Cold turkey or slow ween from hydrocodone?

[outofoptions1980]

I made a post a few days ago and had been to my neurosurgeon and he wanted me to see my family dr. about weening myself off of hydrocodones I have been taking for about 2 1/2 years.  On a bad day I would take as much as 100 to 120 mgs and on a good day I could get by with as little as 30 to 40 mgs.  The neurologist would not refill my prescription until I saw my family dr.  I saw him today and he refilled my prescription and wants me to cut down to 50 mgs. a day for 3 or 4 days then 40 mgs. a day for 3 or 4 days so on until I am off of them.  My question is this.  I have gone 3 days now with no hydrocodone and the withdrawls have been rough but manageable.  I have had little catnaps here and there but other than that have had no sleep.  I've been doing fair with the no sleep but what has got me is my arms and legs literally feel like jello and I have no strength in them.  I have a 2 and 1/2 month old son whom I watch during the day so I'm used to holding him several hours a day just bonding with him.  Now I'm afraid to hold him as I don't want to drop him and although he just weighs 14 lbs. it feels like 50 lbs or more.  Now that I've rambled and still haven't asked my question am I better off getting back on them and weening myself like the dr. said or have I gotten past the worst of the withdrawls and am I better just staying cold turkey now that I've made it this far?  I am taking several tylenol and ibprofin for the pain which seems to take the edge of a little but the dr. said before he can put me on another pain medicine I need to be completely off the hydrocodone.  Next question - Is there any pain medicines that can be given for long term use?  I'm not an addictive person - never had any problems with alcohol or other drugs.  It's very embarassing having the dr. tell me I'm addicted to hydrocodone as I never increased dosage without approval from neurosurgeon but judging from the withdrawls I have had he is correct.  I have heard horror stories about methadone, oxycontin, percoset, and others.  Is there anything out there that works for pain but can be taken long term and is not addictive.  I also want to say thank you to those who replied to my previous post as you all were the only source of encouragement I've had to make it this far.  

[Ghilly]

You do NOT have to be addicted to an opiate to have withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking it.  EVERYONE who takes an opiate drug for a prolonged period of time will develop a physical dependency on the drug, it's a medical fact.  Addiction is completely separate and distinct from physical dependency.  You wouldn't be normal if you didn't develop a physical dependency on it.  DO NOT let anyone tell you that just because you had withdrawal symptoms you were addicted to it.  Addiction happens when you take more and more of the drug than you are supposed to because the prescribed dose no longer gives you a high.  Addiction doesn't happen when you take it as directed for pain no matter how long you take it.   There is nothing that I know of that will work for pain that doesn't cause some sort of physical dependency.  If you adhere to the medication regimen that your doctor prescribed for you and are not chasing a high, do not let the fear of addiction prevent you from taking medicine that will control your pain and give you a better quality of life.  If, on the other hand, your entire life revolves around "is it time for my next dose?" or worrying where your next dose is going to come from, if you are spending money that was earmarked for bills on drugs just to get high, THEN you have a problem and should not take anything with the potential for addiction.  But if you do everything the doctor tells you to do, just because you develop a physical dependency on a drug, it DOES NOT MEAN that you are addicted, and no doctor worth his salt would tell you that you were addicted to it.  If he doesn't know the difference between a physical dependency and an addiction he needs to turn in his medical license.

Ghilly

[melodie79]

Well said....and great advice.  and to outofopions wishing you all the best melodie

[jimgreg]

