Vicodin and Soma addiction

[powderhunter]

I came down from 4000 mg of Hydrocone (for at least a year)a day to 750 mg, 1 350 Soma..in about 6 weeks
I told the Doc early this month, and she gave me 1mg of Ativan to help me sleep.
Everyone says wow, you did great, but now seems like the hardest part. I am trying (and was told by the Doc) to first reduce the Vics then the Soma and then the Ativan which all scare me.

One counsler told me that the Ativan is not so bad, but I know it is addictive too.

This week I am on about 560 mg of Vicodin, and having troubl;e sleeping.,. but doesn't it have to be done sooner or later?

I am kinda of confused about how fast I should go???

Except for the sleep, the worst physical symptoms are over.
Constipated, diarrea (diarrhea), some anxiety..but the sleep lack is horrible to me.


I guess my question is....is it ok to use 1.25mg of Ativan while I get off the Vicodin and the Soma asap????


My first time on this board....God bless

[squirrel1970]

Ask your Dr. about switching from Ativan to Serax. I too am trying to come off hydrocodone (about 10-15 Vicodin ES a day for a very long time). I tried doing it cold turkey but that was hell and I always went out and got more pills somehow. I tried using Xanax during the CT, but even that didn't help. I went Monday and confessed all to my Doctor, and he was wonderful. I am now on a slow weaning process; 10 pills a day for 5 days, then down to 7, then 5 then 3 etc. All supervised by him. I have to go to the office daily to pick up my ration for the day. But he gave me Serax (which is similar to Xanax and other Benzo's, but they use this one for alcoholics going through DT's). It is an amazing drug; really really takes the maddening feelings away. No more "crawling out of my skin." Anyway, I am DEFINITELY not a doctor. That's just my advice. Good luck. Oh and by the way-are you sure you got your dosages correct? I'm just curious-how can a human take 4000 mg a DAY of hydrocodone and not die? : )
Best of luck and God Bless America!

[Thomas03]

Hey, hey, hey now .... if you're gonna brag about your daily dosage, get real. 4000mgs of hydrocodone equals 400 Lortab 10 tablets a day, including at least 14,000 mgs of Tylenol. **** you, you're dead. Try again.

Thomas

[percsnomas]

You know i read that post several times, and kept coming up with 400, or 533 (7.5's)...............but since hydro takes a back seat to oxy. up here in Canada, i thought i must not be reading the mgs right.
Thanks for clarifying

[powderhunter]

I am sorry, I guess I got it wrong...

I was taking about 4-6 Vicodin ES a day..or Lortab I think?
I thought it meant 4x750mg, so sorry.

I guess it was really 400-600mg? and now I am on 3/4 of a 750 which must be 56mg?

I wasn't trying to brag (belive me, I am in trouble ) just trying to get feedback and help..

I got it wrong... and I very much appreciate everyones help

[powderhunter]

Again, I apologize again..
I feel bad, and depressed already enough, I do not understand what the dosage I was taking at all..
Thomas, Squirrel, Percsoma...I need all of your help, and I really did not mean to come off the way it sounded .
Is 4-6 Lortabs....30- 45mg?

My brain is not well..

Whatever I was taking... I am adiicted, and just looking for help


Please bear with me.. and maybe we can all help each other..

God help me

[momonhydros]

jeez! thomas you can be pretty brutal, should have known that was a type o.

[percsnomas]

.........geesh, i'm still a lit'l confused at what doseage you are currently at.  If you were doing 4-6/ day and you came down from there, how many per day are you currently doing(pills, not mgs......lets keep it simple)

If you are asking how much to taper from that amount; i'd drop one pill/day every three to five days(stay at the reduced rate long enough to allow your body(and mind) to stabilize). So in about 3 weeks you would be a zero hydrocodone(if you were starting at 4-6/day).

I'd save the ativan(or use it very sparingly) until you get to zero vikes!!  If you stretch out the taper too long, and use ativan throughout, you will have a much worse withdrawal when you eventually get off it.

Read through the Thomas recipe (and the rest of the threads here), as it will give you all kinds of helpful hints getting and staying off opiates.

Good Luck

[powderhunter]

yes , I'll try and keep it simple.

I was taking 4-6 7.5 Lortabs a day, or ES Vicodin and 4-6 350 Somas or is it 3.50, I don't know?
I am now taking 3/4 of (1) 7.5 Lortab each night, and 1 of the Somas, and 1mg of Ativan...sometimes 1.25mg of the Ativan

I am trying to do a reduction of the Lortab, about 1/8 of the pill each week...that means another 6 weeks just for the Vics

I'll see a new Doc Monday, my regular guy, and I hope he has some experience to help..

I have been seeing another Doctor for about 2 weeks (she gave me the Ativan)

I feel sort of stable...slept well last night..

[powderhunter]

Second try here

I was taking 4-6 Lortabs a day 7.5 I think now,
1 Soma...350 whatever that means.

I am now taking 3/4 of (1) Lortab, and the one Soma

The Doc gave me 1mg of Ativan to help me sleep.
One counsler told me the Ativan is better than the Lortabs

[percsnomas]

Okay.

If you are at this low level(which 3/4's of a lortab and 1 soma is), why in the heck don't you just drop them both, and get through the rest of the withdrawals.....using the ativan sparingly??

Tapering over six weeks, from 3/4's of a lortab is just putting it off unnecesarily.


You really have to be careful with the ativan.........a few weeks CAN get you hooked.

You know, we will be here for you, to help you  through whatever you decide.

percs

[Thomas03]

you're right. I should have known it was a typo. I'm not in a good frame of mind today. Perhaps you can respond to powderhunter. I'd appreciate it.

