Okay here i finally am posting after reading this board for so long. I always thougth i could do it with no support but not anymore. I have been taking pain meds for 4 years now ranging from 15 pills a day to 6 a day recently. But i am ready to be rid of these horrible little life destroyers. I called ALL my doctors today and told them that i want off of them and to please not prescribe them to me again. I started taking them for back pain and migraines. The nurses were very understanding and it made me feel better knowing i have no where to get them now. So what should i expect in the next few weeks as i come off. I am doing a taper that the doctor and pharmacist went over with me today. Boy i cant wait for my normal life to come back. I have 4 children and a great hubby to get better for. And am looking forward to my first summer that i do not have to have a plan for getting my pills before vacation or anything. So happy to be here and cant wait for any responses with advice.
Congratulations boobear2!!!!
You are incredible! You called all your doctors and cut off your supply, GREAT!!!! I am so pleased that you are working with a doctor on a taper plan. Having a medical doctor on your side is such a smart thing to do. I am tickled pink for you.
With a taper plan you should have very little physical discomfort. That's why a taper plan is good.
My health was toast afer my 5 year pill addiction. When I quit (this time) I started to take vitamins and to eat right. I needed to get my health back so I could recover faster. I would suggest that you;
1. Drink a lot of water (pees the toxins out)
2. Take a one a day vitamin
3. Eat lot's of fruit (bananas made me feel better)
4. Eat lots of vegetables
5. Walk. Get out in the sunshine
6. Give it time. Relax baby yourself
Lot's of people here have had great success with a taper plan. Everybody will show up and give you much better advice than I can. Hearing other peoples story's helps so much. Even hearing peoples non-success helps.
Catherine
| QUOTE |
| So what should i expect in the next few weeks as i come off. I am doing a taper that the doctor and pharmacist went over with me today |
Welcome to the board.I went cold turkey so I realy can't say what a slow taper will be like.Maybe some others who have gone that route can give you some answers.
I do commend you on your honesty with your Drs.
Good luck with the taper. My form of tapering was taper down then start another "taper" and another. I had to go CT too. Though I admit I tried to taper (not doctor assisted) never went very well. Glad you found your way here! There is good stuff here lots to learn. It's tough to be an addict and a mom I hope you have lots of face to face support. Does your family know? If you said I am sorry I didn't read it.
Love,
Jane
Love,
Jane
thanks for the quick responses. Yes it is hard being a mommmy and an addict. God i never thought i would be that word. NEVER. But oh well i am and guess i always will be. My family does know and are sooooooo happy that have decided that enough is enough. My hubby made an appt through his work for an appt for addiction counseling next week. He tried to ignore all my nonsense with using a couple doctors and needing my medicine to the point i would do nothing if i did not have it. But he was really getting worried and quite frustrated with me here towards the end. I feel like such an idiot for actually defending my behaviour for soooo long. What was i thinking?? Not much i guess.
Boo,
We all use excuses to keep taking pills. I milked my injury until it had udders. lol
Addiction counseling sounds like a great idea. It helps so much to talk about it.
What is your plan? When is your quit date? How are you going to stay pill free? I know it's to soon for you to answer but keep these questions in mind.
I am also delighted you have the support of your family. I truly believe no one can do this alone. With the help of your doctors and your familys love you will do great.
Catherine
We all use excuses to keep taking pills. I milked my injury until it had udders. lol
Addiction counseling sounds like a great idea. It helps so much to talk about it.
What is your plan? When is your quit date? How are you going to stay pill free? I know it's to soon for you to answer but keep these questions in mind.
I am also delighted you have the support of your family. I truly believe no one can do this alone. With the help of your doctors and your familys love you will do great.
Catherine
Well i have not thought out exactly what my plan is but i know i need one. I know for sure i will need to keep busy and to not let myself be tempted. Which i know that means not being around a certain friend and that will quite hard. But i guess one step at a time.
I know how you feel about the guilt of being a mommy and an addict. One thing some of the people on this board have told me is not to dwell on the past. Work towards a healthy future. It is good that your husband is supportive of you. I also put my husband and daughter through so much and I am so thankful to still have my family. I went c/t off lortabs 18 days ago. Everyday gets a little better. I don't know much about tapers but I can tell you that even going c/t, the worst is usually behind you in 3-5 days. That's not much considering you have a bright future waiting for you. Good luck and keep us posted!
