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Avatar universal

How to stop!!

For the last three years I've been addicted to painkillers, I don't take them because I'm in pain, I take them for the high!
I've put myself into a very depressed state of life!  I don't go ANYWHERE unless I have to, I've gained 20 pounds, and I've lost all of my friends. Painkillers have taken over me and I didn't even see it coming.  I'm done!! I can't stand being a zombie any longer. My questions are: how *bad* is going through withdrawl?  how long will it take? How do you STOP? ANY support
will be appreciated.  THANKS!!!
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Avatar universal
I've been taking this **** VICODIN since 1998!!!
I just signed up today 12/16/07.
I will let all of you clowns know tomorrow how to get of this ****...
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Welcome, There are alot of ppl that would be glad to offer you some advise but you will need to RE-POST and start a NEW POST because you adding on to a post from the year 2003 and ppl just dont look at these as much so please take the time and change it to a new post. Even if some ppl answer you here just do a new one.
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Avatar universal
hello i have a problem and its tabs 10 mg ive taken 6-8 a day for 16 months it started when i had a c section with my daughter with tylox and has continued always seem to find and buy them some way i relly want off.....hurting myself and family.....what helps with wd symptoms i know without them headache nausea body aches sweats no sleep anxiety is very bad will zanex help with that?
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Avatar universal
You are getting the rebounds from not having enough caffiene I would presume. You might try taking no-doz or one of the otc keep you awake aids that list caffiene as the main ingredient.

Good luck,,
Chezz
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Avatar universal
Wow ... that's all I can say to your post D! Yes I am Canadian! I guess you are either a fellow countryman (or woman like me lol) or you're well-researched! Yeah the pills I were taking had 8mg codeine/ 15mg caffeine/ 300mg acetominiphen ... I didn't actually take into close account that the caffeine would be a problem coming off of ... but I've always been a habitual coffee drinker. (mind you, I don't know how many grams of caffeine are in a cup of coffee!)

Where are you anyway?

The headaches are still here ... I can't just not take anything, I have university and a full time job. Having a 24 hour headache just isn't an option for me, too much to get done. I really couldn't be bothered going to a doctor about this, I think it's pretty silly, especially if he'll just write me another prescription. I can buy codeine over the counter here, so I don't even need one.

Anyway ... thanks SO MUCH for your advice, believe me it really helps! By the way ... should I stay away from caffeine?
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Avatar universal
I don't know where to start, so I will tell a little about myself.  I hurt my lower back while playing football back in High-School (1983).  My back went out on me June 2001, and was given Lortab 10 and have been taking them every since.  Over the years, I have taken pain medication but just for a week or so.  So no big deal getting rid of them.  Eventhough I would try and get more, when I was denied the first time, I would leave it at that.  I have 2 wonderfull little boys and a great wife that I think will be supportive (I have tried to quit in the past).  In the last 36 hours, I have had one lortab 10.  I am depressed, bored and just want to go find a doctor and get more.  I was given a prescription for 126 pills 2-11-03 and I am out now.  I can not imagine going out to dinner or any of the kids games without having my little pills and a beer.  I am not taking anything to help the withdrawls (valium, etc).  I know that would help take the edge off, but don't know how to go about getting them.  For some reasons, I do not want to ask my reg. doc. But if I do go to a doc to seek out help, I think it is best that I give the prescriptions to my wife and she monitor when I take them.  Like everyone is saying, it really does help writing and reading in here!  I hope this gets better soon, I am just scared that I will get so depressed and go get more pills (the easy way out).

All take care!
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Avatar universal
From my observation, that one sentence alluding to the fact others don't know what facetious means is to what she may be referring.  Well, at least she contends that to be a fact.  That could easily be taken as a put-down.  If you feel that is alright, then so be it.  Other than that, even though she normally doesn't write that way, the rest of the post was fine.
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Avatar universal
I and everyone here knows exactly what your talking about!I am going to start ct wds for the umpteenth time again tomarrow!And as you said it would be so much easier for now to go get more vics!But then you just have to start all over again like me!I was 30 plus days clean this last time and thought oh just one wont hurt!WRONG!Now I have to start all over again.What a bummer.I was feeling really good too at 30 days.Now its back to hot bathes etc.....Onlt this time I have to work too.Dont give in.Its not worth it.You were poppin alot of them too.126since the 11th.you say?This time I was only taking 4 or 5 a day for 2 weeks so hopefully the wds. wont be as bad.I too have no valiums or anything to help.Hot bathes and more hot bathes.Short walks,vitamins,lots of fluids,and make sure you eat..And the immodium for you nknow what!!A good book or movie helps too..Of course you have kids at home too.Mine are all grown and out on their own so thats a plus cause I get to grumpy!!Well enough rambling..I'll be praying for you my friend..              g.g.
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Avatar universal
Hey Dancing I just loved your response to peaz! Brief and to the point.
If command of the English language and the beauty to which you apply it is arrogance, then my dear Canuck you be so titled.

