lortab withdrawal help

[crazyhoosiermama]

Hi,
I'm so glad I found this forum, and I'm hoping that someone can help me.
I've been taking Lortab and Percocet for almost 3 months, and I want to stop them, but I'm having horrible withdrawal symptoms.  I never expected to have withdrawal from them since I haven't been on them for all that long.  I broke my finger a month ago and have been taking Lortab and Percocet (only had one script of 30 pills for that) since, for the pain.  Before that I had a kidney stone and infection and was taking Lortab for that.  I had taken one 5/500 yesterday and that was the last time I took one.  It was early in the afternoon.  I couldn't sleep at all last night, I have horrible muscle aches today that I can feel to the bone, from head to toe, I feel sick to my stomach, I feel physically exhausted even though I can't sleep, I've had horrible stomach cramps (no diarrhea though) and the cravings are intense.  I ended up taking a Lortab about 2 hours ago and the withdrawal symptoms for the most part subsided.  I've had a problem with abusing pain pills for over a year now, but when I ran out of them, I was ok.  I guess maybe it's because I've been taking them everyday for the past couple of months.  Anyway...
I do not want to go into a treatment center, because I've read that hydrocodone w/d is not really that dangerous.  I guess I just want some advice on how I can make this anymore "comfortable".  I have some tramadol, and I've read that it can help, but I don't want to wind up addicted to that too (I seem to have a very addictive personality).  
Does anyone have any advice/opinions on how to get though this easier??  I would greatly, greatly appreciate it.
Angie

[grievingwidow]

Angie, I just noticed your posting.  I hope you have not given up on anyone answering you, I have obviously been guilty myself of overlooking it until now.  Sometimes, for no particular reason, they just get overlooked.  Regarding your withdrawal, I agree with you that I do not think you are in any particular danger, your history does not seem all that complex, not like most of us here, I wish I was back in the beginning where you are now basically.  You are very smart to get a handle on this now.  As far as making the withdrawal symptoms any easier, I have never personally found anything that helped yet some people swear by the Thomas Recipe (I think that is what it is called?)  You can go back in the archives and find it somewhere, usually mentioned at least once every two weeks and gone into detail.  I know you can take Immodium for the diarrhea and if you have any Klonopin or Valium, something like that it can help you sleep, and Clonodine will help keep your blood pressure down and I think sometimes help with the restless legs?  I'll bet you don't have much more trouble - maybe 3-4 days at the most?  But it will get so much worse if you don't stop now, you said you took a Lortab today and your symptoms got better, don't do that again!  It will just set you back, you have to comletely stop if you want this withdrawal period to be your last.  Please post again and tell me how you are doing.  I will be watching for your posts later today and tomorrow, okay?

Love, Cindy

[crazyhoosiermama]

Thank you, Cindy.
I haven't taken anymore Lortab since the one I took early yesterday evening.  I went to Walgreen's and bought some Ginger root capsules, since they say it helps with nausea, and I've been taking ibuprofen for the muscle aches.  I had horrible restless legs just as I was trying to go to sleep, but luckily I was able to get some sleep, thanks to Trazodone and Benadryl.  
Today...well, I have an awful headache, my legs are achy, and I just feel yucky.  If you have every had withdrawal effects from stopping antidepressants - well, that's how my head feels right now.  Foggy and dizzy.  
I know I can get through this, it just sucks.  I've been talking a lot to my sister, because she went through this last year.  She was addicted to Norco for over a year, and went to rehab.  We definitely have addiction issues in our family - my dad is a recovering alcoholic, his dad was an alcoholic, my mom's dad was an alcoholic, my sister is a recovering addict from opiates, and now me.  I guess I should have thought about this when I started taking pain meds, but I didn't, and at the time, I did need them.
Anyway, I'm rambling now.  
Thank you again, Cindy, so much for your post.
Angie