Detoxing from oxy slow release, regular oxy and norco..

[TooLongMadness]

I have read the posts on this site for years, and it has helped me tremendously through my many, many detoxes. I won't go through my whole history, but been on and off (mostly on) opiates for 10 years and I just turned 29. I have home detoxed so many times now, I can't count. This is the first time I truly want to (and need to) stop. The doctors have now upped me to slow release oxy, regular oxy and norco everyday. I take more than prescribed of the norco, but not of the oxy, so I'm at 2 10mg slow release oxy, 5 5mg regular oxy and about 8 or more 10mg norco. I'm on about day 3 but I've had 1 norco every morning so far. I am currently taking neurontin, soma and ambien. In the past I have done the Thomas recipe, hot showers, exercise and AA/NA meetings since I was a teenager. At this point, I would love some kind words and I would love to know if anyone else has detoxed from all 3 drugs at the same time? I couldn't find any posts about this and this is my first time detoxing from all 3 at once. I have a young child and many health problems, but an incredibly supportive boyfriend. Please post if you can, any advice or personal story will help me through this hard time. Thank you.

[Ann2497]

Let me know how the marijuana works for your panic attacks.  I was thinking about trying that too but I am worried about it making me hungry.  I am trying to watch my weight.

The cravings you are having are completely normal.  You have been completely off of all pills for how many days now?  I have heard some people say that even six months later they are having daily cravings.

Are you going to smoke the marijuana or eat it in a protein bar or something like that?  I saw on TV where a lot of people will eat the marijuana.

[TooLongMadness]

Thank you for your kind words.. I was just now planning how I could get my hands on my friends pills, just to feel ok tonight.. it's so scary how my brain just goes there.. And I have to work on just not following through.. Is it normal to have those types of thoughts countless times throughout the day? They are non-stop for me right now.

Oh and I have to be honest (if only just to cyberspace) that I went out and got a medical marijuana license for my panic attacks and to deal with my neck pain (the original reason I was prescribed pain pills). I don't know if it's the right thing to do, but my pain is bad (and panic attacks) and I would rather smoke a little weed sometimes than be on norco or xanax the rest of my life. I don't know. I'm trying to figure this out as I go along... It's a hard path..

[ariley13]

Hi there! For me, it was an issue of totally re-programing myself. I had to learn to do everything sober. I also had to learn how to deal with all of life's stresses with new and healthier coping skills. (Still working on that one.) It can be very overwhelming to have emotions that have been numbed and buried for years. It's definitely a process of learning to sit with your emotions and be ok with yourself. I think the counseling will help you with all of this. Above all else, I have learned how important it is to reach out when I am having cravings or just a bad day. No one should try to do this alone. We are here for you. Congratulations on your week clean and sober! Please keep us updated on how you are doing, ok? Take care of yourself.

[TooLongMadness]

Soooo, no idea if anyone will even see this but.. I followed through with my detox and at around 2 weeks clean, I started getting really bad headaches. The doctor said they were caused by stopping all 3 meds at once.. So she prescribed me norco. Long story short, I have been on it since then. The most I was up to was 4 (10mg) a day-which my bf would give me. Then I started tapering, at about 1 and a half pill, I was feeling sick and searched the house, found his hiding place and took 1. Well that continued until he noticed, huge fight (last time he said he would leave me if I lied/stole pills again) and I have now gone cold turkey. My last pill was Tuesday morning (of last week) so I now have 7? Days... Anyway, again with the crying and despair and panic attacks. My job along makes me feel sick to me stomach. I'm going to a therapist I know next Wednesday and I have been telling my bf how I feel. It's so hard being clear; I'm so used to reaching for my purse and finding something to make me feel better.. It's been almost a decade since I had to "self soothe" and so far, I suck at it.  

Anyway, any advice on how you go on with your life (job, kids, spouses, everything) without a pill to help, I'm all ears. :)

Lots of appreciation!

[clean_in_ks]

Welcome to the forum TooLong!!  Yep, I got to the point where my drug use had been going on "too long", too.....lol  I started my use of the very same drugs you have mentioned above in your post after a serious car accident and then continued using drugs due to even more medical issues that followed after that.  I felt like I had been in a "medical tomb" of sorts for about 5 yrs.  By the time  my one year date POST surgery arrived I had become a full blown addict completely out of control.  That was when I had my own personal "ah ha" moment and KNEW something HAD to change.

As you probably already know since you have been reading posts on this site for years, we cannot be specific about taper amounts and doses, etc. but we CAN share what we may have done "in a general way".  So.....

