Aa
Need Advice Asap PLEASE
I have been taking 10mg lortab for the past 6 years. I have tried to taper off several different times and I get down to 1 a day and then never quit and start back taking 8 a day. I want to just go cold turkey. I want to wake up in the morning and never take one again. Is this safe? That is the main thing I am concerned with is my health. I dont want to hurt myself. What will I go through and can I do this at home by myself? I have the next 4 days off and I want to do it then. Thanks and please help:)). Much love:)
Hi..More Support here..I did a w/d from those back in the 90s it does ease up quick..I had to do this again almost 9 months ago off of the Methadone & 2 other drugs..I am no young chic so it did take some time..I too wish I would of found this form and all of its support and information here on MH before I already had almost 3 months in.
I would talk to the Dr if it was me..Considering Health issues..Only because they can give you Clonidine that use alot to help ease the w/ds and help sleep..I really only used that one for a couple of weeks and I suffered before I broke..Also they have a med called Buspar..It is a very light anxiety pill used during this time..It is no-addictive and it is not strong but it helps down the line.After you get over the Hump all the natural things are the way to go..I wish you the Best and we are here..The detox is so short lived compared to all the years we used!!
Bless
I would talk to the Dr if it was me..Considering Health issues..Only because they can give you Clonidine that use alot to help ease the w/ds and help sleep..I really only used that one for a couple of weeks and I suffered before I broke..Also they have a med called Buspar..It is a very light anxiety pill used during this time..It is no-addictive and it is not strong but it helps down the line.After you get over the Hump all the natural things are the way to go..I wish you the Best and we are here..The detox is so short lived compared to all the years we used!!
Bless
You are very welcome! You CAN do this! As long as you are fully committed and have made up your mind to be done with this garbage once and for all you will THRIVE! Time to start living again! Bravo!
Thank you!! That was some really good information and I appreciate it so much. I will keep in touch and let you know how it goes. Im going to re-read your post again. Talk to you soon. much love:) congrats to you:)
Correction.......I don't read "medication" books.....I read meditation/recovery devotionals each morning. LOL
Welcome to the forum, girl.....and CONGRATS on this decision to change your life! And also YEAH for DAY ONE!!!
I remember having some of the very same concerns/fears that you have expressed. I was on more than one Rx drug when I went cold turkey, but my MAIN doc (drug of choice) was hydrocodone as well. I took them/was taking them for about the same amount of time as you (5-6 yrs) and averaged 8-10/pills (10 mg)/day and at my worst up to 20-30/pills/day. I, too was afraid I could not or should not w/draw at home for fear something medical would happen to me and that it would not be safe. Let me just tell ya.....I DID ct (cold turkey) from 3 meds at once....at home....and even though I "felt like I was gonna die" at times (lol).....I was told that I would not die or have any life threatening worries as long as I didn't have a health history of heart issues, hypertension, diabetes, etc.
If you haven't found our Health Pages here on this forum....they will bless your socks off to read and read.....and learn and learn. If you scroll down to the bottom and look for "most viewed health pages"...you can then click on "see more" and read any and all the articles you want. Reading about the Thomas Recipe and the Amino Acid Protocol will really help you.
Also, there are articles about experiences of other recovering opiate addicts and their experiences there.
You have already rec'd a lot of good tips and advise. I would say make sure you have lots of clean sheets, towels, cotton pj's, tshirts, etc.
I surrounded myself in pillows, and lived with a full length hot pad for days.
There are TONS of tips about things you can buy, take or drink to assist you thru the intial detox stage.
Don't be shy about getting on here and asking ANY questions you have....or just vent......or share. That's what this is: A SITE FOR SUPPORT!!!
I was 55 days clean before I found this forum, so I didn't have all these built up fears about w/drawing......I was just determined to get r done. I started a little notebook and wrote down all that I was experiencing and feeling while I was in my detox.....it has proved invaluable to go back and read....and while I was slap dab in the middle of detox....I could look at the day or two before and see that at least one or two "things" were getting better. It was encouraging to me.
