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Detoxing from Hydrocodone and Vicodin
My husband told me last night that he has been using Hydrocodone and Vicodin for the past year (about 40 pills a day). He stopped last night and I'm trying to help him get through the restlessness, nausea, etc.
Does anybody out there have any advise?
Does anybody out there have any advise?
There are a few websites that cover home detox. I've been taking vics for 3 yrs daily. I'm afraid of the withdrawals so I haven't tried to quit. He needs to load up on vitamins, the diarrhea will deplete alot. Zinc will help with pain control, Bcomplex will help with energy n mood, valerian root pills or tea is a natural sleep aide as well as chamomile tea. He can take tagamet (apparently helps with tapering down n slows absorption of hydro) have him take nyquil or benadryl to sleep away the first few days. As long as he's not withdrawing from benzodiazapines(seizure risk). The exercise is great to keep the muscles loose, Ive heard alot about cramping. Apple cider vinegar will help restore his ph levels. And the site I read also mentioned activated charcoal being on hand, it absorbs toxins in the body. Get a good supply of gatorade for hydration. These other people that have posted truly have great advice! I hope that one day I can start my tapering and detox. My friend just started suboxolone(?) And he says it helps with the withdraw symptoms alot. That may be an option also, but be careful with that. They can become just as dependant on that as the pill they are trying to quit.
I wish your family the best of luck. I may be on here asking for help soon also!!
I wish your family the best of luck. I may be on here asking for help soon also!!
I think since he was taking 40 a day and stopping cold turkey will be dangerous. Maybe go to 15 to 20 a day and down from there. I feel so bad for you and him. I know how it feels. I took 15 a day along with the Oxycontin and I quit 9 days ago. It has been horrible. Getting much better daily. I only allow myself to take 2 Oxycontins a day. I will go to 1 a day soon, then none. Keep us posted on his progress. :)
I have a question. I was taking oxycontin and oxycodone...I got off that **** cause I didn't like the stigma related to taking pain medications of that caliber... So, my doc put me on Ultram and all that did was make me dizzy, no warm fuzzy feeling...nothing. So, then my doc put me on Vicoden 10mg and still nothing no warm fuzzy feeling... What is going on? Can ultram make your receptors all messed up? I was off all narcotics a week before starting the ultram, which I did by tapering myself... Any hints...
I agree about the cold turkey... it could get scary.. are you prepared if it does??? There are people here who have detoxed off that much medicine but not many... rockferdoxy is one of those people.. you could post to him and ask what it is gonna be like how long etc.. and i am here if you have any questions or need to talk..
what ever you do, don't bring that up. He knows he has done this before, don't remind him! It is a mood point now. All you can do is say "what can I do to help you RIGHT NOW" You can work the other stuff out later, this is not the time to bring up old things! He might want you to not bother him at all, for days and days. That is what makes me feel better. Idon't want my family to see me like this. Some people need to be surrounded by love and support. Just ask him, and he may not even know what to do, but just be super sweet, and kind of stay back to. He might want a tad bit of space.
Excellent, lots of excercise no matter how tired you are to burn the extra adrenaline, and protein shakes.
Each time he does this and goes back on then off, it's 10 times worse on the body & mind each time, unfortunately for us, there's only less than 10% success rate of getting completely clean after an opiate addiction.
Try 4 square breathing too, breathe in through your nose while counting slowly to 4, hold it for 4 seconds, breathe out through your mouth while counting to 4, then hold it for 4 seconds and repeat 4 times, works wonders!
Each time he does this and goes back on then off, it's 10 times worse on the body & mind each time, unfortunately for us, there's only less than 10% success rate of getting completely clean after an opiate addiction.
Try 4 square breathing too, breathe in through your nose while counting slowly to 4, hold it for 4 seconds, breathe out through your mouth while counting to 4, then hold it for 4 seconds and repeat 4 times, works wonders!
What can I expect - last time he barely had any of the detox symptoms he's having now.
I need to get him through Monday (cold turkey) he has this crazy insurance that is opened during bank hours only. Can't get a sould on the phone to ask about clinics, therapists, options, etc.
I need to get him through Monday (cold turkey) he has this crazy insurance that is opened during bank hours only. Can't get a sould on the phone to ask about clinics, therapists, options, etc.
detox generally presents with shakes, chills/sweats, nausea, vomiting,diarreah,anxiety, restless legs and arms, cramping, mucsle pain, bone pain, mood swings, anger, its like the worst full body flu ever.. lots of fluids he is gonna need em to feel better and replace the ones he is losing.. if he gets dehydrated he will feel worse..Immodium helps with the runs.. as well and bananas and cheese. I take HYlands restful legs tabs(OTC) but i would call monday and see if you can get him some Requip its prescription for RLS.. and something to help him sleep... Unisom, Melatonin, Liquid Valerian ROot they all work well..
most of all just be there for him... cold towel to his head when he sweats.. help him in a hot bath when the chills hit.. and i can't stress fluids enough..
most of all just be there for him... cold towel to his head when he sweats.. help him in a hot bath when the chills hit.. and i can't stress fluids enough..
