31 hours into hydrocodone withdrawals and need help!

[cantwaittobefree]

I have been on Hydrocodone 10/650's for a year.  At the most I was taking 12 a day post surgery and recently weaned myself down to 1 total a day, but was splitting them into eight and taking every 3 hours.  I am currently 31 hours into my withdrawals.  I had to go home today from my teaching job because I just couldn't take the crawling skin feeling (the very worst part), chills, sweats, flu symptoms!  I feel really stupid feeling so out of control just going off of 1 pill a day.  I have read about all the people who have done such a great job jumping off of 15-20.  So here are a few questions if anyone would like to help me out a little.  When will the peak come?  Has anyone else felt better the more they urinate?  Does tapering make the peak come sooner or is that just wishful thinking?  Right now most of my willpower is gone, but I flushed all my hydros and all the oxys in my house just for this reason.  I just really, really need some positive replies that tell me it will be over soon.  OK, I know that my not be true, but just need some encouragement.  Thank you so much ahead of time.

[KoolOffer]

Well Just wanted To Check in as Of Now I am 8 days 4 hours and 10 Minutes completely CLEAN!!!!!!....Its was ROUGH..But i Did It !!!

Thanks so much for the support Guys !!

Much Appreciated

[KoolOffer]

Well I have Tapered for 3 days untill today ..I was taking 2.5 Mils in The morning and 2.5 mils at night ( Thats 2 and 1/2 mils  not twenty five)  

and as of right now I am 16 hours TOTALLY CLEAN!  Havent had anyting  Hydo based in 16 hours ..Granted I am hurting all over like a case of the flu on CRACK!!!! Its Horrible ...But ya know what ..My Mind Is clearing and as crazy as it may sound ..I feel Like **** ...But Im feeling Better mentally ??? If that Makes any sense at all ??

Even The wife is  like WOW ..You Look Like HELL!!!!  But Your Talking Like your old self ..Your More coherent ..and Like The man I married 18 years ago ..Your Talking POWERFUL Like Your old self....

Im Not sure if its just the attitude the withdrawal is Giving me ..Or if I really am starting To Clear..I honestly Feel better MENTALLY..Let Me STRESS MENTALLY..I mean My Body Feels Like i Got Hit By a Mack Truck and Then backed Up Over and Hit Again

However ..I MENTALLY  dont even WANT  a Pill...!!!
I Think MAN you could reach over and Grab one and The hurt would be all over ..BUT
Im sorry ..Im Not Being weak This time ...I just refuse to do It ..and Like I said I really dont even want one MENTALLY ...The MIND has won !!!

Now it  is just the Physical thing that are racking Me  Typical ..Fever , Aches , Pains ..Insomnia,  Ect Ect ...But Hey ...Thats Only Physical stuff and It WILL PASS.. I mean I am better Today Than I was yesterday and its amazing what a 1/4 of a xanax and a Tylenol will Do for the pain along with a hot shower

It ***** and is NOT EASY ...But By god If I can do It after 3 years running strong on These thing ..ANYONE can do it ...Just be prepared ..Its gonna Hurt ..But Like I said thats Just Physical pain and It will go away ...

Once You MIND  starts to clear and You take your Body back ..man That is 80% or Better of the battle ..because your Mind Tells Your Body what to do ..IT IS THE BOSS!  Not The other way around..

You can do It ...I PROMISE YOU YOU CAN!!!!!

Im doing it now ...Like I said I tapered for 3 days and now am at 16 hours  DRUG FREE!!..Next comes 24, 48, 72...1 week ..1 month , 1 year !!!!

I am Done ! seriously ..I am done and Thank GOD ..He is Helping Me and so are you guys and I have tremendous family support form Mom , wife , Son....They are all in My corner

And If you Need To chat ..Ill Be in Your corner too My Friend !

[PanSinoeis]

You guys are doing so well.  Stay on track, I'm jealous, I can't wait to be drug free again.  Keep on posting, I following your progress/  Keeps me motivated on my road to freedom.  

[KoolOffer]

Thats What Im Hoping  is That They wont be that bad .. I mean DoingThe cold turkey approach wit only tapering Thge one day  just was Too much for me .Im gonna have to taper for a few days ..Thne try to ease off of Them completely ..I mean Thank god I was only doing like 25 Mils a day ..I was Not taking 80 or 100 Mils a day ...

