Norco/Hydrocodone Addiction Questions

[MACCKT902]

Ok, I've never posted on here before but I will give you a little history before I ask my questions.  My wife and I are addicted to Norco, Hydrocodone, Lortab, Vicodin (all the same) and "Love" them.  We get 90 Norco 10/325's and 120 Blue 10/500 Hydrocodones a month and both prescriptions together last no longer than 5-7 days at most.  My normal dose is 2 10's at a time and my wife takes 4 10's a day and we dose many times a day.  We love them... As bad as that is to say.  Never the less, with both prescriptions are supposed to last 30 days, so for 25-23 days out of the month, we either suffer or have to find the extra money to buy them from "dealers" we have been buying them from for years and years.  We have been addicted this way for going on 8-9 years and it is a horrible, horrible cycle we keep going through and I am tired of it but don't know what do to.  Well, today I ran across someone who has Clonidine and Methadone 10mg pills and has really no use for them.  I have been trying to research online for hours now and have gotten so much mixed information on the methadone, I don't know what to do.  The Clonidine, I understand lowers your BP and is supposed to help with withdrawals I have read many, many times.  But, the methadone is what I'm sooo confused about.  I can full bottles of both of these medications for relatively cheap from this person but before I buy either one of them, I would really like some correct information.  My thought was to take the methadone slowly, maybe 10mg a day until I don't feel as though I am going to die from the Norco/Hydro w/d's....??  I have read time and time again that the Methadone is very addictive and the w/d process on it is much longer than what we are on but I'm not planning on taking it long term.  Would taking just enough of it for a short period make the hydro w/d's bearable and make us be able to function normally until we can get off everything??  Also, would taking the methadone and clonidine together be safe or even necessary?  If taking the methadone, would we still need the clonidine for the w/d's??  I am soooo dang confused and if anyone out there has ever had any experience like this, please tell me what you think would be best for us.  We get both prescriptions again on the 12th of next month and I HAVE to work and we have 3 kids she takes care of daily now that it's summer.  I'm not really looking to feel "good" the way the norco/hydro's make us feel, I am really wondering if the methadone would make us feel "normal" and able to do what we need to get through each day until we get the scripts again??  I have talked to a family member about holding our scripts this next month and only giving us enough each day to taper down off them... Man, I'm a mess and my mind is just running with thoughts and questions....... Someone please help!!   Thx

[MACCKT902]

Thank everyone for their very valued input on here.  I have very mixed emotions about what I have read from you all here.  First of all, we have tried quitting several times and I don't know if it's because between the two of us we take over 210 pills a month or if it's just because we have been taking sooo much for sooo long but our withdrawals start instantly the next morning we have nothing and by the afternoon, we can't even walk or stand up we hurt sooo bad!!  The problem with quitting is, my wife has two herneated disc's in her back from a car wreck and I have such bad knees I have had one knee replacement and doctors are telling me I need the other one replaced so when w/d's start for us, it's not just the flu symptoms and a little discomfort, her back and my knee's absolutely F***ing KILL us in pain.  Having to work and take care of the kids with her back and my knees feeling like they are BROKEN is just not even remotely close to being bearable.  BUT, that being said, we do VERY desperately want to quit this cycle and would only be talking about taking the methadone for a matter of 13 days until the scripts come in.  Also, where we live the closest Methadone clinic or doctor that will even begin to talk about prescribing it is over 100 miles from our house.  I have called several clinics and they all want $200 per person for the first week and $125 a week per person after that.  On top of that, you have to be at these clinics at 6AM to get your dose every morning and driving 200 miles a day and paying $400 to get started and $250 a week is also not an option, that's why in desperation, I just thought we could take the methadone at home, once a day and see if it could just make it bearable to live our lives.  Then, when our scripts come in, I have been planning on having a close family member of mine, hold our meds and give them to us the way the bottle prescribes them.  If they are not in our hands, I believe we could beat this thing and get back to normal and make our scripts last all month because they are a very much needed medication for us given our medical problems.

[sway1]

the problem is you will probably love the methadone. quitting is quitting. switching is switching. i lived many years in the very same kind of cycle as you two. when it's time to stop, you will find the strength. replacement therapy never works. never ever. when you're ready, set aside some time to be sick. it looks like you'll be doing this together? that never worked for me, but more power to you. don't have any pills at all. you have to stop associating with users and dealers completely. if you aren't ready and it doesn't sound like you are, it just won't work. this is a total commitment thing. no half a$$ing. good luck to you both.sway

[brightfuture]

I do not have  alot of time to write but do not do the methadone, I had your exact mentality oh the methodone will help with the wd and it is far worse and longer.  Metadone stays in your system longer and peaks later so you are just so sick longer. wd from hydro and percss is berable, the methadone i could never do. So I am back trying to wean off of hyrdro. The thing with me is when I run out of the hydro those methodone are there to ease the pain and it is too tempting and I am to weak to say no so I go on this constant unsucessfull rollercoaster.  Just do not take them do not!!!!  My hubby and I both quit oxycotin ct after years, it was the worst but we did it and survived so will you.  Unfotunately I was not doing any after care and I am back on hydros.  Just plan ahead and do it.  Xanax helped me  alot because I hate the anxiety and not sleeping but then you just have another drug. People on here will give you much better advice but stay away from methodone it is the devil and is just horrible!!!

[Lisa0345]

First off I want to say welcome, there are a lot of great people here with a lot of great advice. A lot of us have been were you and your wife are right now. Some of the men and women on here are single parents and had to work, take care of kids, and go thru being sick all at the same time. I hate to tell you and I know you do not want to hear this but you are gonna have to go thru the withdrawl at some point. If you start the methadone, even for just a short amount of time, you and your wife will end up withdrawing from something far worse. If yall do cold turkey and take the blood pressure meds, you should be over the worst of it in about one week. If you get involved with the methadone, you could be withdrawing from that for months. If you want to go the methadone way then you should either go to a clinic or be seen by a doctor. This way it will be controlled. Just remember, you and your wife can not control something that has control of you!!!  In my opinion, there is no wrong way to go as long as the end result is working on recovery. It is still early, more people will be on here soon. You will get a lot of help here. No matter what yall decide to do, we will be here for yall every step of the way. Sometimes it helps to talk to people that know what you are going thru. Good luck and God Bless
Lisa
Jacksonville,FL

[LeaAnn807]

Hi!  In my opinion, you would be making a very big mistake with the methadone.  Clonidine is safe, but you can't just "take" clonidine without supervision or monitoring your BP.  Translated, you don't just pop a clonidine when you don't feel well!  You could die if your BP crashes.  If you are looking for an easy fix, I guess what I am saying is that there really isn't one for your situation.  : (

I'm a little confused as to how many days a month you use??  The thing is that it may be easier on you to just stop like you usually do when you run out of pills, and don't go back.   Just get the WDs over with in 3 or 4 days, and be done with it.  Methadone is horrible to WD from, so if you took it for too long you would be in trouble.  I doubt that anyone on this forum would recommend methadone for that very reason.

I wish there was better news.  Read the Thomas Recipe on the health pages.  It has good info.  If I were you, I would either talk with a doctor or just tough out the WDs without the methadone.  It may not be as bad as you think!!!

Good luck to both of you!