Alternatives

[JAMAWAMA]

Hello,
Is there any alternative narcotic(less potent)that would help with replacing Hydrocodone. I've been taking the prescribed dose of hydro for over a year now. I would like to be done with them but don't want the WD's. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

[TeleVision]

well i know this is gonna be burried in all these posts but i think the best thing to switch to is darvocet N-100 or darvon 65mg. Schedule IV narcotic as apposed to S III hydrocodone. it is a step down and then maybe you can tapper off those easier.

TeleVision

[tex3]

Sorry I freaked on y'all yesterday. After I detoxed in April I swore I'd never go through that again, so when I thought I might have to it scared the **** out of me. BUT, the good news is I don't think it's going to happen. After taking a few doses yesterday my head was finally better, but I was sick as hell from the pills; I think my body can't handle that high a dose anymore, it killed my stomach. Made me remember why I quit in the first place.
I emailed my doctor and he said he did not think 2 days of hydros would cause withdrawal, which calmed me down. This morning I woke up with a migraine "aura" so took my Imitrex nasal spray, which got rid of it. So far no headache, and I havne't touched the Lortab. Best of all I am having no withdrawal signs so maybe all is okay! I still have some left so if it gets bad I will take -- but I'm not craving! Yeah! Makes me a very happy girl. I actually feel pretty damn good this morning. Going to my mom's tonight, where she has a whole bottle of Imitrex she's giving me, so hopefully I won't get into this mess again. One good thing is it reminded me of why I don't want to be a pillhead. Not that I ever forgot, but it was a good remedy to the cravings that were hitting me. Normally if I had ANY pills in the house I'd swallow them first thing when I awoke, but today I didn't touch them. Sounds simple but was a big step forward for me.

I want to thank everyone who offered me support in so many ways. Y'all are the best group around. I won't be here through the weekend and will miss everyone, so expect lots of posts from me on Monday.

Angst -- When your ex and daughter go away, try to think that instead of being left alone, you're getting some free time! Read a book, be lazy, enjoy yourself, go see movies, anything you've wanted to do but couldn't while playing wife (or ex) and mother. And write/call me any time you need to. You've come too far to slip, and I know you won't -- you're the original "mean queen" with drugs!

[tex3]

I've written in pieces about what's going on with me right now. I know everyone is busy and I shouldn't keep bugging y'all for help, but thought I'd post below what's going in a more coherent way. So, here it is if anyone can help.

I've been getting severe migraines and freaking about this. Finally went to the doctor yesterday as I've spent $300 on Imitrex in the past three weeks and as of yesterday had had a migrain, severe (9-10) for 36 hours. The Imitrex didn't help at all, and I'd taken the max dose for two days. My doctor gave me a shot of nubain, switched my seizure med to tegretol to try to prevent the headaches, and prescribed 15 lortabs to help until the tegretol started working. I'm taking the meds as prescribed. Three yesterday total, two this morning. Actually it says one at a time but that wouldn't even faze me with my tolerance, so I take two. What I'm worried about is that when I had endo I welcomed the pain because it allowed me to get pills. Now that I'm finally clean, I want to stay that way, and I'm having severe pain for real, pain that I CAN'T handle! I mean it's been sooo bad. I would much rather have no pain and no pills. Of course, I'll only have them for another day, but still. What is really scary is that I feel so good this morning after just one dose. I feel normal again, I have energy, I even have a slight buzz. For six weeks I've struggled daily to get back to normal and fought with all I have to be free of my addiction, and I've succeeded mostly. I've still been dealing with major depression, apathy, no energy, but had hope that it would pass. I've had cravings but never gave in or even really considered it. But I've had one health problem after the other and finally the migraines did me in, then after two little pills I feel like a million bucks again. I know that if I kept it up I would again be in misery, like I was at the end of my addiction when it wasn't even enjoyable. But right now that's hard to remember. So I wonder if after tomorrow I'm going to have to start all over again. I know I can't live as an addict. My husband was grilling me last night; he could tell something was different. But right now my head doesn't hurt, I'm not depressed, I'm about to clean my house...what's up with this? Why can't I feel "normal" without a pill, and why dear god did I have to get the migraines so bad that I needed it? I was winning the good fight! I'm scared. Please help me today not to take any if I don't truly, truly need it.
I feel like a failure. Will I ever be able to live a normal life? I've tried the recipe, been on it for a few weeks now. I'm on anti-depressants. Many times in the past weeks I thought that I don't care if I live or die, other than for my kids. Will I always feel this way? Of course, today I don't but that's because of the hydro. But I woke up with another migraine and it knocked it right out. I remind myself that last night my daughter hurt herself and while I was comforting her, she told me "Mommy, I feel so much better when you are around me. All you have to do is hug me and it makes everything better." Those babies are precious to me and I need to be there for them. But I know the depression and everything else is going to kick right back in. I would never have taken the pills if not for honest, severe pain. I believe that with all my heart. But why, after all this time, did I have to get TRUE pain? I've had at least 25 migraines in the past 35 days, and I reached my breaking point yesterday. Now I feel normal with one dose of hydro and I'm terrified. How can I go back to that black state I've been in for the past few weeks? It lifted for several weeks after my detox, then hit me again the past two weeks.
I'm so sorry this is so long; I'm really scared here and need support. Please, anyone, help me.
tlk/tex3/tracy

