wean off hydrocidone

[07subiedude]

I relapsed with hydrocodones. I was taking about 200mg/day and was clean for about 30 days. My back pain was so bad I started taking again. At first I was just taking 40 mg a day. Now 7 months later I'm at 70mg twice a day. I've been back on them from a 30 day break for about 7 months. I don't have enough time away from work to go cold Turkey. I was thinking of doing 25-30 mg twice a day for about 3 days then going down 5 mg every 3-4 days or so. Until a Friday then stop. What do y'all think? Any advice? I have to stop its ruining my life. I have a family and dreams. This stuff is destroying my will and my motivation. I'm depressed. I'm thinking of trying b vitamins, tyrosine, l-dopa and 5htp to help me during my wean as well. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[hondablk]

Thannkyou Kyle , you are right because I was able to hold off a few hours, took a kolonopin and awhile later up jumped the devil and now I have 67 pills. The pain came on and I could not take it. My wife is out but she would have stopped me. Last night  had a nice sandwich at a diner and got along well. In the car I told her I did it again and she said I should have given them to hire to hold but ohhhhhh no not you to proud and on and on but she is right. I am handing the rest over tonite . U said I should post I thought that is what I did.  Could hu tell me how to do that,
Best regards and thanks again.

[kyle505]

Welcome. You should post the question, that way more people will see it and will then offer help and support.
We can't give tapering advice on this site; that's something you need to discuss with your doc. Another thing to consider...although tapering makes the detox process easier on you physically, it draws out the mental side of withdrawal. Also, a lot of us don't have the willpower to taper, so if that's want you decide to do, you should get someone you trust to hold your meds and give them to you daily per the taper plan that you come up with.
Good luck. And keep posting.

[hondablk]

Hi, I am 68 years ol and need to get off hydrocodone. Is it possible to wean off with 70 pills. If so how would I do it. I am prescribed 10 per day. Last few weeks I was averaging 15 a day. Today is Thursday . I started Monday and now am done to 8 per day plan on 6 Friday then five. Then start cutting by a half . Is this doable with 70 pills? I wond up in the hospital lady month od ing on Benydril trying to substitute because I again ran short by 5 days and again making every one of the good people in my life angry, from pharmacy to doctors. Is it possible to wean off with 70.  Please help.  Thankyou

[07subiedude]

I am happy to say everyone I have quit the hydrocodone. I got on suboxone and Wellbutrin. The suboxone helped so much and I think the Wellbutrin is helping so much. I started with 8mg suboxone and now at 4mg. The past few days I've even been forgetting to.take my suboxone at times. Ill go 48 hours without a dose. I'm starting just 2mg suboxone tomorrow. I have no cravings or even think about pills. I think the Wellbutrin really helps because of its acts on dopamine. Mild depression but I have more energy. I started working out and eating good..I'm happy because I'm getting my life back. I have not taken any pills in nearly a month now.

[quitinoxys]

Hello and welcome--I too suffer from severe chronic back pain and was on very high doses of oxys for 8 years. I have since quit and have found some great natural remedies and techniques to relieve my pain. I have had acupuncture which worked great for me, also Yoga and breathing techniques work well. As far as the herbal remedies I have a whole list of things I have tried which helped. I have found that California Poppy seed oil works great and it is not an opiate as the Asian poppy family but it has some of the alkaloids that help with inflammation and pain. If you would like personal message me and I will give you a whole list of herbs & spice I use that for pain. So I hope your pain subsides and keep up the CT and you with make I promise, I did. God Bless---Rick

[kyle505]

I promise you this - life IS wonderful without pills. The natural high you get is more steady and lasts longer than anything any pill can do. Plus you don't feel wasted and ashamed afterwards. And, its free and can be taken with you anywhere.
I think that daily living with no pills was more frightening to me than a hellish detox. Now I look back and wish I would have quit years ago - I was missing so much.

[07subiedude]

Thanks everyone so much for the motivation. Congrats on being clean. Ill have to ask about that operation with the nerves. I have to quit, I have to. I think the hardest thing is going to be life without the pills. I would need them when I get up, for get togethers, movies everything. I want to enjoy life without them

[LeaAnn807]

Hey!  I'm sorry about your back.  I have the same pain, and I'm going Monday for a series of shots.  Had a series of them a couple of weeks ago too.  In several weeks they will go in and burn the nerves where my pain is.  You might ask about that?  They do help me a little, and if your pain is bad like mine, you'll take even a little relief!! LOL

Now.........have you read the Thomas Recipe?  Good info for stuff to use during taper and CT withdrawal.  You will have some mild symptoms while you taper and then when you stop you'll have some WDs, but maybe it won't be too bad. The B vitamin is great for energy.  I still take it when I remember! Hahaha I hate any pill now for some reason! : )

You definitely need to look into some aftercare.  Think about that ok?

[kyle505]

Yes, I am clean. As a matter of fact at noon today I'd been clean for exactly 1/2 year. I struggled for 15 years; relapse, stop, relapse, stop, and on and on. I finally quit because I could no longer look at myself in the mirror - a bit dramatic but true. I flushed my remaining pills and went cold turkey. Plus, the older you get, the harder detoxing is; my last one was a trip to hell. I drank Ensure when I couldn't keep solid food down and drank loads of Gatorade. Short walks, hot baths. Vitamins. Keep fuel in your body.
And yes, I fight the voices, whispering to me "just one won't hurt" - fight them every day. I dont think the mental struggle ever ends.  

[07subiedude]

So are you clean now? For how long? How did you do it? I know you cut off but anything that helped. Do you still fight it?

[kyle505]

Welcome - although we can't give medical/tapering advice on the forum, we can offer suggestions, etc. First, if you have legit back pain, then you need to talk with your doc and explain your struggle with hydros. There are non-opioid meds out there, so you could ask about them. If you really want to stop using, then you need to cut off all sources. I called my doc, dentist and pharmacy and told them I was and addict and asked that I be red flagged as such. If you have access to pills, then you will have a hard time getting and staying clean.
Now, cold turkey vs tapering - you sound like you've thought it through; if you can't take time off work, then tapering would probably work best IF you give someone who you trust your pills and have them dispense the daily dose. If you try yourself, you may find it difficult not to over use. You also need to start looking at after care - NA, AA, whatever. Many of us get clean; the physical detox is hard, but only lasts a few day. That, however, is just a drop in the bucket. You have to build a foundation based on cutting off sources and after care for your recovery to be successful. All the best to you - keep posting.