Narcotic withdrawl help

[FaithHopeLove1969]

Hi there everyone... I`m ecstatic that I found this forum and I`m hoping that it`s more active than it looks - it would be nice to find a support group online with struggling addicts, like myself.  My story is a complicated one - it started with a major depression in 2009 that landed me in a psychiatric ward for a week.  Antidepressants are helping, but one of the major factors in my depression was a bleeding fibroid that led to a hysterectomy 6 months after my hospitalization.  I had had a problem with drug use when I was younger but I had been clean for several years before this.  Post-op, obviusly I was on narcotics to control the pain and when I went home, I had a prescription to help control the pain at home.  When the dilaudid ran out, I thought that was the end of it.  But two days after I finished taking them, I felt like my depression was coming back, in spades - I was nauseated, crying, chilled then boiling hot, nose running, coughing - it alost felt like I had the flu.  I went to se my psychiatrist, who clearly said that it was withdrawl.  Instead of letting me go though the rest of the withdrawl, which at this point would have been only a few more days of yuckky feelings, he precribed more narcotics to wean me off slowly.  We tried 3 times to wean me off in the next 6 months and were never successful - I finally went back into the psychiatric ward to wean me off in a controlled environment.  It was difficult, but I was finally off them affter 11 days, and was clean for 3 months after that.  Somehow, I got some more narcotics, and started taking them again, and since then, I`ve been trying to wean off them by myself, with the help of my husband.  But it`s not working.  Just to get up in the morning, I have to take some dilaudid or oxycodone or codeine and then after about 15-20 minutes I feel normal again,  It`s like they fill the hole I have in my belly, and I can focus better and have more patience.  I`ve never gotten to the point where I feel they`re out of control, but they do run my life.  I am a very functional addict but I know I can be just as functional without them, as I lived many years without them and was just fine (despite the depression).  Does anybody have any suggestons?

[FaithHopeLove1969]

Hey guys,
Life is going... functional to the point that I can pass through the days hardly unscathed.  For badshadow: They left the ovaries in and actually the hysterectomy helped in in that I no longer bleed to death every 28 days, but there is always a possibility that a hormonal change happens.
I won't lie - when we were weaning me off, I was always taking more than I should and of course when we got down to almost the end, the withdrawl was worse and worse each day.  The problem is, I have access to them and staying off will always be a challenge.  I've never altered my meds, but I've tried so many narcotics (codeine, morphine, dilaudid, hydromorphone) and have ingested and injected.  I have a feeling this will be a lifelong struggle, but I also am aware that my usage is related to my anxiety.  I have clonazepam for that,and it helps, but I just started reading a great book called: "Heal Thyself" by Olivier Ameisen, M.D., who was an alcoholic and he detoxed and uses baclophen ( a muscle relaxant) to help with his anxiety and cravings.  I'm going to ask my psychiatrist about it.
Thanks guys... write back!

[Cris718]

how are you guys doing today???  

[lesson_learned]

I understand too, I'm being weaned currently, but am pushing myself to take even less than directed. I'm teetering at 3-4 a day. I see the Subox doctor on Friday. I got busted with my doc for altering my meds (i won't lie, for a stronger effect.) While I did so for a pretty big reason,(that morning I had to have a biopsy.) I was scared anxious and by mouth wasn't cuttin it. So I foolishly took a fellow addict's advice. He said he never got in trouble for doing it, well I think now it's only cause he didn't get busted. Course he never will either, cause pain clinics don't go lookin' up your nose. I'm a fool and an addict. I hope you do better than I currently. As for me, I'm gonna lay it all on the table with my doc on Friday. My doc was all surprised, and I said to her: when I came in here, I TOLD you I was an addict. I told you I needed help, you just gave me more drugs. It took THAT to make her call the soboxone doc.

[badshadow]

I feel for you, because I'm in withdrawal hell too right now.  I also suffer from Depression and Anxiety, and the withdrawals really make my Anxiety go through the roof.  My Dr. has also suggested the Klonopin, Clonodine, and Promethiazine, but since I'm still tapering I'm saving those Meds for when  I finish tapering off the Opiates.

Having a Hysterectomy would leave almost any woman depressed I think, especially if they removed your Ovaries and you are now in Menopause.

Please don't give up and give in to this vicious thing.  Remember, you "have" gotten off them before.  Go easy on yourself, give yourself a chance.  I know it seems like the withdrawals go on forever, but they do end eventually, and then you will have your life back.

I say these things to help myself also for that day soon when I will take my last pill.

[lmccoy]

There seems to be alot of depression/addiction out there. I am one of the people with serious problems with both. Its tricky, but the bottom line is if the narc.s are calling to you and running your life/schedual you need to get off them. It is much more doable than most people think. Just take the time to read some of the peoples experiences here. Lots and lots of successful quiters. No matter what the details of our addiction the answer seems to always be the same. You must quit, stay quit and if you want it there is alot of help avalible. You just don't get to dictate what kind it is or if it is exactly what you want. I have had better luck quiting that I ever thought possible and this site, AA, NA and a few friends are the only help I had. You can do it, and this site normaly responds better than it has to your post today. Don't know what happend here. You can get clean and it will be wonderfull.

[Cris718]

I just went to the doctor yesterday for help getting off Lortabs.  he gave me several options, one of them weaning off, though he did say he wasn't crazy about this approach.  And honestly I was at the point where I didn't want another one of those pills in my mouth.  He put me on a combination of  Klonipin, Clonidine, and Promethazine (last one for naseua).

I, like you was a functional addict, they made me feel like I could do anything, but then they seemed to turn on me.

Some people just white knuckle through it.  You have to find what works best for you.  I suggest you go back to your doctor and ask for Subxone (I believe that's how you spell it)  He gave me some info on that also, the sucess rate is awesome, but i couldn't afford it.  I wish you the best, the very best and pray you find a way out.