PLEASE - Need Help With Tappering

[PainPilladdict]

Hello everyone,
I’ve been addicted to hydrocodone for over 3 years now.  I’m currently taking 10 Vicodin 7.5’s a day.  I need to stop and I want to stop.  I’ve tried going cold turkey along with the Thomas Recipe and I can’t stand the withdrawals.  I have 30 pills left and want to know if I could get some advice on how I can taper.  And, will I still get severe withdrawals with tapering?  Please help….

[heather_r]

Your story sounds familiar to me, I also quit hydros for 10 months due to pregnancy and swore I would stay off them. But I did not. Somehow I thought I could be more productive as a mom and wife with them. I could get up and go after being up several times through the night. Being clean now is so much better and you can enjoy your kids more. I have anxiety also and the w/d make it worse but it will end. My family helped me with the kids and my baby was 8 weeks old when I stopped Aug 6, 08. I did not want to tell my family but I needed help and my husband is very supportive and was in shock about my addiction. As for after care I see a counselor, attend group meetings for addiction, and go to NA or AA meetings. There is support out there for you. You can beat this and you will feel better when you stop and become clean.  Take care and you can get through this.

[Dylan465]

I think writing it on your calendar is a great idea, works for me. I can visably see my progress and am encouraged. I like it. I believe it is all doable if you want it bad enough.
if you are a believer, draw on that also.
Blessings.

[coldsweats]

I couldn't go ct... So I tapered! I was on norcos 10/325 10-15 for about 2 years and well I'm now 19 days clean! I started with 2 in the am and two in the pm... I think? I did this for 4 days then 1.5 am and pm for 4 days and then 1 am and pm for 4 days and then just stopped.... First couple of days sucked as far as rls and aniexty! Went to the dr and was given klonopin ( which I take ONLY if I have too) and was put on lexapro which is a whole story in it's self.... But it takes alot for an addict to taper... If I can do I know you can too! Do whatever is best for you!!! This site has been such a blessing for me... Stay on and ask as many questions as you want! Good luck!!!!!!

[PainPilladdict]

How far are you on your taper right now?  Are you any feeling w/d's?  I can't wait for this to be over...  :O*(

[PainPilladdict]

Well, I was able to taper down yesterday to 8, and today I took 6...so far so good...I just can't wait to get to the end of this.  I just want to be able to live a clean and sober life.  This "hydro haze" that I've been living in for the past few months has been insane.  I also have anxiety issues and am so scared to be dealing with it in once this withdrawal kicks into full force.  I'm really hoping this taper helps with the withdrawal.  What kind of things have you all did to keep sober once you where done with the detox?

[HazelGirl]

Hey I know just how you feel. Although you say you take 10 well I take 15 to 20 in a day. As far as the w/d's go I think they are going to be about the same for to both of us. And I have been there before and it ***** really bad!!
Well I would love to hear back from you.

[FORMERUSER]

I was hooked for four years on vicodin and here's how I tapered off from 26 10mg a day habit.
I took a calender and wrote down how many pills I woulld allow myself the first day and each following day I would reduce the amount slightly and spread out the time I would take them by one hour. I filled the calender with 30 days of times and amounts. So my calender looked like this: Day One- 10mg at 9am, Day Two - 9.5 mg at 10am, Day Three - 9mg at 11am, Day Four 8.5 mg at 12pm, etc, etc.
And so on untill the desire for vicodin was gone. The trick to this is to stick with the formula because if you take more than what the calender says for a particular day  you'll screw up the process and you'll have to start over!!!! I did this until I was down to taking .25 mg. Every vicodin I had left over after 30 days was flushed in toilet.... Nights were the worst, so I took ambian to help me sleep at night, then tapered slowly off the ambian. Im drug free today. All my friends see that I have my life back and Im helping friends get off the pills now.  YOU CAN DO IT!!!!