You just need to "be ok with not being ok" for a bit. Just surrender to "having the flu bug for a bit". If I had a dr's appt that was not necessary (in relationship to my w/drawals) at Day 4, I probably would cancel and reschedule until I had about 2 weeks of healing accomplished. That's just ME. There are some Rx meds that your Primary Care Dr can prescribe to make your w/d a bit more tolerable and comfortable, but I made it thru without knowing about them....so I didn't do that but many peeps DO decide to get their dr involved in the process.
Three things that will guarantee success in opiate addiction and recovery:
I call them the 3 "S's" for success:
Sources
Secrets
Support
You need to eliminate ALL sources for more pills. My dr's and my dentist all know. You can't take something you "don't" have access to. And your brain WILL try to convince you that "taking just one" will help you.....it's WON'T....in fact, it will just set you back. Your pain receptors are gonna be stripped of something they have been used to having for a LONG time, and they will be screaming at you to take a pill. Rebound pain is VERY common for most of us and we hurt worse for a bit until more healing occurs. We don't need a safety net or a "back up plan" if we are TRULY done taking opiates. It is critical (imo) to "share your secret of addiction" with those close to you (at least someONE) which will give you accountability....secrets make us sick. Lastly, get some kind of support. I also read recovering medication books/thoughts each morning which helps me tremendously.
Lastly, learning that our brains truly ARE different and understanding addiction (imo) is critical. I would recommend two web sites: the first one is "hbo.com/addiction" There are 6 tabs/links at the top...which then open many more links and articles and short videos that explain addiction. I LOVE that web site and continue to go back to it ALL the time. One of my favorite tabs at the top...is click on "understanding addiction" and then you will get more and more things to click on....like understanding the "myths of addiction". The tab for "Stigmas of Addiction" is great, too. Heck....I guess I just value ALL of them, hahaha!
The other one is to go to "you tube" and type in Pleasures Unwoven....it will allow you to preview 8 different video/clips by Dr. Kevin McCauley who is a recovering addict himself. He has devoted his life to understanding addiction and has used the landscape of Utah to help explain what makes "addicts" different from "non-addicts".
Definitely hang around this forum. There is usually SOME ONE awake or available. Lots of love, support, wisdom and fun around here. We all have one thing in common here......we are powerless over "some" substance....and have chosen to stop abusing it.
Blessings to you, girl.......
Connie
I remember having some of the very same concerns/fears that you have expressed. I was on more than one Rx drug when I went cold turkey, but my MAIN doc (drug of choice) was hydrocodone as well. I took them/was taking them for about the same amount of time as you (5-6 yrs) and averaged 8-10/pills (10 mg)/day and at my worst up to 20-30/pills/day. I, too was afraid I could not or should not w/draw at home for fear something medical would happen to me and that it would not be safe. Let me just tell ya.....I DID ct (cold turkey) from 3 meds at once....at home....and even though I "felt like I was gonna die" at times (lol).....I was told that I would not die or have any life threatening worries as long as I didn't have a health history of heart issues, hypertension, diabetes, etc.
If you haven't found our Health Pages here on this forum....they will bless your socks off to read and read.....and learn and learn. If you scroll down to the bottom and look for "most viewed health pages"...you can then click on "see more" and read any and all the articles you want. Reading about the Thomas Recipe and the Amino Acid Protocol will really help you.
Also, there are articles about experiences of other recovering opiate addicts and their experiences there.
You have already rec'd a lot of good tips and advise. I would say make sure you have lots of clean sheets, towels, cotton pj's, tshirts, etc.
I surrounded myself in pillows, and lived with a full length hot pad for days.
There are TONS of tips about things you can buy, take or drink to assist you thru the intial detox stage.
Don't be shy about getting on here and asking ANY questions you have....or just vent......or share. That's what this is: A SITE FOR SUPPORT!!!
