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Detoxification, Hydrocodone

Following an injury, I have taken Hydrocodone up to 8 times per day for over 14 months. I am a 53 year old male. I just underwent anterior cervical fusion, C4-5 and C5-6. I am getting very anxious about every three hours, but don't have a lot of pain.  When I try to go for four to five hours I nearly go nuts.
I understand that there is a detox system of three days using a program of 3 tablets of something the first day, 2 the second and 1 the third. I am very interested in this. Would you please respond with the name of this or these medications so I might ask my physician?

Also, I have heard of detox under anesthesia. Do you have any knowledge or comment about this. Please help.
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Avatar universal
Look up the thomas recipe that helps a lot and the withdrawals last for about a week where the in the middle it is really hard.  also staying active usually takes your mind off the pain and depression you are going to feel.  Klonipan is a benzo, which helps a lot at night so if you can get those get them but they also can be addicting so only use them until the withdrawals are gone.  Also just eat healthy take a vitamin pill maybe a vitamin C pill.  At night if I can't sleep during the withdrawals I take unisom but I have to take a bunch for it to make it work  for me but don't take many of those either.  It is all mental and just think in your head that the pain will end and it will only make you stronger.  And if your religious pray. God Bless good luck!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'm listening and totally relate to what you are experiencing. I'm just at the point..and please God I stay here..that I can no longer live with this addiction. It's not really living. Stick around and you will receive some good advice. I'm too new to advise anyone. oh and btw this is thread that started in 1999. You should probably start your own post. This isnt that easy to find.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I was cold turkey from 100mg a day of hydro, going on the worse3rd day when I found some to take,
today I feel normal again, but have only taken 10mg 3x, tommorrow I hope to lower that but even after i have tapered I know I will have withdrawals again.  my husband has had it with me and i do want to quit.  i have fibromyalgia, herniated discs and really sore feet.  just what am i suppose to do when i have no pain meds for my conditions, this is what i don't know what to do>  What can help me with my withdrawals?  zanaz has helped me sleep, I have some tramadol and what is klonipin?  I am trying to take some b vitamins?  my stomach feels like it went through a meat grinder.  is going into a detox center really necessary?  thanks
Helpful - 0
725579 tn?1231030704
I AM GOING THROUGH THE SAME THING YOU ARE Montalbano!! Maybe a little different because I was doing heroin. But I am weaning myself off the opiates and I have a blog discussing it with pictures and all, check it out!!

****.***
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Avatar universal
I have been taking Norco 10/325 two tabs twice a day for over six years.  I have chronic orthopedic pain as a result of a serious bus accident in 2001.

I have tried to stop taking the meds preemptively with little success,  I experience typical withdrawal symptons; aches ,chills, spasms, nausea.

I am reluctant to take xanax, clonapin or somas as I am concerned with trading one for the other.

