Attempting a taper this time and I am scared

[shelliAS]

Hi, Last August, with the help of this site and the Thomas recipe, I abruptly stopped Hydrocodone 10/500 and Tramadol cold turkey.  I lasted a month, and could not get past the devastating fatigue.  I was almost 100% non-functional after a month with no sign of improvement.  I began taking Hydro again, at a lesser daily dose, but no tramadol.  Shortly thereafter I went through a horrible depression that I thought I would never pull out of.  I desperately want to get off of hydro, which I also take with Soma for my back pain.  I don't know what I will do about the pain, I'll have to cross that bridge later.  But this time, I need to taper the hydro and aim for a softer landing.  But I am still very frightened of the fatigue, the depression, etc.  Has anyone on here tapered, how did you do it, and what were the side effects?  I am thinking of starting tonight, by cutting up my final pill, but I am also frightened of what tomorrow morning will bring.

Thank you,
Shelli  

[ImDONENoMore]

I'm sorry it's been so difficult for you shelli.  This is hard.  Probably the hardest thing most of us have ever done.

And tapering can be tricky - so many try and fail, although I know some do succeed if done under exactly the right circumstances - so IB is right.  You need to have a "safety" plan, to so speak, in place so you aren't tempted to fall off the plan.  I guess they just make me nervous because tapering requires so much discipline and I've said this before, but if we had that discipline, we wouldn't be in this mess to begin with right?

But like I said, the tapers have worked for some so just be sure you have the right plan in place and stay connected with your Dr.  Good luck to you - and keep posting - as I'm sure you know already, the people here are wonderful, actually amazing.  There's always someone to talk to and they always have your "back" no matter what method to quit you choose.

I'll be rooting for you!  :)  p.s. b12 sublingual tablets work amazingly for me for energy.

[Defcon]

You know what I did for energy. I bought a huge jug of protein powder from Wal-Mart for around $28. I mix two scoops in the morning with milk and two scoops around 7pm with milk. It has an incredible amount of amino acids and good stuff for your body. It increased my stamina and the body aches were very reduced. But good luck brother (or sister)

[IBKleen]

Hi,

Congrats on wanting to get off of the pills again. I can tell you first hand that tapering is hard and often unsuccessful if not done properly.

I suggest that you get a proper taper schedule from your doctor. State your intensions, talk it over with him/her and ask about alternative pain treatments up front. That will give you a goal. I then suggest that you have someone, whom you trust, hold the pills and dose them to you according to the schedule. That way you will not be tempted.

What happens is you will begin to feel the withdrawal as you lower your dose and there lies the temptation. Often members will just jump at a certain point to get it over with---that will be your choice when you get there.

If depression is an issue for you, talk that over with your doctor up front as well. I am suggesting that you do all this to set yourself up for success, not failure as I mentioned earlier.

I did not use The Thomas Recipe but others claim it has worked for them so if it has worked in the past, consider that again.

As you go along, post and let us know how you are. We can make suggestions that may ease the symptoms. Best of luck to you---keep posting!!

[evilways]

I am in the same bout about being scared. Ive taken anywhere between 30-120mg of narcotic pain meds a day for 2 years. Ive tried tapering down and youre right the fatigue and depression is the worst part. the Body aches I can handle. Its just that not being able to get up feeling. You've got my best wishes for you. I recently decided to seek help for my addiction and I went to my DR. she couldnt do alot to help with the pain meds because she said shes not set up for that but she did put me on a anti depressant for my depression. Are you already on one? When we stop using, our brains suddenly dont have those neortransmitters that make us feel happy and of course it has stopped making its own because we have been supplying it falsely for so long. The anti D is supposed to help make what little neuroT's I have in my brain stick around longer. Im not off the pills yet but I have Hope. Depression is the worst because it makes us feel hopeless ON TOP of being beaten down from Withdrawls. Im sorry I cant help with anything, just know you have a friend here to talk to!