I need to withdrawal

[wenn7555]

Hello everyone, I'm new on here. Reading all your posts gave me the courage to post myself. I have an addiction to Vicodins. I initially took them for my severe low mid back pain. Mainly low back L4 & L5. I am very scared to withdraw from the painkillers since I know I will be in severe pain, I know I will from the withdrawal but way after the withdrawal because of my nerve & disc damage. What is the alternative to pain meds? Has anyone tried something that works? I'm at the point where I take at least 10 Vic's a day & sometimes more. I can tell I am no longer the person I once was. I don't laugh anymore, I'm depressed, and something's got to get better or I'm going to get worse. As you all know you build a tolerance of these pain meds and you continue to take more. Is there an alternative to help with the pain? Please help... I'm wanting to start the Thomas detox soon but need to know where to go from there... Thanks

[IwillDoThis]

Wenn - sounds like you are moving ahead with the taper, good job.  It can be so scary but you are doin it!  Watching the clock and getting out of the habit of taking that pill was much harder than I anticipated, it really messes with you so I understand that.

You are gonna feel so much better once you get a little time under your belt and you'll look back like "why did I wait".  Keep posting and and we'll be here!

Trasey - welcome and YES it is possible, you really have to be fed up and want this but it is totally doable!  PM me any time or make your own thread for support!  We care and we understand where you are.  I was so afraid for so long of the pain that kept me on opiates.  I'm happy to say at like 68 days my pain is better controlled now than it ever was on opiates- I feel like a new person truly.

For anyone out there reading this and on the fence about pain meds and pain - take a chance and give yourself a chance opiate free to assess your real pain levels - opiates increased my pain levels most definitely.  What have you got to lose to try it?

[minn66]

Wenn, I know what you mean about the family functions. Uh, I would have to force myself to go. Not because I didn't want to spend time with my family (although every family has its dysfunction lol), but the stupid meds just made me tired and I didn't feel like going.

You are doing a good job of tapering. Many of us, myself included, can't do that. It shows strength and discipline. Just stick to your plan and post here a lot. It helped me tremendously just to get my feelings out and to know there are people who truly care and understand.

I hope you have a blessed Easter weekend :)

Minn

[wenn7555]

Hi all, I wanted to give you an update even though it's only my 2nd day. I tapered off 2more pills today. I'm not gonna lie, this is HARD. I keep thinking of the pills that make me so unhappy! I guess it's habit... I have to control how I think about them & not want to WANT them. They doing nothing but make me worse! I know it's best for me. I have thought of going back but not going too! I want this too much for myself. Like many you have posted with similar stories. You give me the courage to keep going. I'm such an introvert now too & never used to be. I stopped going to friends & family functions, you all know how it goes. Im hoping this will change and be back to myself. I just feel like crying & crying. I HAVE to get through this. Thank you all again. I hope to finish this once & for all. Talk to you all soon....

[wenn7555]

Hi there, hang in there & keep it up. We can do it together. I just started on here today & the info I received is more than I ever received from any doctor. Keep tapering off. I'm so scared to of the pin to come. But I keep thinking a week or a month from now I hope to mentally feel better & hopefully physically. I'm preparing for the worst pin to come. But I stocked up on everything that everyone mentioned here. I hope you do to. Stay with it. Kep on posting your progress. Hang in there!!

[Bkitty]

Hi and Welcome!! Do you have a pain management doctor or can you discuss with the prescribing MD about alternatives for pain management? There are a lot of members here that this happened to. I was different. For me I loved them. I had no pain. I took them because of that feeling they gave me. I started with vicodins and graduated to a heavy percocet addiction. I had underlying depression that I had to address. That was the reason that I self medicated. You mentioned your doctor put you on wellbutrin. Opiates really screw the chemicals in your brain up. Its best to have a game plan in place,,treat the depression and get supportive and aftercare. But addressing the pain is also very important. The Thomas Recipe has helped a lot of us. Im sure from reading you know what is to come. Its really hard in the beginning. I will not lie. (for me at least). The physical w/d's lasted 1-5 days and then the mental ones kicked in. If you quit cold turkey,,make sure you cut off the supply. If you taper you have to be militant and stick to a schedule. I wish you all the best and keep us posted ~Bkitty

[trasey_anne]

Wow, this thread is really encouraging.  I want to get off of norco but have been afraid of the pain, but maybe the norco is making the pain worse.  It doesn't seem to be helping much anymore, and there's no way I can take anymore than I've been taking.  You guys make it sound possible..I have taken 2 fewer today, and hope that I can do it by tapering off and coming here for ideas, support, and advice.  Thanks all for being open about this.  I have been so scared - still am, but now I see others getting through it without dying, so I know that I can, and MUST!

