How long before withdrawals start?

[imajunkie]

I'm new here but I'm trying to get off Lortabs 10/325.  I just took my last one at 10 a.m. this morning.  I had a heavy habit and I know I'm going to have withdrawals.  Can someone tell me how long it will be before I start to feel bad?  I am very scared.  Thanks.

[Lilmiss0]

I am going to take my last 10/500 lortab  tonight, I have been taking 4 a day for 6 months. will I have w/d symptons? if so, what will they be?

[medhelpmike1979]

how are you feeling today? I take Tylenol Simply Sleep (Like Tylenol PM but without the Tylenol part) to help me sleep, maybe that will help you.

Be warned I was addicted to those as well, I COULDN'T sleep without one many nights. That wasn't anything to do with my WDs just the nature of sleep meds I guess so I would use them for just what you absolutely NEED and you should be ok.

[imajunkie]

I posted to you on the first page also.  I didn't sleep last night because I was up all night going to the bathroom.  I took so many immodium but that only slowed it down slightly.  I feel awful and have been in the bed all day.  But thanks for asking,
ima

[RainyTX]

Believe me....if you get the diarrhea, its gonna suck.  It feels like a dragon blowing fire out of your a**.....sorry :)

[medhelpmike1979]

16-20 a day is pretty severe, i would HIGHLY recommend trying to taper off them instead of just cold turkey. do you have any left that you could do a taper plan?

[imajunkie]

No, I don't have anymore.  Now I'm starting to freak.  I thought it would be a few days before withdrawals set in.  Will it just be diahreahh?

[medhelpmike1979]

I was never on such a high dose and never for so long so I can't really tell you. For me it hasn't been that bad because I tapered as best I could, I am down to 1/2 pill 2 x day and it still sucks, feels like a horrible flu and cramping. I couldn't sleep at all last night and got 2 hours.

Do you have work or anything to do coming up? I would clear my schedule and prepare to relax in a hot bath and sleep (of you can) for as much time as you can. in a week you will look back and be sooooo glad you did this.

Don't freak out please, but going from 300mg to 0 is not fun for anyone.

[imajunkie]

What else happens besides diahreahh?  I'm really starting to freak. I'd rather know upfront so I can be prepared for it.  Thank you.

[medhelpmike1979]

Hydrocodone Withdrawal symptoms include but are not limited to:

intense cravings for the drug
irritability
nausea or vomiting
muscle aches
runny nose or eyes
dilated pupils
sweating
diarrhea
yawning
fevers
chills
inability to sleep
depression

[imajunkie]

Thank you very much.  I can handle the diahreahh but I can't handle vomiting.  Is vomiting always a symptom of the withdrawal?

[kimmieb]

I wasn't taking quite as much lortab.....but I WAS taking it for a very, very long time.  Even the lortab 10's (10/500) barely do anything for me anymore.  

Anyway, I think I was in w/d for both lorazepam AND lortab (although more lorazepam, so this may not apply as much)......but by 36 hours, that was my worst.  Severe chills, shaking, tremors, excessive sweating mixed with freezing cold chills, sweat pouring out of every pore of my body, total and complete insomnia (took an ambien on night 3 and slept a whoppin' 3 hours).  BUT, BUT, BUT, as I say, I do believe that was more the w/d from the lorazepam, although I know other w/d's are similar.  

My last lortab was a few days ago.  Although I'm psychologically craving one like mad right now, and also just to get rid of this bit of post-surgical pain I'm having, I have none left.  I don't feel any physical w/d symptoms, at least not like the h---ish ones I went through last Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

Has anyone EVER heard of somene being on those lortabs 10's twice a day for as long as 5-10 years with no physical w/d symptoms?????   I'd be interested.....

Anyway, I never got the diarrhea everyone said I would.  I was WISHING for it.  I had the other problem (probably partly as a result of the surgery, but either way, I think I would have relished the diarrhea -- at least then you know the drug is really coming out of your body in every way it can!!!!)

Sweating, peeing, diarrhea -- get it out any way you can.  Drink TONS of water.  Keep a water bottle beside you at all times.  Read the Bible.  Pray.  I spent my entire Sunday night on my couch crying and praying to God that he would either take this from me or help me to get through it so that I'd never have to go through it again.  And always remember, you are NOT alone in this.  Not by any means.  

God bless you.....

[medhelpmike1979]

I NEVER get/got diarrhea or throw up. so its all depends on the person. I would imagine you will ACHE bad and hurt bad and feel like you have MEGA flu.

[imajunkie]

I've been taking 16 to 20 of the Lortabs a day for almost a year.  I've never gone off them but have heard the withdrawals are bad.  You really get sick that fast?

[imajunkie]

Can I ask you exactly how long you have been clean from lortabs?  Would you mind telling me exactly when you took your last lortab?  Thank you, ima

[imajunkie]

Oh, I'm pretty sure I'll get the diahreahh.  Sometimes I already have that in the mornings if I sleep late.  I just don't want to vomit.

[kimmieb]

Sure you can ask.  I took my last lortab 10 at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday morning.  I hadn't slept hardly at all on Sat. night (uh, due to what I now know was lorazepam w/d)....so foolishly I thought I might get a little drowsy and be able to catch a few winks and feel better before church.  Uh uh.  No go.  It really didn't do a thing for me.  It was basically all psychological at that point, Ithink.

