how to get thru the first 7 days cold turkey or wean?

[jane1964]

i have been using hydrocodone for five years.  it started out as prescription and  year later the doc jerked them clean out from under me.  so i buy from others.  i have been in the hospital with pneumonia and demerol eased the first three days,  when i got out, its been hell and misery so i couldnt take it along with not having the nicotine (smoker of 26 years)  and i have taken less of the hydro but when burning starts and the anxiety attacks, i have to feed it.  i am so ashamed of myself,  its like i have just woke up into a nightmare.  i am in trouble financially and cannot afford to buy these things,  i cannot tell my husband what i did with the money, he would freak.  he really wants to help me thru this,  i cannot talk to anyone near me about this, for fear of losing my job.  cannot go into rehab or drive two hours every day to get methadone.  so i am going to have to do this by myself.  i need some support from people who have been thru this,  i am a good person who loves helping others and i promise that if i get off these, i will help others to do so with my knowledge.,  i know i am lucky to just have an addiction cause there are a lot of people worse off than me.  thanks for your help

[whitie]

well your in the right place. start reading all the threads here and keep this one updated.

I know what its like,I was in teh same boat. rehab was not an option,nor did I want to jepordise losing my job. plus I am a single father,with the everyother weekend program. had to work while going through methadone wd's. but I did it and so can you IF you really want it bad !!

you dont want to take methadone, that would be a huge mistake. unless you want to go through the worst wd's possible.

have you ever been through withdrawals (wd's) before?

[jane1964]

yes a couple of years ago but it wasnt that bad i hadnt been on them as much as i am now.,  i really want this and i will go thru what i can but i am like you and have huge responsibilities and very little time.  i only did them to relieve the stress and all the other things i wanted to get rid of after i took them for pain i realized what they did for me,.  now it cost me half my paycheck and the bill money,  i need to stop now.  i am tearing my life apart and may lose what i worked so hard for in the first place,  the really bad thing about wd with me is the restless leg and the fire in my blood veins and burning pain in the back of my neck.  the anxiety gets worse after 12 hours and i run for the pill bottle.  can you help.,i have to go back to work saturday, no more time off.  thanks

[TrayCee]

HOTHOTHOT baths help the RLS.  You going to be very sick for a few days, thats the only way to come out on the other side.  Theres no magic bullet, unfortunately.

Good Luck!

[jack1974]

i know how you feel jane i am going through the same thing right now i take 18 to 20 1000 mg a day im really scared i know that if i dont quit im going to die i have to switch all my friends and i own a buisness alot of people and there families rely on me im planning my attack i quit once for 3 months what i did was i came clean to my wife i told her everything about my drug use i went and bought 50 pills i gave them to her and she hid them i then locked myself in my room for the weekend with a bunch of movies and snacks and drinks she would give me a couple of pills (nothing close to what i took on my own) just enough to take the edge off the withdraw that helped alot it also helped with the phycological part cause i knew if it got real bad my wife had some pills to help me which was my biggest problem it seemed like my withdraws were worse if i knew i didnt have any this went on for about two weeks the first 3 days were the worst my only mistake was that i thought i could still hang with people that did them and i would be fine THATS NOT TRUE !!!!you have to seperate yourself from anybody or anyone associated with these pills we are addicts and temptation will get the best of us we cannot be around these pills ever again or we will relapse

[whitie]

well theres some things in my journal, that is in my profile to help with the wd's. theres two journals related to wd's, that will be a good read for you.

your going to have to tell work you got food poisoning or the flu. its going to be tough for the first3-5 days, then linger on for another week. you wont sleep for awhile and you will have other issues.

but the way to look at is........... you just cannot expect to get back to normal after being on drugs for sooooo long. a few weeks vs the years is really a fair trade off.

