Starting Detox - help

Hey - I'm going to start detoxing from Norco soon.  I have had 3 shoulder reconstructions, the last one being a week and a half ago.  I also developed fibromyaliga about a year ago.  I've been on them for 3 years, increasing in dosage until reaching 15+/day.  I've known I need to do this for a while but it looks like fate is forcing my hand as I'm out and can't get any more.  Basically, I am scared to death of the withdrawal.  I'm also very concerned that detoxing is going to cause a fibro flare.  But I can't call my pain doc because I am not due for a refill for another week.

I'm still on home on medical leave and have no plans to leave the house for the next several days.  I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions about how to best do this - I've read vitamins, Immodium, and lots of lots of water.  I don't suppose anyone could just render me unconscious for the next several days could you?

Peace,
Peanut

[vicki595]

Hi~ Sorry, we cannot anesthetize you!  LOL
So,when do you plan to stop completely? Now? After the next refill?  You will begin withdrawals before that...
Read"The Thomas Recipe" in the health pages section,upper right of this page.
Post back with any questions...we'll be here for you.
Vicki

[taperme]

Congrats on your decision to do this. I am 33 days off of norco and also have fibro. My fibro pain for the most part has been no worse than when I was taking the norco and except for a couple tough days has been manageable with OTC meds. Any questions you have, feel free to send me a message. Believe me when I tell you that your fears of withdrawal will be worse than the reality. If you are serious about doing this you will be able to. Count on about 5 lousy days with days 2-4 being the hardest. But you CAN do this. We are here to help and you couldn't have found a more informed, supportive group of people. I know I couldn't have done it so easily without this site. Let us know what your plan is and we will try to help.

[taperme]

One more thing...you can call your doctor and tell him/her that you've decided to come off of the norco and would like help. There are things they can prescribe to help with the withdrawals like clonodine which is a blood pressure medicine.

[dominosarah]

First thing i would do is cancel my next refill.     sara

[PeanutG]

Thanks everyone!  I appreciate the replies.  I will check out Thomas's Recipe (assuming I can find it).  Thanks Taperme - it is relieving to know that it didn't cause a fibro flare for you.  I know everyone is different but I'm gonna hold on to that for sure!  

My plan right now is to just manage this at home best as I can.  I would talk to my pain doc about it but he's closed for the weekend.  But I will call him on Monday.

I'm stopping completely now - I am out completely so no time like the present.  I could probably figure out some way to get more but I am not going to.  This has been a long time coming.  Finding myself obsessing about the next refill when I already had one in hand was a huge sign for me that this had become a problem that I needed to address.

I'm scared - but I can do this.  Thanks for the support

Peanut

[vicki595]

Hi~  Just scroll up to the right hand corner. You will see"discussions,health pages,trackers,and members".  Click on health pages and there will be a list of topics.
You'll see Thomas' recipe. Click on that.
Don't be scared...the realty is better than the anticipation.
Yes,and call now to cancel that refill,as Sara suggested. Very important.
Start thinking about support like NA meetings etc...it's a must do!
Keep posting~
Vicki

[taperme]

You can absolutely do this. Do yourself a favor and call the pharmacy and cancel the refill. Stock up on some comfort foods and lots of liquids. Also, go to the drugstore and pick up some Hyland's Restfull Legs just in case you find your legs going crazy at night. An OTC sleep aid and some Motrin and Tylenol would be good too. Maybe rent a bunch of movies or get some books for the weekend and just get as comfortable as you can. If you need to on Monday you can call the doctor and tell them you've come off the meds and are in withdrawal and ask what they can do to help...hopefully you won't need it, but if you do the doctors have seen this a million times and can help. Do you have any support at home? Don't be scared...there's life on the other side! Keep posting!

[worried878]

I feel you pain..also have shoulder issues and a fusion in my neck..missing discs here and there..my spine looks like a really cruddy ladder..I want a spine translant!   LOL....COL  ):
When we start taking extraordinary amounts of narcotics to "relieve " pain...sometimes we must stop and interview ourselves....Is this about pain?  or is this about..I gotta take em or I feel like dog doo doo???
Narcotics do not directly work on pain like ice, anti-inflamatories etc..narcotics interfere with the pain signals to the brain so we just "dont care" as much anymore..unfortunately this feeling of "not caring" can invade other areas of our lives as well
My experience led me to the conclusin that a chronic pain patient is a prime target for addiction..not sayng everyone gets addicted...cos most never do...we r so lucky arent we?  Most addicts get nrg off of narcs..and the general peeps get sleepy....danger sign if narcs make u hyper....and a chronic pain patient gets so very tired...gosh dern//life is hard enuf without hurting all the time

for me it was a choice./..addiction caused me emotional pain....and in reality i was using narcs to function by this time when i stiopped/not for pain anymore

it is a choice

keep posting

[PeanutG]

Thanks all, I'm hanging in there.  Found a couple of codine pills I had stashed away and am trying to stretch them out until I can get in to see my pain doc and discuss tapering or just stopping.  Not sure I'll need to taper by then - might be done with the icky detox by then (I can hope anyway, right - sometimes ignorance is bliss.)  I'm not sure if that's the best thing to do - take one when it gets really bad - but I'm doing the best I can.  I had some terrible RLS last night - will go get some of the above mentioned remedies.  I also found something that seemed to help at least a little - I moved from the bed to the couch.  Slept for a bit anyway.  I also have some muscle relaxants that seem to be keeping most of the worst of it at bay.

