Does medical detox work?

[teebee1]

I have been taking up to 8 7.5 Lortabs almost everyday for about 10 years. I have had numerous broken bones and surgeries through out the years and have always had pain pill to get me through. I never got addicted to them, until my arm reconstructon surgeries. There were three alogether. After one would almost heal up, there would be another one. I figured it would be like before, I take the pain medicine until the pain was gone, then throw the rest out. Only this time the pain did not go away, only got worsse, because I use my arm a lot. I'm right handed and that's the arm that's messed up. My doc said I would probably have to take them the rest of mjy life.
Anyhow, I decided not long ago, I've had enough. I tried to taper, but wasn't too successful. So I decided to check into detox, which is where I am right now, since yesterday. So far, the only symptons I've had is some anxiety and naseau. I 'm kind of worried, though. Yesterday, they gave me 20 mgs. of methadone, and 20 again this morning. I told my doctor that I don't want anymore, as I;ve heard really bad things about it, so he put me on Librium instead.
Does anyone know if you can withdraw from just that much methadone? I go home in two days, and am worried that I'll go into withdraws all over again once I leave here. Thanks for any advice you can give me.

[JohnnyApple]

This is a lot of good information and I was looking to go to a place, but my wife doesn't think it actually works.  I've been on Norco 10/325 for a year... I shattered my elbow and have had four surgeries.  The last surgery on December 22nd has taken the painful implants out and I want off this stuff ASAP.  I wouldn't say I'm addicted, but my body is dependent at this point.  I quit cold turkey after my second surgery not knowing how bad it was going to be (never taken anything like this before), but had to go back on after the third.  I have one more refill of 40 and my wife thinks I should taper, but I'm not sure I can with that amount, plus, if I can get it done without the symptoms in 3-5 days then I would rather do that.  The question I have is how was it once you got home?  Any symptoms of withdraw?  Or did it actually work?

[teebee1]

Well. I stayed in a hotel last night. Best thing I could've done. It was very relaxing. I just read and wrote a liittle on the computer. I had no cravings for the hydro. I even slept VERY well. I haven't had any of the withdrawals I thought I'd have, even thoughi it's only been about 6 days clean. I net with an addiction counselor yesterday, as well as a physician. He put me on Zoloft. Hopefully that will help with any craving I might get later on.
I go back to work Monday and I honestly think I'll be ready. I am soooo glad to have those evil little pills behind me!
Hope everything is going well with you.

[teebee1]

Thanks for all the support you've given me so far. Hope everything goes well for you. I will definelty keep you posted once I get ouy of here.
Thanks again!

[teebee1]

I do have an after care plan in place. They decided to keep me at the hospital one more night, because the anxiety was soooo bad I was almost hyperventaling. Ater this, I will be going to a local hotel to try to see what it will be like without having to deal with people for a while. Try to get my head straightened out. then after that, on home to the family.
I have an addiction counselor i will be seeing tomorrow afternoon, then an N/A meeting after that. I am sooo serious about beating this. The only thing that scares me isthe anxiety. I have  chronis anxiety order on top of all this mess I've gotten myself into!
Wish me luck!
All the best to you!

[Jebs317]

I wish I could have posted more today, but busy at work and then class tonight.  Just got home.....are you in the hotel or at home?  
You absolutely did not take the easy way out!!  You are doing the best thing for yourself right now.
I am thinking about you.....anxious to hear how you're doing.
Any word from your family yet?

K

[LeaAnn807]

You were brave to do what you did!  Getting help is NOT the easy way.  If you can, go to a meeting AS SOON as you leave.  Get some names and numbers.  That way you will have someone you can call over the next few days.  

It will be hard to leave the hospital. I have done it!  It's scary, but you will be fine.  Just don't take anything, no matter what!  NO MATTER WHAT!  Expect some insomnia and anxiety.  It comes with the territory.  Just talk to the people at the hospital about ways to manage it before you leave, ok?  They can probably give you some non-pharmaceutical ways to deal with it.

