help with withdrawing/quitting opiate abuse( hydrocodone)

[golfer22]

I have been taking hydrocodone on a daily basis, but fairly light doses for 6 months. Prior to hydro's, i had access to tramadol online and abused that more severily. Last 6 months ive taken daily about 3-4 5mg hydro's by themselves, or 6 tramadols a day, mixed with 1-2 5 mg hydro's. I know this is relatively loser dose of an " addict" but I am already on that path of needing more and more, and I can see why some people get to taking 10-12 pills a day. I do not want that. I am a new father, full time student, with ALOT of responsiblity. I want to get off, but when I cold turkey, I feel sooo depressed and lifeless, I cannot do the simplest tasks. My life is very very stressful, so i Know that in intself adds to the addiction...I want to be able to wake up HAPPY and full of energy without ANYTHING- Now i know the natural ways to help stress, working out, eating, sleeping habits. I used to be perfecto with that, I played collegiate athletics, but upon the drug dependency my body has become more weak, I eat less, and I know that all makes the stress worse. I am wondering how I can quit asap without having that feeling of lifelessness and lack of motivation. I simply cant afford that feeling, I dont have a couple of weeks to devote to just laying on a couch dealing with the withdrawals. Any suggestions?

[HURTIN58]

too bad u dont have the time...sounds to me like tapering would work well for you, but you'll still get WD's...w tapereing slower is better, but u hafta maintain the taper..no cheating on bad days...b vitamins, hydrate!  can you sleep ok? anxiety? i keep preahcin this only cause its worked a bit for me, makes it tolerable....old school antihistimine, avail by prescription...non habit forming..hyroxyzine...50 mgs 3 times a day. @ 25 mgs its used for extreme itchin, but @ the 50 mg dose it will slow and calm you.....good luck and know that....COURAGE IS ENDURANCE FOR ONE MORE MOMENT

[sadmom4]

I am not a expert... I am not even an addict. But I am a wife to one and I just found out last month. My husband also is very busy with work and we have 4 kids and he could not curl up in a ball for a week to wd. So we are tapering him off in a steady pace. He has his good days and his bad days (as do I!). Does your partner know you have this problem? If not, you need her to know so she can be your cheerleader through this!
Good luck

[IwillDoThis]

Hi and welcome.  I am 37 days off 4 10/350 Hydros a day and glad I'm off.  I wasn't on a high dose, I didn't take more than prescribed and I just found they weren't working for the pain any longer so I decided to wean down to 1 10 mg pill per day then I stopped.  Well I'm here to tell you even if you don't abuse those pills and you've been on them long term - I was on for years you WILL withdraw. There is just no way around it.

I understand the depression and emotional stuff that comes with this but it seems you are looking for advice on how to NOT have that and I just don't think that exists - these pills change our brain chemistry.  I'm dealing with the emotional stuff right now even at 37 days - it's a process and it's going to take time.  Be patient with yourself.

At a minimum when you go off them completely you will need at least a long weekend to recover the worst of the withdrawals - just tell people you have the flu and honestly that is how I got through it.  You can't take anything to get rid of the flu, correct?  It is something you just must endure so I think that helps some people mentally - it did me anyway.  If you cannot share what you are dealing with your wife or family then just let them think you have a bad flu.  Whatever you need to do to get yourself off these pills.

Keep immodium at hand and take it aggressively for the runs, eat peanut butter, bananas, drink gatorade.  Hot showers helped me tremendously get through detox - it was the only relief from creepy crawlies.  Check out the "Thomas Recipe" at the bottom of the right hand page here "Most Viewed Health Pages" and assemble your ingredients.  

I know you probably wanted a magic quick answer but honestly there isn't one.  You've taken these pills, you are physically dependent on them like it or not and you will not get away from them easily but it can be done.   My severe withdrawals started about 16 hours after I took my last pill so just try to work it so the worst hits you over a weekend and plan on taking a Monday off and drag your but through the rest.

I wish you the strength do make the change you seem to know you need.  Post here for support - there are a lot of great, wise people here who will support you.

Good luck!

[scaredmommy2005]

Can you taper off of them? I know its hard to go cold turkey but when you do the sypmtoms only last for about a week with most people and day 34 is usually the worst part. I was on them for about that time and had no withdrawals other then mentally wanting them. If you have the strength to taper down that will be eaiser to deal with since you are very busy. I didnt have the strength to tapper because if I had pills I would take them all and then say ill tapper with my next perscription. The thomas receipe is great. you can look for it on here. I wish you luck in your jorney and I will be praying for you. You can do this. We have all been there and you have been only taking the hydro for 6 months where alot of us took them for a lot longer at a very high dose. I myself would fill an Rx of 120 and be out in 4 days without even knowing it. CRAZY! We are all here for you.