Change in effect/Help me quit.

Question

Hello all. I am in need of some answers and support if anyone can help me. I have been taking hydrocodone for over a year now. It started from breaking my foot. I took the pain medication for the pain, like I was supposed to. Now I take it not only for the pain that I still have, but because I like the way that the medicine makes me feel. Of course everyone knows that the more you take, the more you have to take in order to feel the "feeling". I am up to taking 8-10 Norco 10/325 a night EVERY night, at one time. Not only am I tired of taking these pills, I have tired of spending the money and I am tired of hiding it from my friends and family. I am what you can call a "functional addict". I am responsible about it, in that I don't take anything away from my family, household, or myself...for now. I am a college student and I am doing very well in my classes. I have a job and I am very active at my sons school  No one in my home can tell that I am taking these pills. The only people that know are my brother and sister in law, and that is because I have shared my concerns with them. That is my story. Now I have a concern about the medication and the way I am feeling right now. I tend not to eat throughout the day. I will take the medication at night on an empty stomach, and then after the buzz is low, I will eat. This has been fine for a long time, but the past couple of nights, it seems like when I take the medicine, I get unpleasantly high, more so than usual, and when I lay down to sleep, my chest feels heavy. Tonight I took 6 and I could barely keep my eyes open, and my chest feels heavy. This is not usual. I thought that it may because I haven't eaten anything besides a bit of chocolate candy earlier, but I have repeated this routine so many other times. What is happening with me? My liver and kidney function is normal, my blood pressure is great, I know something is going on. Has anyone else ever had this experience? Can anyone tell me how to stop this horrible way of life?

livyspop · Accepted Answer

Hey there. Just wanted to chime in. Im with you on the over do it aspect. I was going to two Drs getting 60 8mg dilaudid, 180 10mg methadone and 270 5mg oxycodone every month. The 60 dilaudid would last me a day and a half and the 270 oxys would last me 3 days taking 15-20 a pop 3-4 times a day. The methadone is what kept me going till the next script and that almost never lasted and I was out buying in the street. There wefe nights when I said good night to my kids I thought I might be saying goodbye because I wasnt sure if I was waking up. These pills are evil and take control of your life. Like you and most of us on here I was functioning also. Thought I was better on the pills as a matter of fact. Truth be told, I wasnt and I dont think any of us are. Give it some thought. We are all here to help.

mgrace00 · Answer

Today was a disaster. I caved and got some medicine. I have already taken 9 since 2pm. I feel like a failure already and I haven't even really started the quitting process. I HAVE to find the strength and will power to do this. =(

mgrace00 · Answer

Thanks again to EVERYONE that took their time to post inspiring words. I only had 5 pills in my purse today. I busied myself all day with house cleaning. I was quite tired when I got through about 2 hours ago. I took a hot bath and then I started feeling the urge. I guess I actually started going into withdrawals in a way. My face got hot, I felt a bit of anxiety, a little shaky. I took the 5 I had. Of course I don't feel the "feeling" that I like, but I don't feel anxious or shaky either. So as long as I can hold that off I think I will be ok. Tomorrow, I dont know what I will do. I dont have anymore and I wont get my scrip until Wednesday. The guy I get them from told me that if I ever need any help to keep what he calls "the sickness" away to let him know. Believe it or not, he is a good dude. I have known him a while, and he has been a friend to me way before I started this mess. He is no drug dealer, he is an addict himself, and is too far gone I think. He will give me a couple just to keep me from flipping out. Is that good or bad? I haven't figured that one out yet...

mgrace00 · Answer

Wow. I know that any amount of medication a person is taking either against prescription rules or without a prescription is abuse. I know that my addiction is no different than yours even though I take 10 per day where you took the amount you did. I assume you don't take the scrips anymore? I hope so. You have children and so do I. They deserve sober parents so much. I have told myself a million times that as long as my son doesn't know, it is fine, that I am not harming him. That is so untrue. What if something happened to one of us (death) and the doctor tells our children, "your mom/dad overdosed on pills kid"? How shameful that would be to them. I am so sad right now. Thank you for sharing your experience with me.