Thomas

[oxic]

Hey powder,

As i(percs) was saying, tapering over that period , from that doseage seems bizzare, in that you are actually dragging out the w/d's, and you could get this over with in a few days.  I tapered from 20+/day(percs) in two weeks which was the other extreme....too fast, but i certainly made it.  

I've copied the Thomas Recipe which should be of some help:Thomas Detox Recipe

PLEASE NOTE: I am not a doctor, simply a long-time Rx opiate junkie who has had many opportunities to develop a way to detox. This is a recipe for at-home self-detox from opiates based on my experience as well as that of many other addicts. It is not intended as professional medical advice. It is always wise to make sure none of the recipe ingredients or procedures conflict with medications you may be taking. Likewise, if you have any medical condition, disease, allergy or any other health issue, consult your doctor before using the recipe. Thanks, Thomas

This recipe is designed for cold turkey opiate detox. It assumes that you can get about 5 to 7 days away from your job or household responsibilities during which you can sleep, veg and act as miserable as you feel. Opiate WD mimics the symptoms of the common flu, so, if you need a smokescreen, hide behind a bad case of the flu.

If you can't take time off to detox, I recommend you follow a taper regimen using your drug of choice or suitable alternate -- the slower the taper, the better.

For the Recipe, You'll need:

1. Valium (or another benzodiazepine such as Klonopin, Librium, Ativan or Xanax). Of these, Valium and Klonopin are best suited for tapering since they come in tablet form. Librium is also an excellent detox benzo, but comes in capsules, making it hard to taper the dose. Ativan or Xanax should only be used if you can't get one of the others.

2. Imodium (immodium) (over the counter, any drug or grocery store).

3. L-Tyrosine (500 mg caps) from the health food store.

4. Strong wide-spectrum mineral supplement with at least 100% RDA of Zinc, Phosphorus, Copper and Magnesium.

5. Vitamin B6 caps.

6. Access to hot baths or a Jacuzzi (or hot showers if that's all that's available).

How to use the recipe:

Begin your detox with regular doses of Valium (or alternate benzo). Start with a dose high enough to produce sleep. Before you use any benzo, make sure you're aware of how often it can be safely taken. Different benzos have different dosing schedules. Taper your Valium dosage down after each day. The goal is to get through day 4, after which the worst WD symptoms will subside. You shouldn't need the Valium after day 4 or 5.

During detox, hit the hot bath or Jacuzzi as often as you need to for muscle aches. Don't underestimate the effectiveness of hot soaks. Spend the entire time, if necessary, in a hot bath. This simple method will alleviate what is for many the worst opiate WD symptom.

Use the Imodium (immodium) aggressively to stop the runs. Take as much as you need, as often as you need it. Don't take it, however, if you don't need it.

At the end of the fourth day, you should be waking up from the Valium and experiencing the beginnings of the opiate WD malaise. Upon rising (empty stomach), take the L-Tyrosine. Try 2000 mgs, and scale up or down, depending on how you feel. You can take up to 4,000 mgs. Take the L-Tyrosine with B6 to help absorption. Wait about one hour before eating breakfast. The L-Tyrosine will give you a surge of physical and mental energy that will help counteract the malaise. You may continue to take it each morning for as long as it helps. If you find it gives you the "coffee jitters," consider lowering the dosage or discontinuing it altogether. Occasionally, L-Tyrosine can cause the runs. Unlike the runs from opiate WD, however, this effect of L-Tyrosine is mild and normally does not return after the first hour. Lowering the dosage may help.

With breakfast, take the mineral supplement.

As soon as you can force yourself to, get some mild exercise such as walking, cycling, swimming, etc. This will be hard at first, but will make you feel considerably better.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have any medical complications, first check with your doctor before detoxing to verify that this regimen is safe for you.


So if there is anything you need, please ask!!!

Hang In There!!!


percs

[lisabet]

Hey, bud, whatza matter?  Sorry you're out of sorts today - if I can help - or ya just want to vent - you've got my e-mail address.  Hope you're feeling better soon.  We all have "off" days - God knows I have my share of them. (grrrrr...) :)
Powderhunter - It's great you're posting. Believe me, I know from experience, reaching out for information and help is a gigantic step. Thomas may have sounded abrupt in his post, but he himself admitted he wasn't in a very good frame of mind today. Believe me!!!!  He's one of the most informative and caring people on this forum.  Please don't feel hurt by his    F-Y comment; those of us familiar with each other on the forum sometimes zing things like this.  I know he didn't do this with the intention to hurt; he's a sensitive and caring person, and one of the most beloved people on this forum, with good reason. His recipe - posted by oxic (another of our beloved "longtimers") has benefited a lot of people. Thomas is a recovering junkie who has chosen to share his life experiences to help those who need advice and common sense.
Hang in there babe - keep reading and posting; lots of great people here to support you and answer your questions. Love/Peace, Lisabet

[longtimegone]

I'm jealous, nobody has told me to **** off in a long time and here powderhunter gets a **** you on his first time out...lol Hang in there Thomas, it can't get any worse. You are right though, had that not been a typo he would have been dead from liver failure just from the tylenol alone. Hi Lisabet;)

[Thomas03]

well then **** you, you ******* ******!

Hope that holds ya for a day or two, my friend.

Thomas

[lisabet]

See????  We can always count on you for saying "just" the right thing!!!!...Bet you made Jim's day!...smile  Hope you're feeling better today, sweetie.  Love ya, Lisabet

[Jerri2]

Thomas I'm so glad your here you make my day and night more bearable!And with lisabets encouragement your like the energizer bunny you just keep going and going and going!!!Love you guys!!Hope all is going well for you!!You too longtimegone!I hope you didnt wack that thing off!!!Jerri

[hippy]

i thought the 1st response,
was a little rought, but it had a
a  slight,        sense of dry humor.
any way a  i asked a friend one time
about a person who cursed a lot while
sharing the message.
the friend said, that the message
still got carried/// cursing or no cursing.
as for us. addicts,  a few f bombs is the least of our problems.
****, come to think of it.,
it is not even one of our problems..
its, good friday, T .F, HAVE A GOOD ONE.
i love the line /  MOTHERS MILK.
we all need some kind of mothers milk.
i hope all is well.

its all about the truth.
peace!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!hippy

[Thomas03]

Thanks for the forbearance.

