starting the detox process

[momma0608]

i am very new to all of this and very scared but, i have been reading about everyone else and feel i need to get this off of my chest and need some extra help and support so, here goes... so, 16 months ago today, i went into labor for my son and ended up in an emergancy c-section b/c his cord was scrunched up like a spring. (which by the way, he is perfectly fine and very healthy) i was put on pain medication for the surgery (percocet 5mg 1-2 every 4 hrs.) a few weeks later, i was having a lot more pain than normal so, i went to my dr. and they found out that my body was not healing like it should be.  my hip bone locked itself into place and my s.i. joint misaligned and quite a few other things went wrong in my healing process.  so, i was give more and more pain meds.  i was switched back and forth from percocet to lortab and at my worst point i was taking about 15-20 7.5 percocet OR 20 7.5 lortab.  all of this happened to fast, i can't even believe it when i think about it.  i recently decided that i need to stop with all of the meds. even though i am still in a large amount of pain.  i went from taking all of those pills to taking about 10 of the 5mg. lortab to taking 5 of the 5mg. lortab. all of this happened with in 8 days.  i was doing so well and i started having sharp stabing pains in my belly, found out its a pretty big complex cyst that i will prob. have to get removed.  needless to say, my dr. said she feels like i should take the meds. that way i am not hurting so much and can still get up to take care of my son but, i am starting to relapse.  i went from 5 back to 10 (of the 5mg. lortab)  i am thinking about just stopping cold turkey.  i know that my cyst will hurt but, i don't know what choice i have.  my script was filled on thursday and i will run out tom. (sunday) (that's 40 in 4 days... *****!)  i just don't want to get back to where i was and i feel like that's where i am heading right now.  i am so scared of the withdrawls... all of the horror stories i have been reading.  i don't know what to expect b/c i have never been through this kind of thing before and i don't really have anyone to talk to about it who would understand anything about what i am saying.  if there are any suggestions or any kind of help at all or support that someone can offer me, it would be greatly appreciated!!  like i said, i am very new to all of this and it took all i had to tell my dr. the truth about what's going on and now to write it on here... i hope someone can help me out!!  
thanks and God Bless everyone else who is going through similar situations!!  my prayers are with you!

[chopper841]

you can do this I got up to 15-20 some days of 10mg Norco.  I would also take 8mg of Xanax a day, morphine, fentynl patches what ever I could take.  I quit cold turkey over 35 days ago I was on methadone in between my patches and other ****.  The struggle is a mental and physical battle you need to prepare for.  Most people say days 3 or 4 are the worst.  That gave me hope to know it would be over soon one thing that really helped was when ever I would try and quit I never counted my sober days.  The tracker helped so much so make sure you use the tracker on this site.  Every day you log in it tells you how many days clean.  I did this alone so your lucky if you have a hubby and family for support.  Eat, walk, swim, hot tub for leg cramps, Melatonin and Velarian root for sleep, I used Ambien for sleep on really bad nights, Protein shakes for the first few days it you can't eat, veggies, multivitamins, and I used the Epson salt in baths for the first several days.  All at Walgreens you can do it congrats on getting your life back.  Everyone here has so much to offer any questions just ask.

[momma0608]

i hear everyone talking about the thomas recipe... where do i find it?  i read on someone elses post that you can't take some of the supplements in you are on anti-depressants.  i am taking cymbalta for post pardome (still dealing with some of those symptoms) and anxiety... they also said it could possibly help with my nerve pain assiciated with my hip and back.  also, thanks so much for the support!  i really need it right now and it helps to have people to chat with who are going through the same thing or have gone through it.  i am very scared of the w/d symptoms (not b/c y'all scared me, just more nervous) but, i know it's something i HAVE to do/go through for myself, husband and son.  i guess i am starting to feel some of the w/d side effects.  i am very shaky right now and just antsy but, i know i can except more to come right.  if there are any more stories or advise please feel free to let me know. i know how good it feels to share your opinion and your own life stories!  
thanks again!  (sorry about the horrible spelling!)

[plzhlpme1]

hi  just wanted to let u know there is a lot of help on this site and so many who can help....i am trying to be done and we all can use as much support as possible....this site has helped me so much ...tom,orrow is a big day for me trying to jump off or atleast take 1/2 of what i have been taking.....i've been tapering for a month now and am ready for my next big step...i'm here if u need info ive been on/off for over 5 years been through it all w/ds anxiety everything you name it...you can msg me if u need support....

