tapering off; when to kick?

[hopin2]

I have been trying to taper off hydro for a month.  I was on 4tabs/day of 10mg. for several months while under tx. for hep-c.  I got off tx. and have a clean bill of health.   I weaned down to 1/4tab 3x's a day.  The last few days,  I can go all day between doses, say from around 9am to 8pm, but around midnight to 2am, the pains start again, can't sleep and I end up taking another 1/4tab to get back to sleep.   I was told that this is such a small dose, it should be easy to kick, but so far, haven't been able to. I am committed to kicking by next weekend but am wondering if I'm still not pushing it too fast?  I tried kicking last weekend but the wd's were so bad, i ended up back on this schedule.  I was told that last weekend, the wd's were probably related more to my going off benzo's which i was taking for 2 weeks to help sleep.  I've since realized, that they are worse than the hydro.  anyway,  i need some 'expert' advice here. thanks

[worried878]

any drug used for sleep can be psychologically addicting...and many physically as well...benadryl can be hard to kick when used for sleep for a long period and I know people who have bumped up to 6 a night to sleep....2.5 mgs is a very small dose and it really could be more psycologically bases..as u feel u need sumpin for sleep...have u talked to ur dr about it..sumpin safer for sleep as there are many drugs out there..i would flush any hydros i had left and get thru this sleep problem...congrats on success with ur taper..just one small hurdle in ur plan to get clean..keep posting

[christos24]

if you were honestly taking the benzos for only two weeks no matter how how high the dose was each time you wouldn't experience any wd effects, even lets say you are the msot sensitive person to take benzos in the history of the earth you still at the very worst experience a headache and some rebound trouble sleeping..thats it, its once you take it for more thana  few mths. at higher doses that it takes over your daily life/routine, I was not only a slave to heroin and oxycontin but to at least 10mgs of xanax daily and it was terrible i was the worst kind of zombie, a ****** person falling asleep every two minutes..so I highly highly doubt and this is as professional and brutally honest you will get from anyone, just taking a benzo for less than a month for sleep the only negative or in one's head side effects that could even be pinned on "having wds" is trouble sleeping but that occurs with non benzodiazepine sleep meds and even unscheduled sleep aids, so thats straight up how it is, now you are on a extremely low dose of yes a very addictive opioid, but luckily it is a moderate potency opioid, roughly 50% as strong as oxycodone, close to the equivalency to taking a smaller amount of oral morphine, but aftertaking it so long you inevitablly face wds whicha re horrendously terrible, i feel for ya...youve done a great job getting down so low for what you have to take, so you need to look at the positives and look to the future, youve come a long way from the 4 tabs, now that is a medium/higher dose if prescried by a doctor, ive been on that many or 6 total for back pain that of course i acted was way worse, but as far as having a bad addiction to opioids and having horrendous wds you should be in the clear, I have met many personally and talked to many on this forum that have had around 20-40 10mg norcos daily and able to cut down to 4 a day and then go CT, they experienced minor discomfort and minor wds but nothing severe or close to how abd it could really get,. I do understand that even though you are only taking a very ver ytiny amount of hydrocodone per day, I mean a fraction of mgs were talking here, i will honestly tell you that a good majority of the severity of the wds are made and acted out through the physiological aspects of the addiction(the mental side of addiction, once you put it in your head that these wds are terrible and you absolutely dread knowing that you havent had any in a while to come like clockwork, its not only scientifically studied and proven, but i know a good majority would agree that alot of the side effects of opiate wd especially at dependancies of that evel, i guess if you ahve been on 4 of them for multiple years, but if its been less than almost a year, you shouldnt really ahve any wds only minor discomfort kind of like a super mild cold, not like the wd flus or anything, ive taken every opiate-weak and strong, ive now been on methadone treatment for voer a year and i dont recommend it voer suboxone jsut cuz its even more addictive than H or any pill thats prescribed, they last for longer than a month and they are so much more severe than any opioids out there and it *****, im now enslaved to going to the clinic everyday to get my juice, my fix..it ***** it really really does, you lose family, friends, the ones you love, all relationships, self-dignity, any pride left,a nd will destroy anything you ever had, its jsu a matter of time, that why stopping ahead before you get to 6 to 8 to 10 to 20 a day..stop it now..I recommend to the highest degree go to NA meetings, so many ppl will ahve the exact same experiences and can help you thru the rough times, i also recommend from m y own experience with myself and helping others that seeing a substance abuse counselor and a therapist is crucial for staying truly clean and abstinent..if you are set on keeping lowering your daily dose go for it you can def.do it, your at a such low pt. you shouldn't have any bad effects you should check all the emds you take or ahve taken within the past 4-6 mths, cuz there may be more to the story cuz the benzos wont cause that and the dose your on of hydrocodone isnt even equal toa 5 mg hydrocodone (vicodin) tablet, so you can def. do it, i ave faith in you and your strength, i know youw ant to stop, try harder, go to meetings, get involved, i know it seems crazy and impossible, but its really alot of "in your head" playing games on your body making it sooo much worzse that it really is, if it gets bad enough tell a doc your situation and hell give you the best wd aids there is-short term use of a benzodiazepine like valium or lorazepam, short enough to have no negative effects noticed, and then the best aid for all the sweats, hot/cold flashes, goosebumps, restlessness,etc. get clonidine, the best wd aid that can be prescribed, also try and taper down your dose even slower, i always tell ppl GO SLOW, i know you want off but if you rush it you will most likely end up in bad wds and going back up, so its an endless vicious cycle that could be and should be avoided at all cost, i wish you the best, elt me know if you would like any help with your tapering schedule for doses, anything at all ttyl-christos  P.S- the above post i agree with to a point, opiate wd if severe and on strong ones like methadone, oxymorphone, hydromorphone, etc. can make you feel like you would rather die, benzos wd can actually be fatal if the addiction is severe enough, the most that happens after say using a potent short acting benzo like xanax or ativan, you will ahve rebound effects like instead of being sleepy youll have a insomnia to an extent, you ahve aches,a nd if severe eenough convulsions, shaking, twitching, and possible death just like alcohol and barbiturates.but your case doesnt even begin to touch on benzo addiction, you arent even dpenent in any way so you dont ahve to worry bout that except for if you decide to start taking them again then its a problem cuz we already know and you do to, that you have addictive tendencies, so you ahve to be super super careful with any addictive substance, later

[avisg]

benzo wd is far worse then opiate wd It is good you only took it for 2 weeks the longer you take it the worse it gets. I would just stick to the taper plan you will get off of it ...
avis