How to quite hydrocodone/vicodin??? HELP!

[MCTX09]

Hello all.  I am new to this so any suggestions, tips, tricks or helpful ideas would be very, very much appreciated.  Just as a little background for anyone reading this, I am 25 and have a very addictive personality and so does my wife.  I was one of those kids that used the "gateway" drug marijuana when I was young.  It eventually led my wife and I to do bigger and badder things....  crystal meth.  My wife and I have since kicked that addiction, however hard it was, and the few short-term relapses I had but we are done which I guess you could say is a huge accomplishment, considering how few people ever really get off such an evil and addictive drug like crystal meth.  When I met my wife, she was addicted to dilaudid (I think that's how you spell it) real bad.  I was able to get her off of them and her and I were clean for a while.  She then went to a doctor and came home one day with a prescription for 180 10mg Hydrocodone (blue footballs).  I, growing up had never taken any type of pill as weird as that sounds but this was the beginning.  WE starting taking these one at a time, which slowly over the past 8 years has led to taking 9-13 a day for me and as much as 19-22 a day for her.  She does not work so she has nothing to do all day but take these things, and I pretty much "have" to take these to make myself get up and go to work every day.  I have put myself in such financial trouble taking out loans just to buy pills.  I will buy any pain pill I can find no matter how much it costs.  I at times have gone and spent more than $390 at one time for pills.  We have taken any and every pill I can find and afford.  I cannot continue living my life like this.  I today have taken the last pill I want to take and I am looking for some guidance or tips as I begin this long hard journey.  Today is Saturday and all I can think about right now is how I am going to go to work on Monday without any pills......  I do not have health insurance so I cannot check into any kind of rehab program.  The bad thing about this is, I have to get myself off of them so I can then start working on getting my wife off of them.  I look forward to hearing anything anyone can tell me to help with this goal.  I want to be clean, I want to feel as like I CAN get up and do something without these things.  I want to feel happy because I AM happy, not because I the 3 pills I just took have kicked in.  Hopefully someone who has been in my shoes will read this and has some very encouraging words or methods used to kick this psychological and physical dependency.  Thank you.

[MCTX09]

Well, it's now day 2 and I'm sitting at work feeling like death warmed over.  Somehow we managed to make it through yesterday but today feels like it's going to conquer me.  I left the house at 7:30 this morning and my wife kept telling me she was going to get the kids up and take them to school but I have a feeling that didn't happen.  Just this first hour I have been at work feels like it's been a whole day so I can't imagine how the rest of the day is going to be.  I've noticed a couple of people have mentioned something about tapering in their comments.  We don't have 1 pill right now and I don't have but $23.00 in the bank so even if I wanted to get a few more to taper with I couldn't.  I'm thinking right now that doing so would have been a better choice if it would have been possible.  As I read everyone's comments it makes me very emotional to know that there are so many people out there going through this at the same time and the same way I am right now.  I feel like dying right now and I am VERY concerned about what my wife is going to do during these days I'm away from the house.  I went last night and got some tylenol, sleep aid, imodium, and some emergen-c.  I'm not sure anything is helping.  My wife and I both tossed and turned all night even after taking the sleep aid and twice the recommended dosage of some Nyquil.  I have found a few Tylenol 3's with codeine but I am scared that taking them will pro-long this process and make it harder than it already is.  Does anyone have any knowledge about Tylenol 3's and if they will help us in this process or make it harder and the symptoms last longer??  I am going back to work now, not by choice but because I know I have to.........  :(

[pfflyer75]

Hello! I know it is hard today and it will be tomorrow, and for the next few days, but sweetie I promise if you stick with it you will start feeling better. I know your wife is having a hard time, but it is only a few days of being miserable.I was taking percocet for a year and half 10mg about 10 per day, that is alot and is stronger, I am now on day 4 and feel much better today. Day 2 and 3 was pretty rough, but I made it. I did take a valium last night because I needed the sleep and it worked I fell asleep around 10 and slept until 7 this morning and would not have woke unless the phone rang. I too have children 2 and one started back to school today so yes it is difficult, but if you dont start now your going to keep going through the beginning stages of withdrawals anyway, because eventually you run out and you run out money, a horrible viscious cycle. I too was getting mine from my family and it ***** I know, but you have to dig deep inside yourself and find it, it is single handedly the hardest thing I have had to deal with, but it will be worth it. I have never been addicted to anything before until now. Your wife is going to have to pull herself up by the straps and get it together just for those kids. Like a few others have said its like coming down with a really bad flu, please stay strong for yourselves and the kids. Good luck, find someone to connect with on here and it will work out for ya. I found someone on here who has been my saving grace, he talked to me several times a day on the phone to help me through, he helped me, all you need is encouragement and an outlet and it will work. Let me know how you are doing.  My prayers are with you guys

