When will it end?

[Driver20]

Having started on Vicodin after back surgery, I now find myself withdrawing cold turkey as I want off!  I have been on this for the past 12 years and just the past 6 months, I found myself taking more than the recommended dosage. I was taking 12-16 pills a day. The withdrawals are serious. Can you have a seizure from doing this? I am over 60, by the way! I have no doctor whom I trust enough with this information, UNFORTUNATELY. My wife has been a blessing but as she has never been through something like this, she has no understanding of what's to come. Will everything be OK and how long should I expect to not sleep? It has been 3 days now, My muscles are twitching, my stomach is in knots, my blood pressure was up but is back down now. Thank you. I appreciate any info you can give.me.  .  

[bahamamama13165]

You can take Tylenol PM to help sleep.  Also Celesteal Tea makes a sleepy time wellness tea that is good. Keep up the good work, it will get better.

[littlebit667]

Driver, I am almost 61 (gulp) and am almost 75 days clean.  I was taking hydros 10/325 about 8-10 a day.  If you are in good health you should not have too many of the scary problems.  Get thee to the ER if your blood pressure goes nuts, etc.  Many have said and I believe that the pain will get better.  Often our bodies/minds play games and actually make the pain worse to keep the pills coming.  You may have some rebound pain...it will take awhile to see where your REAL pain levels are.  

Be patient..the mind game is the hardest part.  The actual withdrawals will end , but the mind will play on.  Be strong.

You should be almost over the tallest hump.  Are you staying hydrated??  Very important.  Gatorade, boost, ensure, water, green tea?? will help.

Keep posting.  Pulling for you!!

[Driver20]

Thank you Steve. I really appreciate it. I have just went through a really horrible three days and just before that, my father died, so I am hitting a double whammy. No excuses for my behavior, by any means. I know I have to stay strong but I need sleep. I walked about 1-2 miles today and that didn't make me tired. Thanks again, I REALLY appreciate the encouraging words.

[Driver20]

Thank you so much for your encouraging words. I'm hurting so bad right now. I just don't know how got into this in the first place. One day I'm taking it for serious pain and the next, I am withdrawing from a drug! How could I be so stupid?

[IwillDoThis]

Hey Driver - Hang in there usually the worst is day 2-3 - you are probably on the back end of this.  By tomorrow you should start feeling like you will live, try to get up and start moving tomorrow.  It's also normal to have your bp elevate.  No risk of seizure for what you were taking - just feeling like death.  I'm 79 days off years of hydros so hang in there.

Take lots of hot showers, stay hydrated and ride it out that is about it.  There are some supplements that people say ease some of the symptoms but at this point you are almost through the worst.

The thing to remember is it took time to do this to yourself and it's gonna take time to get out of it.  The mental part of this may be harder than you think so just be prepared for that and consider some kind of after care like N/A meetings or counseling.  I thought I would just stop and that would be it, stopping pills and withdrawing was the easy part.  All the mental stuff hits once you get through withdrawals.

This is a great place to get support so keep posting!