Any suggestions?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Again...this post is almost 9 years old....if you want to re post at "post a question' button up top than you will get many more responses...sometimes the webmaster leads people to this site depending on what they type in and they et placed on old posts! best of luck!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had had a problem with vicodin and Percocet a little over a year ago..They were prescribed by my doctor, but after taking then consistently for about 6mo I started feeling horrible when I didnt have them, It was the first thing I would do in the morning, just so I could start my day, anyway I kicked the habbit after suffering for about a wk with extreme anxiety a little achey and just NO energy it was pretty much like having the flu for a wk.  Anyway I was totally clean for about 4 months when I got hit with kidney stones and back on the percocet I went...I took them for the pain initially and then got back to the habbit of taking then just to function.  I have a son and dont want to take a pill everytime I need to feel (normal).  Im on day 7 quit cold turkey everyday I feel a bit better, Its really not that bad if you can just take at least 6 days off to just lay around take some ibuprofen and drink lotsa water...My biggest struggle was not the aches and pains but the anxiety and the crying, I would just cry all the time and not really know why...I agree that xanax helps however that is also a narcotic that is highly addictive..I only take them as needed which is usually at night when my anxiety is at its worst...Just stay strong and know its temporary it sux so bad but it WILL pass its more of a mental game than anything I promise!
Helpful - 0
271792 tn?1334979657
This post is 8 or more years old. It will get over looked. Please go to the top of this page and hit the post a question button. Start your own post so you can get the advise you are seeking. Good luck and hope to see you out there.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have been taking hydrocone for about nine years,when I first started one or two pills a day made me feel great. I had a bad four- wheeling accident,so with that the doctors started feeding me these things like candy. This has been going on for years now affecting my relationship,business time with my family. My whole life revolves around my next bottle. I send everyone I know to the doctor,including myself to enable my addiction. I am up to 10 a day and still never feel that boost of energy i'm accustomed to feeling. I have tried to quit cold turkey,did not go over well at all. Ultram does help if I take about 12-15 a day. On the 11th I have an appointment with the methadone clinic,I have heard several horrible stories about methadone I hope this will help my condition unstead of causing another severe addiction. My wife doesn't understand,she has never been addicted,however she is of full support to try the clinic. Courtney and her mother are both nurses and I trust their judgement. I hope this mess works.
Helpful - 0
352798 tn?1399298154
Please start a new post. This one is very old.(1999) We would love to hear your story and make comments for you.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'm a recovering alcoholic, 3yrs sober, who got caught up in a vicodin addiction due to back injury. Naturally I enjoyed the lift I got but I'm now up to 50-100mg of hydro a day. I'm willing to go cold turkey like I did alcohol but I don't know what to expect. I can get Xanax and Soma if they will help. I can take a week off but without knowing what to expect I'm kinda lost.
Any advice would REALLY be appreciated. FYI, I'm in AA, so I have that for support.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
what are the chances of getting hooked on hydrocodone taking them in 2-3 day spurts of about 6-8 (6-8/500's) at a time...one time a day.  I will generally take a few days off in between, along with a steady workout and supplementing a daily vitamin with amino acids and Fish Oils (which i have found to help tremendously).  sometimes i feel like im getting a bit flu-like but not very bad at all...my motivation for working-otu slips a small degree, but for the most part im not experiencing any dependency issues.  To clerify, i train Mixed Martial Art...I am a Brazilian Jiu jitsu instructor who trains Wrestling, boxing, and muay thai.  I also weight train 2-3 days a week, so my body undergoes incredible trauma and muscle tearing.  i find my joint pain and lactic acid pains to be borderline ridiculous at times, by taking these pills...vicodin, percocet etc..it gives me a temporary escape, and thats what im beginning to get addicted to....any thoughts?
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Avatar universal
you are posting on an old post - click back to forum and you will be on current page.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Yes, pupil dilation is normal during withdrawals.  There are all kinds of sensations from withdrawals.  How much Xanax were you taking?  Do not try to come off the Xanax without a physician helping you.  Otherwise opiate withdrawal is not life threatening.  Very uncomfortable though and sleep is hard to come by.  I am on day 6 and here I am up at 2:30A. There are multiple symptoms of withdrawal including diarrhea, nausea, shakiness, nervousness, tingling of the skin, dilated pupils, elevated BP and pulse.  The worst days are usually days 3 and 4 then the symptoms start to decline.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi, I been taking hydro/ 10/650's for about 3 years and am up to 10 a day, it has been 12 hours since i last took a dose and it feels like my body is weird tingling everywhere like asleep i keep having phantom feelings like something is on my arm or legs it is strange and my eyes are dialated and almost black, I was also taking xanex and soma but not much of them just once a day not like the opiates, plus i feel like when i get up it feels like im almost tripping or halucinating or something its really scaring me but im out of everything and i have to quit so someone tell me if this is normal, because even when i read its like everything is hard to see and blurs together and i cant see anything straight also cant sleep but i know the sleeping part is normal.  Please anyone who knows tell me if I am ok if this is just withdrawels the pupil dialation is bothering me the most and the phantom stuff along with the confused state of almost depersonalization/derealization.
Helpful - 0
182493 tn?1348052915
do you think you can taper off them with the amount you have left??  I can help you set up a schedule if you really think you can cut back.  If you can't taper then you will have to go cold turkey which will only last a week at most with the worst symptoms being at the 3-4 day point.
the other option is to go to inpatient detox. which would involve at least telling someone.