Shelly
Shelly
Boobear,
Welcome! You have made some great choices and taken some even better actions. Being honest with doctors is crucial -- cutting off sources. I tapered from 20-30 hydros a day to 6 over the course of 2 weeks, then went cold turkey because I exceeded my taper....you might want to make the same agreement with yourself, because few people successfully taper down to 1 or two pills. No shame in that. It's the nature of the disease we've got.
Anyway, I really just wanted to wish you much encouragement. I'm coming up on 3 years clean and sober and never felt better in my enter life. You've made a GREAT beginning.....keep it up!
Welcome! You have made some great choices and taken some even better actions. Being honest with doctors is crucial -- cutting off sources. I tapered from 20-30 hydros a day to 6 over the course of 2 weeks, then went cold turkey because I exceeded my taper....you might want to make the same agreement with yourself, because few people successfully taper down to 1 or two pills. No shame in that. It's the nature of the disease we've got.
Anyway, I really just wanted to wish you much encouragement. I'm coming up on 3 years clean and sober and never felt better in my enter life. You've made a GREAT beginning.....keep it up!
BB:
Welcome. It takes a lot of courage to admit that we need help, admit to our innermost selves that we can't do this alone and to actually post here. I applaud you, I welcome you and I look forward to watching you grow on this journey of reclaiming your life.
~Rachel
Welcome. It takes a lot of courage to admit that we need help, admit to our innermost selves that we can't do this alone and to actually post here. I applaud you, I welcome you and I look forward to watching you grow on this journey of reclaiming your life.
~Rachel
Welcome BooBear!
I did a short taper off of Lortab...my use was very similar to yours in length of time...and my use got out of control before I quit too.
I went on a road trip into the Texas desert to taper...I knew I couldn't do it at home, as I had tried the previous summer to no avail. My taper was over ten days...so in reality it was more like going cold turkey. But....I made it out.
My committment to my husband was that if I didn't make it trying this at home, then a rehabilitation stay was next on my agenda. Money (the cost of the unit) was a big motivator for me...as when I added up what I had spent over the last four years chasing pills, I was physically ill. That was just gross!
It isn't easy, doing this on your own...actually, I think the odds are stacked way against us...so please, read up on what will be happening with your body from other sources...educate yourself as much as possible. Knowledge is power.
I am glad that you have decided to take this stand for yourself and for your family. It will be so much better on the other side! I promise!
Best,
Sarah
I did a short taper off of Lortab...my use was very similar to yours in length of time...and my use got out of control before I quit too.
I went on a road trip into the Texas desert to taper...I knew I couldn't do it at home, as I had tried the previous summer to no avail. My taper was over ten days...so in reality it was more like going cold turkey. But....I made it out.
My committment to my husband was that if I didn't make it trying this at home, then a rehabilitation stay was next on my agenda. Money (the cost of the unit) was a big motivator for me...as when I added up what I had spent over the last four years chasing pills, I was physically ill. That was just gross!
It isn't easy, doing this on your own...actually, I think the odds are stacked way against us...so please, read up on what will be happening with your body from other sources...educate yourself as much as possible. Knowledge is power.
I am glad that you have decided to take this stand for yourself and for your family. It will be so much better on the other side! I promise!
Best,
Sarah
Welcome BB,
I want to echo what everyone has said here. For me though...tapering was NEVER an option. I would find myself suffering needlessly and endlessly...a constant state of withdrawal...that is not fun or easy!
The big picture must include a plan to keep you sober. Getting clean is the easy part. It really is...the hard work begins next....finding out why you thought it necessary to self medicate for 4 years plus.
This is where you will need face to face support...a counselor and the help of a treatment program...there are lots of them out there. AA/NA has worked for me, I can tell you without it...I would not be as far along as I am. I quit many times only to find myself eating pills again with weeks!
Big kudos to you...your journey has begun..time to get tough and smart. Your brain will playing all sorts of tricks on you to convince you that you need pills...
Keep posting...we are here...you CAN do this!!
I want to echo what everyone has said here. For me though...tapering was NEVER an option. I would find myself suffering needlessly and endlessly...a constant state of withdrawal...that is not fun or easy!
The big picture must include a plan to keep you sober. Getting clean is the easy part. It really is...the hard work begins next....finding out why you thought it necessary to self medicate for 4 years plus.
This is where you will need face to face support...a counselor and the help of a treatment program...there are lots of them out there. AA/NA has worked for me, I can tell you without it...I would not be as far along as I am. I quit many times only to find myself eating pills again with weeks!
