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HYDROCODONE

by teri, Jan 19, 2000 12:00AM
I guess you might say that it can not happen to you.  Wrong I have gone through 7 surgeries in the past 8 months to recunstruct my teeth and jaw.  I have been taking this medication (hydro) regularly for the entire time. Finally I tried to stop taking the medication and found myself very ill. I did not understand the problems it can cause.  I sat down with my doctor yesterday and she was wonderful.  Because I have been taking 5 to 6 pills a day she decided to slowly take me off them.  I will start by taking 5 pills for 3 days, 4 pills for 3 days, 3 pills for 3 days, 2 pills for 3 days and then and optional one pill for 3 days.  I skipped the first part and started with 4 pills for 3 days.  I only feel a little nausous at times.  However, once the medication starts to leave my body will it become worse and worse?  Or is this method of detoxing your body the best?  Also is it true the more you take the harder the withdraws are.  I think it is very important to keep a positive outlook and know that once its over I will be ok.  Also my doctor gave me a medication called bentyl.  Will this help my stomach?
Member Comments (25)

by bob, Jan 21, 2000 12:00AM
Yes the Bentyl will help with the cramps...they will not help with the nausea. For the physical symptoms the tapering method is the best. But, there is a psychological aspect to physical addiction, which tapering will not help with. If you can stay with the agreed on plan and shut your mind off to the cravings and not listen when it says, "but it hurts, and one more will help" then you can lick this.



Good Luck!!



Bob

by teri, Jan 22, 2000 12:00AM
DEAR BOB,



THANKS FOR YOUR ANSWER, SOMETIMES IT JUST HELPS KNOWING SOMEONE ELSE HAS GONE THROUGH IT.  I AM ABOUT TO GO THROUGH IT MYSELF.  I WILL LET YOU KNOW ABOUT MY SUCCESS. I AM PLANNING ON SUCCESS.  I AM ALITTLE WORRIED HOWEVER ABOUT FIGHTING THE FEEELINGS TO GO BACK TO IT ONCE I AM CLEAN.  ANY ADVISE FOR ME?  I NEVER WANT TO DO THIS TO MYSELF AND MY FAMILY AGAIN.  MY HUSBAND KNOWS ALL AND IS BEHIND ME 100%.  THAT HELP ALOT.  TAKE CARE AND I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN I AM CLEAN.

by tracy, Jan 26, 2000 12:00AM
I went through severe oxycodone withdrawals, taking enough to kill most people.  Bentyl sucks!!! in plain english, but lowering your dose day by day is the best way to go. You should do it by your docs. orders though not your own.  You will get through it.





Good Luck to you.

by Kimberly, Feb 04, 2000 12:00AM
I am just starting the Tapering system, I was taking about 20 Codine 3's or about 12 Vicodin ES tabs, per day.  My doc has me on a liquid narcotic pain killer, the first week is the same dose as you have been taking and they reduce 10% every week.  I am not happy right now, it's my first day and I miss the pills.  I have no choice but to stop, my doc cut me off of the Vicodin ES and the codine is not strong enough, I have to take too many and that scares me.  I was taking the meds for Kidney stones.  My problem is not the physical withdrawls (the taper takes care of that) it's the emotional withdrawls that kill me.  Any advice??? you can email me at Zeldagirl_***@****.  Thank you.   Kim

by Victor, Feb 13, 2000 12:00AM
I have been taking an average of 25 painkillers per day for the past 2 months. Sometimes as high as 40 pills (in the form of hydrocodone & oxycodone- Vicodin, Percocet, Percodan, Tylox, Loritab, etc...) I use to buy these drugs illegally, and am now in the 54th hour of completely quiting. I went from 19 pills on Wednesday, 10 pills on Thursday, and 4 pills on Friday....to none from their on out. The withdrawl has not been easy, to say the least. My question(s) is this. How long should I expect to go through withdrawls? Is it possible that I have permanently hurt myself / body? Has anyone ever had a simmilar experience?

by to Victor from Teri, Feb 18, 2000 12:00AM
Good for you.  Just hang in there.  Staying off them is the hardest part.  The most harmful thing that these do to your body is it is very hard on you liver.  But it is the Tylenol that is what hurts your liver.  If you are concerned your doctor can run a simple blood test.  The only other thing that my doc has told me can happen is overdose.  So be careful.



teri

by david, Feb 22, 2000 12:00AM
to victor from david.