The F word is a constant in our language and culture. It's silly and irrelevant to pretend it isn't. Language is about what communicates and produces an effect. Formalism is a preoccupation of, and in some ways, job security for, academics and elitists.

As for producing an effect, I meant that phrase in jest but released it before I could consider its likely impact.

Thomas

[ROSE39]

well, I think I finally hit rock bottom...lost my job of 10 years because of the vicodin addiction, have nowhere to go, im scared!!!! i've been clean for just a few days now..I don't really have any choice anymore..I need encouragement!!!!!

[kilo]

Been away for a few weeks...still clean 50 or 60 days...**** I'm not counting anymore. Working so hard don't have time to think about my old DOC.
O.K. Thomas since you used the "F" word, I've got a joke. For any overly anal folks, just skip this post.

- A man gets a phone call from his doctor, and the doctor confesses that last week his wife Joan Smith was in the office and had some lab work done. Well as luck would have it another Joan Smith was seen that day in that same office, and the doctor's office doesn't know what lab work belongs to which Joan Smith.
So the man ask what does the lab work reveal. The doctor says that one of the labs is positive for HIV and the other is positive for Alzheimers (sp). So the man is really freaked out and ask the doctor what should he do?

The doctor responds "I've given this a lot of thought and I think that this approach would be best. When your wife Joan comes home, you guys go out for a 20 to 30 mile drive into the country, then just drop her ass off. If she comes home, don't **** her!"

Peace

Kilo

[lisabet]

Rose - I don't think I've seen you post before - did you just find the forum?  I'm so sorry about you losing your job; please tell us your story.  One consolation - a big congrats on being 3 days clean; you've taken a big step. Please read all the posts and archives - there's so much good advice and life experiences on here. I hope you take at least a little comfort in knowing you're not alone.  We're all either practicing users here, recovering users, or as myself, users who keep trying and trying to rid ourselves of this driving "hunger" that just keeps us going back and forth.  Are you having withdrawals? Please post your story. We care - cause we're there, have been there, or headed that-a-way...smile
  
Kilo - hey there - don't think we've ever posted to each other before, but thanks for the laugh, and CONGRATS on being clean for almost 2 months - please post more and let us know how it feels....believe me, I FEED off the success stories.

Thomas - just want to say HI and lots of hugs to you. Don't know what I'd do without ya (you "potty" mouthed ole pervert you!!!)...smile. I love your sweet heart!

Everybody....have a wonderful Easter weekend (I've ate so many pickled eggs..which is a southern thing, I guess - I'm so bloated I look about 6 months pregnant!!!)...smile.  Love/Peace, Lisabet

[NEW ORLEANS LADY]

If you have been scanning this sight I'm sure you have read my many posts--Hell my whole life has been on this forum! Anyway you will never find a group of more caring and supportive human beings--Tell us a little bit of what happened to you. How much Vicodin were you taking?--Was it a legit script? No one is here to judge you no matter what happened--We have all done things we aren't proud of when the hydrocodone demon reared its ugly head.
Pleae keep posting--People will respond--I can't say this enough--this forum has been my lifeline!  I also felt totally alone, but the great news is that you are not and you are ready to DO SOMETHING about your problem!  I'm now 23 hrs cold turkey from a 12-14 per day hydro habit--It is not fun but check some other threads and find the thomas recipe--It eases the withdrawal symptoms--But if you are drug free for a few days you are halfway home--Do not give up now!!! Love, Peace, and Prayers, N.O. Lady AKA Mystere

[NEW ORLEANS LADY]

I miss you southern brother-Your posts have always been an inspiration and congrats on all your clean time! I'm back inwithdrwal mode--going on 24 hrs hydro free--They say the third time is the charm--I also purchased a book called Rational Recovery which seems to make a lot of sense to me- Its like one of your posts that had said it puts me in control! After the physical part of this is over I'm ready to check into a suite at The Beau and soak in that huge tub for about a month!--Lots of Love Glad to hear you are doing OK-Peace, Prayers, N.O. Lady AKA Mystere

[longtimegone]

Hey Lisabet, hope all is well with you. Just wanted to say hi before I leave. One of my drivers ss in the hospital so I am stuck delivering a load i florida for him. Be good, or at least careful if ya can't be good. Catch ya in a few days

Big Jim

Hey Thomas, thanks so much for that heartfelt **** me...lol

[longtimegone]

Hey Lisabet, hope all is well with you. Just wanted to say hi before I leave. One of my drivers ss in the hospital so I am stuck delivering a load i florida for him. Be good, or at least careful if ya can't be good. Catch ya in a few days

Big Jim

Hey Thomas, thanks so much for that heartfelt **** me...lol

[lisabet]

Hey Big Jim - glad to hear you're still kicking (and not whackin'...smile)  Hope your run was safe, and you had a little time to enjoy sunny Florida.  Looks like spring is finally here in Southern West Virginia - rhododenerions (sp) and azaleas blooming, sunny days and cool nights.  Love this weather; but even after the long, cold winter I'm dreading summer; I HATE hot weather; prefer spring and fall.  Guess no one's ever satisfied, heh, especially about the weather???  Hope you're doing well, Jim.  Take care.  Love, Lisabet

