 months for you RAE How do you feel right now? Do you feel normal? How long does it take to feel normal again? I am a strong willed person and i think if i can just get the part where i fell normal again I can get off of these pills. what is hard is when i get depressed. All someone has to do is say something to me and it makes me cry. Does anybody know of any good antidepressents. I am taking zoloft but i dont think it works very well
Thanks megan
Thanks megan
Hey Megan,
Yes I feel"normal" as normal as I could be,I guess,lol.... I still crave pain pills but not as often. I have never taken an anti-depressant so I can't help you there. I was very depressed when I first stopped using. As a matter of fact I was depressed for a while after that and I still have my days. I still look at non-addicts and wonder where they get all their energy from. Mine hasn't fully returned back to normal but I don't even know what normal is half the time ya know. Somedays I feel really good and others I would stay in bed all day if I could. I guess even non-addicts feel that way.I miss the nergy pills used to give me but hey don't we all. Towards the end I wasn't doing so well anyway. I didn't even feel like leaving the house anymore. Pills tend to catch up to you and it's no longer "fun".. I have been using on and off since 1996. So it's been many years that I haven't been my "old self" but it's slowly returning. Keep us posted on how you are... Have a good weekend! Rae
Yes I feel"normal" as normal as I could be,I guess,lol.... I still crave pain pills but not as often. I have never taken an anti-depressant so I can't help you there. I was very depressed when I first stopped using. As a matter of fact I was depressed for a while after that and I still have my days. I still look at non-addicts and wonder where they get all their energy from. Mine hasn't fully returned back to normal but I don't even know what normal is half the time ya know. Somedays I feel really good and others I would stay in bed all day if I could. I guess even non-addicts feel that way.I miss the nergy pills used to give me but hey don't we all. Towards the end I wasn't doing so well anyway. I didn't even feel like leaving the house anymore. Pills tend to catch up to you and it's no longer "fun".. I have been using on and off since 1996. So it's been many years that I haven't been my "old self" but it's slowly returning. Keep us posted on how you are... Have a good weekend! Rae
Hey Sunshine!
Nothing to add except welcome to the board! Everyone has given you awesome advice, keep us posted!
Nothing to add except welcome to the board! Everyone has given you awesome advice, keep us posted!
Sunshine
Hi, I was in the same boat you are I didn't take as many as many of the people I've read did (hey we all have our crosses to bear) But I was on and off them for 17 years when I quit I was combining things 3hydros 10 222's (low grade tylenol with codeine) and 3-4 somas a day but I have to tell you I got depressed because I was using I too was staying in the house alot, making all kinds of excuses for it too. You just have to come to the end when you say this is it I am sick of living like this. Yes the energy was great but how about all the time you spent worrying how you were going to get the drugs, doesnt it take so much time and effort???? The best way for me was cold turkey when my pills ran out I said that is it I am done. Now since I am an addict if I had them I would probably still have taken them but since I don't I am choosing not to put any effort into getting them. So if you do taper don't leave your excess around it is way too much temptation. Good Luck and keep posting some great people here.
Ro
By the way I am only taking 3 Somas and am working on quitting those but I feel much better, more alive, brighter somehow.
Hi, I was in the same boat you are I didn't take as many as many of the people I've read did (hey we all have our crosses to bear) But I was on and off them for 17 years when I quit I was combining things 3hydros 10 222's (low grade tylenol with codeine) and 3-4 somas a day but I have to tell you I got depressed because I was using I too was staying in the house alot, making all kinds of excuses for it too. You just have to come to the end when you say this is it I am sick of living like this. Yes the energy was great but how about all the time you spent worrying how you were going to get the drugs, doesnt it take so much time and effort???? The best way for me was cold turkey when my pills ran out I said that is it I am done. Now since I am an addict if I had them I would probably still have taken them but since I don't I am choosing not to put any effort into getting them. So if you do taper don't leave your excess around it is way too much temptation. Good Luck and keep posting some great people here.
Ro
By the way I am only taking 3 Somas and am working on quitting those but I feel much better, more alive, brighter somehow.