BUT  I was taking Them for over 2 years and I KNOW Im gonna have some WD symptoms even comming off 25 mils a day ..Just simply because of The Lewnghth of Time i was taking Them ...Bit Like I said   so far today only taken 2.5 mils and Im doing ok ...could I take more ..you BETTCHA!..will I ...Not Happenin...If I can survive a few days cutting from 25 mils a day to 5 mils a day ..Then to 2.5 mils a day ..It should ween me off enough to at least be able to Tolerate The WD symptoms and Id Much rather have the WD symptoms from a 2.5 mil a day habit than a 25 mil a day habit ..LOL

Thank God I work on The Web and can take a few days off if needed ...I really Feel for you guys that have to do this and Try To maintain a Job and Kids ..Mine is 17 ..so He is self sufficent and a really dang good Kid !..football Team and all ..So I have alot in My corner ..But I just couldnt do The cold turky guys ..Ill do The taper off first ..and Then cold turkey from a 2.5 mi a day habit  rather than a 25 mil a day habit ..I SHOULD be able to fight those Light WD symptoms with a Xanax or 2 ..and Then ill BE FREE !!!!

[cantwaittobefree]

You don't need to feel sorry.  Everyone has to do this their own way.  I tapered down to 7.5 milligrams over the course of 24 hours before I just quit.  The withdrawals have still been bad, but not as bad as I feared.  I am almost to 55 hours clean, and am just holding on for dear life for tomorrow and the next day and the next.  Just be sure you are not hoping for a free ride.  Every body is different and you just don't know what will be in store when you aren't taking anything.  Be ready!  Also, get rid of the rest when you are ready to be done for good.  Having them around really plays tricks on your mind.  The first time I got to 36 hours, I had some left and just decided I couldn't take it any more at 3:30 am.  I finally flushed them all.  Good luck and God Bless.

[KoolOffer]

Well I couldn't do It ..I only tapered for ONE DAY though and then went cold turkey

and I just could not do It ...SO I am Going To do 2.5 milligrams in The Morning and 2.5 Milligrams at night ..12 hours apart

Now Thats coming off of 25 milligrams a day for the past 2 years ..So That seems To be helping me  Maintain  then I will start By Missing The Night Dosage  in a few days

I Mean ill be asleep anyway so i don't Guess I really need anything while im sleeping

Then Ill eventually in a few days taper down to nothing

Sorry Guys I just couldnt do the Cold turkry thing ..I have Just been taking Them TOOOO LOOONG

So I figure a total of 5 Milligrams in a 24 hour period for a few days
Then 2.5 Milligrams in a 24 hour period for a few days

Than I should just be able to Move off totally Because My body will be so Weened down That it really wont miss them

Im Hoping anyway

But I DO NOT recommend The cold Turkey approach to ANYONE ...Its Just too Freaking Bad ...I couldn't stand it and neither could The wife

But So far so Good Only 2.5 Mils Today and im not crawling the walls ...But I am also not Feening fr a pill either ..so Im at My happy Medium for Now I guess

Ill Keep ya posted

[cantwaittobefree]

I tapered for about a month down to 1 a day, then relapsed to 6 a day for a week, then tapered to 1 a day again for a couple days before I went cold turkey.  I had them all cut up and ready to go for about a week more and on Monday at noon, I just decided I didn't want to be doing this anymore.  I flushed them all.  I had oxys in the house and I flushed them too.  I got rid of anything that was stronger than Advil or Tylenol except for a couple Valium to get me through the first few nights.  Although I felt like I was going to rip all of my skin off and die yesterday from aches and pains, today at 49 hours cold turkey, I am doing pretty good.  I am functioning at school, have a lot of anxiety, still feel some bugs crawling on my skin, and my heart is pounding really hard.  I am so glad the pills are gone, gone, gone.  Now that I am past halfway and actually feel a little better, I can't imagine starting over.  I am a teacher and my students are in high school.  I have used this experience to really reinforce how bad drugs can be.  I never took more than my prescribed amount.  I had a valid presciption for every pill.  I was assured by every doctor that I asked that I would not become addicted, and I still felt like I wanted to die.  I can't even imagine what everyone else with much larger addictions is going through.  I will pray for you all everyday for the rest of my life.  Thanks so much for all your help.  I may need some of you tonight when things get a little hairy again! :)

[Sunnyd210]

I agree flush those pills. You guys are both doing great- cantwait how long have u been tapering for?

[worried878]

I agree about flushing pills...they are not healthy to keep around after we quit..and if we are done/for real/why do we need them/ keeping them can be a sign of not being sure of urself and ur decision to quit...flushing also can be ceremonial in a way...it is hard to watch those puppies swirl down the toilet...but in a way it releases the power they hold over u....u take back the control

[cantwaittobefree]

You seem to be doing super so far.  How far are you in?  I'm 42 hours free right now and still feel terrible, but now that I'm more than halfway to the 72 mark, I'm feeling a little more powerful.  I know what you mean about he nose.  I also have strep throat right now, so my whole life is aweful and I don't know where real sickness ends and withdrawals begin.  When I went in for the strep, I told my PA that I wanted to be done with the hydros, but had had terrible withdrawals the first time I tried.  He said, "Just quit, it can't be that bad."  I have more faith in the people on this board than him right now!  

