Tapering Question for New Person

[Sajonna]

Hello Everyone,

I have been reading this forum for a little while. I am not sure what group I fit into here.  And please don't tell me I am in denial! That is not meant to insult anyone. I did search through the threads trying to find someone who went through a similar situation.

I have had 18 surgeries in the past 23 years.  I have think I have tried most prescription meds available.  Anti-inflammatory meds killed my stomach everytime I tried to take them for pain.  So I was left to take narcotics. Over the past 23 years I have been able to just stop CT all narcotics after the 2nd or 3rd refill ran out until the next surgery with little to no problems.  But my problem started about 2 years ago when they diagnosed me with Rhumatoid Arthritis + Fibromyalgia. Now I am being tested for MS.  Because I could not tolerate the Anti-inflammatory meds my doctor gave me an endless supply of Norco. I would take anywhere from 4-8 pills a day.  Then I cut it down to 6 a day only because I started to get too drowsy in the mornings--had a hard waking up.  I also had IBS-D.  These Norco's kept that in check perfectly.  

Side note here:  I only use one doctor and one pharmacy for this prescription.  I like my pharmacists to know all the meds I am on in case they interact a funny way.

I went to see my doctor this last week for my routine checkup and I asked him about taking these Norcos. I told him I didn't like the way it made me so tired in the morning. I also miss drinking a glass of wine at dinner (which you should not do with this med or any med that has Tylenol in it.)  I also told him that I noticed that when he prescribed 120 pills at a time, I was short on meds about 7-11 pills every other time.  At first I thought I was just taking more of these; then I discovered -after I counted them when I got home from the pharmacy- that the pharmacy was shorting me.  Funny, my allergy meds were never short.  This sent up a red flag to me.  My best friend and I talked about maybe the pharmacist or a worker there was taking my pills.  Anyway, I told my doc I was concerned and wanted to "try a new drug."

I was also scared, after reading about how addictive this stuff is, that if I did take this too much longer, what would happen if & when I need another surgery.  What would they give me to take???  If I become immune / tolerant to this.  But my doc said they did have meds that were much stronger and I shouldn't worry.  But he agreed if I want off of these Norco's he would try to find a new med.

But first he said: I need to taper off these.  I had exactly enough meds to do this. He put me on a taper off program of:
5 for 2 days
4 for 2 days
3 for 2 days
2 for 2 days
1 for 2 days

I am on day 2 of the 3 a day.  I am also taking this one Anti-inflammory med called Volteran (spelling?) along with it once a day.  So far I am tolerating that one ok.

My question is for those of you who have successfully used a taper system: Will I still go through WD after I stop the 1 a day?  I am kind of scared of this.  I am already in a good amount of pain.  And I have noticed some crazy symptoms (that I am not comfortable with discussing here..but would like to in  a private message.)

I hope one of you has an answer for that.

Also: Kind of off my topic but I still would like to know:  (and this is not meant to insult anyone..just curious): I read here where some people have taken 25-40 of these pills A DAY !  How is that possible?  The most I EVER took was 10 spread out over 24 hours right after a major surgery, and then for only a few days. I was warned about kidney failure because of the tylenol in it.  The crazy thing about this drug is it never made me feel high like it does for some people.  It just took away my pain.  

Sorry for the long first post..but I didn't know how else to phrase all this.

SJ

[ladyboop]

I am not sure hun, Sounds like a very fast tapper.. So you might have some w/d's. But if you stick to that, it might not be to bad..

Good luck dear....

[Chi_Chi_Lover]

Yes, you will probably have some w/d no matter what. If you were taking 120 or more over a  month for any  length of time there probably isn't a way around some w/d. With your taper schedule maybe it won't be too bad.
Yes, some of us had worked our way up to 20-30 pills a day it called building tolerance to the drug as with any drug. You have taken 10 in 24 hours it's the same thing. It just takes more as time goes on to take away the pain or for us that liked the buzz it takes more as time goes on the get the buzz.

120 pills a month is about 4 in a 24 hour period so if you are taking 4-8 as your post says that's why you were coming up short at the end of the month. The days you took 5,6, 7 or 8 would make you run short.

You can go through post on here and see what w/d symptoms are normal. Aching, restless leg, crawling skin, no sleep, upset tummy etc. all of these and more are w/d symptoms or symptoms you feel as you taper your dosage down and when you go cold turkey completely of the pills. It will probably last anywhere from 4-7 days.
Good luck

[Sajonna]

Thank you for replying.  I have to say that so far so good.  I am down to the second day of taking only 2 a day- I in the morning and one at evening along with a Tylenol.  So far all I have had is a little bit of a headache.  My arthritis & fibro pain is still there though.

Tomorrow and Wednesday & Thurday I will take only one in the morning- I have 3 pills left.  


I am so mad.  This hydrocodone stuff really does work for pain.  I never really got that buzz like everyone else says..(darn it!).  30 years ago I loved to smoke weed...And I did try that for my pain about 2 years ago but the only thing was, I can't drive a car with that.  Plus it made  me real tired too.  Plus I got ahold of some moldy stuff and it killed my sinuses!  So what's a person to do???  We risk addiction (to stay pain free) OR we take these anti-inflammotories and risk stomach problems.

