HELLO IM NEW HERE ALTHOUGH I HAVE BEEN READING HERE FOR ABOUT 2 MONTHS. I AM LOOKING FOR PEOPLE WITH WHO I CAN RELATE 2. PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WHERE I AM AND ARE WHERE I AM. LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT MY SITUATION. I AM ADDICTED TO LORTAB 7.5 I TAKE ABOUT 6 TO 7 PILLS A DAY I HAVE TRIED TO GO C/T BUT THAT s*** IS HARD TO DO. I BEEN ON THEM FOR ABOUT 3 YEARS NOW. I AM REALLY GETTING MY SELF IN DEBT WITH THESE PILLS. I AM SOO ANGRY WITH MYSELF. ID RATHER SPEND MONEY ON PILLS THAN ON CHRISTMAS AND THATS PRETTY DAMN BAD CONSIDERING I HAVE 6 WOUNDERFULL CHILDREN THAT NEED ME AND I NEED THEM. s*** I REMEMBER 3 YEARS AGO I WOULDNT EVEN BUY A PACK OF SMOKES BECAUSE I HAD BETTER THINGS TO DO WITH MY MONEY LIKE BUY MY KIDS SOMETHING. NOW IM PAYING LIKE 5 BUCKS FOR ONE LITTLE PILL. AND REALLY DONT EVEN LIKE THE WAY IT MAKES ME FEEL ANYMORE. I NEED A FRIEND TO TALK TO. I KNOW THAT IF I KEEP DOING WHAT IM DOING I AM GOING TO LOSE EVERYTHING I GOT. SO PLEASE SOMEONE GIVE ME SOME ADVISE. MMD
Damn that is so strange man I was gonna post here tonight about my addiction to Lortabs also. I really need to stop and soon. I totally understand what you mean about the money thing. If I added up all the cash I spent over the past 2 years I would be able to buy a new home! I am clueless to where to begin when it comes to stopping these little monsters from eating me up. I have tried in the past to stop and with no luck I went back. I did the AA thing for my drinking problems and stuck with it until I ended up getting married to another drunk. I have stopped drinking but started taking pills and then started buying pills to keep my habit alive. I guess I am affraid of the withdraws and going cold turkey is not fun. I know what I have to do I just have to do it. still blown away here cause it is like you read my mind man! I hope you find the help you are looking for.
THANKS FOR REPLYING I AM ALSO SCARED OF GOING THROUG W/D
Well you both need to make a choice. I am sitting here going on hour 30 of watching my husband go through withdrawl cold turkey from percocets. It is really not a pretty sight. It is a minute by minute thing. I had to hide all the car keys every set. I won't be sleeping tonight because I am afraid he will wander off an scare the neighbors. I finally think that he fell asleep but he is like jumping out of his skin while he is snoring. If you guys have insurance call the company direct and find out about there substance abuse programs. I did outpatient starts next week for us. Then he can hopefully start over in a brand new life.
Good luck to both of you and stay strong
Good luck to both of you and stay strong
MMD,
Hi Im Rhonda We have all been were you are and you have come to the right place. The first thing you have to do is go to a doctor and get some things to help things go a little smoother to come off. Xmas is only around the corner and you could be on top of the world by xmas if you start now. I personally was on a lot highter dosage and in the end all it did was make me feel normal i just needed them to get out of bed then do the house work the cook dinner then spend time with my husband. Its a circle and it never ends just gets worse.
There are a few ways you can go you go on some methadone or subotex or cold turkey as I took which was the hard way. But in the end it payed off cause I never ever want to feel that way again. All in all you will be back to your old self in no time you can start today but you might need some clodiene to lower the blood pressure and maybe some valium to help with out of control feelings.
and maybe something to stop the diareah and vomiting there is no really easy way out only to stop. Stop for your children think of them and what would you do if you knew they were taking them. Take the first step and stop you will never look back. Its gonna be hard but you can do this you are obviously ready to stop. otherwise you would have never posted here.
Keep us posted.
