Is it possible to "wean" off of Lorcet?(or any pill for that matter?) Just curious. It's day three for me without any Lorcet, and I am feeling better. But!!! Has anyone out there ever weaned off of pills and if so, how did you do it? Do you start taking 4 a day then the next 3, then the next 2, or how does it work? Just curious if anyone has ever done it with success and does it stop the withdrawals?
I was taking 10-12 Norco a day for 2 years and then more than that for 6 months at the end. On Day 1, I only took 6-8 pills. On day 2, I took 6. On day 3, I took 5, etc. On Day 6, I took 1/2 of a pill at noon and then didn't take another one. Normally, it works out better to wean yourself off slower than that and I didn't mean to quit on Day 6, but every hour I was just like "Okay, I'll wait a little longer..." By the time the withdrawals started, I didn't want to take any other pills and then have to start the process all over again, so I just suffered through it.
And even though I tapered, I DID still suffer withdrawals, but I'm sure if could have been a lot worse. The biggest pain for me was the fatigue and insomnia. I didn't have diarrhea real bad (just a little), I didn't vomit... I did have a lot of back pain and flank pain and I had this feeling like electricity was shooting through my body or bugs were crawling on me... and I had restless leg syndrome really bad at night... But it was nothing that was so severe that I wanted to die (except for the insomnia; I didn't sleep more than 3 hours a night for almost 3 weeks).
Good luck!
And even though I tapered, I DID still suffer withdrawals, but I'm sure if could have been a lot worse. The biggest pain for me was the fatigue and insomnia. I didn't have diarrhea real bad (just a little), I didn't vomit... I did have a lot of back pain and flank pain and I had this feeling like electricity was shooting through my body or bugs were crawling on me... and I had restless leg syndrome really bad at night... But it was nothing that was so severe that I wanted to die (except for the insomnia; I didn't sleep more than 3 hours a night for almost 3 weeks).
Good luck!
Hi Claudia;
Here's my experience, although I think the best approach is to consult a doctor first. I've tapered twice this year, both times under a doctor's supervision and with my wife's assistance (I can't do this alone!). The first time was a slow taper, cut my daily dosage in 1/2 to start, and then every 5 days reduce by one pill. The other, more recent taper was a "fast track" process. I went from 10-12 pills a day to 5 a day, and then dropped a pill every two days. I went c/t after the 4 a day were done. It's a real drain emotionally, but tapering helped me to "function" at work and home with the family. Hope this helps.
Whatever you decide I wish you all the best!!! Life in recovery is good!
Jim
Here's my experience, although I think the best approach is to consult a doctor first. I've tapered twice this year, both times under a doctor's supervision and with my wife's assistance (I can't do this alone!). The first time was a slow taper, cut my daily dosage in 1/2 to start, and then every 5 days reduce by one pill. The other, more recent taper was a "fast track" process. I went from 10-12 pills a day to 5 a day, and then dropped a pill every two days. I went c/t after the 4 a day were done. It's a real drain emotionally, but tapering helped me to "function" at work and home with the family. Hope this helps.
Whatever you decide I wish you all the best!!! Life in recovery is good!
Jim
Hi Claudia,
I think you got some good advice here. Some ideas for weaning. The ideal would be to wean very slowly and under the supervision of your physician. I know when I weaned one doctor told me to drop the dose to half for one week and then stop. This was waaaaaaayyyyyy too fast off oxy. My doctor who prescribed it said he would have weaned it very slowly over several weeks. I also was impatient though and when I started to feel w/d I just wanted it to be over and stopped. I was miserable and maybe it didn't have to be that way!!! There are many ways but I think the best thing I can say is work with your doc. on weaning the meds. .
Best Wishes,
PM
I think you got some good advice here. Some ideas for weaning. The ideal would be to wean very slowly and under the supervision of your physician. I know when I weaned one doctor told me to drop the dose to half for one week and then stop. This was waaaaaaayyyyyy too fast off oxy. My doctor who prescribed it said he would have weaned it very slowly over several weeks. I also was impatient though and when I started to feel w/d I just wanted it to be over and stopped. I was miserable and maybe it didn't have to be that way!!! There are many ways but I think the best thing I can say is work with your doc. on weaning the meds. .
Best Wishes,
PM
I actually managed one time to wean, and did it by taking two pills a day for 10 days. I did this with clonadine as well. By the 10th day, I was still very fatigued. I only made it 2 days sober, I couldn't handle the fatigue. My friend had to hold the pills at his house, and in the morning I had to go and get them, otherwise there is no way I could have done it myself. I guess I just wasn't ready at that time. But looking back, if I had really put myself into it, it would have worked. Most of the physical symptoms passed by day 10.
Claudia, if you're past day 3, don't look back! lol I'm hoping you weren't asking the question for yourself, "just in case." Weaning (or tapering) is really difficult for an adddict, at least to complete. I tried but had to go c/t after I got down to 6/day -- the temptation to vary from the taper is just too great for most of us, if the pills are there. Hope you start feeling better today.....you're doing great. Peace, M.
hi claudia
weaning worked for me. you have to be very disciplined. the first time i was taking 3-4 pills a day. i was never a real big user. i used off and on for a few years. i started reading a few things about pain medication and was getting concerned i might get hooked so i deceided to quit. i took two pills a day for 4 days. then i quit taking my first pill and took one a day for 4 days. then i quit.
the w/d were still pretty bad. it was nothing i couldn't handle. i was still able to work and do normal things, but it was very unconfotable. i think if you 3 or 4 days clean, you need to stick with it. it gets better and better each day. in about 30 days everythings starts clearing up.
I wish you the best
runner
weaning worked for me. you have to be very disciplined. the first time i was taking 3-4 pills a day. i was never a real big user. i used off and on for a few years. i started reading a few things about pain medication and was getting concerned i might get hooked so i deceided to quit. i took two pills a day for 4 days. then i quit taking my first pill and took one a day for 4 days. then i quit.
the w/d were still pretty bad. it was nothing i couldn't handle. i was still able to work and do normal things, but it was very unconfotable. i think if you 3 or 4 days clean, you need to stick with it. it gets better and better each day. in about 30 days everythings starts clearing up.
I wish you the best
runner
