Can I detox from Hydrocodone at home?

[Not_again_mom]

I'm very upset with myself! I started taking pain medication for a broken back and dental problems over 25 years ago.  Over 14 years ago I was diagnosed with a rare neurological disorder that has no cure and also seems unresponsive to any of the treatment, pain meds or the 4 brain surgeries I've had in the last year. I have an excruciating headache no matter what I do. After descending into my own personal depressive nightmare, how can anyone be in constant pain of this magnitude and not become depressed?  No drs are seem able to help me. About a year ago, I followed a jacked up drs advice to quit all pain med because I was killing myself. I say he was jacked up because he treated me poorly and didn't take my medical condition into consideration. I was hospitalized and got clear of the Fentanyl patch. I stopped taking the Hydrocodone before I went to the hospital on my own but was told not to take off the patch until I was in the hospital. All of my meds are prescribed. So my plan was to never take the pain meds again because they didn't do anything for my pain anyway. But then I had to have brain surgery. Four times! I had to take pain medication! The pressure inside my head is more than you can imagine and my drs told me I couldn't just suffer. So I accepted the medication. Now I am back in the same boat. I'm not craving the meds, I never did. But if I don't take it, I feel horrible! My hands and face tingle.  My headache gets exponentially worse and my nausea goes way up. I dont know why ive had a fever for weeks. I'm only on my second prescription of separate from and after the brain surgeries but I knew I was in trouble right away. By the way, my prescriptions are for 180 pills at a time! At least it's only 7.5mg and not 10mg this time. I've got to wean myself off of this myself. I can not tell my family as they just wouldn't understand. They already have told me they would call CPS if they even suspected I took any more pain med. they don't even live in the same state and they have no idea what my life is like. I've let drs cut into my skull and brain trying to help ease this pain. I didn't mean for this to happen. I tried to be careful and only take the meds once or twice a day and then only when my husband got home from work. I am willing to try anything to help get rid of my pain so I can be a more active mom but this history means I can't turn to my family or reach out for help. I need to do this on my own. I did talk to my husband this morning and he is totally supportive and understanding. I'm thinking we need to taper down slowly but I don't want to get another prescription to do it really as slowly as I probably should. I want to be done by the time this bottle is empty. I have 2 young boys and a family to care for. I've already got this chronic, painful illness to deal with so this is going to be really hard. I have excessive csf fluid in my head and spine and i take meds to try to stop or slow its production and another to also increase the absorption of it. Its called Intracranial Hypertension, aka Pseudotumor Cerebri because your body reacts like you have a brain tumor. There just isnt any tumor to remove or successful reatment that helps Get rid of it for good. Imagine someone with a head injury and that increased pressure inside their skull, drs do anything and everything to releave that pressure buildup. For people with this condition, we are often just stuck with it and the pain. We dont look sick because you cant see inside our head. Treatment is so limited and for a dr to give us the option of pain medicine, whether it helps or not, so many of us end up being physically addicted to prescription pain killers. I'll be anxious for any suggestions. thank you. My children will benefit as much as I will. I don't think they are exactly suffering, rather they are missing out. Not so much from the pain meds as the pain itself.

[longing_to_b_me_again]

I have had two knee surgeries in the last 6 months and have also found myself unfortunately addicted to the Hydrocodone they put me on. My first was same day surgery and my dad was there with me coming home and the next 24 hours. Neither of us knowing the chance of addiction and being first timers with any type of surgery. When the local anesthetics and IV pain meds wore off I was in such excruciating pain that he was giving me 2 pills every four hours. I went thru 40 pills in 4 days and when i called for a refil the dr asked no questions and refilled. This continued for 8 weeks. Altho I tapered down to 6 pills a day I was waking up in the middle of the night like my body was screaming for them. I am miserable now knowing that I am addicted as well as embarrassed. In my mind i don't want them but i withdraw so bad when i don't take them...im so scared :/ i really am truly scared!

