Help weaning off Lortab without missing work

[Sesmoidchick]

I have been taking Lortab 7.5mg and 10mg for a year now. I have had several surgeries and my most recent one was just Thanksgiving week to remove a bone in my foot that wasn't healing. My doctor gave me my last refill that I know of which was 60 pills of Vicodin 5mg and I have 12 left, filled 3 1/2 days ago! I normally go through 60 quick. :( He did move me to Vicodin but seems like it doesn't matter if it's 10 of Lortab or 5 of Vicodin, it's still the same. I take too many.

I want to stop but not sure how to do this. I maintain a stressful job that keeps me moving all day long. I can't bear to miss a day so I need to do this where I can function.

I have heard about taking a multi-vitamin every day, drink caffeine, what else?

I might be able to get 1 more script if it helps to wean me off otherwise I only have 12 to do this with. Not too convinced that I can do this with only 12 pills.

Ideas please.
PS. I still have a post op surgical cast on my foot till Jan 5

[pillarr1]

Hey there I have been reading your posts.  I am on and off of this roller coaster too.  I just went through 2 days of w/d cold turkey.  I never have any problem sleeping it is just the anxiety that gets me.  I feel really pumped up and I sweat a lot.  The first day I had the runs really bad but I still had an appetite.  I always start with the epsom salt baths the day before quitting followed by a hot shower.  I took some L-Tyrosine in the a.m. and drank lots of fluids.  Had to take immodium too. Toward the end of the second day I was feeling OK.  Then, for some reason I took a couple of pills last nite and a few today.  Don't plan on doing anymore (only have 2 left).  Tomorrow, I will get up and exercise, do the bath and shower and take my supplements.  I don't want to do this anymore.  It would be nice if we could do this together.  Let me know when you want to start.  My cold turkey day is not set in stone.  I think it helps to go thru it with someone else.

[Sesmoidchick]

So far I haven't been able to do this yet. I am afraid. :( I even have support from 2 people that know me but I'm still scared. Right now I'm still in a surgical cast from 3 weeks out of foot surgery so I'm afraid to be in pain as well.

[Sesmoidchick]

I think I want to do the taper program. Has anyone done that? If so, once you are down to less than 1 every day (I think it's every other day), by doing it this way, do you have the flu withdrawls as well?

[gnarly_1]

HI you have been givien some good advise....try not to let fear into the equation its always worst in our minds then it turns out to be....many of our members have worked threw withdrawals it can be done this is 1/3 physical and 2/3 mental be ready to fight on both fronts  go into this with a positive attitude that will take you farther then any one thing
a hot soak goes a long way to releave the symptoms be shure to pake the amodium to work with you also the highlands restful legs stuff dont need to have your legs kicking at work
keep posting for support we all want to see you succeed good luck and God bless....Gnarly  

[GeorgiaGirl1022]

If u quit now you will be able to go to Christmas parties by the weekend. You may not FEEL like  going but physically you will be able to go. I always had an excuse why I should wait till next week. Kids have a play at school, field trip coming up, son's playing in an important game, friends coming over. The point is... It's NEVER gonna be a good time to quit. Unless you just do it and get it over with. I'd put them down now so you'll be better and enjoy  Christmas. What a wonderful present to give yourself. Sobriety and freedom. Good luck I know you can fo this!!

[eyeofhorus2010]

There is no convienent time to go through withdrawals. I fought the same battle as you, my addiction was outpacing my ability to source the pain killers. Everytime I ran out or was just about out I would start getting myself ready to do the withdrawal dance, and time and again I would get a day maybe two into it and the desperation to use would hit me so hard I would find a way to get more pills. I didn't really want to quit but running out would force my hand. Anyway, I would get them because work was just to important to miss,(I was busy building an empire, really) or I had several business meeting lined up and those were important or I had to travel out of town or my wife would want me to meet her for lunch..yada, yada, yada. I was only fooling myself. And to make matters worse, my dose kept increasing too. If I couldn't make 60 pills last more than two days then I was really in trouble when it was approaching 60 per day (vicodin) and it eventually exceeded that too.