ghilly  is 100% on this..im on the methadone  for pain..ive weened down to a stable low dose of 10mgs..i dont care what anyone says or thinks of what i do..i take my dose as prescribed..when you  start spiking up word without the doc knowing or your doing it for a high..then ur a addict..but ur doing ok..YOUR ASKING IF THERES ANY STRONG PAIN KILLERS OUT THERE NON ADIVTIVE..I DONT KNOW OF ANY..SINCE YOU WERE ON THIS VICS..IT WILL TAKE SOME TIME FOR TYLONOL TO HELP EVEN..JUST MY OPIUN VICS NEVER DID THAT MUCH FOR ME..WHEN I GOT HURT THEY PUT ME ON THE 5/500 MGS THEY DID NOTHING..THEN TO THE PERKS..THAT WAS BETTER...BUT DIDNT LAST  LONG THEN OXYS....THEN THE BIG DOG METHADONE WITCH IS VERY GOOD PAIN RELIVER...BUT I HATE THIS DRUG..EACH TIME I WEENED DOWN  IT WITHDRAWED HARDER EACH TIME..SO WHEN I WEENED SAY 5MGS I WOULD BE  SICK ABOUT 5 DAYS BUT MANAGED IT..THEN WENT THE NEXT 2 WEEKS STABLE ON THAT..THEN HIT IT AGAIN AT JUST 2.5 MGS IT WASENT ANY DIFFT THEN THE 5 MGS WAS....SO I FOUND OUT THE BEST WAY IS COLD T  ALL THE WAY TO WERE YOU WANT TO BE..WHY GET SICK 6 -10 TIMES WHEN YOU CAN JUST GET IT OVERWITH....IM ON THE PILLS..IF UR ON THE DRINK YOU CAN GO BY A SMALLER TAPER..MY HIGEST DOSE OF THE METH A YR AGO WAS 120MGS..WAY TOO MUCH..SO I WENT DOWN TO 20 MGS THEN WENT COLD T FROM THERE 14 DAYS OF HELL...I THOUGHT THE PAIN HAD LEFT ME..I WAS IGNORATE ABOUT THIS MED..SO AFTER UI GOT OFF OF IT..I WAS A ZOMBIE THAT WAS IN PAIN LIKE YOU WOULDNT BELIVE..30 DAYS LATER I FOUND A NEW PAIN M..THEY SAID ALL WE USE IS METHADONE..I SAID THIS WONT WORK FOR ME..I WITHDRAWED JUST A MONTH AGO..THEY SAID IF YOU JUST TAKE THE LOWER SIDE OF THE MED..IT WILL HELP YOU JUST AS MUCH AS THE 120MGS DID..SO I HAD NO CHOICE IN THIS..I GOT BASCK ON IT..AT 15 MGS..IT DID TAKE CARE OF ME LIKE THEY SAID..BUT THE ONLY THING AFTER TIME WENT ON IT WASENT DOING THAT GOOD..THEN THEY SAID YOU READY FOR A INCREASE..I SAID NO IM GOOD FOR NOW..SO I HAD TO DECIDE WHAT AM I GOING TO DO...SO  I WENT DOWN 5 mgs 2 weeks ago..ive learned that these dockters are weird  they want you to be pain free..then when you are your a addict well bull !!!!!!!!!!!!!! im just sick of all of it...im going to have to learn how to take pain...sorry for rambling on..but we have had it with the dockys telling us were addicts..thanks james

[dominosarah]

I think if i was you i would just keep going ct and not take the ones the doc prescribed.  You will soon be over the rough period.  Warm baths or showers really help along with taking some vitamins.......I dont know about any other meds so cant help you with that.  best of luck to you and enjoy that baby!!!!!          sara

[Greatgreebo]

keep on keeping on! you've made it this far so just tough it out cuz you are almost finished with your icky feelings. like ghilly says: you are not an addict but rather physically dependent.
take care of your little guy and focus on giving him lots of love and attention. this will help distract you from your uncomfortableness.....please realize you will soon be feeling better.
your pain may increase once you are off the opiates-this is normal. your body has forgotten how to make its own pain killers. give it a while and i bet your pain will decrease quite a bit and you will start feeling much better.... let your body get used to life without drugs and it will make what you need-promise. be very careful with the tylenol and ibuprofen-they are hard on the body in large doses and for prolonged periods of time.
Good luck and stay strong,
Greatgreebo.

[flmagi]

I agree, keep up with the cold turkey. No sense taking steps backwards. Your strength will come back soon. If you fear dropping the baby, hold him while sitting down, but I really doubt that you will drop him. Your motherly adrenaline would kick in before that happens. You're doing great, keep up the good work. And you are not an addict, and please correct any doctor that tells you that again.

[snowflake620]

you are NOT an addict,and as said above any doctor that tells you that needs to check the medical definition,you are almost through the worst of it and everyday will get better try calcium and magnesium fo rthat weak feeling in the arms and legs also hot showers and baths with epsom salts,as for dropping the little one very unlikely,you are his mother and as such you have survival instincts to protect no matter what even at your own expense! dropping will never happen! good luck to you and the little man
snowflake

[wannawean]

Hello
I would keep keepin on.... They wanted you to taper off and ur there, wouldn't go back. I loved my baby bjiorn when my son was little even a sheet can become a safe sling...Ur doin awesome.As far as pain meds go all opiate based meds are the same you will become tolerant and dependent. Don't try tramadol. The W/D are worse than the hydro its an awful,misunderstood drug IMO. There are a lot of NSAIDS like naprosen-sp...also newer drugs like celebrex?? Good luck to ya. I work in a neuro/trauma ICU so I hope you are doig well from that perspective!