Best wishes in your recovery!!!
TH

[avisg]

yes alot of people see double and you dont want to drive seeing double .You DID NOT take the easy way out we all do thing differently to get off drugs now it will be time for the hard part staying clean ...Make sure to fin aftercare as soon as you can.

[teebee1]

Does anyone have any more advice?

[teebee1]

I'm almost due to go out and face the real world. Very scared. Mostly it's the anxiety I'm afraid of. Has anyone had the problem of seeing double? I have been for the last 2 days. Hope I'll br able to drive. Does anyone think I'm taking the easy way out, brcause I noticed that most people here do it on their own. I would have ended up in the E.R. had I'd have tried it that way. I have too many anxiety issues to try it that way.
Anyhow. I still need all the support I can get.
Thank You for being there.

[teebee1]

I thought i was going home today, but it looks lile it will be tomorrow. I 'm kinda glad for that, as i don;t think I'm ready for dealing with the outside world yet,
Any advice I can use once I leave here, would be grealty appreciated. Like I said, I'm scared of dealing with everything without my little pills

[teebee1]

Today is day 4 whith no hydrodocone. I go home from the hospital today. Firsr I'm gpoing to check into a hotel, then off to an addiction counselor at 3 pm. I'm too scared to go home and face the family yet, until I know how I'm going to feel. Hopefully I'll be better by tomorrow. The main things I'm worried about are the panic attacks and nasuea. If I can keep that under control, I'll be a lot better off.
I have to go to work in 4 days. Hope I'm up to it. After this, I plan on going yo as many N/A meetings as possible. I cannot let this happen again!
Has anyone been in this position and been able to deal with it without anybody knowing?




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[teebee1]

Can you believe it is midnight and a nurse just woke me up out of a dead sleep to give me a sleeping pill. Go figure. So far I feel alright; I go home today. Hope I can hold it together. Pretty scared. Wish I could stay one more night here, Never thought I'd say that, as much as I hate hospitals!
I'll let you knos hos it goes.
Thanks again for everything

[teebee1]

II'm sure you're absolutely right. Even though I had no problem with xanax, they're still going to see the potential that I'll e able to, which is fine, becuse I'd rather be safe then sorry. Hopefuly there is something out there  that's not addiciting that will help. Othetwise  I'm afaraid I'll just have to go crazy! They have me on ativan and soma right noe which seems to be doing hr trick, but knowing my luck, thre'tre addicting also.. i almost wish hydro wan'r so dangerouss for your liver, otherwis iI'd be termpted to stay on that!

[Dknd4v]

yes it does it just takes time. i was the same way witr xanx never got addicted took as needed. but u might have a hard time gettin anxoiety meds cuz they are addictive n uve admitted ur an addict but every doc is different.

[teebee1]

Has anyone been in this sort of a situtation? Please let me know if yhou have, that I'm not the only one, Does the anxiety ever go away> If so, how long?

[teebee1]

That's the one thing I can't stand, is the paralizing anxiety. I hate when it turns into panick attacks and you have rambling thought and no concentration, I never spent any money on hydro's , as it was all prescription by one dr., so ther's no guilt there. I never went chasing them or anything. Just simply refilled my script and was good to go. I just hope I didn't get my doctor into trouble over this, because he had no idea I got addixcted to them. he thought he was helping me live the quality of life I wouldn't have had with the pain. That's about the only guilt I'm carrying right now.

[Jebs317]

I absolutely had anxiety.  It hung on for a while........but became manageable.  Now that I'm not high from pills.......I have all these emotions again.  Good ones and bad ones.  You definitely see things clearly now.  
For me......that's when the guilt started.  I am still beating myself for all of the money that I spent and for the stupid things I did.  Things I would never dream of doing now....but when I was taking pills, I didn't think things through.......just did them!
My family knew when I went to detox.........but don't know that I started taking them again and don't know that I had to detox at home.  I went to Easter dinner at my sister's house on day 3 of detoxing myself.  OMG......that was the hardest day ever!!
I don't think I could handle their disappointment if they knew I went back on them.....so that motivates to stay off this time for good.
You can do this.............
Kristen

[teebee1]

I'm awake again alreay. Even though I'm on these meds, I still have this underlying anxiety in me that won;t quite let me relax.Did you have any problems like that?