Rhonda
Hi Im Rhonda We have all been were you are and you have come to the right place. The first thing you have to do is go to a doctor and get some things to help things go a little smoother to come off. Xmas is only around the corner and you could be on top of the world by xmas if you start now. I personally was on a lot highter dosage and in the end all it did was make me feel normal i just needed them to get out of bed then do the house work the cook dinner then spend time with my husband. Its a circle and it never ends just gets worse.
There are a few ways you can go you go on some methadone or subotex or cold turkey as I took which was the hard way. But in the end it payed off cause I never ever want to feel that way again. All in all you will be back to your old self in no time you can start today but you might need some clodiene to lower the blood pressure and maybe some valium to help with out of control feelings.
and maybe something to stop the diareah and vomiting there is no really easy way out only to stop. Stop for your children think of them and what would you do if you knew they were taking them. Take the first step and stop you will never look back. Its gonna be hard but you can do this you are obviously ready to stop. otherwise you would have never posted here.
Keep us posted.
Rhonda
Please don't mention valium. This drug is what got me hooked on pain pills because I loved the feeling. I understand that you are trying to help and that is super but that drug is nasty. Hope I did not offend
Probably not a good idea to suggest valium... it is just as addictive, if not worse and really hard to get off of. There are natural herbs that work really well for anxiety. Kava Kava is one. The rest of Rhonda's advice was right on target though.. we have all been where you are now and care about you. Keep posting.
Cowgirl
Cowgirl
Dear Rhonda,
I'm so glad to see you back and posting, again. Your wisdom has been truly missed.
My thoughts and prayers are with you, Rhonda.
Ben
I'm so glad to see you back and posting, again. Your wisdom has been truly missed.
My thoughts and prayers are with you, Rhonda.
Ben
Thank You so much. You guys are great and I am glad I found this site after my friend told me about it. Cannot believe all the stories here of people who kicked this habit. I am going to be up all night reading this stuff now. Take care/Rooster
Dear MMD,
I think that Cowgirl's advice on the Kava Kava is an excellent alternative to benzodiazepines. Valerian root, also an herb, is excellent for insomnia, and can be used with Kava Kava. I use both, and I think you'd be quite surprised with the actions of herbs. They are great alternatives which cancel out the dependency factor of other addictive medications.
Keep us all informed on your progress. So many of us have been where you are, and are here to help and support you throughout this difficult, but rewarding, process known as: recovery.
My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Ben
I think that Cowgirl's advice on the Kava Kava is an excellent alternative to benzodiazepines. Valerian root, also an herb, is excellent for insomnia, and can be used with Kava Kava. I use both, and I think you'd be quite surprised with the actions of herbs. They are great alternatives which cancel out the dependency factor of other addictive medications.
Keep us all informed on your progress. So many of us have been where you are, and are here to help and support you throughout this difficult, but rewarding, process known as: recovery.
My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Ben
MMD and FL:
Glad you found this site. I became a daily hydro taker when I began using the online pharmacies back in December 2003, had quite a run for 5 months (up to 20-30 a day), then began to taper in May and flushed the remaining pills on May 22, 2004. Life has gotten better and better ever since. I can totally identify with the $$ adding up, and the difficulty (impossibility) of maintaining the dual lives.....I also can ifentify with your fear of physical w/d, and what lays ahead.
Withdrawal of hydro is not as bad as percs or some of the other Schedule II pain meds. Not saying it is nothing, either, but I think the FEAR of it (which is often worse than the reality) is what keeps many from taking it on voluntarily. At least that's how it was for me. All I can offer is my own experience. When I decided that my last prescription of 120 was going to be my last prescription, I began to taper. Eight per day for 6 days, then 6 per day for 6 days. I took these all at once because, well, you probably know why. Then one Friday night I took 10, and the next morning I knew i wouldn't be able to follow through -- so I flushed the rest. I experienced bad flu symptoms, restless legs, and had a lot of difficulty sleeping. I drank a ton of water, walked a lot, took Immodium A-D and Motrin like it was going out of style. The physical w/d symptoms were largely over for me after Day 3 or 4. I went to work on Day 3, in fact, although I probably shouldn't have been there.