Sorry I can't write more, but I have to pull a cork on a "87 Lafite, while cooking on my Viking stove, preparing my 4lb Chateaubriand with Bernaise sauce, while shuffling my feet on DH berber carpet, glancing out my window to enjoy my 165 acres, and appreciating my 2002 S500 Mercedes Benz, parked next to my 2001 36' Center Console Contender Offshore Fishing Boat, which is trailered by my 2003 F-350 Super Duty 7.3 Diesel pick-up, thinking this whole time about Jackson Parish Prep School that my daughter is attending (with a 4.0 GPA by the way) which brings me back to the wine, which reminds me to book a couple 1st class seats for a trip to Nice, France to replace the bootle of wine I'm holding in my hand... Arrogance, what's that.

Love Ya  
Peace

Kilo
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Avatar universal
It comes to me naturally.

Thanks for asking!

Dancing in the Dark
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Avatar universal
I would venture to say that post you are most likely referring to was not an intentional put down. But, I can see where you are coming from.  By the way, lagoon in Spanish is laguna.  In Spanish, the vowels are each pronounced one way....not like English. Allah, JosE, skI, smOke, jUdy  Those are just examples.  But, that is the only way each is pronounced in Spanish.
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Avatar universal
I was wondering---must you work diligently at your arrogance, or does it come naturally?



I assure you, I am not being one BIT facetious.........
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Avatar universal
Lisa,

Sounded great. What a nice little tribute for our resident opiate guru.
So nice of you.
Chezz
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Avatar universal
Thanks, lisbet. I loved it! I don't think anyone's ever written a poem about me, let alone a limerick.

Thomas
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Avatar universal
Ask your Dr.for some Toradol.Its a strong antinflamitory and it worked wonders on my 24 hr.headaches!I tried everything too.Then went to Dr.(didnt tell him what it was from)and with in 30 mins. it was gone!I used like 3 or 4 a day for first 2 weeks then they went away.Good luck and I hope it helps!! g.g.
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Avatar universal
You talking a limerick, big guy - here's your limerick!!!  :)

   There was once a young man who's called Thomas-
      who understood the drugs that were put on us
   But thru' his bleary blue eyes
      His experiences left him wise
   And makes others want to avoid it!

OK - OK, I know it sucks, but it's a work of love, OK?  (So be kind, very, very kind)...smile.  

Just a bit of humour guys (I know - a very "little" bit!)

Love, Lisabet  xoxo
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Avatar universal
I had a detox doctor that put me on Adderal, d-amphetamine, soon after detox to help get up and out to business meetings, etc.  It helped.  I was too scared to make a habit of it and used it only sparingly.  It pulled me off the floor, literally, in that first week or two after rapid detox.  I'm still trying to get over that methadone five months later.  Sucks!!!!  I really want to hear how people are doing on Subutex.  Thanks, well wishes to all.  Why don't they just legalize drugs and get it out of the underground economy?  Make help readily available in the free market!  Competition would bring the prices way down.  Vote Libertarian!  www.LP.org
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Avatar universal

A fellow Canadian I expect?  Well, here too I admit with a blush, I'm an expert.  

I stopped a tad more than you (I'm including the Tylenol 3's) but suffice it to say, it was a good tad.  Lessee, 5 1/2 wks.  I did take 20 T3's last wk. after cracking my tailbone.  Haven't had 1 for a wk. & no cravings but thought I should add that.

I *do* sympathize with the headaches.  You're not just dealing with the rebounds from codeine, caffeine (those puppies have 15 mg. each which means you were getting 300 a day) but the tylenol as well.  Through many factual sources & much to my shock, habitual use of plain tylenol, aspirin & motrin etc. can also cause migraines. So, I entirely sympathize with your sit'n.  

I remember talking to my pharmacist asking when it would end & she told me it could be a very long time, or not...all depended.

I had fiorinal which I'm detoxing from & that didn't even help with the rebounds & for the last wk. (touch wood) they seem to have lifted.  In the throes of it, I was taking Excedrin with caffeine. 3 at a time & often enough.  Most of it here does not have caffeine but most pharmacies do carry the with caffeine type but the packages look the same.  I have to say it *did* help & didn't keep me awake.  You need to get thru now & you can easily deal with the caffeine later.  You already have the caffeine out of your system but with the tyl or aspirin, caffeine has a synergistic effect on pain relief.

I must admit, I'm not the most alternative-med oriented.  I'm like, yeah, yeah, if I have a granola enema, anything bothering me will soon leave me...type.  Ahem.  Well, I'm a skeptic.  But I SWEAR by those epsom salt baths I wrote about here & that was recommended to me by our city's detox place when I called moaning.  I only fell into the tub because it was that or back to bed & I thought the whole thing ridiculous!  I was very wrong & I remember that night, it was 6.5 hrs. with not a twinge & I didn't want to go & fell asleep in my desk chair! Since I didn't wake up with my head banging even once, it must have continued working.  I've written the recipe, how/to somewhere but I figure the detox must know something, no?