[teebee1]

Sorry for my spelling throught these posts. I'm a lttle bit out of it right now. Last night I had ambrium and liobrium and a 5 a.m. today more librium and ativan. Little tired now. Goona getsome sleep. I;ll talk to ya ater.'Thanks to everybody!

[teebee1]

Glad to know I'm not the only one doing this without including my family, I just hope they don't notice a big change in me when i get home. I'm mostly counting on the suopport I get from you guy to help pull me through this. I've been through worse with the only support I had was through professionals, although it it had nothing to do with hydo addicition.Ihave an anxiety disorder which I mamged to take care of on my own, with a proffessional help & medication.. My family never found out; I guess the lortabd evened out my anxirty, I guessI didn't feel I need thr medication anymore. STUPID! Guess I'll have to get back on them now,

[Jebs317]

That's great that you can keep busy.  We were pretty much isolated for the 5 days, but it was still an incredible experience.  The people I met (some came and went) but there were about 12 of us that were there together.....they became my lifeline.  We laughed, cried, were scared etc......together.  I can remember when I left how scared I was to leave the comfort and security of that place.  I wanted to get home to my son more than anything......but it was still horrible to leave.
Doesn't your family know you are there?  If they don't, I completely understand that!  I have done this without my family knowing too.  Just couldn't take the disappointment they would have for me if they knew the truth.
Now that you have come to this forum........you will not be alone.  The people are incredible.....and I will fight this battle with you!  We can do it!
K

[teebee1]

The hospital told me befor I even checked in to make sure I bring books & a laptop, if I had one. They said to bring anything that might make me cinfortable. So I did. May be that's why my stay hasn't been so bad. They also let me wander around and go outside for a soke if I need one. Eveyone is very friendly here, and the nurses and doctors anre very helpful and informative, i would reccommend this hospital to anyone. It's based in Las vegas. Not the best place to be if you trying to get off drugs or alcohol,since there's such an abudance here. Buy I live here and it's benn very good for me.

[Jebs317]

The people on this forum are the one and only reason I have gotten to where I am today.  Yes, it took willpower, but they are so helpful and inspiring.  Just read some of the stories.....they will give you chills and tears!!
Now that I am feeling better physically, I find that it helps me mentally, to help other people who are just starting out.
In the first days of cold turkey and horrible withdrawals, it helped me to hear "I know what you are going through."  
I did the detox in the hospital back in August....long story!  Came out clean for 30 days, used again..........detoxed at home........used again.......and then detoxed at home this time and have been off for 18 days.
It's a work in progress, but am glad that I have done it this time again.  
You are right where you need to be....and as Tramahater said....tell your doctor at detox that you don't feel strong enough to leave.....
I remember when I was in detox......the insurance played a big role in who got to stay.  I have insurance and could only stay 4 nights.  I felt ready to leave, but some people weren't.  I can remember people asking (begging) to stay....and they were told "no."   Like I said earlier......I met some fantastic people in the hospital....we got to know each other's stories real fast.  I remember my roommate crying because she knew if they made her leave, she would be high by that night.  They did not make her leave.  To this day, she is sober.....we have kept in touch.

You can do this.........just keep posting.
By the way.....how did you manage to get a computer into detox??  They wouldn't even let us have a hair brush!!

Keep your head up!
K

[avisg]

With the amout of time they had you on the methadone it would have not mattered if you had taker sub or methadone so you are fine there do even worry about that .make sure you do get recoverycare as soon as you get out .I hope you will be ok keep in touch let us know how u are