Hydrocodone kicking story...part 2

Abstinence:

I took my last dose on a Sunday night.   I slept some that night.   I awoke and called in sick.   I knew what I was doing for the next few days so I called in sick through Wednesday.   I feel that the time off was vital to my recovery.   I treated the 3 days as a vacation.   I couldn’t feel active, of course, but I spent the time watching movies and quietly playing with my children when they were awake.   I played video games during their naps and at night (insomnia, remember).   I ate lots of fruit and some heavy meals to relax me and mitigate the damages of sleep deprivation.  

I started this period taking 1 or 2 Xanax (.5 mg dosage) a day for three days.   However, I am terrified of becoming addicted to benzodiazepines as I have heard the withdrawals can take months or even years and can kill you.   I got a sleep aid on Wednesday night from my father called Sonata.   It is a “non-benzodiazepine” which binds with the same receptors in the brain as benzodiazepines; however it is an extremely short acting drug (1 hour half life).   This means at prescribed dosages, the body eliminates it faster than you can take it.   I slept Wednesday night for the first time since the previous Sunday.  It was only 5 hours, but those of you with chronic insomnia know what a godsend 5 hours can be after several days without sleep.  I got a Sonata prescription Thursday after I woke up.   I also began work that day, however I was not productive at all and went home early on both Thursday and Friday.   I took 20mgs of Sonata on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.   It helped me sleep.   It did not cure my insomnia completely and often it took several hours to get to sleep, but it was better than Xanax at actually putting me to sleep.   The Xanax did help during the taper and those first terrible cold turkey days with the anxiety.   I do suggest it for early withdrawals.  

I also took Tagamet to help with certain aspects of the stomach issues as well as to draw out the effects of the Xanax.    I did not take Tagamet at night after I started Sonata as Tagamet effects the rate of absorption of Sonata which in turn effects the time that it takes the body to be free of that chemical.   Advil did help with some of the body aches.   I smoked cannabis frequently.

I did not take Imodium (immodium) (Loperamide) during abstinence as this chemical is an opiate receptor agonist and I really just wanted to leave those alone for a while.   I am sure that there are those who will claim that this an unnecessary fear, however there are others who will swear they can use it to mitigate withdrawal symptoms other than diarrhea.   This possibility makes me suspicious of its use during abstinence.    I did use it during taper to offset the effects of diarrhea.

After my two half days of work (Thursday and Friday) I went through the weekend with much the same attitude as I had during Monday through Wednesday.   I played with my kids, I played video games, I tried not to watch the clock at night and enjoyed the 5 or so hours of sleep a night that I could squeeze out of the Sonata.   By Sunday, I felt almost normal.   I drank a few beers without any adverse effects (see below) and by Monday I felt completely normal.   I slept Monday night for 7 hours without the Sonata and as of now on Tuesday afternoon, I don’t feel any anxiety or nervousness.

Insomnia, kicking the habit and other central nervous system depressants:

I have chronic insomnia and occasional bouts of acute insomnia.  In fact, part of the attraction of hydrocodone (for me) is the energy in the morning and relaxation at night that it can provide if taken right.   Too much at night can keep me awake, but 5-10 mgs. or so actually helps me sleep long and restfully.  

I found the feelings of anxiousness created by acute insomnia and withdrawals to be quite similar and cross potentiating.   When I am in a state of either withdrawal or acute insomnia I find that some things that normally would knock me out (alcohol, Nyquil gel caps, and perhaps others) actually aggravate the situation and create a feeling of drunken restlessness that is far worse than normal withdrawals or anxiousness created by insomnia.  For those that have taken large amounts of Dramamine or Robitissun Cough Medications, the feeling is similar to that and I found it highly unpleasant.   I find it quite reminiscent of a hard scopolamine buzz.  If you are used to taking Nyquil to help you sleep, I suggest you do not take this during withdrawals as it makes the sensations much worse for me.   The same is true of alcohol.   I have even experienced some of these unpleasant effects with Xanax and Sonata.   So be warned, just because it brings you down normally don’t expect it to bring you down during withdrawals.