[kmtr3]

What part of the country do you live in? I also have intracranial hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri). I live in Montana and I've had five brain surgeries. My last surgery was in October of 2003 at Stanford University Medical Center in Palo Alto, CA. With EVERY surgery I've had I have come out with another complication as a result of the surgery. My spinal fluid was leaking out my nose and my first surgery in December of 2000 failed to fix the problem. I then went to UCSF and an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist did a transphenoidal dura flap which helped for a year and a half. I then went to Stanford in 2003 for a surgery where they took some of the tissue from under my forehead and made a cover over the sinus holes. Then they did a surgery and inserted an intracranial shunt. The next day the team of doctors came in and told me the shunt had been put in the wrong place and they needed to go back in. So, the next day they repositioned the shunt and when I woke up from that surgery I discovered I had a stroke during or shortly after my surgery. Not only did they screw up the shunt placement then they denied that I had a stroke! All I wanted was for someone to say they screwed up but everyone just clammed up. I recovered for a month in California and gladly flew home. I also wonder if any of your doctors have mentioned placing a shunt. This helps relieve the intracranial pressure and, I've discovered, so does hydrocodone. I don't have headaches(even before my surgeries) and, so far, my vision is stable. I do go to an opthamologist once a year for an evaluation of my vision. However, I can't explain why the hydrocodone helps with the feeling of excessive pressure even though I have the shunt.  The reason I ask where you are is, my first neurosurgeon was in Billings, MT and he would not return my phone calls when I tried to tell him the first crainiotomy had failed. At this point in time he lives in Cody, WY and has two malpractice suits against him from two families whose fathers died while under his care.
When I started reading your story and you mentioned having a rare neurological condition I immediately knew it was PTC.  Anyway, I just want you to know that hydrocodone can also help with the feeling of pressure. When my pressure builds I can feel it where my surgical work (on my skull) was done.  So, just hang in there and know you're not alone.

[lulu747]

I am so sorry for what you are suffering-I know it must feel so overwhelming.  It's really difficult to answer your questions because your situation is so complex-like you really need to see that neurosurgeon.  WD does crazy things to our bodies but you have so much going on.  My best advice would be to seek emergency care immediately.  Your life is worth it and you need some real medical support.  The stress this is putting on your body and soul is not worth it.  Please take care and let us know how you are.  Sending you prayers....

[Not_again_mom]

I'm so tired of trying to get relief for my pain. I am aware of rebound headaches from not taking pain medication, prescription or OTC. I fought the idea that my headaches were from just that. Because my condition has no outward signs, it's very hard to get a diagnosis. I've gone thru experimental treatment where I've injected myself 4 times a day with drugs normally only used with chemotherapy in this country. I was not using any pain medication at that time in hope for a possible cure. Obviously I wasnt successful. I've had 4 brain surgeries in just about one years time. I was in the ER 2 weeks ago because I thought I had a series of strokes. I've never gone for pain. I had an MRI and MRA which my neurosurgeon had to order but I can't get anyone to return my call to go over the results. I have the disc. Not the dr so he doesn't have the results yet, he told me he'd get them sooner if I got them myself and brought them back but no one will call me back. I live an hour away with no traffic, 2 kids in school, a husband with less than no time off because he owes the company for all the time he's already had to take off, and I'm supposed to do what to get hold of this guy? I have talked to other neuro surgeons and they all say the same thing. Unless its absolutely impossible, you really need to see the same dr who did the first surgery.  He only sees patients on Mondays so I guess I should take my youngest and drive there and wait in the hospital outside his office? While I can barely see straight bc my head hurts so bad. I didn't know about the pain group. I might check there. I'm really hurting but pain meds aren't helping.  When I didn't take them I freaked bc my hands got all tingly and I was assuming this is a symptom of Wd.  I can take them or leave them. As I said, they aren't helping.  Am I over reacting? Is this a typical symptom of Wd? I actually looked at all of my meds together on a drug interaction web site last night, and I'm wondering if this could be a side effect of two meds interacting. It actually said extremities tingling. Did I freak out for nothing? I'm so worried about it that maybe I just jumped to conclusions. I don't know.  If I didn't have kids I don't know what my outlook would be.

[allmymarbles]

Vicki595 is giving you very sound advice. I second it. The last thing you need are withdrawal symptoms.

[vicki595]

Hi there-

I understand you wanting to taper down on the pain meds and I think it's a good idea. Right now, your tolerance is so high that a dose to bring relief is a very high,dangerous dose!