This post is getting too long. My apologies. I'll only add that after the physical w/d, I needed a plan of action to fight back the crazy addictive thinking that says it's ok to have just one, blah, blah. I go to AA meetings, see a counselor once per week, and have been trying to apply some CBT tools to try and re-wire my thinking when it comes to pills. It all seems to help. Best of luck to you both on your own journeys. This Board can provide a good deal of support if you hang in and let us know where you're at. Peace, M.
Glad you found this site. I became a daily hydro taker when I began using the online pharmacies back in December 2003, had quite a run for 5 months (up to 20-30 a day), then began to taper in May and flushed the remaining pills on May 22, 2004. Life has gotten better and better ever since. I can totally identify with the $$ adding up, and the difficulty (impossibility) of maintaining the dual lives.....I also can ifentify with your fear of physical w/d, and what lays ahead.
Withdrawal of hydro is not as bad as percs or some of the other Schedule II pain meds. Not saying it is nothing, either, but I think the FEAR of it (which is often worse than the reality) is what keeps many from taking it on voluntarily. At least that's how it was for me. All I can offer is my own experience. When I decided that my last prescription of 120 was going to be my last prescription, I began to taper. Eight per day for 6 days, then 6 per day for 6 days. I took these all at once because, well, you probably know why. Then one Friday night I took 10, and the next morning I knew i wouldn't be able to follow through -- so I flushed the rest. I experienced bad flu symptoms, restless legs, and had a lot of difficulty sleeping. I drank a ton of water, walked a lot, took Immodium A-D and Motrin like it was going out of style. The physical w/d symptoms were largely over for me after Day 3 or 4. I went to work on Day 3, in fact, although I probably shouldn't have been there.
This post is getting too long. My apologies. I'll only add that after the physical w/d, I needed a plan of action to fight back the crazy addictive thinking that says it's ok to have just one, blah, blah. I go to AA meetings, see a counselor once per week, and have been trying to apply some CBT tools to try and re-wire my thinking when it comes to pills. It all seems to help. Best of luck to you both on your own journeys. This Board can provide a good deal of support if you hang in and let us know where you're at. Peace, M.
good morning mmd -
a few 24 hours ago, i was in a similar situation as you. my experience with addiction is that it is a cunning, baffling, progressive, and powerful disease. as i was coming to the end of abusing/using days, i found myself in a quagmire of a life that was based on drugs - i used to live and lived to use. sound familiar?
my suggestion to you and anyone else who may find themselves in a similar situation is to find a detox/rehab center or addictionologist (this is usually a psychiatrist with a sub-specialty in addiction medicine) and detox under medical care. this may be something that can be done on an outpatient basis but a decision that someone who knows a little more about addiction/detox/recovery than i did should be in control of. after all, my best thinking had brought me to this place. physical safety is of utmost importance when detoxing. doctors who specialize in addiction medicine can be found anywhere from a private practice to community mental health and substance abuse programs.
while i can appreciate the efforts and good will of people who come here and make suggestions of different meds (prescribed and non-prescribed, such as herbal remedies), i found it most advantageous to have my addictionologist monitor every medication that i took. it was no big deal having him work as part of a team with general medical doctors when i found myself in need of something. a phone call from my treating medical physician and signed release giving him permission to discuss my case with another physician was all that was required.
i think it worthy to put a link of article that was published in 1999. this article discusses some of the adverse reactions that people may experience when taking herbal remedies and how they can counteract certain medical drugs and conditions if mixed with a prescribed drug that people on this forum may not know you (or anyone for that much) are taking. thank goodness the ephedrine subject has been addressed since this article has been published. you can do a google search on herbal drugs and adverse reactions and find later publications; however, this one i find breaks it down quite simply.
one of my first experiences with home detox was from the drug xanax. at one point or another in my life, i have abused just about every mood altering pills that could be prescribed. heck, mmd, i would have abused chicken lips or cherry pits if i thought it took me out of me!
in my efforts to detox from xanax, i wound up at day 10 of being abstinent, going into grand mall seizures. after being taken to the ER, one of the protocol tests for someone presenting with seizures is a tox screen. mine came back negative and the good addict that i was never bothered to mention that i was addicted to xanax and had abruptly discontinued the use of it 10 days prior to this seizure. i was diagnosed an idiopathic (reasons unkown) epileptic and placed on phenytoin (dilantin). kava kava has an adverse effect on phenytoin.