[AmberHunter]

how is the vicodin/soma lady doing?

i was in treatment (my thirteenth in-patient) four summers ago coming off of "poly-substance" abuse... i have never, ever been so sick in my life... i lost so much weight and lived in the shower in a chair in my room for two weeks... i can't tell you how sick i was... i am sure many of you can relate...

i was coming off of soma (and mainly dilaudid and oxymorhone and also in the mix benzo's and coke and crank and alcohol) i had dug myself a BIG HOLE... the soma w/d lasted forever and a day... i didn't sleep to the point that i had become psychotic from lack of sleep and they were giving me 20mg of ambien to try and knock me out... and that didn't do it. i remember a nurse there telling me she had been a soma addict and that it was just hard as hell to get off of.

i had worked for 8 years at a university here in atlanta doing phase three clinical drug trials and used for a long time while i was doing that. i had relapsed off of my eight years clean while at mercer (MRSA) university... after spending 5 weeks in treatment i went back to work and after another month or two i was let go... fired... it just about killed me...

but you know, as i sit here and type all of this i think to myself that what i went through was some sort of hell on earth, i stayed clean that time for six months and was off and running again... i think i am a misery junkie, for real...

but today, for this moment, as i type this i know that there is something more i want out of life... i hope i get it this time, i hope i find it and hold on to it because it is not getting any easier out there in the land of extreme misery... i hope sure hope so...

[Bunches]

Hi all, this is my first posting (and first day here as well)  I am hoping to find support and info here, which so far I have.  I am scheduled to go into detox for the first (and certainly hopefully ONLY) time on Monday for Vicodin.  I have been taking it for about 5-6 months now.  In relation to detoxing and recovery if it matters how long I've been using (long time user versus not too long)  It has spun out of control and my life is falling apart.  Of course, my usage has increased and continued now only to stave off the withdraw effects.  I am scared adn trying to maintain hope that I can get off this wheel of insanity...am I a lost cause??

[AmberHunter]

hey, there are no "lost causes" in my book! i am new on this board too and it is like an answered prayer!!!

hopefully you are catching it early and it will stick but remember one thing... if, god/dess forbid, you slip up and use again you need to move on and forgive yourself, dust yourself off and try again... nobody is perfect...

i have seen people in NA with decades clean (or so they say) who picked up one white chip (and sometimes lord it over others ;-) i myself had eight years clean at one time and damned if i didn't go and **** that up thinking i could drink... i was wrong, dusted myself off and am trying my best to give it another go... that really is all there is to do, except die, and i tried that last summer and am still here so i guess i am meant to be here!

the good people here have suggessted a book called "a million little pieces" by a "james frey" and from what i gather it is supposed to be a real good read...

i have seen more honesty and more support on this board than i have seen anywhere else as i try to get myself "right"... so i am hanging on to this board and giving it my best shot...

amber

[Bunches]

Thank you so much for support and encouragement.  I am still "using" or I guess tapering this weekend to get through until Monday.  I find myself taking a bit more than I need, however, and that makes me feel guilty but rationalize it that "at least I'm off the stuff Monday". Can say how rational that really is.  I know coming here and finding people that totally GET what I'm going through and feeling is such a relief; it's excruciating trying to explain or convey what I'm going through to my father, mother and friends.  
I am holding out hope that things will be better after detox and a lot better after a 30 day program (if I can get the money together to do that)  I feel so ashamed and guilty and awful having to try to get the money from family, when they really don't have much.  I want to be a responsible adult but feel like a disappointing child, at the age of 31!  
I am also hoping that since I haven't been using for years and only months that I might be better off (??) Not sure if that matters or not.

Anyways, thank you all for listening and giving any support you can.

[vicoaddict]

I have been a vicodine addict for 4 years now. Vicodine doesn't react the same for me as it does for others. I get energy, confidence and feel I can do anything. I felt it helped me to work harder and fster and gave the confidence to be in ant situation. I did things I would never normally do. The are days I can't even remeber. I started to steal my vicodine from phramacies and faked systems with many doctors to support my habit. I have been in recovery for 1 year with 4 relapses in that year. My withdrawals get worse each relapse. I know I took the vicoine/hydrocodone to excape feeling life. I relapse when the feelings get to intense. I was up to taking 6 vicodine/hydrocodone every 4 hours and I would chew them for a greater faster effect. I knew I was in trouble when I graduated to oxycoton. The withdrawals were more than I could handle on my own and I had to get help. I know now I am lucky to still be alive. But I dream about vicodine/hydrocodone and still crave it everyday. But no more taking the easy way out of life. Good luck to everyone. Good to know I am not alone.

[Bunches]

Hi all,
I'm multi-posting hoping to catch someone's ear and get as much info as I can.
I am hoping the Doc or others might have further info for me on what to expect now that I've officially left detox from Vicodin and have 7 days under my belt.  Today my nerves were wrecked and was so jittery and antsy.  I finally asked the nurse for clonopine so i took one a couple hours ago and that seems to have helped.  Will this go on for some time or will I start to notice a difference in a week or so?  My main concern is this was what really made me reach for another Vicodin and I do have one sitting in my bathroom (I know, I should flush the damn thing down the camode) but haven't and don't want to take it. Geez, think I just gave myself some advice in that last sentence, huh?
Well, would appreciate some further knowledge...