First thing: Don't be in such a hurry to get this done. It won't work that way. You need to taper very,very slowly and cut back only small amounts over time. It's especially important for you because detox brings on some pretty bad headaches!

Now that your husband is on board, he can be a huge help to you. He can hold your pills so you don't increase your dose while you're tapering. Also, your plan for today needs to be adjusted a little:  Essentially, you're spiking the dose of pain med and I don't think you realize it. The taper needs to be very specific with dose and not with a lot of hours between doses, you know? Doing it that way just "spikes" your blood levels. You want to keep the blood level of the drug even throughout the day. At the same time, look for a med. professional to help you. If your current doctor won't help, find another one!

Your particular situation is unique and you need a calm and understanding group behind you! Again, don't rush this. You'll feel much better on a daily basis if you take this taper very slowly.

Stay in touch!

[lulu747]

I feel your pain.  I too got caught in the vicious cycle of treating chronic pain with meds and getting more and more tolerant.  I never abused them or took them to get high but the havoc they've wreaked on my life is no different.  Two years ago I cold turkeyed and made it 6 months without opiates.  The docs tried nerve drugs which made me crazy sick and I even tried medical marijuana which i hated cause it made me feel high and unmotivated.  I gave in and went back on opiates for my 3rd surgery in 3 years and that was a year and a half ago-my pain was intense and the docs told me I would be on pain meds for the rest of my life.  I refuse to accept that because I hate the side effects, the vicious circle, and my loss of love for life.  I have to have faith that I can do this drug free-because the drugs just aren't an option anymore.  Take good care of yourself-I hope you find peace and relief.

[littlebit667]

there is another forum for pain management, maybe you could post there to see if there is other support that might be helpful!

[allmymarbles]

I feel genuinely sorry for you. And I understand the seriousness of gradually increasing dosages. I would discuss my fears with a pharmacist. They are chemists and have a better understanding of how the body reacts to medications. They may be able to point you in the right direction in terms of dealing with your doctors.

[Not_again_mom]

I didn't mean to say anywhere that the pain meds are helping. At one point they might have helped to a certain degree but the dose has had to be increased, both by the drs and what I did to myself. Hydrocodone and many other types of meds from pain management drs trying to help me. I'm at a point now where nothing gives me any relief. At least not at a dose that is probably safe. I don't want to even try to take a dose high enough to get relief because I don't know what might happen. Would I OD? Would it help relieve the pain and then I'd suddenly start to decide that I needed THAT high of a dose every time? Whether it was a conscious decision or just a subconscious thing that gets ingrained because I got that little bit of relief and my brain remembers exactly what it took to get it. I don't know and I don't want to know.

You're right. I've never taken Hydrocodone to get high. It's for pain relief. The result is the same tho. If I don't take it then I feel the same withdrawal symptoms as if I had taken it to get high. And so I have to either keep taking it, increasing and increasing the dose in order to get any relief, or get off of it.  Right now my head is killing me. I can barely see. The pressure is squeezing on my optic nerves and causing visual disturbances - even tho I've had special surgeries to save my vision. I Still have the symptoms. And the pressure is on my ears too so I hear the fluid like a thundering, thumping oceanic concert.

I took 2 hydrocodone this morning and I plan on taking 2 more tonight. I'll try to map it out so I can wean myself off before I run out. I hope I can manage.

My drs have suggested implanted drug pumps... Like I need more drugs!

[allmymarbles]

At one point you say the pain medications don't work and, later on, that they help. If the medications relieve your pain why would you not continue to take them? It is not as though you are taking them for pleasure. You are taking them properly - for pain.

I understand your fear of addiction. I was in an accident a while ago and put on Percocet. As I began to recover I cut back on the dosage. Then I got nervous about taking it at all. My doctors and my physical therapist insist I continue on the low dosage to relieve pain and to help with my physical rehabilitation. They say that when the pain stops I will have no trouble getting off the medication because I do not have an addictive personality.

You are in pain and you need help. No one should be allowed to suffer if there are means to prevent  it. Are pain medications the means in your case? Your doctors seem to think so.

Have I misundedrstood your question?