victor, due yourself the biggest favor and get some help. i hope you have not relapsed since the 13th, but if you have, don't get down on yourself. the withdrawls have probably been eliminated by now, depending if you have stayed off the drugs. if you have stayed off the pills and are still experiencing withdrawls, be patient, i promise they will go away. as for permanent damage, this would depand on how long and severely you have used. perhaps, really most probably you have not incurred any permanent damage. please see a qualified physician to determine this!!

victor what's more important is finding the strength to stay off these pills. that's unfortunately the hard part. seek some counseling either through n.a. meetings or private practice. all i ask is that you seek help through the caring hands of individuals who understand addiction.

i was a slave to pills for over two years, taking just as much as you!!! so trust me i know how you feel. i received help by keeping an open mind, now finding myself a free person drug free.

if you want to talk, e-mail me @ ***@****, i'd love to share with you.

david

by DANICE WANTING RELIEF TOO, Mar 05, 2000 12:00AM
I TOO HAVE BEEN TAKING HYDROCODONE 7.5 EVERYDAY FOR ABOUT ALMOST 2 YEARS NOW. IT STARTED OUT WITH JUST ONE OR TWO A DAY, BUT I AM NOW UP TO 6-10 A DAY.  IT ALL STARTED WITH SEVERE BACK PAIN AFTER HAVING MY DAUGHTER 3 YEARS AGO.  NOW IM HAVING MORE AND MORE PROBLEMS RIGHT AFTER THE OTHER.  IM ON THE PROBABLE LIST OF MS, AND I JUST HAD A COCCYGEAL BLOCK DONE JUST LAST WEEK DUE TO A CRACKED TAILBONE.  IVE TRIED TO COME OFF OF THE PILLS BECAUSE I AM VERY IRRITABLE, AND I HAVE TO HYPERACTIVE CHILDREN THAT NEED TENDING TO AND SOMETIMES I JUST CANT DO IT UNLESS I HAVE THE PAIN PILLS.  THEY GIVE ME ENERGY, AND MAKE ME FEEL LIKE I CAN DO ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD.  BUT WHEN I RUN OUT THE WITHDRAWALS NEARLY DRIVE ME INSANE AND I WILL SCRAPE UP MY LAST FEW DOLLARS JUST TO GO BUY ME A DOSE TO GET ME THROUGH THE DAY.  I WONT HELP SO BAD TO GET OFF OF THEM, BUT THERE IS NO WAY THAT I CAN GO THROUGH A HOSPITOL TO STAY DUE TO THE FACT OF HAVING NOONE TO TEND TO MY CHILDREN.  IM JUST SO SCARED TO COME OFF OF THEM DUE TO THE WITHDRAWALS, BUT NO THAT I NEED TO.  CAN MY DOCTOR REALLY HELP ME IF I GO IN TO TELL HIM THE TRUTH WITHOUT HAVING TO GO IN SOME KIND OF HEALTH CENTER OR SOMETHING?  I CAN REALLY SYMPOTHIZE WITH US ALL THAT ARE HOOKED ON IT, AND I DO PRAY FOR MYSELF AND FOR YOU ALL THAT WE CAN ALL BECOME CLEAN.  IM SO GLADD THAT I FOUND THIS SITE IT HAS HELPED ME SO MUCH.  GOD BLESS YOU ALL.

by To Danice from Teri, Mar 05, 2000 12:00AM
Danice,



If you talk to your doctor and tell them the truth, yes you may be in pain but can live with out the meds, then they can help you.  I am tapering off the medication and doing really well.  The doctors can also give you meds to help with the withdrawals.  I am going back into surgery in two weeks, I know exactly how you feel.  But you have to be able to have self-control over the term of the taper program.  God Bless you!!!