I was 55 days clean before I found this forum, so I didn't have all these built up fears about w/drawing......I was just determined to get r done. I started a little notebook and wrote down all that I was experiencing and feeling while I was in my detox.....it has proved invaluable to go back and read....and while I was slap dab in the middle of detox....I could look at the day or two before and see that at least one or two "things" were getting better. It was encouraging to me.
You just need to "be ok with not being ok" for a bit. Just surrender to "having the flu bug for a bit". If I had a dr's appt that was not necessary (in relationship to my w/drawals) at Day 4, I probably would cancel and reschedule until I had about 2 weeks of healing accomplished. That's just ME. There are some Rx meds that your Primary Care Dr can prescribe to make your w/d a bit more tolerable and comfortable, but I made it thru without knowing about them....so I didn't do that but many peeps DO decide to get their dr involved in the process.
Three things that will guarantee success in opiate addiction and recovery:
I call them the 3 "S's" for success:
Sources
Secrets
Support
You need to eliminate ALL sources for more pills. My dr's and my dentist all know. You can't take something you "don't" have access to. And your brain WILL try to convince you that "taking just one" will help you.....it's WON'T....in fact, it will just set you back. Your pain receptors are gonna be stripped of something they have been used to having for a LONG time, and they will be screaming at you to take a pill. Rebound pain is VERY common for most of us and we hurt worse for a bit until more healing occurs. We don't need a safety net or a "back up plan" if we are TRULY done taking opiates. It is critical (imo) to "share your secret of addiction" with those close to you (at least someONE) which will give you accountability....secrets make us sick. Lastly, get some kind of support. I also read recovering medication books/thoughts each morning which helps me tremendously.
Lastly, learning that our brains truly ARE different and understanding addiction (imo) is critical. I would recommend two web sites: the first one is "hbo.com/addiction" There are 6 tabs/links at the top...which then open many more links and articles and short videos that explain addiction. I LOVE that web site and continue to go back to it ALL the time. One of my favorite tabs at the top...is click on "understanding addiction" and then you will get more and more things to click on....like understanding the "myths of addiction". The tab for "Stigmas of Addiction" is great, too. Heck....I guess I just value ALL of them, hahaha!
The other one is to go to "you tube" and type in Pleasures Unwoven....it will allow you to preview 8 different video/clips by Dr. Kevin McCauley who is a recovering addict himself. He has devoted his life to understanding addiction and has used the landscape of Utah to help explain what makes "addicts" different from "non-addicts".
Definitely hang around this forum. There is usually SOME ONE awake or available. Lots of love, support, wisdom and fun around here. We all have one thing in common here......we are powerless over "some" substance....and have chosen to stop abusing it.
Blessings to you, girl.......
Connie
You're more than welcome! For me the chills were only at night. I had them really bad and would sweat really bad. It felt like I had the flu with a really bad fever. That only lasted for a couple of days though.
your brave to go through this on the road in a truck! thats amazing! Did you have really bad chills? Mine are so bad. Bad part is that I havent even began for real. Thanks for talking to me it helps. I know I can do this. Thanks:)
Yes, take that immodium! Keep the tummy under control or you very well may end up on the pot all day!! Everyone's different, but I felt better after 3 days. It was like at the end of the 3rd day a calm came over me. It's been getting better and better since then. And remember I did this in a semi truck, so no bathtub to soak in, no getting out to move around and walk for 11 hours straight, no potty available upon demand! It was very rough and I thought I was going to die a couple of times, but I made it through just fine, Don't let me scare you either. You will not be praying for death like I was. It was more a situational thing than a withdrawl thing. Post those symptoms and talk to us as much as you need to. It helps a lot. I am here for you. Feel free to PM me if you need to talk or have questions. ---Angela
your words are so encouraging!! I just keep telling myself that I KNOW i can do this. I have chills, light stomach cramps, and watery eyes and nose and Im not even a full day in. Is this normal? thanks chick:)
Thank you. Should I be looking for day 4 to feel better. I have to get some Imodium asap. my stomach....thats all i will say:)
Congratulations!! Thats amazing. If you dont mind me asking how long were you on them and how many were you taking? I have a Drs appt out of town on Thursday which will be my 4th day. I am going with my mom...(its not a medical dr its a botox dr) Do you think I will be able to go or should i say I have a virus? I just dont know but the physical is really kicking in.