[jane1964]

i appreciate all your comments keepn it real for me.  i realize how i have associated myself with company i would have never dealt with before, the people that sell this to me.  i think my husband got my cell and had a talk with these people cause they havnt rang my phone for a week.  i still have a few low dose ones that i am hangn onto.  at first my husband had them but i wouldnt let him sleep so he gave them back to me and told me it was up to me i had to wean myself off.  i am weak minded when it comes to this.  i need to be strong,  but how?  i didnt used to be like this.  i wake up with them on my mind.  i do alot of physical and mental work at my job and i always said i better take this before i get there cause i have no energy for unloading a truck,  maybe when i achieved my goal it was actally too much for me.  i quit this for two months to get this job and now look where i am at.  

[jane1964]

so you are planning to do this?  i know that it is weaning that is the only thing that is going to do for me in my situation.  

[IBKleen]

Hi Jane and Welcome,

While most addicts are not successful at tapering for obvious reasons, there are some who have made it. I always suggest that if you decide to go that route that you have a loved one hold and dispense them.

Tapering may or may not be helpful for you but if you are considering it and hubby is willing to help then it may work for you. It will ease the physical withdrawal process to an extent but but will still feel it.

Let us know what you plan to do.

[jane1964]

thanks i will read them.,  jane

[kiylen]

If you have any more pills, try your best if you have someone to hold them for you, to slowly taper down.  It will ease it a good bit.  You will still bottom out and feel really bad but trust me, it could be worse.  I think the worst of the hydrocodone withdrawal is 3-5, maybe at most 7 days.  I completely agree with whitie, do not go the methadone route.  It is the worst situation you could ever get yourself into.  I am coming off of that now and it is no joke.  You're talking weeks, sometimes months to fully recover and the withdrawals from that are much worse.  It's also a much stronger and more expensive drug than hydrocodone.  If you don't have a few pills to try and taper down, just take hot baths, vitamins and try to at least stretch if you can't exercise every day.  It will pass, I know it feels like forever, but in the end it will be so worth it.  Please keep us posted and we're here for you.

[jane1964]

i have tapered off and have found the answer to the rls.  zanax.  i am weak minded when it comes to this and it suprizes me because people always say i am hard headed and stubborn when it comes too something i want and i always push forward to get to my goals and dont usually let things get in my way.  thanks for your messages, they mean  a lot to me.  i have a ex employee who i remain in contact with and she also has the same prob.  so i am helping her also.  that is my thing, to help others and it makes me good at my job.  helping others helps me.  but i guess this is the time in my life that jane needs help herself from others who understands what i am going thru.  what really gets me is these doctors know what they are doing to us.  then they cut u off in a minute and here i am.  how can they do that to people then uers get in real trouble trying to get what they need.  i dont get it.  there ought to be something they can do.  last week i turned down a script for loratab and asked for something non addictive that could help me and the dr said sorry that was all i was getting.  i even told her i was a addict.  it didnt matter and no help was offered.  what the heck?  and thanks for the info about methadone and suboxone, i am not even going to go that route, one addiction is enough.  i just hope i can maintain.  my son is a marine and is going to afghansitan next week for a year.  i am a mother of all mothers and worry way lots.  too much for my own good and hydro is one of the reasons i can get out of real life.  it keeps me on a even keel.  thanks againn for listening

[kiylen]

Please keep us updated.  That's what we're here for is to listen and try to help.  I have had so many people help me on here it's unbelievable.  Xanax will be helpful in withdrawals the only problem is that they too are highly addictive.  Just be careful.  You are already on the right track by wanting to stop.  Once you've made that decision, don't waiver at all.  Know that the decision is made and go forward giving it 100%.  

[brookely]

hi there jane, my name is brookely. i've written a couple times about what i'm going through as well. i'm also on pain meds. mostly for my back, but long enough i got addicted and can't seem to go a day withought it. we all wish we could just cut off like that! but it takes time and emotional distress.  for 2 years now i've been addicted to perc 5's....at about 10 - 15 a day sometimes. thats horrible. i HATE  it when i run out. its a game everyday to try to find more. talk about being broke, it's all i think about to keep me going everyday,. can you please right back? i'll tell you more but i have to lay down. i have a horrible headache. hang in there jane.