my point being is this chemical hodgepodge that we find ourselves stuck in should be managed by a physician who is aware of our entire medical history and the adverse reaction of anything that we may ingest.
i submit to you the link for your perusal from the american academy of family practice that i spoke of above.
http://www.aafp.org/afp/990301ap/1239.html
i encourage you to get professional help with your detox and enter a program of recovery, my dear.
there is a solution.
thanks for letting me share.
namaste'
sammy
a few 24 hours ago, i was in a similar situation as you. my experience with addiction is that it is a cunning, baffling, progressive, and powerful disease. as i was coming to the end of abusing/using days, i found myself in a quagmire of a life that was based on drugs - i used to live and lived to use. sound familiar?
my suggestion to you and anyone else who may find themselves in a similar situation is to find a detox/rehab center or addictionologist (this is usually a psychiatrist with a sub-specialty in addiction medicine) and detox under medical care. this may be something that can be done on an outpatient basis but a decision that someone who knows a little more about addiction/detox/recovery than i did should be in control of. after all, my best thinking had brought me to this place. physical safety is of utmost importance when detoxing. doctors who specialize in addiction medicine can be found anywhere from a private practice to community mental health and substance abuse programs.
while i can appreciate the efforts and good will of people who come here and make suggestions of different meds (prescribed and non-prescribed, such as herbal remedies), i found it most advantageous to have my addictionologist monitor every medication that i took. it was no big deal having him work as part of a team with general medical doctors when i found myself in need of something. a phone call from my treating medical physician and signed release giving him permission to discuss my case with another physician was all that was required.
i think it worthy to put a link of article that was published in 1999. this article discusses some of the adverse reactions that people may experience when taking herbal remedies and how they can counteract certain medical drugs and conditions if mixed with a prescribed drug that people on this forum may not know you (or anyone for that much) are taking. thank goodness the ephedrine subject has been addressed since this article has been published. you can do a google search on herbal drugs and adverse reactions and find later publications; however, this one i find breaks it down quite simply.
one of my first experiences with home detox was from the drug xanax. at one point or another in my life, i have abused just about every mood altering pills that could be prescribed. heck, mmd, i would have abused chicken lips or cherry pits if i thought it took me out of me!
in my efforts to detox from xanax, i wound up at day 10 of being abstinent, going into grand mall seizures. after being taken to the ER, one of the protocol tests for someone presenting with seizures is a tox screen. mine came back negative and the good addict that i was never bothered to mention that i was addicted to xanax and had abruptly discontinued the use of it 10 days prior to this seizure. i was diagnosed an idiopathic (reasons unkown) epileptic and placed on phenytoin (dilantin). kava kava has an adverse effect on phenytoin.
my point being is this chemical hodgepodge that we find ourselves stuck in should be managed by a physician who is aware of our entire medical history and the adverse reaction of anything that we may ingest.
i submit to you the link for your perusal from the american academy of family practice that i spoke of above.
http://www.aafp.org/afp/990301ap/1239.html
i encourage you to get professional help with your detox and enter a program of recovery, my dear.
there is a solution.
thanks for letting me share.
namaste'
sammy
While I appreciate what Sammy has said about finding an addictionoligist or detox/treatment center.......that works great for those of us that have insurance. For those that don't or some other reason that keeps them from seeking medical advice, the posts from Bender, Rhonda and None4me, are excellent advice. It's how alot of us got clean. C/T, AA/NA and this board.
I have tremendous respect for those that flushed their pills, hung on to their butt and did it... me? I'm not white knuckeling it anymore, it was a long hard road but time went so fast.
Cowgirl
I have tremendous respect for those that flushed their pills, hung on to their butt and did it... me? I'm not white knuckeling it anymore, it was a long hard road but time went so fast.
