Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
1462830 tn?1286660371

Hydrocodone withdrawal is this normal???

Hi,  I am on day four of my withdrawal from taking 3-4 10/500mg. lortab for 3 years everyday!  I am going crazy with my rapid heart rate and last night some palpitations.  My anxiety is through the roof and it's scarring the **** out of me.  Im 27 years old and 155 pounds 5'8 so i'm pretty young and not in bad shape.  Is this anxiety feeling normal?  It started worsening yesterday and now it is day four and hasn't gotten any better!!  I have had little sleep, loss of appetite, hot-cold chills, shivers, skin burning sensations, tons of bathroom trips, but it's this anxiety/rapid heart rate thats driving me crazy.  It's like I can feel every beat through my body.  How long does this anxiety last?????  I really don't want any medications,  hence the reason for the lortab detox.  I don't want any prescription drugs anymore!!!  PLEASE if someone knows how long this anxiety lasts please let me know.  Thank you all in advance   P.S. I also quit smoking ciggs at the same time I was smoking a pack up to 2 packs a day. I'm sure it's making it worse but for me they kinda went hand in hand!
Best Answer
1283286 tn?1312911966
Wow, I imagine alot of the anxiety stuff is coming from the nicotine withdrawal. Your really tackling two major things at the same time here other than the fact you should be going over the hump on the major physical aspects of the meds. But the nicotine withdrawal is going to stay with you a couple more weeks which does cause many of the same symptoms as the meds.

The sweating, hot flashes,nervousness,etc. Take comfort in the fact that today is hump day on the meds though. Your going to still be dealing with sleep issues, restlessness, and lack of energy, but when that hits,get up and move around. Do anything to keep sitting still when the depression starts working on you. It does help even though you don't notice much..Then there is some recommended otc vitamins etc on the right column that helps. The Thomas recipe info toward the bottom. So try to relax as best you can and not freak out here. Keep up with fluids such as gatorade and try to eat even though you may not feel like it. Soup and sandwiches if anything.