KindHart37 · Answer

I just want to say, I live this site....! And all the words of encouragement I see everyone giving each other. It really is helping me kick my habit! Thank God there is still kind people in this world who understand!

Teae56 · Answer

Isnt this forum AMAZING???  You can do it and if you dont think you can then come here, type those words and AT LEAST 10 people will tell you not only can you do it, but you will do it!  I love each and every person who has encouraged me!!

mgrace00 · Answer

Thank you all so much for the kind and supportive replies.  I am getting a prescription on Wednesday for the medication and I plan to take it as prescribed. I have always been an extreme person. I tend to overdo things even when I know better. I was once addicted to Xanax. The addiction came from an honest need for something that healed my anxiety. I stayed on those for 4 years and I weaned myself off. Then I went to alcohol, drank every night, gained a lot of weight, got disgusted with myself, and stopped cold turkey. I was a smoker since the age of 14 until last January 2012. I stopped that cold turkey as well. So I know that I can do this, it's just that I am not looking forward to it. As demented as it may sound, I WANT to get relaxed by way of intoxication somehow. But I know that I mostly likely may not be able to do it at all, even occasionally, because I never do anything just a little at a time, or every once in a while. This is really nice to be able to share with all of you. Please stay with me through this. I would love to share my ride with you all.

mutty188 · Answer

you may win the withdrawal lottery. You haven't been on them that long, you were only using once per day (albeit a mountain of pills). Quitting now will be easier than quitting next year, or the year after. 

I too was a fully functional addict. Nobody knew. You'll may be surprised how much energy the pills actually sap from you. Get back on a healthy diet (lots of small meals), lots of water. 

I aint gonna lie. I miss the high feel. I don't miss the lows. The stuff i overlooked when I was using.  Now i see them more clearly.  I also don't miss the physical stuff, like stomach problems, downgrade to fitness, waking up feeling like crap. overall, i have more energy today than 25 days ago. I like not spending money on drugs, and i like the way i feel. 

If you aren't using during the day, you might not struggle all that much with stopping. Even if you do, you'll find that life is better on the other side and it won't take that long.

ROSYouralright · Answer

HEY! WELCOME! My advice??? QUIT! Brace yourself for a nasty case of the "flu" and ride it out! Wd's are NO fun but they don't last forever! MANY of us were FUNCTIONAL addicts! Look around at our pictures...The face of an addict isn't what you would neccesarily imagine. We are "normal" everyday people who have issues with substance abuse! WE ARE ALL HERE for you and you don't have to do this alone!

Bugsey21 · Answer

I have been on the Norco 10/325 for 5 years. I hate to say this you are abusing the medication. Try to wean down. Take the script as what your Doctor prescribed. I have a bad withdrawal experience this past 2 week coming off Duragesic and I did it cold turkey. I would advise you since you have a child to start taken less 1 in the morning 1 in the middle of the day and if you feel you need 2 have more at night to sleep take 2. But I would try only 1 after a week of doing that start cutting out the one at mid day and then the more you don't take the better you are. As I write this I'm doing the same but I'm cutting my pills in half just so I have enough for the bring me down. You can take ibuprofen 3 pill at a time for the beak through also, Good luck I'm doing this and its working so far for me. Also you will have a runny noes for a couple of days as the medicine leaves your body.

digger1976 · Answer

Kimbly's post is so right its your body shouting at you to slow down, you could be in more danger than you believe as the pills will still be hiding a lot of the pain, plus you sound stressed out by this and that won't help any with the tightness in your chest. You need to start a taper plan and start to manage your addiction correctly in order to help your situation! Hope you find the strength to get away from the pills and grab your life back my friend, wishing you all the luck in the world!

Kimby34 · Answer

I started having extreme drowsiness after taking 3 7.5/325 at night after about a year of use. Scared me terribly because I have read so many stories of ppl not waking up after taking it. Are you able to wean down? Can you give your brother the pills to help you cut down? You'll continue to build up a tolerance and need more if you keep going. Your respiratory system cannot handle a lot more of the hydro. Hang in. Your body is telling you to cut back!