I just want to offer a little friendly advice.  Flush those last hydros.  I read lots and lots of threads before started my cold turkey, and soooo many people say that your mind can talk you into taking them one way or another.  Maybe not now, maybe not until after you get to the 4/5 day mark, but it will try to convince you that just one or two would be ok for this situation or that.  I know you need to do what is best for you, but flushing them for me was like saying "This is it.  I mean business, and I will not turn back no matter what!"  Take good care of yourself today.  I am going to try to do the same.  Time to wake up the four kids and the husband. :)

[KoolOffer]

Oh My GOD ..I wanna DIE ...( Not Really) ..But this is Pure HELL !!! I been on em for a coupel years ..I actually used The Hydros To Get off of The Oxys..After a massive Kidney BOULDER..Been Hooked Ever since  This is Flat HORRIBLE ..I tapered Yesterday and went completely off Today ..and boy I am FEELING It ..Bad Thing Is I have about 20 Left and I just look at The Bottle and I REFUSE  it every tome I think I cant take it ..I honestly say NO ..No matter HOW BAD IT HURTS ..I will NOT take another one ...But I Really dont recommend quiting Like This ..Only tapering one day then stopping Cold turkey after a 2 year run on These things ..it ***** ..But I Gotta Get Off Them and I Think This way will Work for me cause I Just know My Body ..Ya Know ..

But MAN DOES IT SUCK ..Im Sweating Like a PIG and I hurt from head to freakin TOE..cant sleep even with xanax...Just Plain HORRIBLE!!!

But I look at the Bottle with The Hydros in it and FLIP IT OFF and say NO NO NO...
Im actually visuializing The Bottle as an Enemy  if that makes sense ...By God I WILL WIN!!!

But Boy its Just ***** to Feel Like This ..Never realized a Nose could run so Much for No reason !!!!

Im Cool Though ..Ill Make it!!!!  Yes i WILL !
I dont have a choice ..wife Kid, New business...I MUST be Free of This ****!!!

[PanSinoeis]

It gets better...just get to that 72 hour mark.  Starts getting better from there.  Just try to eat as much as you can, sleep as much as you can and take many baths.  And popping those Valium.  Get Ambien if you can.  Think about this, hydrocodone withdrawals are mild compared to what a lot of the people around here have/are going through.  God, there are some real horror stories out there.  You can do this though, no problem.  The real trick is not going back to them.

[cantwaittobefree]

Hang in there.  I tapered down once before and then gave in to the pills.  I swore if I ever tapered all the way down again, this would be it for good.  35 hours ago I flushed everything and am hanging on for dear life.  Right now I can't even get to sleep on the Valium.  Life is really funny.  All my life I have been against alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, everything.  And then this gets me.  I feel like such a hypocrite.  I can even remember the moment I realized that I liked the hydros way too much.  I have always been a very high strung individual and after surgery, on the hydros, I just felt so much more calmer and almost like I loved my family more.  Does that make sense?  Now I realize I just want to love them for real, not drugged!  Hopefully I can log a few of my withdrawal hours asleep.  Good night.  God bless all of you who are helping.

[KoolOffer]

Well I am With ya ..This is My first day In tapering ..I have Had It for 2 years now ..But I have only been taking at Max 25 Mil a day ..But have Been taking for 2 years ..so I have Broke down To 2.5 Mil In The morning  and as Of Yet have not had anymore and man am I Freaking HURTING everywhere ..I do have some Benzos ( xanax) and I will Be taking a few of tem or the next 2-3 dys ..BBut I feel for ya for sure Because I am Just Begining to Hurt ..Oh and GID it hurts so Bad ...I think Ill go Take a shower ..I am In AGNOY!!!!

