My body is craving more Norcos...

[J_WW]

I have tapered down to one Norco today so far trying to only take unless I can't take the pain.

What kind of symptoms happen to the body when you quit Vicodin or Norcos? How did you get through those times?

Thanks for the input!

[J_WW]

thank you again for your support. you are right i need to flush the Norco but not ready yet. Call me weird but I find it a challenge to have them and not take them. I am going away tomorrow until Tuesday and am not bringing them with me. This will mark the first time in nearly 5 years that I have not left home without them and I can hardly wait. I have always had an extreme sense of will power as long as I am honest with myself and everyone around me. your also right that if the pain gets so bad where I can not take it my doctor will give me more. God forbid that from happening!!!!!!! Today is day 2 and overall I feel pretty good, just really tired. In fact the most tired I have felt yet. I woke up at 7am to get my kids off to school and laid down and fell asleep again, just woke up a little after 12noon. I can tell my body really needed that. I am going to go for a long walk here in a moment to try and regain some energy.

[worried878]

the fact that u r thinking about flushing is good...chronic back patient here as well DDD and a fusion...surgeon suggesting another...so yes..i can always feel like i have a reason to take them..point is i have decided that that will not be my mode of pain mgt...if it comes down to it i will reassess later but that will be another time and another place...stashing 30 pills is not gonna help much at all except temptation to take them...it will tempt u and if u use u will feel like a loser...and sometimes feeling like a big fat loser is worse than my back pain...if i could use as prescribed and if a normal amount would actually help me...that would be another story...we r unfortunate to be addicts and chronic pain patients as well...really sux!...but it is our challenge to find modes that work and dont kill us or turn us into criminals in the process of getting pain relief...if u get to the point to where u can not walk due to ur pain...ur doctor will give u some more....give it a good clean shot

[Mandapanda17]

congrats!!!! :) Keep going and stay strong, hope you have an okay day and can get some sleep tonight! Read my post about melatonin. take care!

[J_WW]

I am doing good. thanks for the support everyone. almost 3pm and no pills today. day 1 1/2 way through.  all that stuff in the Amino Acid p/c seems to be working my body is not freaking out too much. I've been working and sweating it all out since 8am and am going to take a breather for a while.

On a scale of 1-10, I feel like a 5 or 6. tomorrow should be even better! I'll let you all know how I feel before I go t bed. Thanks again for all of your support and wonderful comments.

I have told my wife to stash the Norcos and not to give them to me unless I can't walk or something serious happens. I may flush them in a few days or so. I don't ever want to take another pain killer.

[Mandapanda17]

how are you doing? Careful with the stash... I flushed mine on day 3. glad I did, I didn't want them on day 3, but I know if I would've kept them longer, I probably would've eaten them by now. It seems we forget so quickly how bad the w/d's were! Hope you're doing well, keep up the positive attitude!!!!!

[mr.lucky66]

I could never have any pills around and not take them but maybe some can. Do you have chronic pain? If so, I would hate to see you suffer through withdrawls and have to take narcotics later.

[Sunnyd210]

U are doing awesome!!!! A big high 5 from me!!!! I wouldnt keep the pills around though I understand why you want to but Im going to tell you what I think was the best thing I ever heard on my journey to get out of the norco hell 1 PILL IS TOO MUCH AND 1000 WOULD NEVER BE ENOUGH!!!!!

[Cupp78]

Each person is different.  But, I have a similar situation to yours.  I had the same back problems and finally had to have a 3 level spinall fusion.  I am only 30 yrs old.  I know that if I had them around, the temptation would be very great to say "Well my back hurts...I need to take these."  And that would start everyhting all over.  I have tried to quit many times, but relapsed b/c I never was honest with myself or my doctor.  I always let myself use the excuse that I was hurting and needed them.  THIS TIME however, I told my Dr. and my wife that I really could get by without them and to NEVER prescribe them for me...no matter what I call him saying.  Closing that door and removing the pills was a HUGE weight off my mind.  No more thinking, "Well with one call I could feel better again."  That is what got me in trouble before.  Be very careful having them around...it makes it way too easy to just take one...and we all know that one is too many and a thousand never enough.  Stay strong...you are doing great being able to taper.  I never could.  I would take way more than I should if they were there.

Good luck and God bless.  You can beat this!!!

[J_WW]

Today will be my first day without any prescription pills. Yes I do have some Norcos left (about 30) but have stashed them and WILL NOT use them. At least regularly like I have been!

