Aa
Getting of long term lortab
Good morning. I am a mother of three and odd for the summer. I have been on lortab for 8 years for a chronic condition. I want to stop taking these but any time I try I get extremely sick. I have tried before and failed. I need to do this and be able to function daily as my children have so many activities. I have a prescription although I have noticed it will sometimes run out a few days early. Any help will be appreciated . Thank you so much and God bless
Imodium helps with diarrhea and also some of the creepy feelings. Magnesium/calcium helps with muscle spasms. Coke syrup with stomach upset. Vitamin, mineral waters, melatonin helps with sleep.
Since you are taking 40 mg total, you should probably start by going back to three times a day dosing first. Your other option is to reduce those .5 tabs into quarters, and replace two .5 tab doses with .25 tab instead. Then 3-5 days later, drop again by .25 on two more doses. And continue on.
IF you experience symptoms, they will likely be minimal. Some you are going to have to ride out. The 3rd day is typically the worst, when stopping, but as you go lower and lower, you will find that your body adjusts fairly quickly.You have to set your mind that some of the feeling sick is going to happen but you can lessen the symptoms some. Staying hydrated is important. Gatorade also helps.
Your mindset and determination is your biggest ally. Watch a movie, play with the kids, read, and the feelings will pass.
Whatever you do, don't go back up . That will just cause you to have to start over.
You can do this.
Since you are taking 40 mg total, you should probably start by going back to three times a day dosing first. Your other option is to reduce those .5 tabs into quarters, and replace two .5 tab doses with .25 tab instead. Then 3-5 days later, drop again by .25 on two more doses. And continue on.
IF you experience symptoms, they will likely be minimal. Some you are going to have to ride out. The 3rd day is typically the worst, when stopping, but as you go lower and lower, you will find that your body adjusts fairly quickly.You have to set your mind that some of the feeling sick is going to happen but you can lessen the symptoms some. Staying hydrated is important. Gatorade also helps.
Your mindset and determination is your biggest ally. Watch a movie, play with the kids, read, and the feelings will pass.
Whatever you do, don't go back up . That will just cause you to have to start over.
You can do this.
There are a couple ways to stop, one is simply stop, and know that you will feel like you have the worst flu like symptoms for a out 5 days. There are supplements you can take to ease the symptoms.
Another way is tapering, but only if you can control the desire to take more and your mindset is strong.
Your body will try to convince you that the pain is spiking, worsening, but you have to stick with a taper.
The easiest taper starts by taking your total daily intake, and reducing it by half a pill. ONLY for immediate release meds like Norco or percocet. If you are taking 3-10 mg tabs per day, then there are two ways to do it, take 1-10 mg in a.m., 1- 1/2 tablet 8 hrs later, final 1-10 mg 8 hrs after/before bed. Or you could cut tabs to approx 7.5 mg (save the 1/4 tab), and take 7.5 mg, every 8 hrs. This way you are slowly reducing the total daily amount of norco. Stick with that reduction for 3-5 days, then reduce 7.5 mg to 1/2 tab (5 mg), taken every 8 hours, stay at that dose for another 3-5 days, then reduce 5 mg by half, down to 1/4 of a 10 mg tab, 3 times a day. Then twice a day, then once a day, then none.
Another way is tapering, but only if you can control the desire to take more and your mindset is strong.
Your body will try to convince you that the pain is spiking, worsening, but you have to stick with a taper.
The easiest taper starts by taking your total daily intake, and reducing it by half a pill. ONLY for immediate release meds like Norco or percocet. If you are taking 3-10 mg tabs per day, then there are two ways to do it, take 1-10 mg in a.m., 1- 1/2 tablet 8 hrs later, final 1-10 mg 8 hrs after/before bed. Or you could cut tabs to approx 7.5 mg (save the 1/4 tab), and take 7.5 mg, every 8 hrs. This way you are slowly reducing the total daily amount of norco. Stick with that reduction for 3-5 days, then reduce 7.5 mg to 1/2 tab (5 mg), taken every 8 hours, stay at that dose for another 3-5 days, then reduce 5 mg by half, down to 1/4 of a 10 mg tab, 3 times a day. Then twice a day, then once a day, then none.
1 Comments
Thank you so much for taking time to answer with such detail. I usually would take them by halves through out the day. I very rarely took a whole at the same time. What supplements can I take to help? To be honest, thinking back it was probably more like 40 mg a day at .5 each time. Bc yesterday I only took 30 mg total and felt nervous, sweaty and not hungry. I am open to any suggestions. Which worked for You? I go back to teaching special ed on Aug 1.
MyAce--
Well, I wish you well that. I quit the lortab cold turkey for the T3's. They are nowhere near as "strong" as the Lortab, so it has been a challenge, and was for about a month or so in the beginning. I am working with the t4's to see what gets the pain under control and then trying to take as little as can. Hard, as I have a busy, active life and when I am in pain, I am irritable and short tempered. Also going through a separation from my hubby of 42 years and not knowing where that will lead is awful. Hoping we can find our way back to each other, but I'm pretty tired.