[mystere]

Flush it! and give it the major finger while it's swirling down the twalet!--I could never keep even one pill around that's why I could never taper and had to go cold turkey 17 days ago!  I'm finding it's an emotional rollercoaster and I expect it to be for a couple more weeks before things really settle down--The only thing I keep telling myself is that IT WILL GET BETTER!--I want my life back and I am willing to do whatever it takes!  You are doing GREAT!--Keep it up-- the days will soon turn into weeks then into months--Stay the Course as our eloquent Doc likes to say--You'll be in my prayers--Mystere/AKA N.O. Lady

Anne

P.S.--Try posting on a higher thread even if it is off topic--Not everyone scrolls down this far and you might not get a reply right away

[Bunches]

Wanted to thank you for responding and the words of advice and encouragement.  I'm hanging (by my nails) in there, 10 days.  I can't believe the amount of anxiety, panic I feel physically and mentally, but I'm trying to just deal with it, live with it and work thru it.

muchas gracias...

bunches

[peaz]

Ten days is remarkable so keep going!!  I must ask you why you keep one, lousy pill, when it won't get you high, but is enough to drive you crazy???  No WONDER you're anxious!! LOL  Get rid of it, and you will feel much more calm.  The anxiety should get less intense now, and just show up occasionally.  Make yourself busy at those times, so you aren't dwelling on how prone to panic you are.  The mental **** can be a lot to deal w/, but you will grow to understand how to cope w/ cravings and other maladies through trial and error.  There is always good advice and compassion here.  Let us know how you're doing...Congratulations!! Love, Peazy

[tabletop]

I have been taking hydrocodone for 15 years.......starting with 1/2 pill (10 mg pill)   once a week......once every two weeks.......for many years.......then one pill a day for 7 days while my friend's script lasted....then off for the rest of the month.....till finally every day for the last year........about 2 pills a day......till the last month, about 10 pills a day.
I have a friend who will give me a daily dosage and help me taper off. If I combine that with the Thomas diet, how long will it take to stop the withdrawal symptoms?
I hate myself for getting into this situation. I was an athlete. The pills made me feel like I could do anything....until I started taking too many and couldn't do anything cause I only thought about making sure I had a supply......then throwing up when I took too many.......then sleeping when I took too many.
Need help, please.

[Sam Poo]

I have been taking Hydrocodone and Soma for about two years now.  I take two Hydrocodone (500mg tabs) and I Soma (350mg) in the morning and then 1 Hydrocodone during the afternoon and by evening I take 1 Hydrocodone and 1 Soma before bed.  So that's a total of 4 (sometimes 5) Hydrocodone and never more than 2 Soma in a day.  I am going through some very anxious times in my life right now and suddenly I can't sleep and feel like I am having panic attacks and the jitters keeps me awake.  I don't know why this would start all at once except the Dr. had me try oxycodone (sp??) but they didn't help with the pain so after maybe three days I threw them away.  Could this have started these symptoms?  I don't know how to go off them and don't know if I can.  I have a back injury from an auto accident and they have tried everything to alleviate the pain and nothing works.  I've got to sleep but this creepy crawly feeling is driving me nuts.  Also I have hot flashes constantly!!!!!  And immediately after taking the meds.  Is this normal??  Please tell me how to get off these.  We are moving and I have to ride in the car for three days and without meds I don't think I can do it but would like to start tapering off.  Can anyone help??  
Also if I have a good day I would go all day without taking any meds and suddenly these symptoms cropped up. Is this addiction or what?

[Steve L]

The fighting and vulgar language does not help anyone...but then I know it's important to vent. Can we do it without cursing and insulting please? Thanks,  Steve

[tzt2lady]

Welcome.  It looks like your post ended up on a thread that has posts from months and months ago.  To get a better response, you should copy your post and repost it under your own thread.  Just a suggestion.\
It sounds like you are having withdrawals but the good news is that you are ot taking a huge amount of the drug = so your withdrawals should not last long,, maybe a few days at most.  Also, your feelings of anxiety is a symptom of withdrawal and very common.    Secondly, you didn't continue to take the oxycodone .  I have never taken oxy myself but folks here who have, claim that it is much harder to wd from.   I would not sugget going through withdrawals while trying to travel.  I mean cold turkey.   The tapering sounds good.  If you are taking four pills a day, start taking  half a pill less per day for three days.  Then reduce it by another half so you are down to three pills and stay at that  for another three days.  Keep reducing by half a pill until you are where you want to be.
Again, others may have alternative tapering plans that may work better for you.  I suggest that you repost your message and give it a title as a new thread.
best of all
tzt

[spicket]

I have been taking two 50 mg tramadols a day for approximately 1 1/2 months.  I am wondering if I am addicted?  I know enough about pills that I haven't increased my dose.  How do I get off the tramadols?

[teenutz]

