I'm Scared

[Mourning2]

I had a tummy tuck not long ago and have been on lortab for a couple of months now.  If I don't have a dose when I wake up I get awful stomach cramps and symptoms much like a severe stomach virus.  I break out in a sweat, get sick to my stomach, and feel as if I am about to pass out.  I know I am having withdrawl symptoms and I am so afraid of having these symptoms that I continue to take the Lortab just so I don't.  Not to mention what I am going through with the tummy tuck.  I am also eating like a horse.  Anxiety I guess?

I am 33 and this is the first time I have taken these medications like this.  I didn't realize how addictive they were.

Does anyone know what might help with withdrawals?

[FLaddict]

To taper off I would start spreading your doses farther apart a little bit each day. No taking 2-3 at a time. One pill per dose on a regular schedule of every 4 hours. By spreading the doses out you will get your doses down to a few per day. When you get down to 4 pills per day break em in halfs. Take one half every 3 hours. Start the spreading process over again. going 30mins longer each day between doses. So from 3 hours to 3.5 hours, then 4 hours, then 4.5 hours ect.  This way your body and brain adjusts slowly to lower doses. Much easier than just dropping pills out every few days or every week. By spreading them out and closer to the next dose time doses will just eliminate themselves.

[TimH2]

I posted to tzt about you and she will probably find you tonight. You can also start a new thread to her.

[Mourning2]

I take 7-8 10/500 Lortab a day (in my waking hours).  I also take Klonopin 1mg once a day with 2mg's a day as needed.  Will those help with withdrawals because I have plenty of those if I should need them.  

I see that some of you have suggested looking at or "speaking" to another person on this forum.  How do you "find" those individuals?

I feel for Tzt.  I hope her surgery went better than mine.

S

[TimH2]

Tzt just had the same surgery and is also getting off the pills again. I think she could be of some help to you. Why don't you leave her a new post and she will answer you some time today. She is a teacher and is at school now.

I wish you the best!!!

Tim

[NautyOne]

How much do yu take a day??  

Nauty............

[Mourning2]

You know, I don't think I have ever felt worse about myself.  A tummy tuck....what was I thinking?  A magical cure..no.  A set-up for post-operative depression and addiction...you better belive it!.  

What they don't tell you is that it can take months to heal from a tummy tuck.  

I would like help with tapering off.  I hope I can do it.  My sister od'd in 2001 and it was a horrible experience for the entire family and now look where I am at.   It would be great to figure out what makes some families more succeptible to addiction than others.  As ignorant as this may sound I had always put myself into a different category.  I always thought that this couldn't/wouldn't happen to me.  After all, I am/was an intelligent, resposible adult...right?

Well, pitty party is over.  I know what I need to do.  

I am glad that I found this forum.  I am very greatfull for the support and the warm responses.

With Love,

[FLaddict]

Welcome, I would get up and take some Immodium. see if that helps calm down the tummy troubles. Stomach cramping and diarreah are commom early withdrawal symptoms. Hydrocodone slows our digestive tract and relaxes our colon so we get constipated. When in need of a dose our body produces the "opposite reaction"  I would start to taper down you daily dose and get off them as soon as possible. Many of us here started on these meds for legit pain or surgery only to become addicted and take them for years and years.. some of us up to hundreds of millgrams a day or even more. Tomorrow i would take half of your normal morning dose. That will be a good start.. If you would like help on tapering let me know..
XOXO

[STEVE T]

I will find out

[marcatj]

you can taper down your dose, if you are able (some of us can't - if they are here, we eat them.)

but if you can, that will help.  taper down, until you are down to zero.

if you cannot taper, ALOT of us went cold turkey.  it sucks for a few days (the symptoms you describe) but after about 3 days they start to lift dramatically.

if you can gut out the couple of days, you will be surprised at how quickly you feel better, especially if you have not been using them that long.

i really, really encourage you to try soon.  the longer you wait, the harder it gets, i'm sorry to say.

and keep posting!!! it helps, and there are always people around to help.  also, utilize the other addiction forum (the link is above) - often times, there are more people on that board than here.

you can do it.  you really, really can...

very warmly,
mj
ps - if you click on Ga Guy's profile, he has listed many things in his profile that helps with w/d's.,..