when do withdrawls start??

[shama]

I am talking to my husband who is at about 15-20 vic a day and he was asking if I could find out the answer to a few questions so here goes.....
1. When do withdrawls start?
2. When is vicodin out of your system?

He wants to know when its out because I think he would find alittle strengh knowing its out of his system even though he knows he will still feel like hell!!
Thanks again  for all of the awsome help!!!

[FLaddict]

you plan is a good one.. another helpful tip is to move your doses apart by 30min longer everyday.. that way your body has time to adjust by small amounts..

[jarhead_79]

Thanks.  I was planning to go to 1 pill every 4 hours next and then after several days, 1 pill every 6 hours etc.  I have not been feeling that bad.  I just lack hunger at all. No anxiety or sweating at this point. I am drinking a ton of water, taking vitamins and using a muscle relaxer and lunesta (samples) at bed time with my last dosage.  I slept fine all night. Thanks again.

[lurker]

Your doctor has obviously never taken narcotics in large doses for a long period of time - and 6 weeks is enough to get your body hooked even if your mind is not.  I'd take them every few hours all around the clock, rather in large doses every 6-8 hrs - then drop every other dose in half for a few days, etc.  slowly is the best way so that you can avoid the worst of the withdrawals.  If you have muscle relaxers take them to help with the symptoms too.  Slow taper is the key - too fast and you'll have problems.  If there is someone else who can dispense the pills to you that would really help - for me if I have them, I eat them.  Good luck to you - and I hope the back injectionworks as well for you long term.

[jarhead_79]

I am seeking a realistic taper plan.  The doc doesnt seem too concerned and I do not know why. I DO NOT want the monkey on my back.  He just told me to take less over time but no real plan.

[jarhead_79]

I have 2 herniated disks and a bone spur and severe arthritis on my facet joint at L-5.  The pain got more and more severe as the bone spur irritated the nerve root and caused pain down my butt cheek and hip. lat 3 months.  The pain doc initially put me on 1 5mg Oxycodone IR every 3 hours but it did not give me much relief. I felt like I had a knife stuck in my back with the new facet problem. My herniated disks I had for 10 years and took pain meds off and on with flare ups.  I never developed a dependence.  About 6 weeks ago the oxy IR prescription was increased to (2) 5mg oxy ir capsules every 4 hours.  On most mornings though I was really bad so I would take an extra one or even 2 on occasion if the pain was really bad (in the mornings).  I had facet injections last wednesday.  They used bipuvicaine and cortisone.  6 injections at 3 levels. The procedure worked on my incredibly well.  The doc is now planning to cauterize the small nerve at the facet joint. He thinks I could be pain free fror at least 2-3 years an maybe permanently. He is a great Doc.  I am now almost pain free but I have about 200 oxy IR's in my possession. I have continued to take the oxy ir even though my pain is now almost gone after the injections.  I am trying to stick with 2 every 6 hours now and I am having problems already.  I have no desire for food and I feel depressed (grumpy). I am planning to stick with the every 6 hours routine for 3 more days and then go to 8 hours and stick with that for 3 days. I was only taking the meds consistently for about 6 weeks and only the past 3 weeks at the increased amount. I am shocked that I am having withdrawal symptoms just with these minor changes.  Sorry for the book, Any advise would be great.

[Hank63]

Hydrocodone: Following a 10mg oral dose of hydrocodone administered to five adult male subjects, the mean peak concentration was 23.6 ± 5.2ng/mL. Maximum serum levels were achieved at 1.3 ± 0.3 hours and the half-life was determined to be 3.8 ± 0.3 hours. Hydrocodone exhibits a complex pattern of metabolism including O-demethylation, N-demethylation and 6-keto reduction to the corresponding 6-α - and 6-β -hydroxy- metabolites. See OVERDOSAGE for toxicity information.

Half life indicates about every 4 hour you have half left in your body which is a short half life. So it would seem that you would calculate what he took at a time and every four houre subtract 1/2 till it is gone?

[FLaddict]

With vicodin they usually start about 12 hours after your last dose.. that is an average..some people they don't hit for 24 hours.. some people can't make it 8 hours They are there worst at days 3-4.. which is about when alot of it will be out of his system.. sometimes it take 7 days to get it all out..