Thanks,
T

[doitformyson]

Your life WILL be happier without the vics....I promise you.  I just hit day 10 today.  I can't tell you how hopeless I felt 10 days ago.  Thinking about it reminds me of how far I have come and keeps me from even considering to go back.  If you want it and you stay focused, you will succeed at this and you will feel better with time.....I guarantee it.  

[wenn7555]

Thank you for all suggestions. Today is my first day & I'm already feeling like I'm getting the flu. Thanks for the encouragement & I will keep you up to date. I'm glad to hear your success story and it gives me hope!!! I can only hope my life will be happier without the Vic's... I know it will. Thanks again

[inovermyhead420]

Hi wenn,  I have been off hydro's 10's almost 15 a day since July 25th. Let me tell you it wasn't easy but It was definately worth it.  I have my life back. I was afraif of the pain that I would be in but honestly I was in less pain after I quit. My mind was telling me that I was in pain so that I would take another pill then another then another. You get the point.  Make sure you have all the things that the people above have already listed and make sure you have some kind of protein that is easy to get down. I didn't want to eat at all and felt horrible but protein of some sort always made me feel a bit better. My prayers are with you and just remember that no matter how hard it gets it will get better and it is well worth it.

[IwillDoThis]

Yep thank goodness for uncle bens!  I tapered also and did it pretty quick I went from 4 pills to 1 within two week period, after you get to such a low mg I personally don't feel like tapering probably changed my withdrawal - you are gonna have it no matter what - get as low as you can over the next week and just jump off - don't drag it out too long.  Keep us posted!

[mindovermatter10]

Scratch my last post I just caught up on your story....I admire that your being strong to taper with me its all or nothing I found it prolongs my w/d process....Im rooting for you...you can do this think about how great it will be to not depend on anything and living life to the fullest. Yes there will be pain but we can get through...big hugs to you...mindovermatter

[wenn7555]

Thank you all and making it seem possible. I know I have a long journey ahead of me which makes me really scared but I have to do it to have better quality of life. Thank you for the suggestions of how to handle the pain afterwards and to be prepared during the withdrawal. I will get the Uncle Bens! Ha... You guys are amazing & encouraging. I will continue to let you know how I'm doing. I started the tapering today. 1 less pill a day. I don't know if that's to slow or not? But trying it out....

[Teri9498]

  Hi.....that's how all of my addiction started with hydro 10, but stupid me, I turned to methadone because someone told me "it's much easier to get off" NOT!!!!....so whatever you do DON'T turn to methadone, it's the hardest to get off, I've been methadone free for 13 days today and the withdrawals aren't much fun!....I know sometimes when we take opiates, they actually make us have more pain.....maybe start a taper plan and ***** your pain levels then????.....I don't know if you do any exercise, but that really helps with pain.........OMG Minn, I'm still laughing about "the uncle bens!!" Ha!

[IwillDoThis]

HI wenn and welcome!  I'm 66 days off Hydro 10's and also a pain patient.

I will second everythin Minn said and will also reinforce getting a bag of tricks ready to manage your pain is crucial in remaining off pills.  If you do nothing and have no alternatives for yourself you are much more likely to reach for a pill.

I also want to caution you that while initially I felt great, I did have rebound pain about 2 weeks out that lasted for 2 weeks and was awful but I knew to expect this and to just ride it out.  Your actual pain levels will not really accurately be perceived by you much before 30 days so try to hang in there through that 30 days so you can accurately gauge where you are.

I also use - warm baths, showers, motrin, tylenol, TENS unit (which i could not live without), I do manual trigger point therapy on myself, I get regular massage, chiro when I can, I meditate, I do light yoga, PT exercises specific to my conditions (strengthing your back can be painful BUT essential to feeling better), I use Helichrysum oil on my neck when it hurts, I do transdermal magnisium chloride supplementation, accupuncture, cupping, I take a bunch of supplements, tiger balm and LOTS of positive thinking.

There are so many things out there we don't know about cuz the drug companies don't make money thereby there isn't advertisement for alternative remedies.  You must seek them out.

You can do this, many of us have and continue our journeys!  Post here for support, ask me anything you like and I wish you well!

[minn66]

Hi wenn. Our stories are similar. I was taking hydrocodone tens, five times a day. It scared me when it started taking more and more meds to get relief. I quit cold turkey in November, 2011. It was the hardest thing I've ever done. I had stocked up on Immodium, Gatorade, a B12 supplement, and of course for a while my diet was limited to soup and crackers, toast, broth, fruits and other things that are light on the tummy. Oh, and as N8TV NDN would recommend, Uncle Ben's rice.

I realized by reading here and going to NA that I would need a plan in place for when the pain flares up. I go to physical therapy three times a week, get trigger point injections, use a home TENS unit and home traction unit between PT visits. Hot showers, or soaking in Epsom salts helps too.

I do hope you keep posting. There are a lot of nice, caring, compassionate people who are willing to help.

There is hope!

Minn