[Axl_0113]

The RLS is the worst part for a lot of people.  I am still having it, after 3 weeks of being clean....but I have had it my whole life.  Never this bad, but I have had it since I was a kid.  Just wanted to let you know, that there are meds (otc and from your doc) for RLS.  Years ago, they didn't understand what it was, or what caused it, and to some extent, they still dont....but they can treat it.  Xanex is highly addictive as well...so I would maybe talk to a doc about the RLS.  The pills I have for it (I forget the name of them) help tremendously.  Take one pill an hour before bed time, and I don't have them at all....without taking the pill, I have them in my whole body, not just my legs.  And there is a generic form of the pills too, so I can get a whole months supply for a few dollars.
Be careful taking the xanex....kinda trading one evil for another if you ask me...

[twizted]

will your husband help you? can you go to the dr and get a script for zanax? there is a herbal drink/pill called valerian root that might help it does relax you some but if you get the tea it stinks to high heaven you might not be able to drink it the pills might work better and you can buy them at a natural food store, if you can find someone you can trust it would be good to have someone help wean you off and give you your valum/zanax as perscribed so you arent addicted to thoes also, someone told me the over the counter meds for rls accually work besides the ***** and throwing up rls and no sleep is the worst part of wd for me hopefully your husband will have some compassion and help you thru this difficult time, dont feel ashamed either addiction can happen to anyone even the presedint its not something we can always help yours started out as a reg perscription and also like someone said methadone is 20x worse to get off of than anything else

[worried878]

NUMBER ONE: Being an addict does not make u a BAD person!  U just R...just like gay person is gay, or a diabetic is a diabetic..u just r!

so now u gotta make a plan to stop that is sumpin do-able for u..what is ur dose of hydro?  and what types of ways have u tried to quit in the past?  sumpin has to change if u have failed quitting in the pasr..aftercare rox and is probably close by..i know u r afraid of anyone knowing//but i would a bit more afraid about where u r heading if u dont make a plan

keep posting

[jane1964]

i am going back to work today.  first time in over a week.   i have cut my usage down by 4 pills a day,  big deal for me,  for those of you that taped off while working, i dont know if it helped u or not but i am only taking one with me,  i have a job that is very mental and more than physical,  i have to be on top of things,  i took a zanax last night at bedtime and this morning i dont feel the need to take one of the others like i usually do.,i know some said i might be trading out for another addidctrion but i dont even like the z because it makes me sleepy and the codone hypers me which is what i need,  i went to the dr yesterday and she gave me miramax for the rls which i have had rls for about 6-7 years now in both arms and legs,  hubby wants to help but cant hang in for the long run when the sleep dont come to me and the rls and burning starts,  so i have myself and hhis moral suppport which is better than nothing,.  so have a good day all and god bless and help each and every one who is fighting the good fight.  jane

[jstntime]

I suppose tapering is the best route in terms of WD but also the hardest part because of who we have all let our selves become.

I'm doing the cold turkey thing and am a couple of hours short of day 6.  I trully can't believe I lived what I experienced just 2,3,and 4 days ago.  Delete your suppliers numbers and get away from anyone you know uses.  It is too hard to have them around when you are begging God to help you and you know it would be easier with just one more.

I told all my suppliers that I was no longer their customer and not to call.  They have been supportive actually, and understand my need to do this.

My habit was 400-500  (sometimes more) mg/day oxycontin chewed.  This process is the hardest thing I have ever done but I am seeing the light.

Nights 4 and 5, i took a few ativan to try and sleep and they worked amazingly.  Night 4 I slept 7 hours and 7 more last night which has made a WORLD of difference upon my psychological state upon waking.

Good luck all, write me if you want to know anything,

bob from Canada

[amysue1017]

Hello,
I found this forum while researching information on length of withdrawal from oxycodone.  I just maxed out on my prescription of (3) 5mg tabs three times a day.  Even though it does help the pain, I know I will just need to keep increasing to get the same effect and want to stop here.  I am 48 hours into quitting cold turkey and want to know how much longer I can expect the symptoms to last.  Any information anyone can give me would be greatly appreciated.  Never been thru this before, so I have no idea what to expect.

[jstntime]

Hey Amy, great decision!!!!!

You are ALMOST out of the woulds.  Hang in there girl, you can do this.  It's going to suck for a little bit longer but it DOES get better.