Hi, I wanted to offer my support. I'm on almost 2 weeks clean. If I can do it ( big baby) YOU can do it. Just push through the first 3-4 days. Then it gets easier as far as the physical. Please make sure you get the IMMODIUM. Omg I would have died without that. LOL. Good luck, , stay hydrated and come vent here and keep us updated!
Like arilet13 said It is very safe to do at home, I even talked to a ER doctor not to long ago about it and he said you may feel like hell but it wont kill you.. Everything your expierencing is normal, DO NOT BE AFRAID TO PRIVATE MESSAGE someone and ask all the questions you can, that's what were here for, this will only be a short time in your life, you gave 5 years to the pills, its not much to ask to give 5 days to get clean! ... There's a lot of people on this bored that was either taking a higher dose (some 30-50 pills a day) and may have also W/D from more then one drug such as Norco, meth, or any kind of mixture...
Im not saying that your withdrawal is not important compared to others Im saying YOU CAN DO IT! Just take the symptoms as they come, don't fret on whats to come and try to keep your mind busy,I personally liked watching movies, standup comedy was my favorite!
Im not saying that your withdrawal is not important compared to others Im saying YOU CAN DO IT! Just take the symptoms as they come, don't fret on whats to come and try to keep your mind busy,I personally liked watching movies, standup comedy was my favorite!
You will be fine. The symptoms will probably start to peak in the next day or so. There will be times that you feel rough but it's all normal. Just hang in there and post all of your symptoms as they come. We can help you to get through the acute withdrawls.
I have been taking 10mg lortab for the past 6 years. I have tried to taper off several different times and I get down to 1 a day and then never quit and start back taking 8 a day. I want to just go cold turkey. I want to wake up in the morning and never take one again. Is this safe? That is the main thing I am concerned with is my health. I dont want to hurt myself. What will I go through and can I do this at home by myself? I have the next 4 days off and I want to do it then. Thanks and please help:)). Much love:)
Ok! Thank you. I just wanted to make sure Im not running some kind of health risk. Should there be a point where I would need to seek a Dr? I mean like are there things I need to look for that is NOT normal. Im yawning, eyes watering, and chills and this is the beginning of Day1.
It is fine to do at home. The only time it isn't fine is if you have some pre-existing ailment like high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes. Then you would want to involve your doctor. Have you talked with your doctor about quitting, and about your reservations? Maybe just talking with him/her would ease your mind a little. It never hurts to involve the professionals. Hang in there. We have all been right where you are now and know how scary and intimidating it can be. You can do this! We want to help you through it!
I know this is silly me asking you again. But are you sure this is OK for me to do at home? Ive been on the meds for 5-6 years. Im just getting nervous but I know yall have been through it so let me know what you think. Thanks so much for your encouraging words. They mean everything to me right now. Thanks......:)
thanks soooo much. I start crying when thinking of my daughter. Love you:) I will talk to you tomorrow:)
please do keep in touch!! I'm only a PM a away! we are here for you, we know what your feeling and we are here to help every step of the way! wait till you see all the beauty you've missed, its breath taking, I noticed things that I hadn't in almost 2 years, the colors, the smells, the quirks of my children and let me tell you it makes it all worth the shot 2-5 days of symptoms..
I was on them for about a year and a half. Started after I was in a rollover accident that totally crippled my back. Yes, please keep us posted. Let us know what symptoms you have and we can give you tips on ways to help them. Don't stress over how bad the wds may or may not be. That will make you anxious and make everything so much worse. Just try to go with the flow, and you will feel better in a few days.
Thats awesome! Congratulations! I will keep you posted on how I am doing! How many years were you on them? This is so encouraging thanks for your feedback.
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