[worried878]

somehow all the supplies will need to be cut off...family and the rx...u both will have to get this done together..if u make it before her then u will be clean and can help her catch up...it is good u have been strong enough to get this done and perhaps focusing on u right now may be best....u can not know what she is doing day in and day out while u work...but setting an example will help and if u do not buy them for her aand keep track of the money...it will cut down her intake perhaps....an exercise routine and the thomas recipe helps many here..a taper would help and pick a quit day when u have a few days off...do u have anyone who can hold ur pills for a taper?

[troubleinohio]

you sound very determined and you are doing good so far!!! hang in there!! and never be embarrassed. I think most of us here have kids! I dont know about lurkers, but of the regular posters here, I think most of us are parents including myself. We even have quite a few pregnant women come through here from time to time. Im glad you are being honest and putting forth your best effort. It will be tough for sure- going thru WD's , going to work, getting the kids off to school and dealing with your wife too. You have a lot on your plate but you can do it. You really can! and btw it wont "kill" your wife to stop. opiate WD just makes you feel like you are goinig to die sometimes but alot of it is a matter of perception and expectation. if you get told you will feel like youre gonna die, then you likely will. If you are told it suckss a little but you'll get through it fine, you probably will. The bottom line is you will likely feel achy all over, get diarrhea and have trouble sleeping. oh and crave the drugs like mad. thats the hardest part, to make sure you dont go out and get more when the cravings hit. Hang in there, you will get through this!!  

[Florida_Guy737]

Hey there...take care of yourself right now and be supportive of your wife.  One word for you on wds and it's free---exercise.  No matter how sick, weak, etc you may feel, even something simple as a walk will feel good; just don't overdo it.  As you start to get some energy and strength back, start setting fitness goals for yourself.

Having healthy goals will get you where you need to be...

Good Luck

[MCTX09]

Thank everyone who has commented with their support and kind words.  I cannot take off work and I am dealing today with the fact that I am going to have to suffer through this... As hard as it may be...  I had a talk with my wife last night and I think she is on board with me on this.  I am almost certain I can do this but my concern is my wife.  My mother and father-in-law are both addicted to these things and they literally get HUNDRED'S a month.  I will not be buying any more for us but my inlaws supplying my wife behind my back is my main concern.  I took the first step in this today in saying NO when my wife asked me to find some and buy them and telling her that if we are going to do this, we are going to have to stick with it.  She says she can't and that stopping cold turkey will kill her.  She takes a lot more than me so I guess in a way, I can't say I know how she feels.  She had an episode the other night sitting up for hours and hours, she told me that she wanted felt like she wanted to rip her skin off.  I don't know what to do at this point.  I do not have any money to get any to taper with and she doesn't get her prescription until at least the 19th of this month.  Her parents are also out right now so I don't have any worries today but soon they will start getting their many, many prescriptions and if I can't convince her this is the right thing to do soon, she may go back to "the other side".....  Something I forgot to mention in my original post, we have 3 kids.  I guess I was kind of embarrassed to admit that we had kids and this problem, but If I'm going to make it through this process, I have to be honest in every way to everyone around me.  We woke up a couple of hours this morning before the kids and had a little time to wake up and shake the feeling of "wanting to die" off a little.  So far this morning, dealing with the kids has been quite a test of our patience.  I am going to look into the Thomas recipe but right now, I almost don't have a dime to my name to buy anything to help with this process.  The kids have been out of school for two weeks and of all days, today is the day we have to start getting everything in place for them to go back to school.  I am going to make every attempt at helping my wife get through this stuff today.  I must go now because all 3 of the kids are asking for something to eat and I have to somehow manage to go to the store and function.  I feel right now as though I CANNOT do anything but lay around on the couch or in the bed.  I am sooo ready for this part of the process to be over.  I will write more later and again, thank all of you for your help and support!!