Just quit 4x a day Lortab

[Brbegrl68]

March 9, 2010 at 12 noon I took my last Lortab. I have been on a 4x day regiman for about 5 years due to a back injury. Never really thought I would become addicted but my body is now telling me otherwise. I am an emotional wreck, freezing cold one moment and then a fever and absolutely no appetite. Called my prescribing physician to let them know what I am doing but no one has bothered to call me back. Does anybody have any suggestions on how to get the sick feeling to lighten up a bit. I am sick of feeling sick. Determinded to never take this drug again.

[Mike_B_]

Kelly, I guess you are around 15 days now.  I had a set back.  I was tapering and then this past weekend I had a kidney stone.  I don't know if you ever had one but I don't think there is anyway to get through that without some pain medication.

I passed it yesterday but according to the docs I have a couple more still in my kidney and my back is hurting more than normal.  I too was on 4 a day and had gone a week with 3 1/2 a day.  I was going to try to step down to 3 last Sat when the pain started.  What the heck are you to do when you have that kind of pain?  I got through it without having to go to the hospital and getting a couple of direct hits in an IV, but I did take the 4 a day since Sat.  As soon as I am feeling a little better I am going to start the taper again.  I wish I could just stop like you but I have my own business and I just can't take the time, I figure if I can taper down as far as some have then when I stop I may be able to continue to work.  I would like to know how your doing.

[taperme]

You are living with someone who is being really supportive, right? Why don't you give him that prescription and tell him to lock them up? I locked anything I didn't flush up and gave my husband the keys. It is very helpful to have no access at all  especially when our moods fluctuate from hour to hour. Think about it at least.

[Brbegrl68]

it is day 10. Every day is getting easier. The chills are finally completely gone. Still feel sick to my stomach for about 6 hrs a day. I do not know if it is a physical or mental thing because it occurs everyday about 2pm and lasts until 8pm. these were the hours when I took most of my pain pills. I look at the bottle of Lortab as poison now. I went to the pharmacy to get another med I take for my MS and they had filled the Lortab. I have the whole bottle but I have convinced myself if I ever take one of them, I will feel the way I did last week. Probably not wise to have it and will get rid of it soon. I find comfort in knowing if my pain gets out of control I have it. But like I said the memory of the WD's is so fresh and I will never, ever go through that again. thanks for checking up on me. doing great and find much strength for this site.

[Mike_B_]

I'm just checking in to see how your doing.  How many days has it been now?

[taperme]

You sound like you are where I was 2 days ago. I had myself qutIe a pity party. But 2 days later am much better. I think if you can hang in there a few more days you could do this without suboxone.  Why have to withdraw from something else?

[Brbegrl68]

I am trying to be! All of you kind people have really helped me today. Was having "one of those days" today and found this site. Thank God.

[taperme]

You're doing great! And in a few days will be over the roughest parts of the wd. It sounds like you are a very strong person!!

[Brbegrl68]

My name is Kelly by the way and thanks for sharing your story. I get great comfort from hearing about others going through the same thing. Yes I agree the pharmacy has become a difficult thing as of late. I understand why, but it isnt fair to the people who need pain relief just to live. My best friend takes Norco for her chronic pain and her pharmacy made her feel like she was a criminal when she was simply picking up her refill. Right now my pain is being controlled during the day with Motrin. Its the night part that is difficult. I have Multiple Sclerosis and when laying in bed my legs become very stiff. It is difficult for me to find a comfortable position to sleep. If I lay on my sides, the legs ache. If I sleep on my back, the back hurts. Because of me not being able sleep at night I take Ambian which only keeps me asleep about 4 hours. I also have a prescription for Xanex (very low dose) that I take for anxiety. I have taken a few of those to get me through my rough patches. Seems to help. When I quit taking the Lortab last week, I just was tired of it all. I travel a lot and it seemed my trips were booked around my refill dates. Stupid for me. I am going to try to do it. Been through hell this past week and do not want to visit it ever again.

[Mike_B_]

Wow, you've gone 8 days already.  Are starting to feel better?  I am trying to taper off of mine.  I've been taking 4 a day for several years too.  It's tough when you have pain that is so hard to manage.  I know how you feel about the pills ruling your life though.  I get a months supply with 3 or 4 refills and most of the time I don't have a problem staying within my prescribed amount but there are times when I do some thing that really makes my back flare up and I take one or two more for a couple of days and then I am running short on what I take.  That's when it really gets to be a pain in the butt knowing you are going to come up one day short.  As you know one day makes a heck of a difference.  It's gotten to where the pharmacy will not even fill it one day early.  I can remember when it was no big deal to get it a couple of days early.  Times have changed for us pain suffers.  My refill was on Christmas day a few months ago so I called a day early and the pharmacy tech said I could not get them filled until the next day.  I told her your closed on Christmas, and she said it was up to the pharmacist whether to fill it or not.  I was not happy, I had to call my doctor and they thought that was a crock, and called them and told them to fill the dang script.  I was having kidney stones at the same time so I was in no mood to deal with a snippy pharmacist trying to tell my dr what to do.

I hope you can manage your pain without taking anything,  I watched one of the interventions on tv the other day and this girl needed to take it she was just taking more than she should and it had gotten out of hand.  So she went into a rehab and they controlled what she could have, even though they said she would need to take something to control her pain for the rest of her life.  

I have tried before to stop and then decided I needed to see a specialist to see if there was anything they could do through surgery to help and they said they could not help me.  I am going to try my best to cut back, I just don't think I can do the cold turkey thing.  Did you read on here where someone suggests that you get some Valium to help you sleep but to not take it over 7 days.  That's my biggest problem, sleeping,  I don't sleep well and I know you are having problems sleeping too.

I know I have gone on about me and this should have been about you.  I don't know your name but I will pray for you because the Lord knows who you are and he will help you overcome this.  Let us know how you do.

[Brbegrl68]

It just so weird because at different times of the day I feel differently. I agree with the CT approach and agree why take another drug to get off of this. Last night felt great but at 4am I was very sick feeling. In fact have felt that all day. Luckily I live with a wonderful man who is being very supportive and kind of taking over all the household stuff I used to do. Havent cooked or cleaned all week. I am taking Motrin for the chills as I do have Multiple Sclerosis and fevers cause those symptoms to flare. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your advice with me. So nice to know I am not alone. How long has it been for you and your husband? You guys did it together? That is amazing! My other half smokes and needs to quit but I told him that we should deal with one addition at a time. :-)

[witsend0603]

4 per day is not alot... me and my husband were both on them and took like 6-8 per day.. back injury for him also... we both quit ct and never looked back... you should be feeling better very soon as it has been 8 days.. sub works for some but for me. I decided against taking something else I would have to get off of later and most say the withdrawls from sub are wayyyy worse than Lortab... Lortab is a bad drug.. don't get me wrong ... but not as strong as some people take and it is easier to quit cold turkey for me than some other meds I have seen others on.... hang tight.. worst should be over soon... take vitamins and eat well and keep hydrated ... this will help tremendously.... just like when you have the flu

[Brbegrl68]

when my doctor decides to call me back I will suggest that to him. Thank you for taking the time to write me back. At first I felt so alone and somebody told me about this site. It is so nice to know what I am going through is not anything new. I am very, very determined. Done being beholden to the pills.

[Iwant2Bclean]

CONGRATS on deciding to get clean! I am sorry you are feeling so bad. It will get better over time! I decided I couldn't get off of my 4-5 a day 30mg Roxy habit alone so I got on Suboxone! It has been a life saver! I am 23 days clean and have not had 1 WD symptom at all!!!! Hope you feel better soon!

Krissy