[TahoeMan]

Hello There,

I feel your pain, but I was in a lot worse of a situation. Let give you my brief story (I will give the highlights or I would type all night) and then go into what your going through or are about to go through. I ruptured 2 discs in my back 4 years ago and have gone through 4 surgeries in the past 4 years with the problem still not completely corrected. I started on 10mg Percocets. As the pain and surgeries progressed I was switched to 40 and 60mg Oxycontin at different times as well as 15 and 30mg oxycodones for break through pain. I got to the point of taking 400-500mg of opiates a day. I use to go through prescriptions that were to last a month in 1 - 2 weeks. I came up with every excuse in the book to get more and my doctor was pretty understanding (unfortunately for me) and kept writing scripts for years. Finally he pulled the plug one day on scripts and left me with nothing but a medicine called Clonidine to help with w/d's. Clonidine is a blood pressure medicine that does help some, but didn't help me. I ended up having to detox with a medicine called Subutex (Suboxone) is the same thing. You will read 100's of posts here about the good and bad with that medicine. For me it worked great. I did a 6 week program and was off the Opiates for a while, and then found a new doctor and fell right back into the same hole I was in. That is a short version of my story. Now as for you. I understand that you think you have taken a lot of pain killers, but it should'nt be that horrible for you to get off of them. Withdrawals are the worst thing you will ever experience. I'm not trying to scare you, but you feel like being dead is better then going through w/d's. Withdrawals range from restlessness, to anxiety, to diarreha, to vomiting, to shaking, and flu like symptoms. It leaves you un-motivated, and not wanting to even get out of bed in the morning. Typically the worst withdrawals last 4-5 days and then you will feel slightly better each day. It is a rough road, but if you really want to be off of pain meds you have to go down that road. Now this is the WORST CASE SCENARIO for someone that has taken a lot of meds for a very long time. I personally don't think from what you explained that you feel anywhere near as bas as i did. I was in the same boat with a 2 year old daughter and a wife and family that meant everything to me. Getting off of the meds is only the 1st part. After that it is a fight to stay off of them. They make you feel good, and when you are having a bad day, week, or month, your brain may tell you to go get more to make you feel good again. That is my problem now. I got clean for 6 months and take them every now and then when my doctor prescribes them for my continued terrible back pain. Once again, I'm not trying to scare you but if you have willpower and the real desire to quit, you will. A week of feeling terrible is nothing when you look at your whole life. I hope you succeed in getting off the meds and continue to stay clean. It is rough but you can do it. If you have any questions or concerns,please let me know and I will reply right back. Take Care.

GOOD LUCK!

[Jules1866]

Momma,

I am one whom has back pain and I have decided that i would rather deal with the back pain instead of the all the pain that comes with the pain pills. I could not stand to count pills anymore and run out early every time i got a script, then I would be worrying about how I am goin to get more pills, i began taking them more just to feel ok, and if things in my life became stressfull I would take even more pills. These pills are so mind controlling that they are not worth the pain that comes with them. You sound like a young mother and if you are taking that many pills now, think of where you will be in 10 or 20 years from now, you may not even be here if you keep going down the road with the pills.

I think that you may want to find alternative ways to control your pain, there are several all natural alternatives that you can try, also accupunture, there are things to help you with your wd like the thomas recipe, you can try valerian root from the health food store for the nite time and not sleeping, there are many things at the health food store you can buy to help with stress and irritability.

God Bless you and I will pray for all my friends here at the site.

Jules

[momma0608]

thank you so much!  it's nice to know that i am not alone in this.  sometime you feel isolaited and alone like it's something that should not happen b/c of being a parent.  its also nice to know that their is a light at the end of the tunnel!  thanks again and congrats to you!

[mama23babies]

I too found myself having problems with the pain meds after c-sections(I had 3) I went through it 5 1/2 years ago the first time. When w/d hit I didn't even know what it was. It wasn't that bad then b/c I only used for a couple of months. The second time I was smart and controlled and only did it for a few weeks. The last time I used until my daughter was 17 months old. I had migraines and kidney stones with 2 surgeries that kept me on the pills. I took them if I didn't need them to feel good. When I started  having w/d a few hours after taking a pill I knew I needed to stop. I did it cold turkey. The physical symptoms should be gone in about a week. For me the mental was and still is the hardest. I started having major anxiety and  panic attacks. I still struggle some with the depression.anxiety and fatigue 105 days later but it is better. It will take some time but it is worth it to not be a slave to the drug .  Good luck!!!

[momma0608]

another thing i forgot to ask about is, about how long does the withdrawl symptoms last and how long does it take to detox.  i am very determined to do this for myself, family and most of all my son... i'm just so scared and nervous!