The detox gal also told me acupuncture worked wonders & our nationalized med. allowed me 4 visits a wk. for FREE!  Problem was I was too miserable to go - literally.  If you are in Cda, call the city Detox.  Here we have that & Daytox where you don't go stay, just get help as needed & on an in/out for an hr. at a time.

I also have one of those bean bags to wrap around my neck that I keep in the freezer.  Wearing it as a hat proved a challenge & completely ruined my hair do - turning it into a do not - but that did help.

Another weird, albeit helpful thing I did was to put my hands with fingers spread on my head & press fairly hard for about 10 secs & then release.  You have to do this quite a few times but either I squished & numbed the pain area or it provided relief for at least an hr.

If all that fails, give it another wk. or 2 & depending on your relationship with your doctor, he might give you prescription motrin type things.  I would really urge you to avoid getting any scrip for narcotics because then you'll have that monkey to try & keep off your back & you'll have to start fresh on the rebounds.

Mine are MUCH better & have been for over a wk.  Congrats on kicking it.  I know how easy it is to take those & you can take unlimited amounts.  Pretty soon, it's a busload a day.

Keep up the good work & talk to a pharmacist as they usually know more than docs about this stuff.

Best wishes,

Dancing in the Dark
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Avatar universal

Again .. I am a bit off-topic, and have browsed pretty much the entire forum on this subject.

All I want to know is how long this damn headache is going to last. I am over everything else concerning the withdrawal of tylenol w/ codeine (8mg, 20 a day for 2 1/2 years) ... but this ghastly headache just WILL NOT go away! Every day I wake up and it's still there. I've tried taking ibuprofen, normal tylenol without codeine and still it's there all the time.

I'm a pretty healthy person, I work out every day and eat well. I don't understand why it just won't go! HELP!
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Avatar universal
Well, I beg to differ!  Fior. has always given me a "buzz" & added a little pep to my mental & physical step.  In our thread here, not one of us ever felt drowsy - just the opposite, just like me and how it works on headaches is magic. Who wouldn't fall in love with it?

It would seem that while fiorinal makes most people drowsy, it makes some of us ZIP.  A controlled zip, or seemingly so.:-) No doubt explaining why F is our DOC.  

In fact, Mayo Clinic has written about this & has said in a % of ppl, F causes "excitability".

I just don't think NO should switch poisons.  F makes you feel mighty fine & if she's an addict there's a strong probability she'll segue into more frequent usage.  That is, if it floats her boat in any way which I'll bet it does.

Meanwhile, my own boat is sinking.  Hi ho, it's off to the pharmacy I go!

Cheers!

Dancing in the Dark  

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Avatar universal
The good advice of dancinginthedark not withstanding, the butalbital in Fioricet will have an effect approximate to Valium. It's an interesting barbiturate anxiolytic (anti-anxiety drug) that rarely causes sleep. It's named after a Dr Fiori (SP?) who cured severe headaches by treating patients for the accompanying anxiety.

It won't specifically address opiate WD symptoms as such. It contains 50mg of caffeine which will aggravate any diarrhea you may be having from WD. Fioricet is really very pleasant and I'd like some immediately. Sorry, got carried away. I'm trying to catch a buzz right now by smoking some potato chips (it's the Irish in me). But they're only making me want to down some good whisky, read the deliciously dirty parts of Ulysses ("yes I will, yes ..."), and, of course, shoot the British.

Lisbet, you charmer! I'm going to have to write a limerick about you ... LOL

Thomas

P.S. Enabler, me?
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Avatar universal
Hey, Thomas...how can you be such an enabler, but be such a f****** inspiration at the same time...a practicing "user" but a champion of "cleaning up" also????   Don't know - but I do know this - your posts have been a constant inspiration to me. (Could it be because you speak honestly - from one who has "been there")...I have honestly been inspired by your "life experiences"...thank you for not sugar coating them..you are AMAZING ... (but don't get the big-head now...)  heh-heh...Love you, Lisabet
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Avatar universal
What a glutton for punishment you are. Speed? Only an idiot would try that! Besides, it doesn't work. How do I know? Well ... I ... kinda ... tried it. Feels good at first like any speed run, then gets ugly on the flip side. I don't know if it actually impacts your original addiction or WD, but it adds a layer of nastiness none of us needs. I like your mind just the way it is, my friend. Take care of yourself.

Thomas
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Avatar universal
What exactly is butalbital?--I am trying to detox (again) from a 10-12 hydro/oxycodone habit. I was 36 days clean and then approx a month ago the demons emerged and ever since then I've been taking anything I could get my hands on.  The only drug I have access to is a few fiorocets--Will this help with withdrawals?--I can't believe I've allowed myself to get into this mess again. I'm so miserable right now/any wwords of encouragement will be greatly appreciated.  this board is my only support. Thanks to all of you--Will I really ever be able to slay the dragon?
Peace/Love/N.O. Lady
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