Cowgirl
THANKS TO EVERYONES REPLYS THIS REALLY HELPS ALOT. SO TODAY IS DAY NUMBER ONE WITHOUT THOSE LITTLE WHITE PILLS. I REALLY WANT TO GET THUORGH THIS. IM NOT FEELING THE W/D'S YET JUST A LITTLE NERVIOS KNOWING THAT THEY WILL COME. HOPEING NO ONE WILL CALL ME TODAY AND SAY HEY GOT SOMETHING FOR YOU. ITS SO HARD TO WALK AWAY KNOWING THAT THERE RIGHT THERE. I GUESS ALL I CAN DO IS PREY. WELL I AM GOIN TO GO TAKE A NAP FOR NOW ILL POST AGAIN LATER
Do yourself a favor.... before they call you, call them and tell them you don't want any anymore and to please not call you with an offer for them. Protect yourself. If you take control of your sobriety, it makes it so much easier...
Pick up the phone and tell them to go away..
Cowgirl
Pick up the phone and tell them to go away..
Cowgirl
Dear MMD,
Congratulations on day 1 without any opioids. None4Me made an excellent point regarding withdrawal. The fear of on-coming withdrawal symptoms, when detoxified, was a constant thought, especially for me. And that is completely normal. You can get through this difficult time, though. I think that the previous posts, though some differentiate on the method of detoxification, offer great advice for handling the physical part of withdrawal. Of course, as Sammy pointed out, the advice of a physician probably trumps other's experiences; however, a physician can offer a great wealth of knowledge and, especially, monitoring of your condition. Monitoring of a person's condition through the acute withdrawal (days 1-7) is important. Nevertheless, physicians don't always uderstand the subjective side of opioid withdrawal. Those of us that have detoxified from opioids know the subjective and objective sides.
From my experience with opioid withdrawal, my physician recommended some OTC medications: (1) Ibuprofen, for muscle aches; (2) Immodium A-D, for diarrhea, et al. Some were herbs such as: (1) Kava Kava, for anxiety; (2) Valerian Root, for insomnia, et al. Others were non-addictive, yet helpful prescription medications such as: (1) Clonidine, to lower blood pressure - which reverses many of the symptoms of withdrawal; (2) Bentyl, for gastrointestinal cramps (some physicians prescribe Donnatal, which is similar, except the medication includes small doses of phenobarbital, a Schedule IV barbiturate. I'd stay away from this one, in my opinion), et al. Being aware of any contraindications is imperative, especially if you are using other prescribed medications for: heart conditions, seizure or epilepsy disorders, high blood pressure, pulmonary disorders, etc.
Of course, there are other things to consider, such as financial and insurance situations - as Cowgirl pointed out. If you don't have insurance, calling your state's Medicaid or mental health program, or in some countries, you may well be covered by a National Health plan. I'm sure that you could find this information on the internet, in the phone book, or by calling your city/town council. On the other hand, if you have insurance, then locating a provider that can assist you can be done through a referral from your primary care provider. If you don't have one, call your insurance company directly.
Rhonda, Cowgirl, None, and Sammy all have given you great information. I thought Cowgirl gave you some excellent advice on about dealing with 'offers' from people. Protect yourself. Cut the ties with those people, and you'll feel so much better.
We are all here to help you, and you can do this. My thoughts and prayers are with you, MMD.
Ben
Congratulations on day 1 without any opioids. None4Me made an excellent point regarding withdrawal. The fear of on-coming withdrawal symptoms, when detoxified, was a constant thought, especially for me. And that is completely normal. You can get through this difficult time, though. I think that the previous posts, though some differentiate on the method of detoxification, offer great advice for handling the physical part of withdrawal. Of course, as Sammy pointed out, the advice of a physician probably trumps other's experiences; however, a physician can offer a great wealth of knowledge and, especially, monitoring of your condition. Monitoring of a person's condition through the acute withdrawal (days 1-7) is important. Nevertheless, physicians don't always uderstand the subjective side of opioid withdrawal. Those of us that have detoxified from opioids know the subjective and objective sides.
