vicodin withdrawals/detox

[amndbuc]

I have been taking hydrocodone 5/500 for almost 1 month.  I take 2 pills 3 times daily.  I passed the stone and want to stop taking the medicine now.  However, I quit yesterday and felt very depressed (almost like a rage) and I felt like I had the flu.  I had to get back on the pills to feel better so how do I stop taking them.  I counted and I have 44 pills left so should I do 1 1/2 pills each dose and then 1 pill and so on.  Also, how many days between lowering the new dose levels.  Any help would be appreciated.

[feohmoon]

Oops...I posted early.  
Best of luck to you...please post often...it helps so much-  We are all here for you.

[feohmoon]

Check out the Thomas recipe and vitamin info...very important.  This can be done and this is a wonderful place for support.
In my journal you will find some natural remedies...maybe it can help if you need.  Best of luck...comtinue to post.
My fiance and I have been detoxing from methadone since Aug.'07...from 110mg...tomorrow we will take 19mg. and in 1 week from today is our last dose.

We are excited even in the midst of the fear because we are ready to get this behind us.  Our gardens are not going to do themselves!

[amndbuc]

Thanks to both of you.  I will try the tapering because the withdrawals are what make me so nervous.  Since I deal with depression, I do not want it to get really bad because I hate the feelings I have had in the past.  Thank God I have a phobia of overdosing so I did not take more than the prescribed dose once the "highs" quit coming.  I guess phobias do come in handy sometimes afterall.  haha.  maybe because of that issue, the withdrawals will be minimal.  I will let y'all know how this goes.  Thanks again for your help.  

[bmc1976]

Thanks for clarifying the taper plan to make it easier to understand! I still think tapering is the way to go if someone can do it. I was able to once but all other times I gobbled up the pills I had left!

[toxictome]

I tapered off vics also. bmc's taper sounds good. If you take the # of pills for the day and divide it into 24 hrs...(24 hrs. divided by 4 pill= 1 pill every 6 hrs.) your wds should be minimal. When you get down to 2 pills a day..break them in half so for the day you would take 4 halves or 1/2 pill every 6 hrs.

My taper consisted of 15 pills and i was off them in 10 days..
Withdrawals will be minimal...although you will still have symptoms..
I had NO diarrhea, vomiting or nausea!

GOOD LUCK and keep posting.

[bmc1976]

Here's maybe what I would try with what you have left. Take 5 a day for 2 days. Then 4 a day for 2 days, 3 a day for 2 days, 2 a day for 3 days, 1 1/2 for 3 days, 1 for 3 days, then 1/2 for 3 days. Once you get down to the loser dose, try and wait as long as you can during the day. I would try and wait until evening. Just don't save say all 3 and take them all at once! If you notice the tapering isn't working well, you might be better off going cold turkey. You have not been on them for that long and not taking too many. Your withdrawals may not be that bad anyway. It might only last a few days. If you think you need to adjust this plan to your likings, go for it. You just have to find out what works for you. Instead of doing the taper another thing you could try is just stopping them. Once the withdrawals get really bad, just take one pill in the evening. You might be able to do this for a few days and then go cold turkey. Just try and do what works best for you. You have to remember, when tapering you won't get the buzz or high feeling you once had. Tapering is just a way to help alleviate withdrawals to make them more bearable. If your still getting the fuzzy feeling, you're taking too many. You just have to get a strong mindset and push through this. Just stay strong and you can put all of this behind you. I'm so happy you realized this could turn in to a problem and want off of them. My use starting from a back injury and my use got out of control. For the first year or so I only took as prescribed. After time my tolerance built up and was taking way more than I should have been. That is usually what happens to most of us. You'll be just fine though. Just remember in the future how difficult it is to stop taking. You may need to look in to other options to control your pain. There are many non narcotic pain meds along with other options to deal with pain. Best of luck to you and keep us posted on your how things are working out for you!
Brian

[amndbuc]

Thank you for your help.  I will check back this afternoon after my visit to the urologist.

[bmc1976]

I did a quick taper once. I tapered for about a week. It worked out quite well and the withdrawals weren't bad at all. I'll try and figure out a taper plan with what you have left. I'll post it in the morning for you. Your withdrawals shouldn't be too horrible since you are only taking 6 a day and have not been on them all that long. I'll be in touch. Best of luck!
Brian

[amndbuc]

I was hoping that just  one month wouldn't be so bad with withdrawals.  I have some depression so it worried me.  Thanks for the info.

[worried878]

But I am not sure u would need a real lengthy taper after just a month...you may could cut and quit in a week or 2...everyone is different

[worried878]

Tapering with the 44 pills would be the easiest way...you could cut them into 5 or 6 doses a day at smaller amounts...the less you take at one sitting the easier it is for your body to adjust