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Last pill today

Hi All,

I have not been here in awhile, but have come a long way.  I went to see a psych to help me taper.  He actually kept my pills and I go to him once a week.  Today was my last pill.  I have been taking about 6 Fioricet with codeine per day for seven years!!!!!!  The last two years I have tried many times to taper on my own and just did not have the strengh to do it.  Anyway, I have been tapered in a matter of only four weeks, which personally, I think has been too quick.  I have no more pills, but the doc has given me Klonopin, Nueronton and Vistoral, which I have been gradually upping the dose as I have tapered, per his instructions.  Tomorrow, I will not have an more of my nasty pills.  Even tapering has been hell even with these other meds.  The runs and low energy are the very worst part.  I have a four day weekend ahead that I do not have to go to work and do not have my son.  Will these withdrawal symptoms be somewhat gone in 4 days time?  I am hoping I can get back to work and seem normal on Tuesday.  

Please advise as I do not feel like myself at all.........very scattered brained and feeling ill.
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Avatar universal
I am 32 yes old- by appearance I am a picture of perfect health. Inside, i am very far from it. I have been addicted to drugs off and on since i was about 20. I overcame everyone EXCEPT opiates. I gave up shooting coke, smoking crack, but could never get a handle on opiates-all of them. A doc got me off intravenous nubain with small doses of morphine. Dilaudid became so rare that I had to just accept no more of that. That's when I discovered "script doctors". I live in Houston, TX-the last city in the US that has these. I can name well over 100 right now. Anyways my tolerance hAs climbed to 35-60 lorcet/lortab/norco a day. How am I alive? I think the last time I ever ate less than even 10 in a single doe was January of this year. I ran out last night  and I'm freaking out. I've lost everything financially. Nothing left to pawn, family will not help anymore. Can quitting such aarge daily intake cold turkey kill me? My last dose was 15 lortab at about 10pm last night, 24 hrs ago. I feel like i'm dying already. I feel cavaties I didn't even know I had. That's nothing I. Comparison to the co Stanton diahrea
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Avatar universal
Thank you so much for the info. I am not sure if I can take some of the ingredients in the Thomas Recipe with the four meds I am taking to help with w/d's (klonopin, neuroton, vistoral and lexapro).

After about two weeks of being completely opiate free, I will be off the rest, with the exception of the Lexapro which I will take for a few months to hopefully help with depression.

Addiction is no joke!!!!!!!!  I am so afraid I will not ever feel comfortable in my own skin without the opiates.  Very scary feelling and hoping its just because I feel so miserable right now.
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222369 tn?1274474635
Hopefully you will be coming through the fog by then. I'm posting some info that may help you. It includes some natural things to do for energy..

This is a work in progress...something I've been working on off and on for the last couple of weeks. It's not considered complete, but has lots of info from lots of sources. If any of the "old timers" have anything to add, let me know and I'll add it to the document. I hope to use this to post a general "how to" every couple of days or so.

Listed below are suggestions for detoxing and quitting an opiate addiction. They are just suggestions compiled from the detox plans of people that have gone through cold turkey detox before. They are just that, suggestions, and any detox plan is best when done under a doctor's care. Consult your doctor before trying any of the suggestions below.
This is prewritten for anyone who is beginning, or planning on beginning, a cold turkey withdrawal to opiates. This includes drugs such as tramadol (Ultracet and Ultram) codeine (Tylenol #3, #4), Darvocet, Hydrocodone (Vicodin, Norco, Lortab and derivatives),  Oxycodone (Endocet, Percocet, Oxycontin), Morphine, Demerol. Fentanyl, and Dilaudud. There are many other opiates not listed, so if you don’t see it listed, you can still use these suggestions if it’s an opiate based addiction. None of these apply to benzodiazepine based addictions. These addictions should never be dealt with by going cold turkey. Always consult a doctor for a detox plan for benzos.

First of all, opiate withdrawals are uncomfortable, but rarely life threatening. You may think you’re going to die, but most of the withdrawal symptoms are just very uncomfortable. If possible, take some time off work or schedule a week or so in order to fully detox. You will honestly not feel like doing much anyway. Opiate withdrawal symptoms usually start 12-24 hours after your last dose. But, the timing of withdrawal symptoms depends upon the drug taken, length of time you’ve been taking it, and how you react to medications. The physical withdrawals usually last 3-7 days, with days 3 and 4 being the worst. Once again, this is all dependent on the person. You can expect these symptoms. Dilated pupils, diarrhea, runny nose, goose bumps, abdominal pain, stomach cramps, sweating, agitation, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, leg cramps, general aches and pains, and sleeplessness. This list is not absolute. You may experience all of these symptoms, only some of them, or other symptoms. Again, we are all different. Below is the famous Thomas Recipe. It gives some general information along with supplements that help with the withdrawal symptoms. The only thing I would add to this list is a blood pressure drug named clonidine. It effectively lowers the blood pressure and lessens many of the withdrawal symptoms. Most any doctor will prescribe it if you’re honest as to why you need it. Discuss dosages and frequency with your doctor.

Thomas Recipe:

1. Valium (or another benzodiazepine such as Klonopin, Librium, Ativan or Xanax). Of these, Valium and Klonopin are best suited for tapering since they come in tablet form. Librium is also an excellent detox benzo, but comes in capsules, making it hard to taper the dose. Ativan or Xanax should only be used if you can't get one of the others.
2. Imodium (over the counter, any drug or grocery store).
3. L-Tyrosine (500 mg caps) from the health food store.
4. Strong wide-spectrum mineral supplement with at least 100% RDA of Zinc, Phosphorus, Copper and Magnesium.
5. Vitamin B6 caps.
6. Access to hot baths or a Jacuzzi (or hot showers if that's all that's available).

How to use the recipe:
Begin your detox with regular doses of Valium (or alternate benzo). Start with a dose high enough to produce sleep. Before you use any benzo, make sure you're aware of how often it can be safely taken. Different benzos have different dosing schedules. Taper your Valium dosage down after each day. The goal is to get through day 4, after which the worst WD symptoms will subside. You shouldn't need the Valium after day 4 or 5. During detox, hit the hot bath or Jacuzzi as often as you need to for muscle aches. Don't underestimate the effectiveness of hot soaks. Spend the entire time, if necessary, in a hot bath. This simple method will alleviate what is for many the worst opiate WD symptom.
Use the Imodium aggressively to stop the runs. Take as much as you need, as often as you need it. Don't take it, however, if you don't need it. At the end of the fourth day, you should be waking up from the Valium and experiencing the beginnings of the opiate WD malaise. Upon rising (empty stomach), take the L-Tyrosine. Try 2000 mgs, and scale up or down, depending on how you feel. You can take up to 4,000 mgs. Take the L-Tyrosine with B6 to help absorption. Wait about one hour before eating breakfast. The L-Tyrosine will give you a surge of physical and mental energy that will help counteract the malaise. You may continue to take it each morning for as long as it helps. If you find it gives you the "coffee jitters," consider lowering the dosage or discontinuing it altogether. Occasionally, L-Tyrosine can cause the runs. Unlike the runs from opiate WD, however, this effect of L-Tyrosine is mild and normally does not return after the first hour. Lowering the dosage may help. With breakfast, take the mineral supplement. As soon as you can force yourself to, get some mild exercise such as walking, cycling, swimming, etc. This will be hard at first, but will make you feel considerably better.
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