I am not ready to get rid of them yet. I don't know if you have read any of my previous posts, but I have had two major back injuries, surgery and have Degenerative discs disease and I really do suffer from severe chronic back pain. This is the hardest part for me. I suppose I should seek pain management now.

I guess I am afraid I will have another back injury and might need them at some point, I don't know! I do know that my history of back pain goes back nearly 20 years. I am currently a California Landscape & Masonry Contractor. These are very physical trades and I AM afraid I will relaps with back pain again. I hurt right now, but am determined not to take any pain killers unless I can't walk.

Am I really setting myself up to fail if I take this approach???

[worried878]

great...congrats!////do u still have any pils in ur house or possession?   dont set urself up to fail...set urself up to win

[J_WW]

Ok, I think I am ready to quit tomorrow morning. I just returned from the health food store and loaded up on the Amino Acid Protocol. Just took my first dose of amino's

Thank you for all of your advise and sharing your experiences with me. I am going to STOP TOMORROW. Today I had 1 - 10mg Norco.

I tried to sweat out as much as I could today by splitting 6 cords of wood. I am in a lot of back pain from all that now but not going to take anymore killers!!!

[laurel453]

hahah, i want to forget being so emotional too but i hope not with testosterone in my case!

but you're so right.  i quitted last year but relapsed. anyway, i did it ct then as now ( day 9 for me today ) but this time i'm taking  some of the stuff from the thomas recipe or the aminos and they are making everything  better  for me now. it's really a help. And also reading the experiences from  the great people that are here, all of you, thanks to all !.

[JNT70]

I tapered down to 2 a day then quit, on day 5 I started the Amino Acid Protocol and today is day 8 and I feel great!  I felt much better overnight with the amino acids; it’s a must as far as I’m concerned.

I can’t believe how free I feel, not having to worry where your next pills are coming from or the constant sneaking around to hide/find your hidden stash.  And I feel the same all day!

I’m still feeling some MINOR symptoms of a cold, little trouble sleeping and way too emotional.  I think I need a shot of testosterone; I tear up at the craziest things.  Anyone on this, how soon will this pass, kinda embarrassing.  

You’ve got this, it’s the best thing you will ever do and once on the other side you will cheer!!

[Mandapanda17]

you're doing so well!! let us know what you decide to do tomorrow!! :) ttys

[J_WW]

Thank you for your support! I am feeling a little better today. I had some pretty painful stomach pains last night but made it through the night without taking anymore pills. I took one this morning and I think that will be it. Mornings so far are the worst! have about 30 - 10mg Norcos left but have an incredible sense of will power. I am confident that I can do this now. I took one yesterday and 1 1/2 the day before. So I am almost ready to quit. Just waiting for my body to not give me such pains.

I have been on these for nearly 5 years and my body is quite use to them. My mind is stronger!

I am going to go for zero my tomorrow, hopefully.

[worried878]

maybe time to jump off...go for it....how many pills do u have for the "in case i have pain"?   when u decide to quit u gotta let them go...my daughter is going thru a divorce and i gave her a book called   The Language of Letting Go....distancing from the one u love is part of it...it is hard to let go when the person or object u r letting go is right in front of u

[Mandapanda17]

you are doing great!!!!! You are very strong for being able to do this taper. I think you may have been through some of the worst of it already once you're down to 0! :) keep up the good work!!

[J_WW]

yes I am having dirrehea. I'll try the immodium AD thanks for the stomach cramps. Starting tomorrow I'll do the 1 a day for a couple more days. Thanks a lot! J_WW

[road2recovery]

Are you having dirrehea?  If i were you, i would take some immodium AD, I liked the liquid, and it helped with the stomach cramps too....

Congrats on being able to taper that is great...If I could of tapered i would of, if i were you i would stay at that one for about 3 days, then go to 1/2 etc....

[J_WW]

Oh ya, I just took down the Amino Acid Protocal and am going to go an load up in a few.

[J_WW]

Yes you read me from 6 to 1 a day, thank you! I am having stomach pains, sweating and tired when hardly doing anything.  I don't know if I am having stomach pains or if it's my body telling me it wants more!

I did do a fast taper (I think, not sure). 9 days ago I was taking 6  day, then wento 4 a day all last week, last Friday I was taking four, Saturday and Sunday I took 2, Monday I took 1 & 1/2 and today so far I took 1.

What do you think?

[road2recovery]

I think i read you went from 6 a day to 1 right??  What kind of symptoms are you having besides the cravings?

I was on a much high dose then you when i quit c/t, so your symtops may not be too bad...Did you do a fast taper??
Do you have to work through this?