Help im scared

[Scared2do]

I just got cut off after 4 years of persciption loritab. Of coarse i abused them so i have taken 1000mg daily. Im bi polar and have suicidal tendensies. Im scared so what should i do to withdrawl. I do have a serious neck injury that started this so what about my pain. Ive done 12 hrs with nothing and was shaking and crying and diarea. Please help

[sheri641]

I have struggled with addiction myself and its important to be honest. Seek medical advice and tell them the amount you took and you want off. Most physicians are more willing to help as long as your not seeking more narcotics. You can even go to the er and explain it ...the physical symptoms are just as real as they are in your head and it's dangerous to go cold Turkey. Get some medical advice ...

[Julia M Aharonov, DO]

First of all I want to clarify with you that you were indeed taking 1000mg of the hydrocodone in the Lortab. It is important to clarify, because each pill or Lortab contains anywhere from 5mg to 10 mg of hydrocodone and 500mg of acetomenophen (Tylenol). If you indeen where taking a hundred  pills of Lortab a day, your liver may be in grave danger, becouse acetomenophen is toxic to your liver in such high doses.
I do not want to scare you but it is imperative that you get some medical attention soon to check your liver function or your withdrawal sumptoms may be the least of your worries.
Unfortunately your doctor didn't do you any favors by "treating" your neck pain with narcotic medications. You should have been sent to see a pain specialist who could have evaluated you and possibly given you a cervical epidural steroid injection which may have alleviated your pain.
But now we must deal with your wiithdrawals. It is hard to stop cold turkey, but it seems that you are going to have to do it.  Please don't give up, it is only going to get better and better from now on.  See if your doctor can write you a prescription for some Gabapentin for anxiety and general malaise, Requip for restlessness, some Flexeril or Soma for a few weeks for the muscle spasms and maybe some Seroquel low dose for sleep. It will make withdrawals easier.  You can try ibuprofen 600mg if you have pain. Please don't start taking the opiates again as it will only throw you back into withdrawals once you stop again, or make you relapse.  Valerian and Magnesium is sometimes helpful remedies over the counter.
The severe symptoms go away in two to four weeks depending on what you were taking, but the residual insomnia, weakness and depression can last for months.
Make sure those are addressed and discussed with your physician so that you do not fail long term. Please take some time to look at my blogs (by clicking on my name and then blogs) to get more specific information. My website (www.mdsdrugdetox.com)  also has lots of detailed information.
You have a lot to live for and you obviously know what is important in life.  Eventually you will feel like your old self again but much better, because you will have regained self respect and a measure of pride in what you were able to achieve. And that is priceless...Good luck to you.

[rnangel]

You should go back to the doctor and ask him about alternatives to manage pain. Discuss how the withdrawl symptoms are affecting your emotional health and that it is very scary for you. Withdrawl from loritab 1000mg will be very difficult with day 3 being the worst. It doesn't sound like you had time to prepare for this. It's important to drink water and gatorade when you have diarrhea. Immodium will help with the diarrhea.There is the 'thomas recipe' at the bottom of the page that will help you feel better. Is there anyone who can sit with you and help you get some of these things? If you feel like you can't cope then seek medical help immediately. There are alot of people here who care and offer support. Keep posting and let us know how you are doing.