Can home withdrawal be done

[TechAngela]

My therapist has tapered me from 4mg Ativan for 6 years to 2mg with orders to reduce to zero by the next monthly visit. I am also taking Norco 10/325 from a pain management doctor for a cervical injury for about 6 months. Today I am going to attempt to go cold turkey from the Norco to stop taking it because I am already addicted. I know this because I have come up a week short from taking too many and have been trying to think of excuses I can tell my doctor so that he will prescribe more. However, I know that he has heard t all so I am beginning my withdrawl myself since I am down to two pills. My dog was prescribed Tramadol HCL 50mg and I tried taking 1 of those. It made me feel horrible and I'm terrified by the risk I was willing to put myself through. I went through a vicodin withdrawl almost two years ago after my initial injury and a neurologist prescribing vicodin by the 100's. My husband was deployed and my teenage son helped me, but he still says he can never watch me go through that again. My husband is home now and about to be the one to watch me go through withdrawal. He will try to be support. It's the physical pain and emotional trauma I went through last time that scares me so bad. Can this be done at home again? Is there anything to relieve my suffering? The worst was the bone pain in my arms and legs. I have thought that death would be better than enduring withdrawal again, but that's not how I really feel. Can I come back here for support through this process? Will taking Prozac during the withdrawal help? Please tell me anything and everything. I'm so scared. I don't want to do this in a treatment facility.

[Tuckamore]

Only you can make the decision on a steroidal injection or not. Come ppl obtain great releif, others do not.  It takes a very skilled individual to inject into the cervical area as the vertebra are smaller and closer together than in other areas of the spine. There is no room for error.

If taking pain medications made you a bad person than I and most all of our members are bad ppl....and we certainly are not. As I said chronic pain is a disease. In the early days of my pain management I have run out a day or two early, afraid to tell my physician for fear that I would look like an abuser. It was she that determined my pain was not being properly controlled and increased the dosage and the number of pills per month. I no longer run out early. A caring and astute physician knows their patients, at least in my opinion.  

And in answer to your question, when narcotics are taken as prescribed they are not "dangerous." When abused and used inappropriately they certainly can be.  Most any procedure can have it's draw backs. Again only you can make this decision. Your PMP was wise to allow you a choice.  

[Mollyrae]

You are definitly not a "bad" person because you need pain meds...and you are not a substance abuser because of it either..You may be dependant on the medication but not addicted. There is a difference.

As Tuck suggested, try and find a new Pain Management Clinic. I feel that this would be the best route to take.

Again, take care....
Molly

[TechAngela]

Thank you again. It never occured to me that I had otions, and that finding a new pain management doctor was one of them. I didn't like feeling afraid when I went there anyway. Just giving me the thought that because my body needs the pain med because of my neck injury doesn't make me a bad person, and doesn't mean I am automatically a substance abuser. I've given it a lot of thought after my first post here and maybe the reason I ran out early is because it wasn't working and I took more on the flare up days. I felt the clinic was pressuring me into choosing to let them inject a steroid solution into my lumbar in the nck and I'm just too afraid of that. The doc said do my own research and make my own decision and gave me a pamplet. I thought taking a pill would be much easier to live with, but maybe not. Isn't it even more dangerous than the pills? I'll let you know how my search for a new doc turns out.

[Tuckamore]

I am sorry that you PMP is not compassionate. How awful for you and what a horrible story he told. And he's proud of it? That's no physician in my opinion. The oath they take says among other things, "Do no harm." He must have missed that.

Can you consult with another PMP? We all deserve a kind and caring physician, one that we can relate to and count on.

And yes don't be too hard on yourself. You are probably not addicted. If you would like I can send you a PM with some information on how to distinguish between addiction and dependancy.

Good luck!

[TechAngela]

Thank you for your reply. I see how the other forum may help me more. I was drawn to this one because of the pain management I am attempting with my injury. Your reply has sparked hope, and I'm trying to undestand that I am not addicted but physically dependent. And yes, perhaps I took more because it wasn't working and that led me to coming up short. This might give me the courage to talk to my doctor.

[TechAngela]

My pain management doctor is not compassionate. He told me stories of how he has cut patients off cold turkey because they did not follow dosing orders. He  joked about how one of his rich patients made the decision to check herself into a treatment facility for withdrawal because he cut her off when he thinks she could have done it at home. So, I will get no sympathy from this person. Just cutting my chances of him ever helping me in the future. But, thank you for your response.

[Tuckamore]

Hello TechAngela,

Welcome to the Pain Management Forum. I am glad that you have found us. Our community members base are ppl with Chronic Pain. Most of us have not had to go through withdrawals. I understand you fear and I would feel the same in your position.

I encourage you to do some soul searching. Are you a chronic pain sufferer that requires narcotics to control your pain or are you not. Only you can answer that question. If you beleive yourself to be addicted and not dependant than the Substance Abuse Forum will be more helpful and beneficial. Their members are generally more knowledgeable in that arena than our members. Support is equally as wonderful in both Forums. Please do not think that I am discouraging you from posting on our Forum. That is far from true. I'm just trying to determine the forum that will offer you the best support and information based on your needs. You are always welcome here.

If you are dependant on narcotics to control your pain that is far different from addiction. Is it possible that you are running out or using more than prescribed because your pain is not simply not controlled on your current medication regime? If that is the case than please discuss this with your physican. There are other medications that may be more effective. We can assist you through pain management with support and information.

In answer to your question can you do this alone at home? I would not do so, consult with your physician. There are medications that can ease your withdrawal symptoms and it can than be done at home. Again the Substance Abuse Forum would provide you with more information. I also caution you not to label yourself an abuser unless that really is the case.

And yes you may come here for support, please do so. MedHelp is a wonderful site, full of kind and caring ppl. It has been so very helpful for me and many others. You are very welcome!  I have made many friends on this site, ppl that know what I am going through and understand. When I first came and would read the posts I'd think, "Oh my gosh, that could have been written by me."  It was like they knew exactly how I felt and yet they have never met me. I am hopeful that you will discover the same.

Best of luck to you. Please keep in touch and let us know how you are doing. Keep in mind that it is a holiday weekend and the board may not be as active as it is normally.  
I'll look forward to hearing from again soon.

Take Care,
Tuck

[Mollyrae]

Hello TechAngela and welcome to the Pain Forum.

My suggestion would be to call your Doctor and have him help you through this. Tell him/her that you're interested in stopping the pain medication and he can help you. There are drugs designed of that purpose. It is also the safest way of doing this. If that is not possible then I would suggest
that you take the remaining two pills and take a half of a pill in the am and the other half in the pm. Continue this until they are gone. This won't help much but I guess it's better than nothing. I don't know much about Ativan, just what I've read but decreasing slowly is the best way.

I wish you the best and hope that you'll call your Doctor first.

Warmest regards,
Mollyrae