You really need to forego the refill. Talk to your doctor about this and ask him for help in doing this. He can prescribe meds that will make the process easier but it's not gonna be pretty either way. You have to make up your mind. Are you going to put this behind you now or are you going to wait until your usage climbs to unmanagable amounts and face this problem at that point.

If you go to work withdrawaling they're going to think you're coming down with the flu. If they mention it agree with them that it sure feels like it. Very likely they will send you home to get over it, nobody wants to be purposely exposed to the flu, and if they do take them up on it and spend the next 5 days getting through it.

There is so much to be gained getting yourself back from addiction, don't wait until it's too late. You're simply too valuable to waste your life like this. Check in here often, read posts and share your story and your feelings with others because that helps so much relating to others that are going through the exact same thing.

You can do this, you know you can. We all believe in you.

[Sesmoidchick]

Thank you. This is going to be hard. Ugh. We also have 2 Christmas parties this weekend. Maybe I will start afterwards. How long does it take to start feeling good, no sweats or stomach aches? I can deal with the other stuff.  It's the sweating and nauseau that I'm scared about. I have IBS anyhow so the 2 together isn't going to be good times.

I have WD before but only for 2 days or so b/c then I got a refill, you are right, couldn't take it. I was convinced I did have the flu, I was like there is no way it could be this bad but when I took a few afterwards I felt better a few hours later once I woke up.. Yep..

I can't miss work so that's not an option. Been out for a few weeks from Surgery so I'm going back tomorrow (Monday). And hot baths, I wish, I'm in a cast...... :( I do have a cast cover but I don't think you can safely submerge it into water. Just showers. So I think I'm sol on the nice baths! :(

[laurel453]

Hi,welcome here :)
a multivitamin is a good thing, i would add magnesium chelate+calcium and a potasium supplement to help you with muscles aches, immodium for diarrhea, vitamin B's, hylands restful legs at nights cause you will have RLS mostly then...you will also go through some anxiety and sleepless nights, try valerian root for anxiety and melatonin for sleep.... take lots of hot baths with epsom salts... Eat healthy, protein and vegs, maybe some protein shakes, drink a lot to keep you hydrated.... maybe some 5hour energy drink at work and once you are through the first days, maybe before it could make you feel sick ...... you will see with the days what makes you feel sick or not.... read the thomas recipe as you have been told and the amino acid protocol ( health pages , right side of your screen ) ... Good luck !! :)

[GeorgiaGirl1022]

Hi there and welcome!  This is just my view on the weaning deal. If you're anything like me, which it sounds like u are lol weaning never worked for me. If I had them I'd take them and I mean alot of them. I just couldn't do it. As soon as I'd feel like I was getting sick I'd take them. I never was able to cut back.  Some people on here do wean I just couldn't. Weaning also prolongs the enevitable. You're going to be sick for a few days and there is just no getting around it. I wish there was. If u wean properly your going to feel crappy during it and then crappy when you stop completely. Why not just bite the bullet and get it over with? It's very doable and I think the fear of it is almost worst than the wd's themselves. Good luck friend. Think about it, make a plan and stick to it no matter what. Have u ever wd before? Do u know what to expect? Basically it's similar to the flu. Being that's it's flu season it's a handy excuse for work or family if u feel u can't let them know the deal. I know several people on here that couldn't miss work so they just had to bear through it. It's very hard but they managed it. When u really want to be free you'll be amazed at what u can endure. Jyst get some vitamins, motrin, movies, eat as much as u can and take lots of hot baths. Read the Thomas reciepe. That's a big help too. Good luck you can do this. Post here often, I did and they got me through it. I was taking 80 to 100 mgs of opiates and quit cold turkey 25 days ago. It wasn't a walk in the park but so worth it. That I know to be true. Buckle down and get this behind u. You'll be so so so glad u did!!!!