One thing to take into consideration is organ damage.  Long term use of these meds can damage your kidneys and liver.  If the pain is a serious issue, there are docs who specialize in pain management, and there are alternative methods:  biofeedback, etc. which can be tried.  For example, the back problem which started my addiction would benefit from something as simple as yoga.  Also, the pain meds lose their effectiveness over time.  We need more to get relief, which puts further stress on our body to process the meds.  And there's the issue of functionality.  What if we can't get our meds anymore?  What if our doc insists we get off of them?  Needing hydrocodone to function was very scary for me.  And when MY doc said No More, I was relieved but afraid.  Yes, I still have back pain, and I wish I could alleviate it with hydrocodone.  I could go to my doc and plead my case, but I'm not taking hydrocodone again, now that I'm free.  I'll do whatever it takes to find healthier alternatives that don't control my life.  

Sorry to get on a soapbox, but I really hate what these meds are capable of doing to us.  

SWJ

You can certainly get off the meds if you really want to, but should you? Considering your condition if the meds help your quality of life maybe you shouldn't quit. Furthermore opiates are probably the only drugs you will find to help your pain.

I didn't have a chance to taper because I was cut off.  In my case, that was the best thing for me.  I don't think I could have done it with the pills in the house.  However, if you can successfully taper, you may not experience some of the withdrawal symptoms I did.  But, so much of it depends on dosage, length of use, etc.  My withdrawal symptoms were only bad for a week or so.  I just finished week three, and all symptoms are gone.  In my opinion, anti-anxiety meds do help.  All of this with the disclaimer when tinkering with meds to help solve a problem, a good, compassionate doc would be a good idea.

SWJ

Well, when I woke up this morning, I broke one in half and ate it with my coffee.  This small amount will have to be enough for all day because that's it for the day.  

I only took 1/2 a pill to work and hopefully, I'll bring it back this afternoon.  

Thanks for all the nice comments and motivation!  I'm glad I found this site.  

TB

I think I truly understand what you mean.

I have a brand new bottle...unopened of 100 7.5's sitting right in front of me.   Assurance?   No... I wanted to keep them in front of me to help me remember what they were doing to me.

Each day I don't open that bottle, is another day I become bigger than that bottle.

Good Luck
Gip

Good for you!  I have been doing a taper from 4 pills to 1/2 tab in the past two months.  It has been working relatively well - but don't get me wrong - I still feel w/d.

It is hardest for me at night - and right at the 12 hour mark.  I have found staying hydrated helps - and DEEP breathing.  Focus on several breaths, and helps the craving pass - just a bit!

It isn't easy - but I think once this monkey is off my back - I can look back and say I did it - and REMEMBER how much all of this sucked!  That will be the part that will make me not want to touch the stuff again!

Hang in there, keep checking in on this site - and don't beat yourself up - you are fighting enough demons with the meds - take it one hour by hour - then one day by day.

Hi you guys.... My last dose was last Wed., @ 3pm.  I've been Rx'd these things for one reason or another since 2001.   Stopped one other time from taking them for @ 6 months ... had three surgeries in three years and here I be.

The last few days have been living hell for me.   I stopped using Xanax about a week before I went into this, but I've been using 1mg to sleep at night.

It's not pretty and it's not fun.   Today, aside from still having a belly ache and the runs I do feel somewhat human, but still not fit for a night out on the town if you get my drift.

I have no appetite whatsoever.   Mostly the horrible aches and pains in my legs and arms I was feeling are just about gone.  

This is what I've been doing.   I am taking zinc, A good Multi-Vit, B-Complex, drinking as much water as I can tolerate, and sleeping as much as I can.   I'm taking 2 advil 3x's a day to help with the body aches .   My belly still hurts...but not so bad as yesterday.   I didn't taper.   I just stopped.   I knew it was going to be bad, but I wanted out so much it didn't matter... and IT'S BAD!   I did a lot of reading.   Withdrawl from Hydrocodone, Vicoden, Percoset is truly uncomfortable but none of it is life threatening.   Thankfully it's one of the drugs you can stop cold turkey with the side affects it produces.   I went through a day a freezing, a day of cold sweats, two days of being nothing but nasty.    Tapering was not for me.   But seems as though a lot of people here have done the taper route successfully.   I just figured I wanted out of the rat race and wanted to be clear headed by the new year.  

My e-mail is ***@****   If either of you wants to write and ask questions I can only give you what I'm going through, BUT I know it's not going to last forever...that's my saving grace.

God Bless
Gip

thank you so much this really helps. I'm going to try to flush all this stuff out of my system asap. does anyone know if exercise is beneficial? I'm so lucky to have a loving boyfriend who i can confide in. I know that if i have any reason to lie to him i shouldn't be doing what i am doing. has anyone ever tried narcotics anon?

Well Anna - here's my story real quick:  I've been on 10mg Lortab for nearly 4 years (6-8 per day).  Of course I always run out early and do what I have to do to get some.  

Christmas Eve I took three 10mg Lortabs around 9:00am, I took one on Christmas and NONE today.  I was doing a load of laundry and one fell out of my jacket pocket.  I broke it into 4 pieces and layed it on the table...The pill keeps calling me, but I know in my heart that if I eat 1/4, I'll end up opening up my new bottle and there I will go again.  

I've made my mind up to quit these things - - - I hope we both can overcome this addiction.  

TB

Anna, I know where you're coming from.  I just received my pills today (120 each 10/500 Lortabs).  I refuse to open the bottle.  

It's day one for me also, I feel really bad, ache and pain all over, even my hair hurts. I find myself trying to dwell on the pills and trying to invent a reason to eat a few.  

I suggest you hold on to the pills "just in case".  As you start experiencing the withdrawls, look at those little pills and thank them for your misery.  

I try to tell myself that I'm bigger than that little pill and I'm not going to let it get the best of me.  

I can't answer all your questions (who can.) But take the sleeping pills. Sleep is imparative when detoxing. Otherwise you lay there in the night alone thinking about all those aches and pains and misiry and and
What I do is try to fall asleep and if I do I sleep until I wake which is around three hours later, then I take a Lunesta and go back to sleep for around 6 hours. That is 9 hours without Oxy. That is a good beginning to the day, no?

Hi...

I don't know how much of the nasty stuff you were taking but don't beat yourself up over 1/2 pill.   That's great.   As a matter of fact think about it... a week ago did you ever even think that 1/2 a pill would have been enough?

I know giving up two-weeks of life to get off of this stuff is not easy... but if you think about it... you have the rest of your life to begin new.   The New Year is coming ... and the hopes of becoming a new person lurks in the future.

Congrats on your success.

XoXo
Gip

Wow Gipsee!  You've really done well...congratulations.   I'm sorry to say that I broke down and ate 1/2 a pill about two hours ago :(

I'll try to do better tomarrow, that's all I can do.  It's VERY hard stopping cold turkey.  I'm praying tomarrow will be better and I can get by with none or 1/2 a pill at the most.  

Again Gipsee - you've done excellent and thanks for the motivation.  I feel bad for eating a couple of those pieces, but that very small dose terminated 90% of my aches and pains?  Maybe my body was just grateful for what I gave it and rewarded me by taking away that horrible feeling of sh-it I was feeling.  

Be back tomarrow with updates!