[worried878]

75 mgs can be done ct//over with quicker/or a taper/which can be frustrating and humiliating for a true addict..but do-able..getting someone to hold ur pills..flushing any leftovers, telling ur doctor and pharmacy/friends who gave them to u that u r done...write it out/the taper./pick a QUIT day and stick to it..if u taper slowly it can lessen the intensity of wds but u still feel them..it is a bit more drawn out than ct...and takes more will power in a way to taper..i am a spur of the moment type..when i am done i am done..so a long taper woulda not been good for me,,,also u run the risk of losing motivation to quit during a long taper and u can end up back at square one..if u r very disciplined, have someone to hold the pills, write out ur taper and flush the rest..cut off any suppliers or refills.....pick a _QUIT_ day and stick to it..u got it

[road2recovery]

4 tomorrow is great...If you can taper, then that would be the best way , especially with kids, and if you have small ones, it is almost impossible without having someone come in to help..I was up to 20 a day, and now i realize i dont' think it is how many you are doing, it is what your mind is doing...Making you go places to get them you would have never ever been before...I understand about hubby and kids, they were my push!!   I am here if ever you need, as well as so many others..Be proud of yourself for looking for some help!!!!
r2r

[PainPilladdict]

Thank you everyone for your comments.  I want to beat this...I need to beat this...not only for myself, but for my kids and my husband.  It's been hell these past few years, and I put myself and them through so much.  I actually quit last year around this time for 10 months straight (because I became pregnant with my son).  It was a struggle, but being pregnant was my incentive to quit.  Throughout my pregnancy, I would ALWAYS dream about those darn pills and crave them ...but I swore I would never go back.  Needless to say, a few months after I had him, I went back.  I am so angry at myself right now... I don't get the pills from a doctor, I get them off the street (so I really don't wish to discuss this problem with him).  I went to therapy for a few months in 2007, but I ended up dropping out. I just wish I could beat this on my own...It's just so hard dealing with the withdrawals with working full time and taking care of my kids.  I'm going to try tapering and go from there...tomorrow I'm going to take only 4 and see how I can do...

Thanks again for your responses.

[kksmama]

hi there,

vicodin es was my drug of choice for almost 2 years, I mean NEVER missing a day almost 2 years.  I was taking around 20 a day i started hating it, the chase to get them, kmaking sure i had eniugh to get me through this or that, so i went from 20 some odd pills a day to ZERO!!  Yep i was sick!!  The first day was the worst.  You really have to want this and you have to be prepared in your mind that you are gonna be sick for a couple days.  It is pretty much like having a really bad flu.  Today is my 8th day clean and i feel really good.  Today i went to work sober for the first time in a couple of years..............felt great!!!  Good luck, we are all here for you!

[mtgoat911]

welcome to the forum
please post this thread under the addiction ask a docotor forum
include a brief medical history, list injuries or illnesses
if you do not get a repaonse, send me a message
i worked in the nurses station at a detox
hang in there you can do this
it may take the doctor a few days to get back to you
while you are waiting
only take 4 pills a day
and if you cannot take 4 pills a day
then tapering is not your best option
cold turkey or impatient tx
good luck, keep trying
xo

[Jambo62]

I wish there was an easy answer.....I used for close to 3 years (i Think) I don't really remember when I started....I took approx 6 per day for a long time....I tapered a little but then just quit......it's the only way i could do it....

And YOU can do it too....It's not easy but get yourself prepared and you can do it.....Maybe you shold talk with your doctor....I talked with mine and he was very helpful...gave me something to help sleep.....it seems as the WD's are different for everyone....but they get through it and you can too!!!!!!!!!

This board was very helpful to me, in the times I was struggling people on this site help lift my spirits....gave me encouragment....we will help you too...so keep posting. but get started it will not be easy but regaining your identity is WORTH THE STRUGGLE...

Jambo

[Kfred]

just suck it up and go cold turkey...  The w/d doesn't last THAT long and it may give you some incentive not to use in the future..  I tried taper and it just prolongs it (stronger drugs might be a diff. story)