how long before you can go without lortabs

[helpless71]

My husband is addicted to lortab. He hurt his back a couple years ago at work. When he went to the Dr. we found out that he had back probs that would require surgery. Since he's so young we were told it would be best to hold out as long as possible. He was given a script of lortabs and sent on his way. Little did I know it was the beginning of a nightmare! About a year ago he came to me and said he was taking way to many and couldn't go a day without them. He went to the Dr. and was perscribed Suboxen. Which evidently did not work because he was arrested two months ago for illegally purchasing them. Up until that point I thought he was still taking the suboxen (not knowing it was not a long term med.) He then confessed that he had been taking about 20 a day. My question is now that he's been without them for two months should his craving be under control? If not how long will it be before he can resist the temptation. I realize that the urge to take them may always be there, but at some point it should be easier for him to deal with, right?

[dovecottage]

thank you for your kind words as i hope hubby stays clean. it is so easy to go back they are cheap, legal w a script, odorless and to top it off make you feel great!!! these are some of the reasons it sooo hard to stay off them. I had my back fused in jan. after a car aacid and have been on themsince, i found out that in about 3 weeks i have to have yet morre surgery because one of the screws in my spine is coming loose!! do i have a screw loose....yes i do. i worry what type of meds they will give me. i am telling my doc that i am in recovery. thanks 4 urthoughts and i wish u all the best....dove

[helpless71]

His withdraws were really bad this time because he had no help. When he stopped before he was perscribed suboxen and said that the withdraws were much less severe. He did however still have the "craving" for them pretty badly.  I'm not sure how long he was really clean last time, I do know this time it took about a week or so before he could get through the day without being "Sick". Though I'm can't imagine how hard it must be to get through, I feel it must be worth it in the end because I feel like I have the "old" him back and he seems to be doing very well. I'm not sure how much this helps but I wish you the best of luck, and from what I've seen with him 3 days is wonderful. You should be very proud of yourself!!!!

[dovecottage]

what were his withdrawls like? i am 3 days into my detox it has been bad good luck to ur family

[Greatgreebo]

He needs to get some kind of counseling or aftercare....addiction is a disease and it never goes away. I've been on this forum since 2007 and have relapsed several times because I've always tried to do it on my own. I've finally figured it out and am getting into counseling. He needs to get help with his addictive thinking, his triggers, his emotions, everything. We don't start using and abusing because everything is great in our lives...there is some emotional pain somewhere that we are self medicating. It's great he has gone 2 months without using.....are you sure he isn't using? Is he being drug tested? Us addicts are SNEAKY, so don't just take our word for it.
Get him some help and understand the temptation will always be there....he needs to learn to resist the temptation, forever.
Once things start getting 'easier' for him, that is when he is most vulnerable because we get comfortable and let our guard down. Don't lose hope.....get him the counseling, NA, therapy, aftercare he needs to understand his disease.
Good luck and stay strong,
Greatgreebo