When do the norco withdrawal symptoms stop?

[LAM49]

I have been taking norco for about 3 yrs. at first it was just something someone gave me that was "fun" to party with, so it was an occasional one here and there whenever we would party, then I felt myself wanting them more often but didn't like taking a whole one at a time (don't remember the dose amount) but they are the yellow ones, if that helps, so I would only take a 1/2 at a time, it was enought to keep my buzz and keep me comfortable.  I soon began to have lower back pain, thought it was real and was able to get a script from my Dr. of 90 a month, that's when the trouble began because I was taking more and more to the point of finally taking 3-5 a day, still often only taking 1/2 a pill at a time but much more often through the day.  Well, it finally came to a head with my fiance, he said my behavior was different and he could tell when I was taking them.  I have never been addicted to anything in my life, never smoked, never took anything, am a social drinker and that's it, so this was very new to me and I hate it!!  At first I went c/t for about 3 days and by the third day in the evening, we had company and I was an absolute mess, everyone was telling me how pale I was and sick I looked and I just wanted to crawl in a hole and die.  I had all the symptoms that everyone has talked of having, flu like symptoms, etc.  My fiance finally gave me a 1/2 of one to take the edge off and it did help but only for so long and I was back to feeling horrible the next day but still didn't take any for the next 5 days and I was miserable.  He finally called a pharmacist who told us that I should not have gone c/t for medical reasons and told him to give me 2 a day for 2 weeks and taper from there, well I was afraid to take any since I had gone so long without, so we decided to make it 1 a day and cut them in to 1/4 pieces that we could spread throughout the day and that seemed to help.  What I experienced was lots of the body aches, constant headaches, and burning, runny nose with constant sneezing (and I am not a sneezer.)  What I found is that my body told me when it was time to taper down more and in 4 days I went to 3/4 of a pill for about three days, then to 1/2 a pill for about three days and went through major headaches for a couple of days and now it's been three weeks and I had my last 1/4 of a pill two days ago.  I am still having some temperature changes with an uneasy feeling in my legs and arms, but more than that is the constant burning in my nose and sneezing, feel like I have major allergies.  I read an article that said this is not mucous but cranial fuid running throught my nose!  Very weird what this stuff does to you and I don't ever want to take another one again!  So the symptoms are there but are mild and I'm able to get throught the day without needing a pill but I think about them often and I just want my energy back and to feel good 100% without thinking about these darn things!  How can something that initially makes you feel so good, become soooo evil?!  Can anyone who has been through and beat this addiction tell me if my nose will ever feel normal again and when I will get to feel like myself again, am I close to it?  Thank you and thank you all for sharing your posts, they really helped me get through most of this, I didn't feel so alone.  By the way, my fiance was absolutely loving and wonderful throughout this ordeal, he was my hero.

[backpainforlife]

Thanks!  I've thought of that too.  I don't like the idea of (1) myself not being able to control it - it makes me mad!  (2) I don't want to develop angry feelings towards whoever is 'holding' it.

So far, I seem able to keep it to a minimal level.  I also don't have any desire to ask the doc to prescribe more because I know where that would head.

I thank this forum, it's given me information and support to help convince myself to not go any further with this problem.  The physiatrist doc who prescribes these, my Primary doc, and I all agree that it's likely I'll need this type of thing very long term.

They mention 'drug holidays' from time to time to help reset my brain's expectations and to avoid tolerance.  That definately works for me.

[Bad_Obsession]

Do you have someone that can hold them for you and dispense 2 a day?  A friend or family member will make a great lockbox!!  Someone that you trust?

[backpainforlife]

Thank you so much for this forum and all the great posts in this thread and other Norco related threads here!

I was put on Norco 5/325 twice a day since January for lower back pain which is pretty bad.  I did all the other usual stuff like PT, acupuncture, TENS unit, etc.  Norco is really the only thing that works to kill the pain.

Like others, I found myself taking an 'extra' one every so often; I think 4 in one day was the max.

I finally realized that I was taking the 'extra' one not so much because of the original back pain, but my body seemed to invent little pains that I justified taking the extras...you know how it goes.

Anyway, I ran out early, so I had to stop.  I've been 6 days without it; however, I can get a refill in 4 more days which I had intended to do.

This last week has been real hard, it started with 2 days of intense back pain, then diarrhea and flu-like symptoms, one night of insomnia.  But here I am day 6, and the back pain isn't so bad anymore.  I really think the Norco makes you believe it's worse to get you to take more.  Evil isn't it?

So I'm wondering how to safely use it from time to time as my back pain does come and go and I can't really just live with the pain forever.  The Norco is quite effective, it just seems to escalate.  That's up to me to stop, I realize.  I just think it's very nice to read all these posts of others having similar experiences.

It would be nice to have a lockbox that dispenses 2 a day and you can't get anymore until the next day...dreaming I suppose...

Anyway, thanks for the forum.

[woodypi]

I have been reading everyone's post and I have been taking Norco for  4 years for lower back pain from an accident I had in 2007.  I Started out with 2 or 3 a day then I worked by way up to 8 or 9 a day.  I noticed the "feeling good" factor and I started taking them just to deal with stress and anxiety and I thought it helped me when I went through my divorce.  I told my doctor that I thought I was getting addicted to them and he asked me how much I was taking and I told him 8-9 a day which is the most I have ever taken.  He said he could help me get off of them by decreasing the amount I was taking.  I went from 8-9 pills a day to 4-5 and then finally 3-4 a day.  This past winter, I fell on the ice and re-injured my back and went to the hospital and told them what I was taking and the doctor said that if I am only taking 3-4 a day then I wasn't an addict.  I started increasing my pills again and got back up to 8-9 pills a day and again I realized I was getting addicted because I began counting my pills and taking them with me to work because I was afraid someone would take them.  I saw my primary doctor in  March and we decided that we needed to decrease again and I have been real good about doing this.  I decreased from 8-9 to 5-6 to 4-5 to 3-4 to 1-3 and finally I took my last pill yesterday.  I am feeling flu like symtoms today and my engery is a little low and my feet feel like they are asleep.   I have tylenol pm to take at night but nothing else.  My question to all of you is:  Am I end for a rough withdraw or will I experience a lesser one since I did decrease the amount of pills I have been taking?  What can I do to get energy if I start lacking?  I started a new position and I don't want to mess up.  Thanks for reading my post.... Thanks, I want my life back  Woody

[LAM49]

It does get better from here, those "good feeling" times will increase more and more.  I went up and down for about 3 weeks with the lack of energy being the worst symptom, but the more I had "good feelings" the more often they would come and last longer each time.  I have been off since end of Jan. and I am now feeling 100% myself with lots of energy and I sleep without any aid.  I will never go back to that stuff again, soooo not worth it!  I am getting married in June and I have so much planning and preparing to do, I'm so glad that I have myself back with the energy to get this stuff done.  Hang in there the worst is over and it gets better from here.  Try melatonin for sleep and get away from the ambien.  Melatonin is a natural hormone our body already produces, you get it over the counter and it really works.  I also found that my body cannot handle any alcohol anymore, it doesn't have the same effect, all it does is make me lethargic and feel like I did when I was withdrawing, so that's fine with me, I'm better off without it.

[detoxmom]

I am on day 5 five and completely get it I notice listening to my ipod with worship music helps me and walking and looking at the things I have not notice in so long.  What ever your favorite music pref is (postive is better) I swear it really works when you thing this war has dragged on and never going to end grab your ipod and walk and enjoy the sights.  I here 5-7 is the worst and then uphill we will see!