we are here to help. I suggest though that you post this as a new question Its in a very old thread. Click Back to Forum, then click Post a New question.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
hello...ive happened upon this forum in search of detoxing off of vicodine. ive been taking them steadily for 6-7yrs. no one knows and id prefer to keep it that way. i already feel horrible enough about the addiction. im at my wits end and i want off of them. i take 8-12 daily. ive read the posts, but feel i need to post myself and get a direct anwser to my own personal struggle. im scared to death to detox off them-but i know i have to. i have 6days left of them and want to do it and get it done. if someone would please type out the way i should do this i would appreciate it. i feel like a child who neeeds specific directions or i wont do it right or at all. this addiction has made me depressed, isolated and sick of myself. i have off week days and work only on the weekend and even then if i need to take off i will. thank you for any and all comments in advance.
Helpful - 0
228686 tn?1211554707
He is right. You may do better to hit the "post" button at the top and start over. Or continue here. But people get confused and start responding to posts at the top of the thread that are from 10 years ago...If you have any questions for a particular user, put their name in the post title.
Helpful - 0
271792 tn?1334979657
Hello and welcome to the forum!

There are a lot of good people in this forum who could answer your questions. I know you are new here, so I would like to help you. You posted in what is called a "thread" that is eight years old. It will soon get buried and you may not get many answers. I do not want you to think no one is listening. They will. You need to go to the bottom of this page. Click on the "back to forum" button. When you go back, go up top to "Post a Question". Hit that button and follow the instructions. Post exactly there, what you posted here. Ask for help. That will start a new "thread" from today's date.

Hope to see your new post. You take care until then.
Helpful - 0
228686 tn?1211554707
Luv, the benadryl isn't addictive. If you can stop taking it, you should since it's usually used to help with stopping the codeine addiction. But it probably doesn't matter if you keep taking it.
Do you have an ulcer? There's an anti-biotic treatment that will cure most ulcers. If that's your problem, let me know I'll give you the link.
    Ambien and requip I'm not sure about, although I've heard bad things about ambien. It's not "addivtive" per se, but the rebound from stopping it will make sleep impossible for a while.
The prilosec is good for your stomach, and can promote healing, so don't worry about that for the moment.

The real problem is the hydrocodone. (for both of you).

Generally, there's only one affordable, gettable treatment for this. Clonidine 3 times daily (blood pressure med). If that one doesn't work well, you can try another.

Xanax or klonipin for the first week, although I'd advise using it for the fourth day for about a week, but no longer, it's VERY addictive. You won't sleep well the first 3-4 days with or without it the first few days.

Otherwise, you need to take things like imodium for your stomach, and benadryl will help with some of the other symptoms.

This WON'T cure you, make it painless. It varies, but you should at least be able to sit in front of the t.v. all day and eat chicken soup. Treat it like a bad flu for 4 days. One of the hardest things addicts of pills/opiates have to come to terms with, is there are no really *good treatments* available right now. Unless you can fly out of the country and spend $7k. And even then, they aren't THAT great.

If you get past the first week, there's additional treatments you can use that can help your body heal and get back your energy levels and the like.

Any other questions?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
dont go to a drug treatment place cause they will give you methadone and that is more addictive than hydro codone but i need help can some one help me i took 5-15 hydrocodone 10mg pills a day now i cant take this life style i dont wanna go to methadone clinck my life is getting runt but i know its my fault for abbusing them but everyone makes mastakes i go to the hospittale and they wanna give me methadone please some one give me addvise
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I started hydrocodone 8 yrs ago when I was having gastric issues(diverticulitus) I'd be admitted to the hospital for iv antibiotics and pain meds. They sent me home with prescriptions. A year later my colon ruptured and I was rushed in for er surgery to keep me living. I had gotten up to about 120 mg a day. sometimes more. a year ago march I decided to go cold turkey. BIG MISTAKE! I got so sick and the pain. I wanted to die. I ended up in the er but did not tell them that I was detoxing. I went home on ativan, morphine, xanax. eventually I started taking the hydro again. I have to take it with benydral because the codine makes me itch. So I am addicted to benedryal, hydrocodone, ambien, requip. I also have to take prilosec 2x's a day because I no longer have a stomach lining. I need to get this stuff out of my system. Right now I take 10-20mg each day.
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Avatar universal
I have asked my doctor for Ultram and he will not give it to me.
I have been going through some of the same problems Donna.
I need to stop taking the Percocet and it sounds like Ultram would help.  Any suggestions anyone???
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have asked my doctor for Ultram and he will not give it to me.
I have been going through some of the same problems Donna.
Then about 2 years ago I had a serious injury to my knee and the Orthopedic was giving me Percocet for the pain, lots of it, for months.  Then all of the sudden he stopped no taper, nothing.
I have been getting them wherever I can since and I want out of this insanity!!
Helpful - 0
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