I have been reading over everyone's comments and I understand what all of you are going through. Let me explain a few things. I majored in clinical psychology at SMU and have done extensive research on all drugs (both legal and illegal). I experimented with alot of illegal drugs (you name it, I did it) back in the days, and now I am a much stronger individual who runs my own business. First of all drugs like Vicodin, Xanax, Ultram (tramadol) are all beneficial drugs that are needed by numerous individuals in our society for medical purposes. These drugs can be addicting, and once you are hooked it is like any other hard core drug: they are extremely difficult to stop. Let me clear up a few things right off the bat. Vicodin, Lortab, Norco, are all the same drug, just different names. Vicodin comes in 250mg, 500mg, 750mg, or 1000mg, the strongest. Percodan and oxycodone are similar. The only difference is that Percodan contains oxycodone and aspirin. The narcotic painkillers are only addiciting if you take them in large doses or for an extended period of time. Your personalities also play a role in whether or not you will become addicted. For example, if someone took a Lortab and threw up that individual would be less likely to want to take that pill again, compared to someone who took one, felt high, and turned up the music for some chill time. There is no easy way to get off these drugs. Weening works for some people, but many addicts will just condense their prescribed weening dose and decide it is best to go on an all night binder, which leaves you feeling even worse in the morning. You have to want to stop and that's the bottom line. At my worst point I used to drop 15 Vicodin a day, and mix them with some Darvocet N-100 on the side. Should have been dead, except my physical tolerance was so high, my body had adjusted to the dosage. My best advice to you is to get away from the people that are influencing you to do it. If you are ordering pills over the net or obtaining them some other illegal way then you may never stop until you bottom out. This is different for every person. For some it is jail, for others it is illness, and yet for others it is becoming homeless. Sometimes the fear of God has to be put into you in order to get you to stop. Believe me, I dropped LSD (acid) for 5 years and never had a bad trip. One hot summer day all that changed when I went to a concert and had dropped several hits of acid. I thought everyone was coming after me, and everyone's face appeared dead and lifeless. Combine this with the voices I was hearing, and suddenly I thought I was in a real life episode of 'Dawn of the Dead'. I ran out of the concert leaving my friends without a ride, and almost got killed on the way home because I saw holes opening up upon the pavement I was driving over. My hallucinations told me my car was going to be swallowed up and I was going down to the depths of hell where the zombies were waiting for me. A bad acid trip. I never did LSD again. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes a bad thing to happen to give people a wake up call. Back to the pill topic. I got tired of popping pain pills after several surgeries because my tolerance was so high it was taking me more and more. I stole doctor's prescription pads and wrote my own prescriptions because I knew how to do this. It was easy. I studied prescription jargon in college and I knew how to write a prescription in shorthand form. After numerous years of popping pills, I began to realize I just felt like ****, and I didn't want to die. Vicodin, Darvocet, Percodan, Roxicet, etc. can damage your liver and if you drink alcohol on these medicines there is a good chance you already have some kind of liver damage. If that's not enough to scare you then just consider that these medicines in large doses can cause blood clots, and you can be locked up for a felony if you are caught with these without a legal prescription. Coming down off the pills was hell, but that is the price you pay for being stupid. I learned that. Let me tell you something though, go to the doctor, tell him or her your problem and get yourself a script for some 10mg Valium, 3x a time to help ease the withdrawals. Drink plenty of water and talk to the people you trust most to help you get through. It will not be easy, but talking really takes alot off your chest. Just don't go abusing the benzo. drug if you are prescribed one, because then you will be right back to sqaure one. Coming off a benzodiazepine such as Valium or Xanax after abusing it can be even worse then coming off a narcotic. Been there, done that too. No fun. Remember, all of these drugs are not evil, they have a medical purpose in our society. It is people like us that have given these drugs a bad rap, and are making it hard for others who need them to obtain them. Think about others, and not just yourself during this process. I know that's alot to handle, but just ask God for help and he will help you if you really want. Don't play the weening game unless you are completely serious about following the doctor's orders. I have known people who say they want to ween, are given a script, and then go on a bender only to want more the next day because they screwed up or say relapse as an excuse. For spicket, tramadol, better known as Ultram can be addicting, but this is a relatively new drug and doctors are still learning about it. I have taken it before and it is equivalent to Darvocet in potency. Two tabs a day for 45 days should not be much of a problem from an addiction standpoint. Most people who get hooked on narcotics usually have been taking the drug for at least 3 months or longer. Of course if you have an addictive personality, that time frame may be different. Don't increase your dose. Just stop taking the pills and you should have no problem. Tramadol is a good drug, and has less of a dependency rate compared to other opiates. However, it can be addicting, but in your case I don't think you have anything to worry about. If you have any problems then just talk to your doctor about it. You should not suffer any type of withdrawal symptoms. I could go on and on for everyone because I know alot about all these medicines, so if you have a specific question for me, I would be more than happy to answer it for you. Hang in there guys. Make the true commitment to stop, deal with some of the pain (after all this is the paying the fiddler part, and many of us try to skip out when it comes time to pay up. Should not have taken the deal in the first place if you can't pay!), and communicate with your loved ones. Try to get alot of rest, but don't spend too much time alone where you can obsess about how you wished you had some right now. God Bless all of you. Be strong, and pray. I promise in the end if you really want to stop, God will help you. I hope some of this info. helped without being too sarcastic. Take care guys and gals!                              

[teenutz]

I wrote an epic in my last entry. Anyway, I am new to this site, and I just want to let all of you know that I am here if you need any advice about any type of drug, withdrawals, or if you just want to chat. I think alot of people get confused between the concept of addiction vs. dependence. Not everyone who does drugs is a drug addict, and not everyone will become an addict just because you have been using something for awhile. There are many factors that you have to take into consideration before you can label yourself as an addict. There are behavioral addicts and then there are physical addicts, and of course there are both. Many people do not understand the nature and concept of drugs, why they are addicting, and what can be done. I am not a doctor, but I have a degree in clinical psychology, went through rehab, and have worked with numerous individuals who have encountered a drug related problem. Our world is filled with labels, stereotypes, and bias that can mislead people. Drugs, like any controversial subject have to be looked at with an open mind in order to receive the best answers. Every drug that is now illegal in our society was once legal at some point throughout our tulmoltous history. It is irony at its finest!!!! I am not saying drugs are good, but not all are bad. The question we have to ask ourselves is: is it the drugs that have changed over time, or the way people's belief systems shaped by our government that have been altered? Or have we just changed on a larger level as a whole because of what others tell us is right/wrong? These are complicated questions that I hope I can enlighten you on, and in the process help you overcome your addiction or "labeled" problem. I know about every drug, and what I find funny is, is that many people don't even realize that there is no difference between generic and brand named drugs (except in a very few minor instances from a chemical makeup standpoint). For example, I always here people talking about hydrocodone as if it were something that cannot compare to anything else. Well, that is the generic name for Vicodin, and better yet the same generic for Lortab, Lorcet, Norco, Zydone, Margesic H, Anexsia, Hydrocet, Bancap HC, Duocet, Panacet, Stagesic, and many more! Oxycontin, better known as Roxicodone or Percolone contains oxycodone hydrochloride, whereas the others metioned above contain acetaminophen and hydrocodone. Oxycodone is a bit stronger than the hydrocodone pain medicines, and can affect the central nervous system a bit more than the other pain meds, causing more tiredness and slowed breathing. Ever heard of Talwin NX?
This is an effective pain medicine that is sometimes abused. It falls under a subcategory of Percodan related meds. The only real difference between Percodan and Percocet meds are aspirin vs.acetaminophen. Percodan are aspirin based meds whereas Percocet are acetaminophen based meds. Valium, Xanax, Librium, Dalmane, Halcion all fall within a class of meds called benzodiazepines. Anyway, I want to help all of you. I am a recovered drug addict who has both the book and street knowledge to give you answers. I may not have the answer to everything, but I can clear alot of confusion up for you. God bless all of you, and let me know how I can help. By the way, feel free to ask me about my life and what I have done. I want to establish rapport with all of you so I can feel like you can confide in me. Drug addiction is a horrible problem, but some of these drugs are necessary for people who require them for medical reasons. Let's work together and give back to society by battling our demons and becoming masters of our own universe, a universe that has controlled all of us for too long. Look forward to your questions and comments. Thanks y'all. (Yes, I am from Texas, but I actually grew up in New York if you can believe that!).                            