You are all terrific!!! Thank you
I've been hydrating him and trying to give him his space.
I'm off to GNC to see if I can get my hands on something for the RLS and some BenGay (unscented) for his legs.
Keep your fingers crossed and I'll let you know how it turns out.
I've been hydrating him and trying to give him his space.
I'm off to GNC to see if I can get my hands on something for the RLS and some BenGay (unscented) for his legs.
Keep your fingers crossed and I'll let you know how it turns out.
Thanx you guys.
I'm trying to be patient. This is the second time he's done this. Last time was mild compared to this one. Last time he did the Creatin (I think that's how you spell it) and L Tyrosine for about a week and it was over.
But this time it's bad. It's just like you said ComputerNerd - he's lived in the bathroom all night and has been battling the cold and hot spells.
The restlessness is the easy part - I just came back from jogging with him - that wears him down; followed it with a fruit shake and he settles down for a bit.
But I know that the next few days are key and he does not want to do the Creating and L Tyrosine again.
I didn't know if there was anything else out there.
I'm trying to be patient. This is the second time he's done this. Last time was mild compared to this one. Last time he did the Creatin (I think that's how you spell it) and L Tyrosine for about a week and it was over.
But this time it's bad. It's just like you said ComputerNerd - he's lived in the bathroom all night and has been battling the cold and hot spells.
The restlessness is the easy part - I just came back from jogging with him - that wears him down; followed it with a fruit shake and he settles down for a bit.
But I know that the next few days are key and he does not want to do the Creating and L Tyrosine again.
I didn't know if there was anything else out there.
Good luck to your husband, he is going to go through the worst of the withdrawals for the first 3 -4 days, that's the detox portion when the body is purging the drugs. I am on day 7 of cold turkey, but I wasn't taking them daily for 2 years (i was taking 6 - 10 7.5/500 hydrocodones daily since about November and off and on for the last 7 years. The worst of the w/d's for me lasted from Sunday morning (I took my last pills last Saturday at 5 pm) until Wednesday. I had the chills, sweats, slight fever, running nose, diarrea, anxiety, and bouts of depression during this time. Since then I have been fatigued, tired, and have sleeping problems, and of course the cravings to take the drug at times. Last night was the first night I was able to sleep more than 2 hours, but today I feel pretty good. This is what happened to me, the symptons are pretty much the same for most people it seems, but the intensity of them depends on alot of different elements like how long did he take them, how many a day, and his own personal body chemistry. It does get better and what it takes to end the addiction is well worth it.
Thanx Dave. Although I've never experienced this first-hand, I'll tell you what I tell my husband repeatedly: you take one minute at a time and at the end of every hour you rejoice that you're that much closer to recovery.
I will keep you in my thoughts
I will keep you in my thoughts
I was on Hydrocodone, for 2 years, and I took any where from 24-30 pills a day, and I only weigh 95 pounds, so I guess it is like a 10 year old taking that amount! I'm Cold Turkey 4 days now. You'll soon see, that one mintue I seem like I'm happy and doing great, and the next posting, I'm thinking about death! Don't let our mood swings scare you, it totally normal!
I've been taking vitamin B12 and B6 and I've tried the over the counter sleeping aid, I think it's called Sleep Easy which is the sleeping medicine in Tylenol PM without the tylenol. I also tried some valerian root extract for sleeping, but I am still having problems getting to sleep. If you do a search on here for Thomas Recipe you find some other aid that may help, I myself don't want to use any prescription drugs for this, but that is just me, I have to get through this to get myself back to normal without using narcotic drugs anymore. I never had a legimate reason to take the things after having a couple of teeth pulled, but I liked feeling and when my wife had multiple back surgeries I took her meds and would get her to get more. She didn't really understand what I was doing because she hated taking the things and I would always make a good excuse to get her to give some or I would take them when she wasn't around. I would also get the refills on her scripts that she never would use. This is an insidious addiction and I have an addictive personality so I am very hesitant about using another narcotic to get off this one. For some people it helps them, for this is just for me, I can't do it that way.
Congratulations to you on your 4th day! Are you w/d symptoms beginning to taper off?
You and Dave are my hope that Charly will get through this one piece. He is officially 25 hours C/T.
From what I've read he just 96 hours away from getting past the worst.