Anyway, that was the last time I took one.  Prior to that, I was taking 1 a day for years, then upped to 2 a day for even more years, and sometimes over the past year or so, I even upped it to 2 1/2 when I could somehow get away with it and make sure I could still not run out completely before I could get the refill.  There's no doubt in my mind that I was at the very least psychologically addicted to them, possibly even physically addicted as well.  So, I can imagine if I can get addicted with taking 2 tabs a day for many years, those trying to get clean after taking 10-20 pills a day -- God bless you guys.  More power to you.  

If you have any more questions, feel free to ask....

[imajunkie]

But you are still taking lorazepam, right?  So your body isn't totally free of drugs.  I think it would be easier for me too if I had something else to take but I don't.  Thank you for answering my questions.

[vegasgurl702]

I have been taking anywhere from 7-15 lortabs or percs a day. I am determined to quit starting on Saturday night...I am even going to stay with family that knows about my situation. The biggest problem I have is that since I know I am quiting I have been going crazy with them the last few days. I have been on them for a little over a year. There were times I could take only 4 a day but now it is a mental game that I can't quit unless I just quit cold turkey. I truely believe that is the only way for me.....Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!! Thank you!!!

[kimmieb]

Yes, you are correct.  I am back on the 2 mg of lorazepam every night for insomnia.  I was put back onto it because benzos are NOT something you can safely quit c/t like hydros, oxys, percs, or any other painkillers (according to doctors, pharmacists, even Dutchess Golden on this site!)  I am living testament to that.  In fact, given another day or two, I may not have survived literally.  I was on the verge of convulsions.  In hindsight, I should gotten in to the ER.  I'm just glad it was caught in time and I'm  here typing.  Anyway, does it make it any easier to quit lortabs for me?  No, not really.  Totally different feeling.  I take a very low dose of lorazepam (2 mg) once every night strictly to be able to get a normal night's sleep every night.  It's not for anxiety, or panic attacks, or to help me feel calm or anything like that.  It relaxes me enough at 10:00 p.m. so that I fall asleep and stay asleep and wake up around 6:00.  Now, the lortabs are a different story.  I crave them differently.  Does being on lorazepam help reduce my craving for lortabs?  I don't think it does, unfortunately.  Would be nice if it worked that way! :-)  Last Friday, Saturday, Sunday. and Monday, when I was going c/t off of both, I wanted the lorazepam to alleviate the physical symptoms I was having.....but I wanted the lortabs more mentally.  They are different beasts.  However, I completely understand what you are saying.  I really do.  Sometimes just having a little "crutch" (even if it's psychological) makes all the difference in the world.  I know.  I hear ya.

[imajunkie]

I'm not putting you down or anything but I think it's a different "animal" when you have at least something to help you sleep.  When people quit addictions cold turkey, one of the side effects is not sleeping.  And I just don't think your addiction is comparable to mine.  But all addictions are addictions and hard to beat regardless.  Thank you, ima

[kimmieb]

Absolutely.  The sleep is a HARD thing.  BUT, there are things you can take to help you sleep (non-prescription things) while trying to quit painkillers or other things that are not benzos.  I had a 26 year old friend who went off of 6 different painkillers and muscle relaxants c/t about 2 --3 years ago.  She took Nyquil capsules when she needed to be knocked out and finally asleep.  I'm not recommending that (I personally HATE those things), but if it's what it takes to get you through the night, than so be it.  Your body can detox just as well.  There are also short-term sleep aids to take as well.  I totally agree though.  The sleep thing is what messes everything and everyone up.  Why do you think, after YEARS of not sleeping for more than 2-3 hours a night, that I was put on the lorazepam in the first place??   I was a mess with two very young kids to care for at the time.  Unfortunately, being able to sleep now does NOT help me with my severe cravings for the lortabs during the day.  I fell asleep around 10:00 last night and was awake by 4:30 this morning (taking the lorazepam).....so I've got 16 hours awake now of wanting a lortab pretty badly.  Can't sleep off that one!  But, you're absolutely right about the sleep making things better and getting no sleep making the worse things even worse.  Try something, ANYTHING, over the counter to help you.  If all fails, ask for a prescription for ambien and just take it for a week or so to get you over the worst part of the c/t wd's.  Just a thought.  I can totally empathize.  I'm not making light of anything or meaning to appear like I have it so rough.  We all have our addictions and each one of us is unique and individual and different from the other.  Addictions suck, period.  No one can argue with that.

[RainyTX]

Everyone is different....they usually start to kick in with me around the 12 hour mark.  12 hours to 40 hours are PURE HELL. You might want to go ahead and get some Immodium AD cuz you're probably gonna need it.  I've been trying to quit taking the 10/650's and it's pretty rough.  Just make it through the first few days and the physical part is pretty much over...in my case.  The mental part is the toughest IMHO.  Hang in there, you can do anything you put your mind to.

travis

[jeffrey1963]

keep posting here there are a lot of good people here that can help you. they have helped me in so many ways.

[jeffrey1963]

yoour not a junky you are like a lot of us who had no intentions  on getting hooked on pain killers. the withdrawls will start later this evening depending on how much you take on a daily basis and for how long. day 2 3 and 4 will be full blown WDs at least it was for me. hope i was some help to you