[FLaddict]

You posted on a thread that was started 7 years ago.. it will more than likey get overlooked due to the original date it was posted. If you need advice or support please go to the main page and post a new question.

[teenutz]

Sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I'm not perfect you know. I am only someone who has been there and I also continue a daily struggle with my addiction from a psychological standpoint. All I am saying is that I have overcome my drug use and I would like to help others, like yourself. What scares me is your statement that I will NEVER be recovered. If you believe that then it will never happen. It starts with attitude, and I am only trying to tell you that I am not a doctor but someone who is very educated because I fought like hell to get to where I am today. I'm not accusing of you not knowing your an addict, I know that, but so am I. However, I will never revert back to that way of living again. It's a death trap, and I only want to empower you if I can. Doctors tend to lecture, and most have never been through the road a drug addict has been on, which is why addicts are so stereotyped. I have been there, broke, in jail, arm tracks, and everything. Don't tell me there is no such thing as recovered. I am recovered. You are in the recovering phase and soon you will be recovered also if you choose to be. I am not perfect, I am only human, but there is one thing I know for sure. I have made the commitment to perfect my life when it comes to being an addict. I don't want to ever go there again. I have learned my lessons, and they have been extremely painful. I only want to offer advice. What worked for me might not work for you, and I'm sorry if you feel like I am promoting some kind of Nancy Reagan t-shirt that reads "Just Say No". It's the biggest struggle I have ever overcome, took me 25 years, and I'm sure my body has suffered internally. I didn't mean to list drugs like you were stupid or something. I was only trying to help to let people know that you can feel safe asking me questions about all sorts of drugs. I am going for my LCDC license and I will be working with both current and recovering addicts. Just please out of respect don't ever tell me you can't ever recover. That is nonsense. That is denial. You can do it, and I can help you if you let me try. If not, I understand, and I didn't mean to offend you. Drug addiction is the toughest battle in the world. You have to take it day by day, but you also have to believe you will never go back to that again. I believe that because it scared the holy **** out of me what I put myself and my family through. I want to be your friend, not a preacher. Please forgive me, and let's talk sometime. Take care my friend.

[teenutz]

I'm not sure what you are saying. I came onto this website to chat with others like myself. Although, I may not be an addict at this time, I have been there, done that, and I would like to help in any way I can. I am not a magician. What trend? Every day is a struggle to overcome our daily addictions, whether it is drugs, or something else. I have no questions, only possible answers to what people on this site are going through. I know about withdrawal, and was hospitalized for 3 years because of my addictions. The only trend I see is doctor's overprescribing painkillers and people abusing them, along with the abuse of old school drugs. The new trend is prescription pills, pills that are needed by an aging society who suffer from painful diseases and disorders. Every generation has it drug of choice, and today it's painkillers. The only real trend I see is denial and excuses about "my drug problem". That's whats killing all of us. A drug addict may kind themselves all they want about quitting, but ultimately they have to stop feeling bad for themselves and start thinking about what they want to do about it. I pitty every addict, I played that game for years on myself and it's a vicious cycle that comes full circle until you are dead. I am not playing the role of "Mr. know it all" because I don't, but I was a drug addict for 25 years, and went to school to obtain a degree that would teach me more about myself, my problems, and others like me. All I want to do is give back, not lecture. I am a kind, loving person who hates seeing others throw their lives away. I am so lucky to be here today. My only question is when are we going to stop judging each other and start helping one another? I'm sorry if I frighten people with my education, but I only bring that up because I want others to know I can help to the best of my ability. Please let me know if you have any questions and I will try to answer them to the best of my knowledge. Thank you for your honesty!                  

[teenutz]

Thank you for your understanding. Sorry, I feel like a jerk now because I thought the word said trend not thread. I think FLaddict probably thinks I am crazy or something. Good Lord! Thank you for the heads up on the posting, and I will go ahead and do that. Take care of yourself, and I wish you the best of luck!
  

[teenutz]

I apologize for my misunderstanding, and my rambling off on a tangent that had nothing to do with what you posted. I will go back to the main page. Thanks and take care!  