You and Dave are my hope that Charly will get through this one piece. He is officially 25 hours C/T.
From what I've read he just 96 hours away from getting past the worst.
I did do better this afternoon, but I wasn't sure that it would be that way, because it started out SO crappy. I woke up feeling really bad, and I was crying, and carrying on. I couldn't even get on the computer because I felt so bad. It will probably happen again, but it does get better!!! The symptoms are better, because I got Bentyl for my stomcah, and I will get requip for my RLS tommorow when I call my doc again! Its gonna be a ((((((((((((((LONG)))))))))))))))) night for him, so get ready. The symptoms are just beginning. It is going to be VERY hard. If he is too bad, and he just can't take it, please take him to the ER. They will be able to help. The dose he was on, they just might want him to taper! Don't rule it out okay!
Thanks for the advice Tex.
He's hanging strong. We just came back from the drug store - bought him those heat patches to put on his legs. I don't know if it helps the RLS but it sure is keeping him from pacing. Plus I'd rubbed his legs with Ben-Gay after his bath.
I'm worried because he's not eating hard food. He's been drinking water and I made him a fruit shake earlier this afternoon, but he didn't touch the chicken soup I made him for lunch and didn't touch the one I made him for dinner. Instead he asked me to make him just the chicken broth, which I supposed is fine, but I want him to take in hard food.
Did that happen to you - not wanting to eat hard food.
He's hanging strong. We just came back from the drug store - bought him those heat patches to put on his legs. I don't know if it helps the RLS but it sure is keeping him from pacing. Plus I'd rubbed his legs with Ben-Gay after his bath.
I'm worried because he's not eating hard food. He's been drinking water and I made him a fruit shake earlier this afternoon, but he didn't touch the chicken soup I made him for lunch and didn't touch the one I made him for dinner. Instead he asked me to make him just the chicken broth, which I supposed is fine, but I want him to take in hard food.
Did that happen to you - not wanting to eat hard food.
DO NOT HAVE HIM QUIT COLD TURKEY UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES!!!!
Taper him off slowly or he will completely lose his mind. The nausea, vomiting, diareah, sweating, shaking, headache, muscle spasms etc...will be like the lap of luxury compared to what comes after that, the mental anguish is HELL putting it nicely.
Of course every one reacts somewhat differently, and I recommend taking him to a detox clinc or the emergency room, but if for some reason he can't, keep him hydrated with juice, gatorade and as much food as he can hold, if the blood sugar level gets too low, the brain is even more feaked out.
I wouldn't want to see my worst enemy got through what I did, and I was dumb enogh to try cold turkey 5 times! I've weaned WAY down to almost nothing and I will get better eventully. GOOD LUCK!
Taper him off slowly or he will completely lose his mind. The nausea, vomiting, diareah, sweating, shaking, headache, muscle spasms etc...will be like the lap of luxury compared to what comes after that, the mental anguish is HELL putting it nicely.
Of course every one reacts somewhat differently, and I recommend taking him to a detox clinc or the emergency room, but if for some reason he can't, keep him hydrated with juice, gatorade and as much food as he can hold, if the blood sugar level gets too low, the brain is even more feaked out.
I wouldn't want to see my worst enemy got through what I did, and I was dumb enogh to try cold turkey 5 times! I've weaned WAY down to almost nothing and I will get better eventully. GOOD LUCK!
be really sweet to him.
he's probably going through the worst thing he's ever felt. im just answering becuase it sounds like you need an immediate answer. theres more knowledgeable people, i know just about nothing.
theres a few ways to get off it. quiting completely, tapering.. tehres mixed opinions on which is best and for what context. he's probably not going to get an ounce of sleep the next few days, and he's probably going to live in the bathroom pretty much. he'll probably need a blanket if he gets cold. whatever you do, don't get mad at him. & hang in there till someone smarter comes along.
he's probably going through the worst thing he's ever felt. im just answering becuase it sounds like you need an immediate answer. theres more knowledgeable people, i know just about nothing.
theres a few ways to get off it. quiting completely, tapering.. tehres mixed opinions on which is best and for what context. he's probably not going to get an ounce of sleep the next few days, and he's probably going to live in the bathroom pretty much. he'll probably need a blanket if he gets cold. whatever you do, don't get mad at him. & hang in there till someone smarter comes along.
I think if you have health insurance, he should go to the doctor, and go over options. You can also just go back, and read all of these wonderful posts, and you'll get more info than any doctor could ever give!
Stay strong, it won't be easy, but if you really love him, you'll both be fine.
You should have him start posting here as well!!!!!!!
Stay strong, it won't be easy, but if you really love him, you'll both be fine.
You should have him start posting here as well!!!!!!!
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