Hydrocodone withdrawal? Help!

[LoKp]

Hello, I'm new here.. Too ashamed to talk to family and friends, or get help from my doctor. I've been reading some of the threads on here and everyone seems so supportive. I am a 24 year old mother (of a beautiful 4 year old boy), and currently going through a divorce. Also, I was diagnosed with crohns disease three years ago, and have had chronic pain ever since. No doctor can figure out how to "fix" me. So I guess they just decided, after two and a half years of conventional methods, to just treat my symptoms. Starting in February of this year, my doctor began prescribing me vicodin, 120 at a time. At first, they lasted me a month. My last prescription lasted me twelve days. I never tried to up my dose, my pain is uncontrollable at times, and when you have that many pills, it's easy to pop an extra one or two every once in awhile. But I feel it's gotten out of control. I was hospitalized three weeks ago for a flare up, on dilaudid and oxycontin for five days, and sent home on percocet. Then I got the vicodin. I just took my last dose this morning, my doctor won't refill my prescription for two more days, and i would like to know what to expect as far as withdrawal symptoms and if there is anyway to make it easier. As far as getting the refill in two days, I'm not sure I'm going to. Yes, I'm a chronic pain patient, but I hate the feeling that I have to rely on something to function. If I do get a refill, I would like to keep my dosage at 4-6 pills at most a day. Anyway, I'm a single mother currently, and I work evenings in the restaurant my family owns. Will the withdrawal keep me from being able to work or take care of my child? What symptoms should I expect? I've already been feeling slightly different.. I've been getting chills, and the next minute I'm sweating horribly. What about gastrointestinal symptoms? Since I have a gastrointestinal disease already that limits my activity, that is something I really worry about. Please, give me as much information as you have, and any tips on getting through this are greatly appreciated. Also, how long will it last? Thank you.

[tgtiffany]

I don't know much about Crohns disease, a friend of mine has it but never talks about it much. Have you talked to your doctor about it at all?  I know that the symptoms you're going through seem all normal though for detox though.  I would try eating something here and there though.  Your body still needs food and water.  Push the water, even though you don't feel like it or "can't"  if you don't, as you know, you will get dehydrated and end up back in the hospital for that on top of everything else.  Even if all you can eat is toast, it's better than nothing.   Try to drink juice or gatorade or pediasure/pedialyte something like that to help with everything that you're body will be losing.  13 hours is a long time :)  Keep your head up okay :)

[LoKp]

Edit; it has been 13 hours since my last dose, not 11. Guess this is making me dumb too. =P

[LoKp]

It has been 11 hours since my last dose.. I'm achy, and keep going from sweating to cold, my eyes are watering, and my stomach (the source of my pain, and the reason I started taking the pills in the first place) is KILLING me. I also have a very bad migraine, and have been in the bathroom a lot.. I'm guessing I just should not eat until this is over? Is all of this normal? My parents helped out with my son today, they just figured it was the usual problem of my crohn's that was keeping me restrained to the couch and bathroom. Which is partly true. I've been falling asleep off and on all day too.. I thought it was supposed to have the opposite affect? Insomnia?
Tapering is not an option for me at this point, as my insurance won't approve a refill until Thursday. At that point, I should be over the worst of it, right?

As far as my crohn's, you name it, I have been on it. My body doesn't respond to steriods, and I'm anemic, so I'm not allowed to take NSAIDs. I had surgery in september of 2008, which is what started this crazy cycle. I got addicted to percocet after that, just by taking them as directed. It was major surgery, and I've heard stomach surgery is some of the most painful to recover from. Hell, if there's a more painful surgery, I don't want to go through it! Recovery was terrible, and I had no choice but to take the pills as often as I was allowed. The surgery wasn't as successful as we hoped, and I continued to have problems. Over three years, I have been hospitalized at least ten times, and in the ER countless times for dehydration and things like that. Getting off percocet after my surgery was almost harder than the recovery process, but I did it. Ever since then though, I have been off and on narcotic painkillers. Last year, for "pain management" my doctor put me on MS contin, 30 mg twice a day. I think she was tired of seeing me in her office.. But honestly I don't want drugs, I want answers. I just want to feel better! Then abruptly stopped the morphine after three months. Somehow, I got through that too, on my own, at that point we were living  across the country from family, my son was  three, and my husband was deployed (navy).

Should I expect my symptoms to get worse? Also, I was diagnosed with PTSD two years ago after being raped three times in my life. I have a lot of anxiety as is, this is making it worse. I take 45 mg of a benzo called clorazepate every night to help me get to sleep and control my panic attacks. It's controlled release, so it stays in my system for 24 hours. After being on it so long, I developed a tolerence for that too, so my psychiatrist gave me a prescription for ambien, for the really bad nights. I can't take them together, I know that, and I haven't taken an ambien in about two months. I was just wondering which would be better to get me to sleep tonight. (if I take the ambien, I take half of my dose of clorazepate in the early morning so that I don't panic all day) any opinions?

Thank you for all of your replies, suggestions, and support. It's great to be able to talk to non-judgemental people about this. =)

[thisisreallygettingold]

I know this will be very hard, but you need to tell Dr. everything you told us. If he is a good Dr. he will help you. I quit several times, but I was not serious until I told my Dr. Don't be ashamed of this, that is the power the addiction has over you. It is like a weight off your shoulders when you come clean, and post here often. These are some of the best people on the planet. God bless

[cleaninitup]

Welcome and we are here to help you.I m alittle worried about your crohns and that I feel is going to hit you hard. You have been taking drugs that basically slow down your large intestine ect and now it is going to go into overdrive.I would be weary of taking immodium but that decision is yours. There are none narcotic solutions to crohns, my hub has had for 15 yrs, I am surprised that they havent had you on steriods or nsaids this whole time.And with my ibs  I have some meds that target the intestines specifically, hyocosomine and as far as i can find on the internet not a narcotic but not 100% sure.Good luck and best wishes on the next few days, you may find that after being off them for a few days you may not need as many as you thought.

[kmo2626]

I haven't commented a lot since I stopped my Vicodin last Friday. I'm doing ok, have kept myself hydrated, had baths for the aches, its getting eased but the weekend was tough, I'm not going to lie. Working with a small child is no doubt going to be hard. Is tapering an option for you? I personally don't agree with the tapering method if it can be avoided simply because in my case I don't have the willpower. Do you have any family that can help you if you are down sick a few days?

[tgtiffany]

Hi and welcome :)  This site is awesome and you will find lots of support here.  Okay, so how many pills were you taking per day... approximately 10?   There are a lot of symptoms that you might get, but like onandoffuser said, it varies person to person.  I'm gonna post two links one for the Thomas Recipe and one for the Amino Acid Protocol that might help you with any symptoms that you might get.  

http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Addiction/Thomas-Recipe-Re-Posted/show/16?cid=66

http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Addiction/Amino-Acid-Protocol/show/15?cid=66

I know it must be hard going through a divorce on top of all of this but just keep your head up and you'll be okay :)

[onandoffuser]

hey well everyone is different but i get chills and i can t wait and i get the worst mood swings ever  but it usaly only last 3 days for me. if you need help you can pm. i will try my bets to help you with any of your questions