coming off Hodrocodone and I am scared

[sware16]

I am 43 and I have been on Hydrocodone for about 6 months taking 10/325 3x a day. I never took more. untill this month when I had 2 Horrific root canals done. I had to increase to about 5 pills a day. The reason I started in the first place is I have digenitive disk diese in my back L4 L5 and S1 as well as arthritis in the middel section and pinched nerv in neck and a bone spur. I dont want to be on pain killers for ever. and I dont want to become so addicted that I will never stop. What is the best way to come off of this type of drug??? I am very scared I have never had to do anything like this before. I am a smoker and I cant quite so I am truly afraid this is going to be the same. thanks you for your help

[Amaryllis1974]

Hey Stephanie,
Please make sure you give the pills to someone else who can dose them out to you! I can't say you wont make it otherwise, but I have tried repeatedly to do it by myself and failed every time save this one- where someone is doling them out - not caving in- and DO set up a schedule. Hide it though so you dont obsess over it daily!
I am down to 3 today....
I am in pain but only because I did a quick taper.
Best of luck to you.
Amy

[sware16]

Thank you Thank you Thank you!!! You all have helped me KNOW that I can do it. Also you helped me to know that now is the time before it truly gets out of hand. I am on that fine line of wanting to take more but scared to death of the real threat of addiction.  I am going to try to tapper I have 11 left and I WiLL tell my Dr on Monday Jan 5th NOT to give me NORCO anymore.  I hope that all of you are ok. and that you beat this.  I will keep you posted on how it goes. Thank you for taking the time to respond. I had never written anything like that before. But I felt desperate and new where I was heading.  You will never know what your responses mean to me and I am going to try to do what you all have suggested. Thank you again Stephanie

[downinthedumps1968]

Hi sware16, jifmoc is right-on about the specifics with the wd's. I didn't know about the Thomas Recipe, but I would try it if I were about to kick hydro or any other narcotic pain reliever. Like jifmoc said, you're not taking a ton of it and for very long, so that the wd's shouldn't be too bad, if much at all. I wish I had been taking so little when I've cold kicked it. Tapering never worked for me. When I tried, there was always the old, "just one more to cool these crappy, flu-like symptoms," and then I went back to the bottle, and back to the old game. You can try tapering, but be vigilant about what I've experienced. It's true, staying off is harder in the long run. You can do it, just be honest with yourself about this, call the pharmacy and cancel your rx if you can, dump whatever you still have and buckle up. I know it's hard, it's scary, but you can survive and you'll be free from these very real chains. After reading what I've just written, and re-reading your situation, your wd's should'nt be a huge deal. BTW, I've got similar issues with L2, L5-S1, and I know that I can NEVER be prescribed anything narcotic, less I be at risk for a relapse. You may have much more pain than I and require it, so tell on yourself to your doctors, so that they can help you manage your pain. Sorry for writing so much of my opinion, I just don't want you to suffer with a long-term addiction if you can help it. Best of luck, you'll be good soon.

[jifmoc]

Hi, Sware, I just want to echo what others have said, if you want to stop, that is a great first step.  In a way you are lucky; comparatively speaking, 6 mos. and 3 10/325's a day is not that long and not that many compared to some of us! I was up to 10 norcos (10/325's) a day, and quit cold turkey in Sept.  I got clonidine (used for opiate wd) and a few benzos, and had a week and 1/2 of hell. But, you know what?  It's over.  The worst part is the anticipation.  And everyone is different; you may have a shorter recovery etc.  I have relapsed several times since, and as people say; the easy part is getting off them.  It's STAYING off that's hard.  Anyway, whichever way you go (taper or cd), you'll have a week of feeling like **** at most, then it's over.  Time really does go so fast.  In the scheme of life, a wk. is nothing.  Good luck to you.  We ALL get it.

[Amaryllis1974]

It is very common to be scared. If you can taper, do it. I am. I am down to 4 today and the withdrawals are not nearly as bad as they have been in the past from CT. I have had a few bad days where I am depressed or anxiety levels are high, but today I feel very okay with what I am doing.
My boyfriend is holding the pills and has been since I was taking 40 a day. I cut my usage in half, then slowly tapered down to where I am now.
Gizzy is right about the support here. It is truly what has gotten me thru this. Also, Gizzy is right about the Thomas Recipe.
Take lots of vitamins. If your legs start aching, use Hylands Restful Legs- found at Walgreens or any pharmacy I suppose.
For the sweats, take a LOT of brewers yeast (pill form is easier to get down) found at GNC or vitamin shoppe.
You are making a big GOOD decision to want to stop. IT is the first step.
Keep posting.
Much love,
Amy

[gizzy32]

Can you taper down a bit before quitting so w/d's won't be quite as bad or are you planning on going cold turkey? Your making a great choice here by wanting to stop now, it usually gets worse as tolerance builds and we keep using more and more. Look in the health pages here in the top right of this page, a lot of good info in there such as the thomas recipe and amino acid protocal, etc. There is a lot of support on this forum so stick around and come up with a plan on how to get off them. Good luck:)