[teenutz]

Thank you for your kindness. I am a pretty sensitive individual, and I felt dumb for doing that. I would love your help on a new post. How do I go about doing that? If you could give me some step by step instructions I would really appreciate it. To be quite honest with you, I have never really chatted in a forum before, but when I saw this link off Google I thought it would be interesting to share my feelings with others. Although I come off like "I survived the battle and you can too" attitude, I am really a lonely guy who doesn't get to talk to others. Most of my friends have moved away, and we only talk occasionally by email. Being lonely is my biggest fear. I am married, but I need human contact in order to function. I live out in the country in a small town, and neighbors are few and far between. Being lonely gets me thinking about when I used to do drugs, and believe me, it sometimes weighs enough on me to where I have got tempeted to pop a pill to take my mind off things. Everyone sells drugs down here (I live in Texas) in my hometown and obtaining Vicodin, Soma, and other types of feel good drugs are easy to come by. I always have to keep telling myself I will never go back to that again, but the temptation is always there when you are bored, and believe me I get very bored out here sometimes. I love my life, my home, and my wife, but I can't stand the lonliness. I just want to meet new people and share my life experiences with them, and even help them if I can. Just let me know how to start a new post on this site when you get a chance. I appreciate it very much, and although I don't know you, I consider you a friend because you could have blew me off. Thanks!      

[protestsoma]

it is very easy to misunderstand medication dosages and labeling.  If nobody has actually explained this to you... A Vicoden 5/500 means 5mg of hydrocodone with 500 mg of Tylenol.  the actual amount of hydrocodone that you consumed is the smaller number in the front times the number of pills that you consumed.  they come 5/500, 7.5/500,7.5/750, 7.5/325, 10/325, ect... each one is called a different thing, Vicoden, Norco, Lortab, Lorcet and are all the same thing and the first number is the MG dosage of the actual Hydrocodone.  Each 5mg of hydrocodne that you consume has the pain relieving properties of 2.5mg of morphine when it metabolizes in the body.  That is why it is so addictive.  I'm sorry that you came to this board and got trashed for your miscalculation.  It is a shame.  It is obvious to me that you are not a drug seeker or very savy in this or you would have all of this down to a science and know what you were getting and taking.  People who are addicted to the medications generally know enough about it not to make a mistake like that.  I'm a health care professional that recently had a back injury and was placed on soma a week ago... they were samples that the doctor had given me and even though throughout the years I had administered this drug to many people and had a simplified idea of what it was and how it worked, I wasn't really very knowledgable about it because it was so infrequent that a patient came into the hospital that takes it regularly.  Anyway  I spoke to my pharmacist today and told him about the soma I was given and he explained to me the road I was going down if I continued to use it... It really scared me and I was researching soma addictions when I found this site.   I'm naturally curious about things and wanted to research this warning I was given... anyway, good luck and please stop if you are able.  also, if it helps you need to research the pharmokinetics of this drug and the metabolism of it.  Then research Miltown and Equanil... this drug shouldnt' even be on the market....   God Bless....

[DaBomb]

It's really sad to read this. I've been on Percs, Somas and when i can't sleep, Ambiens for over two years now and it s#cks. I take as prescribed and i go through bad side effects all the time. I had to get ambiens for nights i can't sleep. The Percs take the edge off the pain from having 2 bad discs and a pitched nerve. I HATE the ****** buzz people seem to love off them. I wake up shaking, sweating at night when the meds are out of my system, even if i took and ambien. There very addicting and I no people that take around 25 pills a day, OMG  do they look bad. Anyone that takes them to get a buzz, listen to what I'm saying, get off the **** because it's nothing but down hill. Good Luck everyone.

[stevedeasis]

I will absolutly quit hydrcodone.  All I want is for some one out there who has been through this with the same drug for which I've become addicted to, to asure me that I will regain the happiness,I was blessed with to come back. Can anyone tell me that? It would sure help me. In return I will let all know my experiance as I go through this. So that othes may see me make it, and I will,  so that perhaps they will make it too.  

Love to All

Clancy.
PS In two days I will have weaned my self complely off.  I have made it to 1 pill every 6 hours and I have 8 pills left and so far no sadness and no major physical withdrawls, Lots of support. and feel pretty good. compared to how I felt the 1st 2 weeks. And let me tell you all I found no joy in anything thing. And Im actually up moving around having a decent day and yes some fun from time to time through out the day. I feel as though I am actually comming alive again.

[puranx]

last post before yours was jan 08 then some all the way back to 2003...you might want to goto top of forum and use the post a question button and resumit it in your own thread. Welcome.

[amy58222]

I was in an accident 7 months ago.I was taking soma for about two months 5 per day.I stopped last sun mothers day.Its been one week.I am very sick .I have a dr appt tomorrow.My legs and arms are shaking,my face is swollen headache.I had no idea soma could do this.My dr told me to take it 3 times a day then i told him it wasnt working he said to take five.Two days before I stopped I FELT TWITCHES ALL OVER MY BODY.I wish i would have known not to stop suddedly.Are the symtoms from withdrawel,does anyone have any idea how long this will last?Thanks for you help...i so sick

[vic775]

I am a recovering drug addict with almost 3 years sober. My drugs of choice were opiates. After a recent back injury I was prescribed Vicodin and soma as well as Tordal (a non-narc). But the tordol is so harsh on the lining of the stomach I had to take breaks and go back to the traditional pain meds. I started to wake up with a runny nose and watery eyes...feeling queezy and drive heaving. I knew I had developed a dependency even in such a short time because of my history. After 3 days the vics barely worked for pain and I had to double my dose. Still nothing. So I tossed them. I took 2 vics this morning...But am still in acute withdrawl. I am using soma--as my doctor said this would help me get through the discomfort. I'm afraid of getting addicted to that I am taking 8 soma a day :(

[vic775]

will I experience withdrawl from 8 soma a day for a week? What will it feel like?

[GoingToMakeIt]

Welcome to the forum. You need to start this on a new post. Go to top of page and post a question.