How did it feel:

It felt uncomfortable during the day during my taper with the Mepergan for 5 days.  I had some pretty bad nights trying to go to sleep during taper. Thursday night of taper was terrible.   Day 1 of abstinence only got bad towards the evening.   No Sleep.   Day 2 was much worse and I was very anxious.   No Sleep.   Day 3 felt a little better.   5 hours Sleep.   Day 4 was when I started work, I got very anxious during the late afternoon and in fact maybe these were some of the worst times.   Eventually 5 hours sleep.   Day 5 was a little rough during the afternoon.   5 hours sleep.   Day 6 was feeling much better.   5-6 hours of sleep.   Day 7 felt mostly normal.   7 hours sleep.   Day 8 is normal.

[PrettyIs]

Hey, love reading your story...I am on my 10, yep 10th day of being clean from the vikes!!! How are you feeling??? Are you off them now?? I have chronic insomnia also. Undiagnosed. I know if I get something from my Dr. for sleep, I will rely on that. I have almost always had problems sleeping....only at night though!! I can nap in a heartbeat or sleep till 1 or 2 pm if I had no kids, but I do and sleep has ALWAYS been a struggle for me. As a matter of fact, slep and an overall tiredness in the only real issues I am having right now..... I burn also...takes the edges off and does help me to relax. I have had panic attacks in the past. I also have the xanax, but its not working too well for sleep and I'm not goin to take 3 or 4. I am just hoping that soo I can have a decent nights rest. Although between my snoring man and my damn dog, its no wonder I don't get any sleep, theres hardly any room for me on that bed!!!!!  :0)   Sarah    Write back and let us know how you are doing...

[Journeymann]

Thanks for your comments.   I was surprised to have a little echo of the hunger last night.   I thought I was in the clear after Sunday and Monday.   It kept me up till 1:30 or so.   I finally gave in and took some Sonata.   Twice.   Man, I really don’t want to get hooked on sleeping pills.   I skipped the night before and chose an extra short acting medication, but sleep is so involved in psychological addiction…

It sounds like we have very similar circumstances with sleep, substances, etc.  Do alcohol and certain other CNS depressants give you that unpleasant nervous drunk feeling during w/d?   If so I am familiar with 3 things that induce this feeling; alcohol and Nyquil and hydroxyzine, I think it’s called.   It’s another antihistamine.   Does this happen to you and are there any others that you might warn me away from?

I envy your ability to take naps.   I don’t get any natural sleep at all during acute insomnia bouts or during this withdrawal period either, apparently.   Our kids sleep with me and my wife, so I definitely understand the crowded bed issue.   I ended up sleeping many of these last nights in the living room on the futon.   It’s so regular now that I make a bed out there and move most nights after the family has gone to sleep.   Actually, this helps me a little.   Another guy that I know who is going though w/d (my dealer, actually), said he was doing the same thing and that it helped him, as well.

Another factor that helped me was to having a few Mepergan in the medicine cabinet.   I don’t take them, I just have them there and I think it might help with the psychological aspects, a little.   I don’t think I could have Hydrocodone though.   I think I would take that.   I might need to go ahead and get rid of those Meps after a while too, actually.  

I’m a little disappointed about last night.   I thought that those feelings were gone for good.   Also, what about legitimate pain?   I get awful sinus headaches and I had one Monday night and I didn’t take anything but aspirin and it hurt for hours.   The next time I get legitimately hurt, am I going to be able to take opiate receptor agonist medications for pain?   I mean everybody acknowledges that they are the superior pain medications.   Do you start with a clean slate or do you get hooked faster after addiction and detox?

Sorry for whining a little.   I’m just feeling a little frustrated.   I really appreciate the comment.    I hope I didn’t quiz you to much.   Good luck on day 11!