Big kudos to you...your journey has begun..time to get tough and smart. Your brain will playing all sorts of tricks on you to convince you that you need pills...
Keep posting...we are here...you CAN do this!!
Welcome to the board Boo, so glad you found your way to us. Admitting that you have this disease is the hardest thing you'll ever do. From here on out, with honesty and accountabilty, you can beat this. We're all here for you, so please post often about how you're doing. Personally, tapering never worked for me. All it did was prolong the enivitable. I had to flush what I had and get on with it. The withdrawals are horrid but you won't die from them and there is light at the end of the tunnel. You didn't get addicted overnight, you won't get well overnight. But there is hope. Take care, Cowgirl
Welcome Boobear,
I am relatively new to the board. I quit Watsons and Loritabs ( really anything I could get ) cold turkey over Easter weekend. It was hard; this board was my lifeline. I could not sleep for nights and I read and reread the posts from many of the same people who have stepped up to help you. Their advice was invaluable and these generous people want nothing but you to be free of this addiction.
My advice stay connected and read the posts and get through one day at a time.
Other things that really helped-
long, hot baths, you will be sweating out the toxins and if you experience pain it really helps.
I took B 12 tablets, drank Gaterade and glass after glass of water to pee out the toxins
I meditated as best I could
I took advil/motrin for the pain
I ate bananas, at first I could only take a couple of bites and then I would gag, but, it got better.
I walked around saying to myself " I have a pure and healthy body." I know it sound silly, but it helped me like a mantra or a affirmation.
Excercise, even just a walk, get the natural endorphins going again.
You will make it. This needs to be your focus right now--I know you have a family, but if you don't get well you are not there for them. Perhaps someone can take you kids for a couple of hours. Your husband sounds like a gem. You are lucky.
I do not have the expertise of many here who will help you, but the detox is still very fresh in my memory.
You are courageous and you are smart.
You are in my thoughts and prayers tonight. Gracie
I am relatively new to the board. I quit Watsons and Loritabs ( really anything I could get ) cold turkey over Easter weekend. It was hard; this board was my lifeline. I could not sleep for nights and I read and reread the posts from many of the same people who have stepped up to help you. Their advice was invaluable and these generous people want nothing but you to be free of this addiction.
My advice stay connected and read the posts and get through one day at a time.
Other things that really helped-
long, hot baths, you will be sweating out the toxins and if you experience pain it really helps.
I took B 12 tablets, drank Gaterade and glass after glass of water to pee out the toxins
I meditated as best I could
I took advil/motrin for the pain
I ate bananas, at first I could only take a couple of bites and then I would gag, but, it got better.
I walked around saying to myself " I have a pure and healthy body." I know it sound silly, but it helped me like a mantra or a affirmation.
Excercise, even just a walk, get the natural endorphins going again.
You will make it. This needs to be your focus right now--I know you have a family, but if you don't get well you are not there for them. Perhaps someone can take you kids for a couple of hours. Your husband sounds like a gem. You are lucky.
I do not have the expertise of many here who will help you, but the detox is still very fresh in my memory.
You are courageous and you are smart.
You are in my thoughts and prayers tonight. Gracie
Gracie,
You have a lot to contribute! You just quit, people who are quitting now can feel comfortable with your advice. I made buddys here with people who were quitting at the same time as me. We hung on to each other.
Catherine
You have a lot to contribute! You just quit, people who are quitting now can feel comfortable with your advice. I made buddys here with people who were quitting at the same time as me. We hung on to each other.
Catherine
Catherine, you are one of my lifelines AND I love your avatar. I have a black cat named Lucky and she is just soooo silly. She is probably in the bathroom right now. Love, Gracie
Gracie,
Thank you.
I have 3 cats.
Catherine
Thank you.
I have 3 cats.
Catherine
Oh BooBear, I forgot the Most important step that helped me, that is prayer.
Good luck and I am praying for you. Gracie
Catherine - three cats? you are feline crazed but, probably constantly entertained. Have a good day! Gracie
Good luck and I am praying for you. Gracie
Catherine - three cats? you are feline crazed but, probably constantly entertained. Have a good day! Gracie
boobear, you chould be so proud off yourself, its taken me to all most losse my marieg, to do the writ thing, im just staring my taper, we don,t have sup, here, so tis cold turky our meth, i was sober for manny years, and had a back injry, and started on them agien, big miistake, no 2yeras later woerse then i ever was, i think you will do fine your on the writ trak, keep up the good work, you have a lot off good people here, to help , take caer karen.