I couldn't take Neurontin or Lyrica because it made me sleepwalk--very dangerous for a person who lives alone.

I feel like such a pain in the arse when it comes to medication.

Now I feel like after I get these hydro's out of my system, I will be able to drink my wine again...but ...am I going to turn into an alcoholic?  I won't drive when I drink, so that's safe.

Thanks for letting me vent.  And thanks to all the people who post here,  This is a lonely world we live in.

SJ

[Sajonna]

I went from having a "so far so good" attitude to a W.T. F. happened?  Today is the day I had to cut to one pill.  I was ok until about 2 hours ago.  I started hurting real bad and getting really edgy & punchy.  I work as a data transcriber and we are all backed up at work (and no one is doing anything..so it's all on me.)  This happens alot, but when I had my pain meds I could handle the extra work.  I never knew how much I relied on these pills.

But after reading here what all of you went through or are going through - and most much worse than me if you are coming down from a big dose a day.  I only have 2 pills left and I am tempted to take one..but I need to stick to this taper schedule.  I did have Xanax left from a precription a year ago.  I just took one of those to cut the edginess off me. Hope it don't make me too tired becuase I want to watch American Idol. (don't make fun of me for that!)

Something else i did that might help others:  I had been trying to diet (because I sweat these Norco's made me gain weight and I can't fit into my good jeans anymore..and I am too cheap to buy new jeans!)--Anyway, I REALLY wanted some tasty food...so I went out and treated myself to a big lunch yesterday & today.  And tonight  I am going to eat a whole package of crab rangoon and anything else that MIGHT make me happy. I think my key is to STAY HAPPY  right now.

I'll post tomorrow in case anyone cares. I am all alone on this.  I live alone and no significant other..plus no family even close by. Just a dog who is loving all this food I am eating and sharing with him.

[Sajonna]

I am on 2nd day of only one 1 pill.  And I had to attend a big class today on a subject I knew nothing about..along with a test afterward.  I got a 94 on the test and passed too.  I am doing so much better today than yesterday.  Seems like ever other day I am doing better on this taper.  

I have one pill left and I think I will cut it in half and take a half pill for the next 2 days to really taper.

I have had no one to hold them for me and little support here.  Hopefully someone will stumble upon my little journal thread here and will start there own taper too.  Have faith.  Take one day at a time...Pray.  Eat the food you want (no matter how fattening it is while you are going through this.)  

YOU   CAN  DO  THIS !!!  

[worried878]

I love American idol to!   so we are silly..who cares...i think dredlocks will go tonight...sounds like u r sticking to ur taper and that is a hard thing to do...u must be ready to quit and the best of luck to u...u can pm me if u need to

[Sajonna]

I agree-  dreadlocks does need to go.  I am rooting for David Cook and I also loved Michael Johns.  Sorry to see him go so soon.

[toxictome]

I tapered off hydros also. It is  a good idea to take  a half for the next two days...or you could take 1/2 in the am and 1/2 in the pm...either way...i think it will be fine.

I did have  wds...but they weren't nearly as bad as others who ct or whatever they did.

I mostly had the rls, no motivation or energy, and mood swings. ...and this stuff continued for about 6 weeks...but just mostly the no energy or motivation...with more good days than bad.

If you keep your mind busy...it is VERY doable and you can still work!!
I also found exercise, either walking or working out...helped a GREAT deal.

Keep going...YOU CAN DO THIS!!!

Getting clean is the easy part...STAYING clean is the hard part. Do you have any plans for aftercare?...such as NA/AA mtgs or counseling(to get to the core issues of why we use). I strongly suggest something....it will increase you chances of staying clean.

GOOD LUCK!!   KEEP POSTING!!

[Sajonna]

My plans after I complete this detox is not to go to NA/AA meetings but to work with my doctor on trying to educate him and his staff on prescribing these meds to those of us who have had major surgeries.  

When I first started taking these meds (about 23 years ago)- I never had a problem stopping them after a few days or 2 weeks.  It wasn't up until about 2 years ago that i continued on them daily.  For a few years before that, I took them 2 weeks on (4-6 a day) and then 4-6 weeks off.  

After all the stuff I have read here, the best way to prescribe these narcotic meds (when a person has had surgery OR if they are having some major breakthrough pain) would be to only give the person about a 5-10 day supply and then demand that they taper off them. (The taper I was given seems to have worked.)  Every time I did it CT, I got scared because my pain level came back 100x times worse and the IBSD did too.  So, I am wondering, perhaps I do not even have IBSD.  Because I have noticed while tapering it is better.  And I noticed that my pain level is also tolerable.  (I am taking that Volteran med though too- but only 1x a day because 2x upset my stomach.)

If you ever have been given a prednisone steroid pack, notice that you tapered on that too.  Also, I remember on Neurontin, that also carried a big warning label to taper too before totally discontinuing.  So why not petition the Narcotic Manufacturers to have to put a taper on these meds when prescribed?  I mean, think back when you first got the med for your pain