What your describing is normal for opiate withdrawal other than the fact you've quit the cigarettes on top of that..You are tackling a tiger here but do try to believe your starting to turn the tide on the withdrawals. Stay close and talk whenever you feel the need also. There are many in here that can give you bits of advice on dealing with the symptom of withdrawals..David
24 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
I'm going on day five! I still can't sleep, very weak, restless and have RLS and even my meds for that isn't working anymore! I have been taking lortab 5 mg, 7.5 mg and recently 10mg (neck surgery a yr ago) I have been taking them for two yrs! I feel I have let downy family and I am really craving the pills,,,. Just to make me feel better! My question is, when or even should I try an inpatient treatment??? Please, I feel like I'm going to lose my mind!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I'm going on day five! I still can't sleep, very weak, restless and have RLS and even my meds for that isn't working anymore! I have been taking lortab 5 mg, 7.5 mg and recently 10mg (neck surgery a yr ago) I have been taking them for two yrs! I feel I have let downy family and I am really craving the pills,,,. Just to make me feel better! My question is, when or even should I try an inpatient treatment??? Please, I feel like I'm going to lose my mind!
Helpful - 0
417564 tn?1287982827
That is wonderful to hear - very inspirational.  Perhaps you will also get a restful night and tomorrow will be awesome.  Great job...stay focused.
Helpful - 0
1283286 tn?1312911966
Great! Thats just Great!
Helpful - 0
1462830 tn?1286660371
DAY 10 and feeling great!!!!  Minus the sleep thing lol I hope that gets better soon
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Good morning, I am on day 5 of no norco. Night 3 was the worst! I felt exactly like you did but I smoke. I also had been off zanaax from taking them both for 7 years. My family thought I was gonna die. All they know about is the zanax not norco. The hot sweating feling running thru my body was incredible.... did not sleep at all. I may have drifetd off with the clonidine but no sleep and then had to get up take my sone to daycare daughter to high school and off to the office. Bu 2pm I was done. Couldn't even concentrate on the keyboard. I called my dr and se gave me my zanax back. Needless to say I slept last night. The with drawl from the norco is stll here though. No food sounds good my body is very weak but I listened to Davidi kep getting up hand waling around to keep my mind off of it.  Don't go to get the methadone its trading one opiate for another.  One question to all... why when you detox to the doctors give you one opiate to relpace another? Like suboxone ? No off to wake the kids! God bless you!
Helpful - 0
1331115 tn?1536362140
Glad to hear your fighting through this, if the anxiety is tremendous I would talk to a DR. You could also try valarien root anxiety and meletonin for sleep. It helped me through my w/d's. I know how you feel but it does get better I promise. I am 100 days clean and thought I would never make it but the people on this forum really guided me through the worst times so keep posting it is definatley theraputic and it will keep your mind off the w/d's. I will pray for you and keep on keepin on---quitin
Helpful - 0
1435456 tn?1314674659
I never had the anxiety that you are experiencing when I went CT and I am considerably older than you. I agree that you should ck with Dr. I think it is very possible that it is the nicotene WD.. That is a big load, maybe Dr. could give you something to help with one or both.. The moral is go to Dr.  You are doing great.. Take the advice.
Helpful - 0
1462830 tn?1286660371
You usually don't hear any good stories about methadone!!  Or pain clinics!!  I don't think I have ever heard a good story about methadone!!  But then again i'm in florida where the clinics get raided by DEA constantly.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
sorry:    "WHAT goes on at the clinics"....
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Squareone~~Do you understand about Methadone and goes on at the clinics?
Helpful - 0
271792 tn?1334979657
If you are 27 years old and have "anxiety", your words not mine, you really need to go see your doctor and get a good check-up, complete with blood work. Make sure everything is okay..alright?
Helpful - 0
1462830 tn?1286660371
Yea I agree I would not ever go to a methadone clinic I have seen to many horror stories of that route!! I hope all this stuff goes away soon my anxiety is so bad.  I keep trying to tell myself it's just in my head and everything is fine but every time I try to get up and walk around or down the street for some exercise I feel like I could pass out or have a heart attack or something. lol  it actually is not funny but **** I know i'm fine!  It's just this anxiety and lack of sleep thats killing me!  I think I might try tylenol pm tonight It's probably the safest thing!  I don't know I hate taking anything!
Helpful - 0
1047946 tn?1332608029
Everything you're feeling is normal at this point in withdrawals. The symptoms should start letting up here soon. Whatever you do, do not go to a methadone clinic. It's no an actual "shot" like mentioned above. People probably refer to it as a "shot" because at a methadone clinic it is a small amount of liquid methadone in a little cup or "shot glass". Methadone is one of, if not the hardest opiates to detox from. If you were taking  30 to 40mg of hydro a day it probably wouldn't matter what dose of methadone you started on, you would get high. It is so much stronger than hydrocodone. Methadone clinics do monitor you but won't just say it's time for you to stop taking it. It's a maintenance drug so they will keep  you on it for a very long time to help you get out of your addictive behaviors. Many call it liquid handcuffs because it is very hard, if not impossible for some, to taper off of it. Read some of the horror stories here about methadone withdrawal. The withdrawals you are feeling now would be a walk in the park compared to methadone.
I know you won't go the methadone route from the advice about if you won't even take over the counter meds. Why go to a much much stronger opiate? Methadone is also used as a pain med when someone's tolerance goes up so high that nothing else is working. I wish people would do some research or have some experience with stuff before recommend it. Going to methadone from a 40mg hydrocodone habit a day is just absurd!!
Just keep fighting. Your withdrawals symptoms should lighten up here soon. Try and get some exercise when you can. It makes a world of difference!
Best of luck!
Brian
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I had been using 10 mg hydrocodone, up to 60-90 mg a day, for over a year and a half. I have been totally clean for a week today. I've been diagnosed with ADHD, anxiety, and insomnia, but put off all meds this week to get completely clean. I started the Thursday before last cold turkey, and just like you was completely freaking out! Emotional at the drop of a hat, hot and cold sweats, forget about sleeping, even though you have zero energy to do anything at all. I came to work and told a friend who had known I had a problem, and she suggested if I wanted to come off cold-turkey, I should go to a clinic and get a methadone shot, or my other option was to slowly ween myself off of them.. because quitting something like this cold turkey has been known to cause people to have seizures.

I decided to ween myself off slowly, down to only taking 3.5 mg a day... but what helped me the most was telling all of my close friends and family what was going on with me, and their support made it alot easier. For me there was more depression while hiding my habit, I was short and snappy with people, when I even felt like talking to anyone at all. There was such a burden lifted off of me getting clean and coming clean with those I love.

There were a few days where I felt like I was in a nightmare, trying to fight the bad guy off but cant land a punch because i'm underwater. I had no energy, my limbs feeling like dead weight. They dont make an energy drink or shot for that lack of energy. Thats the only way I can describe it.

Yesterday was the first day I felt like my old self again, and it feels amazing.