Kooloffer

[corey411]

Play it by ear...one day at a time. The valium will work wonders. See how you feel in the morning. If you have to take another day off try to and don't feel guilty...Your recovery is more important. You will be a better you for those kids. You will be over half way there tommorrow. I have a feeling you will start feeling better soon. Hope you have a good nite sleep. Good nite. Corey

[worried878]

tapering can help with wds...but everyone is different and u may still feel it ...also depends on how fast u tapered down..takes alot of discipline to do a long slow taper...u did good getting to cutting 1 pills up for a whole day!...shows u mean business....the thomas recipe is great for the fatigue and stuff that may getch here for a while..read up on it and get those supps..exercise as much as u can even if u dont feel like it....for the next few days it would be good to take something for sleep and it may help to take little pieces of the valium during the day...try melatonin or valerian root too at night for sleep as benzos should not be over used.....phenergan is a good drug as well that is not habit forming and helps with sleep and anxiety....keep on going and keep posting....FYI: if u r stressing over working..then give urself a break and take the day off if u can...flu or whatever..this is important and more important than work right now in a way....unless u have missed tons of work and on the brink of losing ur job..i would rest and relax

[cantwaittobefree]

Thanks to you too.  I hope the Valium helps me sleep.  I will try the others, too since I am afraid of the Valium.  Almost 34 hours and counting!  Please God help me to get through this.  I am so lucky that I have no way to get anymore.  Isn't that sad that I think that is lucky?

[cantwaittobefree]

Thank you so much again.  I just took a Valium because I tried to go to bed and could not stay still at all.  Hopefully I will get some rest.  Do you think I will be able to get to school tomorrow?  I hate leaving my students because of my stupidity with these drugs.  I am sweating like there is no tomorrow right now.  I would love to go for a walk first thing in the morning, but I bet I will not be able to.  I guess I'll play it by ear.  Thanks again.

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

You may even want something at night for sleep. Benadryl is a good one. Some like melatonin. Celestial seasonings SleepyTime tea is good.....you may have the withdrawals kind of come and go at first.....corey is giving you good advice .... keep reading and posting any questions or concerns.....and best of luck ...eagle

[corey411]

Yes they did for me late at night and early morning. Are you sleeping. You may get restless legs from wd which also keeps you up. Have you taken Valium before? As long as you don't have a history of a problem with them and only use them for 4 days they will help you TREMENDOUSLY. You won't get addicted in that short a time. They are from a family of drugs called benzo....They actually give them to people in wd at rehab centers. If it gets too bad you may need one. I woul'd not have made it through wo them. They are addictive but a few days will make a big difference in the way you feel. They will also help you sleep. God bless, Corey

[cantwaittobefree]

Thank you so much, and thank you for letting me know where everyone is.  I was feeling a little ignored at first! Especially since time moves sooo slowly right now.  One more question:  Can the withdrawals feel more intense at night when I am tired?

[cantwaittobefree]

Thanks soooo much.  I know I am not going to get a get out of jail free card, but your kind words and encouragement are so reassuring.  I can't wait to be free!  I just wish I wasn't so impatient.  I do have some Valium, but am afraid to use it because I don't want one more thing to detox from.  I have been trying to eat some protien and my stomach has been ok.  Do the withdrawals come and go?  If I feel like they are getting worse, could they be a little better in an hour or so?  Thank you for answering.  I really appreciate it!

[corey411]

Hi and congratulations on your decision to stop using. Your wds should last 5-7 days...for me day 4 was the turning point. Depending on how long you tapered down to 1 pill from 10 it will not effect the length of time but the intensity of the wd. Drinking plenty of water or sport drinks can help replace fluids and flush your system however exercise, anything increasing your cardivascular system and working up a sweat to get it out faster. Exercise also increases endorphines which help you feel generally bettr mentally. Take immodium if needed. Also chech under Health pages in the upper right corner of the forum for amino acids and vitamines which help many. This is titled Thomas Recipe. Also rec PAWS. The worst will be over. Time drags during wds so keep busy and keep posting. Not alot of members are on now but you will get more help when they come on. Feel free to contact me anytime you need to talk. Good luck and hang in there. Corey

[122 Tactical Fighter Group]

Every body is unique and different with this stuff. Good news is you havent had a huge habit for multiple years. That will make the post withdrawl stage easier. Cant tell you exactly anything about this. Too many variables. Have you read the Thomas Recipe and the Amino Acid Protocols listed at right hand side of page under health discussions? If not - please do......and try and follow them. Your tapering will be useful ......but you arent going to get a get out of jail free card. Use hot baths / showers frequently. They will help muscles and you. Heating pads are good for RLS and crawling skin. So are calcium / magnesium supps. Exercise works wonders. Walk back and forth to mailbox if you have to..ingredients from Thomas Recipe - emetrol for stomach - immodium for loose stools (immodium is also a miniature opiate) good for w/d's...Fluid and resulting urination are positive but no magic bullet. I particularly have had great luck with the amino's....highly recommended. Keep reading through posts and ask any more questions you may have.....bananas are good for potassium and muscles.....most w/d's are getting better by day 4 or 5 and keep improving rapidly after that.....it should be over soon. But you need to get it over regardless.......best of luck!!