Good Luck. And do slowly do the taper, it's hard.
Well, I wish you well that. I quit the lortab cold turkey for the T3's. They are nowhere near as "strong" as the Lortab, so it has been a challenge, and was for about a month or so in the beginning. I am working with the t4's to see what gets the pain under control and then trying to take as little as can. Hard, as I have a busy, active life and when I am in pain, I am irritable and short tempered. Also going through a separation from my hubby of 42 years and not knowing where that will lead is awful. Hoping we can find our way back to each other, but I'm pretty tired.
Good Luck. And do slowly do the taper, it's hard.
1 Comments
Thank you again for your answer. How slow of a taper do you recommend. I go to work Aug 1. I also have so many doctor appt foe my kids before them. I need to function and be okay
MyAce--
I feel your pain (literally) We need to be free of the worst pain so we can function for our families! I too was on Lortab for about 5+ years, during which time I had 2 back surgeries and a foot surgery. I was on Lortab for quite a while. When the new "drug laws" came out, I felt so shamed and so, well, addicted. It was so hard to feel good about myself because I felt weak and useless. My family has ridden me about this--endlessly. Yet, if they have cramps or a pulled back, gee, who do they come see??? Dr. Mom!
Are you getting your Norco from your doctor, do you have a signed agreement form with him/her that you will only fill with one pharmacy and one dr? I went to my PCP well over a year ago and told her I needed to not be on so much Norco. (4-7.5 mgs per day) I asked to be swapped over to Tylenol 3, a milder opioid. She was confused, but did as I asked. It has not been great, to be honest. I am in pretty bad pain all day, every day. I exercise, stay active and do baby my back as much as I can.
My new PCP actually just doubled my dose to Tylenol #4, which has twice as much codeine as the T-3's and no more Tylenol. I was having to take 2 T-3's to get on top of the pain and I would be fighting the pain all day. Now I take a T4 in the am and try to get along as long as possible on that. Then just a half T4 4-6 hours apart after that. That seems to be working ok.
Honestly? I know I am addicted to this. I am glad I came off the Norco. It gave me hives and some other unhappy side effects--but it did help with the pain, tremendously.
Even under a dr's care, I still feel bad about my self. I wish I didn't have this constant pain. I am so tired!
DO talk to the dr who is giving you these. If they are OK with it, then you be, also. My PCP says that the "war" on drugs was lost years ago and all these laws do is make people who are in pain just lived stunted, pain filled lives.
BTW--going cold turkey will make you sick--if you really want to go off them, write up a taper schedule with your doc. But be honest with yourself, do you REALLY want to stop or are you just feeling bad--like me and so many others do. It's not my place to judge you.....I'm happy to talk.
I feel your pain (literally) We need to be free of the worst pain so we can function for our families! I too was on Lortab for about 5+ years, during which time I had 2 back surgeries and a foot surgery. I was on Lortab for quite a while. When the new "drug laws" came out, I felt so shamed and so, well, addicted. It was so hard to feel good about myself because I felt weak and useless. My family has ridden me about this--endlessly. Yet, if they have cramps or a pulled back, gee, who do they come see??? Dr. Mom!
Are you getting your Norco from your doctor, do you have a signed agreement form with him/her that you will only fill with one pharmacy and one dr? I went to my PCP well over a year ago and told her I needed to not be on so much Norco. (4-7.5 mgs per day) I asked to be swapped over to Tylenol 3, a milder opioid. She was confused, but did as I asked. It has not been great, to be honest. I am in pretty bad pain all day, every day. I exercise, stay active and do baby my back as much as I can.
My new PCP actually just doubled my dose to Tylenol #4, which has twice as much codeine as the T-3's and no more Tylenol. I was having to take 2 T-3's to get on top of the pain and I would be fighting the pain all day. Now I take a T4 in the am and try to get along as long as possible on that. Then just a half T4 4-6 hours apart after that. That seems to be working ok.
Honestly? I know I am addicted to this. I am glad I came off the Norco. It gave me hives and some other unhappy side effects--but it did help with the pain, tremendously.
Even under a dr's care, I still feel bad about my self. I wish I didn't have this constant pain. I am so tired!
DO talk to the dr who is giving you these. If they are OK with it, then you be, also. My PCP says that the "war" on drugs was lost years ago and all these laws do is make people who are in pain just lived stunted, pain filled lives.
BTW--going cold turkey will make you sick--if you really want to go off them, write up a taper schedule with your doc. But be honest with yourself, do you REALLY want to stop or are you just feeling bad--like me and so many others do. It's not my place to judge you.....I'm happy to talk.
1 Comments
Thank you so much for taking time to answer me. I think I want to come off and see where my pain is after that. You seem to have a good grip on your medication. I'm sorry you are in pain daily
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