I see above that you'd rather not replace one vice with another. Methadone is supposed to help you with the withdraw side effects, and will help calm you down, without making you feel high, and I think they even monitor it and decide when you dont need it anymore. My advice is to go see about a methadone shot, and find a local support group, and keep pushing through. I cant tell you how long it will last, everyone is different. Depending on your metabolism, body fat, diet, and how long and often you were taking them. But it does go away, and you'll feel better than you did before you ever started!
Helpful - 0
1283286 tn?1312911966
Clonidine I mis-quoted above in the second part of my post as " clonipine "the second time which was wrong....Sorry about that..:).. Just keep going forward. Your already well into this. If your appetite isn't the greatest, I was getting in the Progresso Vegetable soups and making grilled cheese and ham sandwiches which I would pre-cook two or three ,eat some, then save the rest for later. Around day 8 I started getting motivated to cook more ,but the above seemed to be an easy fix for not having an appetite. Even if it was a stroll by the fridg and grabbing a spoon of soup and a bit of the sandwich :)...
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi there, well i have to hand it to you girl, quitting cigs and pills at once, wow.  But keep up the good fight,  I am on the same meds, 10/325 hydro for 3 years also.  Its funny how the script says take one every 4-6 hours for pain and your script is 40 pills for one month,  huh.  The math just doesnt add up, Im usually out in 8 - 10 days, then have to go through w/d's until next month, or buy them off the street at a ridiculous price.  I am a smoker also, tryed to quit several times, even bought one of those electric cigs, they make me cough worse than the regular ones, you are alot younger than me, im 56, and have high b/p and other health issues.   I have several people that are worried about my health, the pills, smoking, etc. but its hard to quit, ive made it 5 days, start to feel better, then get stupid, and find some pills,  wish i could stop.  The key is to stay busy, even no energy, go clean the frig, rake leaves, anything to keep your mind off, and treat yourself, get a milkshake you like, or a candy bar.  Im going to be trying to wean myself off, go down to 2 a day, then 1, i found thats better than cold turkey.  Keep me posted, love you people on here, please encourage us to quit and stay clean.  God help us.
Helpful - 0
1462830 tn?1286660371
Thanks David,
       I am really just trying to tough it out unless I go crazy and have to take something.  I really don't like to take anything even OTC stuff.  I don't know I guess I will keep strong and see how it goes!  Thanks for the input though.  Hopefully I get an appetite back soon too!!  
Helpful - 0
1283286 tn?1312911966
Its real hard to say on sleep getting back to "normal". Some people recover it pretty quick and others are still having issues after a month.

One thing my doctor prescribed me which was suppose to help "restabilize" my sleep, not knock me out like lets say a sleeping pill, was clonidine and amitriptyline..You may want to talk to your doctor about these as they did seem to help "some".

I was three weeks down the road, doing fairly well, but then had to re-medicate (which s**ks) because of a surgery complication..Anyway, talk to your doctor at least about the clonidine as a number of people in here have indicated it has helped them as well. It lowers your blood pressure which I guess is suppose to create less stress on your system so you will sleep..Clonipine I was warned though is not to be abused. I was warned very sternly about that. I was told specifically "take as directed" which was just prior to bedtime.  
Helpful - 0
1462830 tn?1286660371
Day 6 and still fighting.  Some symptoms are better and others are still there!  I still have anxiety and a hot burning feeling in my upper body and scalp/hair!  I think my insomnia hit its peak last night as I don't think I dosed off at all!!  When does the sleep problem start to go back to normal for most?  I was only taking 3-4 10/500 a day but it was for 3 years!!  I'm just ready for this to be over.
Helpful - 0
1462830 tn?1286660371
Thank you and god bless you!  I really think it's too late to just cut back i have already quit now for 4 days.  I'm fine with stopping using the pills I am just wanting to know if this horrendous anxiety is normal and does anyone know how long it usually lasts?  I feel so bad I don't want to get out of bed.  But it's day 4 it has to be getting close to over right?
Helpful - 0
1283286 tn?1312911966
Meant to say "to keep from sitting still" above. :) Try to preoccupy your mind as best you can and realize that this will pass..
Helpful - 0
654825 tn?1224367025
Withdrawal is normal but if it worsens I suggest going to the ER just to have them monitor you for a bit, withdrawal can be serious at the least hard core. Smoking had always been hand in hand w/ my addiction but just because I quit using diddent mean I had to quit smoking too. For me it helped, maybe try cutting back a bit because 2 packs a day.... Thats a lot. If you go to the ER just let them know you dont want to trade one drug for another. Either way, PLEASE consider going to a meeting in your area. Let me know how everything turns out and keep the faith.
Helpful - 0
Have an Answer?

You are reading content posted in the Addiction: Substance Abuse Community

Top Addiction Answerers
495284 tn?1333894042
City of Dominatrix, MN
Avatar universal
phoenix, AZ
Learn About Top Answerers
Didn't find the answer you were looking for?
Ask a question
Popular Resources
Is treating glaucoma with marijuana all hype, or can hemp actually help?
If you think marijuana has no ill effects on your health, this article from Missouri Medicine may make you think again.
Julia Aharonov, DO, reveals the quickest way to beat drug withdrawal.
Tricks to help you quit for good.
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.