Teri

by Brian-to Denice, Mar 06, 2000 12:00AM
Denice, I too went through the painkiller addiction-withdrawal cycle many a time.  Do NOT tell your doctor immediately.  Many doctors care more about their own problems (fear of lawsuit, DEA problems, etc.) caused by having an addicted patient, then they do about helping you.  Your doctor may be a good one and may help you get off the drugs.  But, if you read many postings on the net, many people told their doc and the first thing he did was cut of the drugs. Then gave some great advice like, "go get yourself some help."  Then where are you.  My best advice is to look for an addiction medicine specialist in your area who can treat you outpatient.  Look in the yellow pages.  If you can't find one that way, call local treatment centers and ask if they do outpatient detox or know of local doctors that do.  Then call that doc and he can prescribe appropriate meds (such as buprenophine) to detox you humanely.  The other alternative is, since you are not taking ungodly amounts (many of us have taken the equivalent of 30-40 Vicodin ES a day), you can wean yourself slowly without much pain.  I have found going down no more than 10% per day in total dosage will ease you down with not much pain.  If you have enough pills, do 5% per day until you reach bottom.  This takes alot of willpower because you will have the urge to cheat.  However, if you really want to get off them, and want to stay out of detox, this is a way you can do it.  I would recommend getting help to stay off them because as we all can testify, that is the hard part--it makes getting clean look like a breeze.  Join NA or something similar.  Good luck.

by Mike, Mar 18, 2000 12:00AM
WOW! It sure helps to know that so many people like yourself have this in common. Due to back problems I've been taking hydrocodone for a few years and more and more to get pain releif.

I know it's time to stop and thats how I stumbled onto this site.

I'm like you If nothing else I feel the energy I sometimes get is worth the ADDICTION. I DON'T KNOW WHY BUT SOMETIMES IT DOES THE OPPOSITE.

After reading your letter and some of the others I feel alittle better knowing that it can be conquered. I'm  just not sure how to handle the lack of energy boost and withdrawl at the same time.

I'm embarased to tell anyone to get help.I'm in business and would loose to much respect to bring it out.

Before any answers different I'm being realistic thats all.

Danice, My E mail is  ***@**** if you're interested in discussing this further.

Either way : Good luck to all of us. Iguess it"s time to start and now I have a little More insight as how to do it.

mike.

by Philisha, Apr 10, 2000 12:00AM
my mom has had 2 back surgeries and she has taken lorecet for 4 years now she is addicted. She is taking entirly to many. She is seeing 4 differnet doctors, and still runs out of them. When she doesen't have them she takes anything she can get her hands on. She will admitt that she has a problem but claims she has it under control, but she doesen't. My younger brother who is 12 and I  recently moved out of the house to live with realatives because she became immpossible to live with. She refuses to speak to me she feels like I abandon her. But I really want to help her. But she doesen't want help, but I am 17 and I want my mother back. How can I help her? My aunt called all of the doctors she was seeing and told them about her problem, but she can find another doctor or she will get them off the street.Help

by Brian to Philisha, Apr 10, 2000 12:00AM
I really feel bad for you and your brother.  I know this must really be hurting you seeing your mother harming herself with her addiction.  She is angry with you but you have done NOTHING wrong.  It is not really her who is angry, it is the addiction speaking.  She is in complete denial and unless she decides she has a problem she will not get help.  Your Aunt and other family members may want to try something called an intervention.  This is where close family and friends confront her when she isn't expecting it.  They don't yell at her or accuse her, they simply talk about how much they love her and that she needs help.  They try to provide her with support and tell her she has no other option but to get help.  Hopefully something like that will help her realize how she is hurting her children and others she loves.  You and your brother must understand that this addiction is not your fault and you can't blame yourselves for how she is or for not being there.  Please take care of yourself and your brother as your top priority.  YOU CAN'T FIX THIS FOR YOUR MOM.  SHE MUST DO IT! Take care and please write again to let us know how you are doing.  Brian

by To Brian from Philisha, Apr 10, 2000 12:00AM
Thanks for the advice, but we have tried that on more than one accasion, she thinks that we are judging her when we tell her we think she needs help, we have tried to explain that we just love her and don't want anything bad to happenn to her. Still she doesen't want to listen. I don't know what to do anymore. I thought that if she lost my brother and I that that would wake her up but so far it hasn't. Thte only thing that I konw to do is pray that she will hit rock bottom and realize that she needs help. I haven't spoken to her in a week today, scince my brother and I moved out, but she doesen't seem to care. I know that this is not my mother, that it is her addiction, but I barely remember what she is really like. I am just afraid that my brother will never get to see the real mother that we have. He is staying with his dad about an hour away from here he called and told me that mom had called him, but she has not tried to contact me, I wonder if their is some way for me to have her commited to get treatment, but if I did would she have to stay or could she leave? I have ran out of places to turn to for help for her. I am 17 and the rest of the kids my age are enjoying life, I just want my family back and need help doing it.