[skipper]

ok people, at last i have time:
been real busy and have not had time to even give everything a
good read. from what i've gathered a couple are having some issues with taking a couple of deserved pain relieveing blast off old Jones. even though i periodically detox, i could not survive at the constant high rate of pain i suffer from. i've drawn some conclussions:
1) god is likely a sadistic ________
2) pain is mandatory
3)suffering is optional

now let me ask all of you the same question i ask myself every-
day. any of you bother to think what you would do if you ever legitimately needed all of these opiates you have been  flooding your bodys with? i didn't...i bet no body else did either. score one up for old jones....ever deny yourself pain eliminating dope? well score another for old Jones.

SEE, YA' CAN'T BEAT JONES! he's like blind joe death...he knows
(always knows) when to show up, and it's always on his time.

i've said it before, some days ya' just gotta notch the belt
tight, pick up your step, and put your head way down. the only
way to do this is just do it. 'scuse me i gotta get my head down
and get trucking...

keep an angel on your shoulder
kip

[angst]

I've detoxed off some major drugs, a four year habit of Stadol NS, taking a bottle a day for the last 2 years.  I've kicked dilaudid so many times, I lost count.  I'd use for 3 months or 6 months and get caught by my ex, and kick at home alone.  The w/d from the first time on the methadone for 2 years going from 90mg to nil.  The methadone was the worst.  It lasted almost a month, but I was alright.  If I had to jump off the methadone,  I could not do it.  Once I had detoxed of methadone, and I had been going to NA meetings every day and night, I felt very good physically.  I lost weight, about 50lbs, and my skin looked so good.  I never had to deal with long w/d.  Even kicking the dilaudid at home in the easy chair.  I had stomach ills for a week and a half.  Then the pain starts in places I never knew I had for another two weeks.  Then I started feeling better.  I will stay on the methadone for another couple of months.  I have been able to turn around many things.  I needed the counselling and group.  Thanks to everyone on this forum.  You have helped me put things in perspective.  I hope you all do well with w/d's.
I hope I never know what protracted w/d is.  Tracy, you will do good.  Take it one day or hour or minute at a time.  Consciously relaxing as much as you can.  I hope I get a job soon.   I am out there looking.   I have to cook dinner, feed my pets, and water my garden.  I guess we are in another drought for a couple of weeks.  Thanks to you all for listening and caring,  Ava

[singer]

ive been on buprenex for 2 months. i had hernia surgery 1 year ago and have nerve damage with constant pain. i was on vics es 15 per day for one year. i know what its like to try and stop. the bups was prescribed for pain and completely blocked any cravings for the vics with no withdrs and helps with the pain. i am also going to pain manag getting injections to try and block the nerve. anyway i swear by the bups and hope to soon ween off. life is pretty much back to normal. good luck singer.