Help. wanting to stop Norco

[NeedsAdvice22]

Please help.. don't know what to do.....
About 3 months ago I was prescribed Norco 10/325  with direction of 1 pill every 6 hrs a day as needed due to my neck, arm and back pain. I have been getting refills and have been taking more than prescribed... Like 6 a day rather than 4 a day for the past month+.  I am not due for a refill for 3 days but feel I'm addicted to them.... I have 2 pills left...   Do I call my doctor and tell him what's going on or do I just try and quit cold turkey?  Last time I ran out of pills, about a month ago, I was out for 3 days or so and felt like pure he** .... No energy. Tired, anxiety, depression, insomnia, exhaustion, etc.  Do I call my doc and be honest? Will he taper me off? Maybe the withdrawl won't be so bad?  Help :-(

[NeedsAdvice22]

P.S....   thank you again for all your support and advice it is so much appreciated. You guys have certainly been a godsend trying to help me through this

[NeedsAdvice22]

well my doctor's office called me back thank goodness. My doc is calling in a prescription for Vistaril... He said it will help with Anxiety and Sleeping... Yet I expressed my concern to the nurse as she said it will make me very sleepy. I don't take anything for sleep ever as I have a toddler who gets up during the night every night. I also asked her about all the achyness and pain that I have been having and how unbearable it is. I asked if there is anyway my doc can call in a taper for this stupid Norco to make it easier.... So frusturated, emotional and hurt :'(

[VICourageous]

Great Job on comming to terms that u have a issue..Good info from above..Like the book says "we live to use and use to live" that is our addiction.....YES Be honest with the DOC...A good taper from the drug u are using will make it a little better..I have seen many Blessing on here and we care...So come back in and let us know how it is going..I just want to say one thing, from my side, please do not let them play the merry-go-round with u on going from one med to another...(My experience only)If they do give you a taper find someone you can trust to dull them out..If I have them in my lil ol hand, my I feel good, just one more, ect will play back that tape in our lil ol pleasure part of the brain (survival)...
God be with you...
vickie

[NeedsAdvice22]

Thx. I hope so. I'm thinking some of the wd's are setting in the past couple days already with my body aches and bathroom runs like they have been. Also very edgy.... Is it possible that I am withdrawing now some and it might not be as badsince i jumped down on my # of pills in the past few days? Also have already taken an Immodium about 2 hrs ago but just had to make another run to the restroom. :-(

[FourJays]

Well, it is really hard to say because everyone is different.  I would think of this as day one (you only had 1/2 pill today, right?).  At this point your body is feeling the w/d (mrs. obvious here), but you still will be taking the other half - today or tonight?  Then no more, right?  If so, then I would think by tomorrow and into Friday you will feel the full affect.  By the end of the weekend you should be over the worst of the physical discomfort.  It will probably linger for a few more days, but the really "nasty" stuff usually only lasts a couple days.  And PLEASE - try to relax and not be too anxious - that WILL make it worse.  This is just physical discomfort - feelings - very similar to a bad flu.  They WILL go away.  You did not use for very long (3 months?); so it is very possible that your symptoms may never be as bad as some of what you have read about here.  It may not get much worse than what you are feeling right now.  Take a deep breath, think about how LUCKY you are that you figured this out FAST and can be clean and feeling great VERY soon.  Take some Immodium for those stomach issues - it worked wonders for me.  Use the other suggestions the others here have given you.  You are going to be just fine - SO proud of you and admire your ability to recognize this and act on it before it got out of control.  Hang in there and keep posting how you are doing.  Good luck :))
Julie

[NeedsAdvice22]

Thank u Four Jays..... Left the message for my doctor now waiting to hear back.  On Monday I took 2 Norco the entire day (4 half pills)..... Tuesday I took 2 pills (4 half pills)... I now have 1 pill left and took 1/2 about an hour ago......  Definately feeling crappy.... Very achy, tired, anxious, runs to bathroom.....  Any idea how far into withdrawls I may be?  Note:  I took maybe 3-4 pills total on Saturday and Sunday....

[FourJays]

That sounds like a great idea - he or she can help you out whichever way you decide (to taper off or quit cold).  It is exactly like OpenMind described, we don't start out with intentions of abusing the pills, but it can often happen.  And when it does, it takes over your life.  You are so lucky to have figured this out early on before the pills have taken complete control.  I started out on a prescribed dose for legit pain and ended up battling a heavy addiction for 15 years.  DONT let this happen to you.  I am SO happy you found this site.  Keep posting with any questions and for support as you go through the process.  Congratulations on making the best decision of your life - to nip this NOW!  Good luck :)

[NeedsAdvice22]

Thank u both.  Open mind 24... U are EXACTLY right.  I have 1 pill left.... Been tempted a ton to take it or 1/2 of it but havent.  I took a total of 2 pills all day yesterday..of course i feel like crud... Aches, pains, anxiety, (bad), worn out, bathroom runs..... Just want To go lay down and be alone. :-(  I think I will be putting a call into my doc...

[OpenMind24hours]

To be honest with you, It sounds like the amount you're taking has quit working for you. Try asking yourself "what is my reaction to this drug?" It's not how much we use, it's our reaction to using that's tells us if we can continue on or we should quit. You're running out, and it has your undivided attention. But only you know the answer. Don't ever let anyone else answer that question for you. You'll know the answer.

As for me, I battled my vicodin scripts for 4 years. Got good and hooked. It was the running out and always worrying about getting more that always got my attention big time. And of course my doctor refused to ever increase my dose or amount. I have and always will have a problem. Every month, every script renewal day at CVS was like Christmas morning as a kid :-) I'd wake up and fly to the CVS, BC (before coffee, for my new fresh and wonderful "script". I'd count them to make sure the B---ards didn't short me, and then I'd proceed to snort the powder on the side of the new bottle and immediately take more than prescribed. That's the reality of how my addiction ended up. It became a ritual. Something is very wrong with that picture. It wasn't like that at first, and I had no intentions of it going that way. At first it was for pain and the misery of a blown out back. But it was just a short matter of time before i got addicted and in love with the stuff. But then I'm an addict to begin with. Alcohol had been my drug of choice and I had years of sobriety. I thought I could take Vicodin, and I was wrong in my case. Very wrong. But now I've gone through withdrawal the 3rd time in 4 years and I'm happy with my new life. I kept fighting.

If you decide to nip it in the bud, using for 3 months isn't too very long at all for you to go through withdrawal fairly quickly. You make the decision for you, and you alone. And know that you're worth it! You're doctor will indeed help you with this and make you comfortable. Also, look below at the Thomas recipe. That's what most of us on here have used. Good luck.

[InNeed88]

Forgot to add, We make the Withdrawls seem way worse in our mind then they will really be, Yes you were using a higher MG but not for a long time, So they wont be near what you think. If you decide to go C/T get the Thomas Reciepe , I swear by it and still take my vitamins EVERY day!!

[InNeed88]

It's really up to you, You having been using for an EXTREMELY long period of time, I was on the Norco 10's for over 5 years , Taking around 6 ish a day plus some Vicaprophen! I went C/T to get it done and over with! But some people do have the strength and will power to taper, I saw it as do i want mild withdrawls for the whole time i'm tapering till i jump off and still mild withdrawls once i jump off....Or just get it done and over with?!?!
I've done it twice now where i just went C/T!!
If you are going to taper make sure you tell your Dr. whats going on , get a good taper plan in place and then once your done with your taper and jump off DONT GO BACK, Cut all ties with any means of getting pills, if your still able to get them  you'll still use!!