From my experience with opioid withdrawal, my physician recommended some OTC medications: (1) Ibuprofen, for muscle aches; (2) Immodium A-D, for diarrhea, et al. Some were herbs such as: (1) Kava Kava, for anxiety; (2) Valerian Root, for insomnia, et al. Others were non-addictive, yet helpful prescription medications such as: (1) Clonidine, to lower blood pressure - which reverses many of the symptoms of withdrawal; (2) Bentyl, for gastrointestinal cramps (some physicians prescribe Donnatal, which is similar, except the medication includes small doses of phenobarbital, a Schedule IV barbiturate. I'd stay away from this one, in my opinion), et al. Being aware of any contraindications is imperative, especially if you are using other prescribed medications for: heart conditions, seizure or epilepsy disorders, high blood pressure, pulmonary disorders, etc.
Of course, there are other things to consider, such as financial and insurance situations - as Cowgirl pointed out. If you don't have insurance, calling your state's Medicaid or mental health program, or in some countries, you may well be covered by a National Health plan. I'm sure that you could find this information on the internet, in the phone book, or by calling your city/town council. On the other hand, if you have insurance, then locating a provider that can assist you can be done through a referral from your primary care provider. If you don't have one, call your insurance company directly.
Rhonda, Cowgirl, None, and Sammy all have given you great information. I thought Cowgirl gave you some excellent advice on about dealing with 'offers' from people. Protect yourself. Cut the ties with those people, and you'll feel so much better.
We are all here to help you, and you can do this. My thoughts and prayers are with you, MMD.
Ben
thanks guys for being here for me. i really think i could do this if i have people like you all i can talk to because this husband of mine just doesnt understand at first i thought he would but today he has been a total a****** i ask him last night if he will help me get thorgh this and he was like sure. but i sure did find out today that hes not going to be here for me. he keept telling me that he was going to leave because i was getting on his nerves looking like i was being lazy.i am just all worn out by not having these damn pills.its harder going thourgh this without someone by your side.i am going to do this its been 24 hours without. just need some support.
Hang in the re MMD. There is nothing more I can add to what others have offered here other than to say stay strong! It's not easy going thru wd's, but it does begin to ease up after 3-4 days. Initially your body is going to scream for these damn pills, but don't give in. Do it for yourself and yourself only. The fatigue is normal. We've all been there...and we've all survived. I have just 5 weeks clean, so it's still very fresh in my mind. It's not fun, there's no getting around that. But you will be so grateful after the physical wd's have subsided! This time around (3rd time for me) I have found that getting face-to-face support at NA/AA meetings and having a plan of recovery are absolutely necessary to keep me clean and on the right path.
Peace;
Jim
Peace;
Jim
Hey Everyone. This is my first time on the site and Im so glad I found it....Im a older gent who has a major back problem....after every option was exhausted, my doc decided to put me on opiates......My first two scripts leaving his office was for 300 10mg. Percocets AND 300 40 mg. Oxys......I was taking up to 12, yes I said 12 Oxys. a day along with 10 of the Percs....A year and a half later I realized I was dependent......The withdrawal scared the heck out of me so I kept taking the two opiates daily for another 6 months.....One day I just said I cant do this anymore so I looked for help.....You may not believe me but I checked into a GOOD inpatient Detox Center, I have since learned that they have outpatient clinics also....They treated me with something called Subutex for about 5 days.....I believe they were giving me 2mgs. in the am 4mgs. in the afternoon and then another 2 mgs. in the pm.....I never got sick, never missed a meal, nothing.......I know I may be a unique case but there were two other guys there coming off street opiates along with Crack and other things......the other two guys had an easy time also......I wont go on and on, but I wanted to tell my story so that it may help someone with their fears.....It seems Subutex is an opiate that you dont get euphoric from but blocks the withdrawal.......I swear it was amazing......Only certain Drs. can prescribe Subutex....I didnt save the website but if you look up Subutex you should find a link that will give you a list of every Dr. that can prescribe it in your state......It certainly cant hurt to look up a Dr. and try the Subutex method.....It worked for the three of us......Good Luck and God Bless......
MMD -- Day 2, how is it going?....sorry you're not getting support from the homefront. Know you're doing the right thing, which takes a helluva lot of courage and strength. You hang in, M.
Jack -- thanks for relating your experience with sub. Are you still on it or did you just take it long enough to get by the physical w/d's? M.
Jack -- thanks for relating your experience with sub. Are you still on it or did you just take it long enough to get by the physical w/d's? M.