I was able to just sit and read for a couple of hours last night which surprised me.  I'm not much of a movie watcher but I'm trying to otherwise stay busy.  Smoking like a crazy woman.  Reminding myself to breath.

Thanks again for the support.

Peanut

[PeanutG]

Getting ready to try to take a nap.  I have a feeling I'm going to get my days and nights all mixed up but I'll deal with that one later.  I finally ate a little something and am no longer in danger of completely passing out everytime I stand up.  I was reading the forum post and had to stop because I nearly burst into tears.  Knowing that others know exactly what I'm going through right now is comforting, although I don't dislike anyone on this earth (or any others for that matter) to wish this on them.  Funny thing - I'm a successful, educated, financially and relatively emotionally stable middle class white woman who got herself into a whole heap o trouble because of legitimate pain issues.  So I'm just like many of you out there.  

The things that have run through my head in the last 3 hours are just unbelievable.  Like getting a gun and trying to hold up the pharmacy.  No worries - I am NOT actually going to do that - would probably end up shooting my car or my own foot - but the point is - that is where my HEAD went!

I quit drinking about 19 months ago and for whatever reason, that was a breeze.  I have the tools to do this.  I KNOW how much better my life has been without alcohol in it, and believe that without this slavery to pills, it will only improve more.  And I have no doubt in my mind that that is what I am - a slave.  

"...So often times it happens, that we live our lives in chains, and we never even know we have the key..."

Typing is making my shoulder hurt so I'm going to go grab an ice pack and try to get some rest.  Thank you all for just being there.

Peanut

[micheleTX]

hi Peanut.  I say this over and over and over again, but I couldn't have made it thru wd/s if I had not had a bathtub.  My nickname to my husband is still "Pruny", because I would take so many hot baths.  You just don't know how much energy it took me to get in and out, but they really do help alot.  And if you add epsom salt, it helps to detoxify the stuff in the body.  Try to do that, helps relax you to sleep too,  great luck to you and we are here to listen if you need to talk :)

[PeanutG]

So far, I am happy - no THRILLED - to report that it has all been very managable.  I'm not 100% clean - took one codine this morning at 9 am or so and 2 muscle relaxants today - but compared to 15+ norco/day - that's pretty darn close.  

I still have 2 codines left but am not going to take them unless things get absolutely intolerable.  So far, I have been uncomfortable - a little sweaty and anxious, shivery and creepy crawly - oh yeah - and in a ton of pain.  But I am not incapacitated like I feared.

If it continues this way, I will not get the refill on monday and tell my doctor on friday that I had detoxed (he will yell at me for doing it on my own) and then he and I can talk about what to do to manage my pain without narcotics.

I believe I am going to go avail myself to one of the much touted hot baths and check back in later.  Thanks again

Peace,
Peanut

[PeanutG]

OK off to bed with 3 ambian on board and the Hyland's Restfull Legs are disolving under my tongue, both by bed stand in case I wake up running.  If so, I take more Hylands and another leg cramo formula and head over to the chouch.  That gave me about 2 extra hours of sleep.  If not, Guess I;ll just got hit the workshop and make some art.

Peanut

[JessieJade]

Glad to see you're still hanging in there! Whatever you do, please don't be tempted to refill Monday. That will be 'day 3' for you, and you may try telling yourself you should fill it 'just in case'. You've come this far cold turkey [from opiates]. As much as they help in pain management, there are other less destructive options out there. I hope you and your doc can work something out that makes you comfortable and 'clean'.
Today I will be starting my first day without hydrocodone. I had this demon beat last year- went through the W/D and never felt better. About a week into the detox, (as sorry as I felt for myself) I couldn't stop laughing. Every little thing made me giggle. I felt an overall happiness I hadn't felt in literally YEARS. This time next week, I'll be back there again- and I can't wait. I was sober for a few months, then I started taking them (with the wrong ppl) again thinking "I won't relapse. I've beat them before." Wrongo. Just like an alcoholic will always be an alcoholic, we will always have an addiction to opiates. It's crucial to redirect your mind when you start craving. Come on here, read a book, take a bath, go for a walk, music, music, music. After day 3, It really is mind over matter.
Were you ever able to find the Thomas recipe? I can't say enough about the L-Tyrosine!