I first eliminated my "slow release"/extended release oxys.  Next, I cut back and eliminated the short release/regular oxys.  Then I attempted weaning down the hydrocodone (Norco, Lortab, Vicodin) and found by that point I had to just cold turkey the hydros.  When I quit that last narcotic pain med (hydrocodone) I also quit Soma cold turkey.  The Soma is different from other muscle relaxers in that it chemically breakdowns down like a benzo.
(that's why I LIKED it SO MUCH...lol)  So I quit those two together.

Next, I got off the hypnotic.....sleep med. (I used two different ones, at different times, but you know what I mean)

Lastly, I chose to get off the Neurotin/Gabapentin.  I was having enough side effects by this time that my personal choice was to be TOTALLY drug free so I could get a clear and accurate feel for how much pain, nerve damage and nerve pain I TRULY had in my body.  (this took into account any rebound pain and allowing the time to detox slowly from these meds one at a time).

I am still dealing with chronic pain.....but I am learning new things...new ways.....and have to tell you even when I hurt most of the time.....I am WAY better than I was while ingesting ALL those drugs at the same time.

Gradual.....one at a time......would be the counsel I would share with you from my own personal experience.  And of course, you said you have a doctor helping you.......so my only reason for sharing was because you wanted to know if anyone else had had a similar experience to yours.

Lastly, I found by learning about the neuroscience of my brain and WHY my brain was different from a non-addict....I was able to approach all of this feeling more equipped and in no way ashamed for "being an addict".

HBO.com/addiction is a fabulous web site with articles and short videos that taught me amazing new things about addiction.  And if you want to type in You Tube Pleasure Unwoven....you can see 7 or 8 short video "teases" kinda.....by Dr. Kevin McCauley who is a recovering addict himself and he uses the landscape of Utah to explain the addicts brain.

Hope this longwinded (sorry..lol) post may help you and that you will continue....one day...one drug at a time......to achieve the FREEDOM you so long for~

[TooLongMadness]

Thank you so much OpenMind. The problem is I have no plan for the pain after I detox. I plan to just use natural things and grit my teeth, staying on all this stuff is definitely not the way.. So I'll find a new way. I'm so tired off these pills being my life, my health, my only way. I'm hopeful this time, unlike all the other times :) ill keep posting.

[OpenMind24hours]

Glad you have doctors working with you on this. They know exactly what to do to get you free. I went through my first detox and was taking Ambien that helped with sleep. I got through detox and then came detoxing the ambien. I thought the light at the end of the tunnel was freedom, but it was a freight train full of ambien. I had been on it for 9 months and it took me 4 months to slowly taper off. So, use it while you go thru this, but if the doctors approve of you stopping it, get off of it ASAP after.

You must be having trouble with pain to get all those scripts. If so, do they have a plan for you to handle the pain after you detox?

Good to hear on the AA/NA. Me too. Wouldn't be clean without it. When you get to really feeling like it, step 4 thru 9 really helps to stop the thinking machine. Our addiction is truly a thinking problem. I saw my favorite alcohol at a store recently and the latent addict thinker who lurks in my mind started up on me for a minute.

You're going to get through this detox and this time you're going to be okay. Keep with us on here. Be our next miracle!    

[VICourageous]

OK..You stay Strong now.. I am sending you some Prayes through the Cyber Net!!! Ha!! You do come back..Keep us posted do not hide behind the screen..
Bless

[TooLongMadness]

Thank you so much for the kind words. This is a difficult road, and I know that after I am done with detoxing, I get cravings again. So I know I need to stay strong and yes, maybe even go back to meetings.. I'll keep posting.

[VICourageous]

Hi..So you have been Lurking Around Huh! Well you seem to have all the things set up..I am proud of you wanting out at a young age..You have a future ahead of you..I went c/t from the hydo/oxys about 12 years ago..I did not understand this disease until it was too late..I just ran up the latter to Methadone for 12 years with 2 other meds..I did c/t off all 3 about 222 days ago..I am in my late 50s and it was not easy on this Body..But I did it and I am feeling pretty good..Have some emotional rides now and then that I have to stay tuned into..Also I have to go to the Meetings.I have all the information about the "Disease of Addiction and the Pleasure Pathway" that helps me to under stand all of this too! Support is a big one..This Journey was not meant to be walked alone..Well I am glad you showed up on here..Now just stay with us and you know as you have been reading around that we will help you out the best we can..