Go and read a few of my posts when I was in day 3 and you will see it is not esay.  I came so close to breaking down so many times it is ridiculous.  I litterally can tell you about the worst night I have EVER spent on this planet!!!

Now for the good part, you dose, while still a problem for you, was not too high.  Your WD should not last too much longer.

Think of the effort you have put into this to this point.  There is only one way to prevent it from happening again.  Read the other posts about what to expect, ask questions, and make sure to come back here everyday.

You are not alone in this Amy.  I am just getting to day 6 and still look to others for that encouragement to stay the course.  I'm just a couple of days ahead of you Amy, so keep in touch we can get through it together.

Good Luck Amy -- you'll start to feel alive again soon!!!

bob from Canada

[jane1964]

hey girl i am broke as a convict,  i still have a few more pills left but i know i am not going to have a any left in a few days.  and no more money.  i have credit with my suppliers and on good terms.  but do i really want that anymore?  the third day without any pills was pure hell.  i was up at 5 in the morning with no sleep.  i even took lots of nyquil and anything that was supposed to help me sleep.  nothing,  i was begging god to help me sleep.  nothing.  pure hell and misery burning, rocking, anxiety going out of my mind.  rls sooooo bad.  i think if i could have made it to some sleep i might have been allright.  so i know i need to plan this carefully,  but i keep on taking at least 4 a day.  i cant stop with the knowledge of what is to come.  i know it will be worth it.  i just got to get there

[WAYTOOTIRED]

THATS THE THING....ITS HARD ENOUGH DURING THE DAY TO GET THROUGH THE HOURS..THE WITHDRAWLS....BUT, TO BE AWAKE ALL NITE...EVERY NITE..FOR DAYS...AFTER ABOUT THE 3RD DAY, BECAUSE OF LACK OF SLEEP.  YOU HAVE NO WILL LEFT....YOU'RE SOOOO TIRED.  SOOOOO EXHAUSTED...ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE THE RLS.   I KNOW WE ALL WILL MAKE IT...THE SLEEP WILL COME, ETC.   IF, YOU DON'T LOSE YOUR MIND FIRST.   JUST SLEEP...THATS ALL ...JUST SLEEP...TO HELP GET THROUGH ANOTHER DAY....RLS  IS PURE TORTURE...I HAD RLS  LONG BEFORE PILLS....BUT IT WAS A RARE THING...AND MILD....THIS IS HORENDOUS....EVERY NITE...ANYTIME YOU SIT DOWN, ETC.....YOU CAN ONLY KEEP MOVING FOR SO LONG.   I WAS SO TIRED..I COULD HARDLY STAND...YES,  HOT BATHS WORKED..WHILE YOU'RE IN THE BATH...  I TRIED AMBIEN....DIDNT FAZE ME...STILL NO SLEEP.   YOU JUST CAN'T GIVE UP....WE ALL KNOW ITS THE WITHDRAWL...WE HAVE TO KEEP TELLING OURSELF THAT....IT WILL PASS...SOONER OR LATER...YOU'LL HAVE TO GO THROUGH IT ANYWAYS...SO, DON'T GIVE UP....

[Revann]

i've been doing opiates for 4 years, and im at the point were its either quit or die. but as long as look into your future and see yourself a happy sober person. then your making a goal for yourself. and reaching that goal yes, will be hell. but you will come out of it a better person, with a better understanding of life.

we can do it

[hooklineandsinker]

Day 3 is the worst. I caved too on that day. But I quit again the next and surprisingly it didn't send me back to day 1 and start all over again but where I left off.

So through the hell of day 3 again and then the next day it got just a little better and then progressively better from there. Around day 6, I was actually able to function.

WD is hell. And not being able to sleep through it makes it even worse. I took enough valium to knock out a horse and it didn't even faze me. So much for that helping.

For me, it has to be CT. The positive thing about that method is it leaves such a lasting impression that you won't want to go through it again and it will hopefully keep you clean long enough to start making changes in your life.

And like a wise man, who used to post on here but is now banned, told me, "When you get clean, you'll find out what it was you were running from."

Then the real fun of recovery begins. :)