Aa
Aa
A
A
A
Close
Avatar universal

hydrocodone detox

I have been taking hydrocodone 10/325 4 sometimes 5 per day for 2 years. i had a fusion in my back and severe arthritis. i will be married 15 years next month to the  best husband and I have 3 of the most awesome children who are now 13, 9 & 9). About 6 months ago my husband took the RX bottle and locked it in the safe (i have no key).And would leave me 3 pills to get me through u til he got home . My 4 th was at bedtime.
3 days ago I decided I want my life back. I only took 2 pills that day. Approx 13 hours apart. I had this racing feeling and anxiousness all day that day. I have been prescribed xanax  for anxiety and I thought thats what it was. After the second 1mg xanax it was no better so I assumed it was from cutting back on my Norco. A few days earlier I stopped taking gabapentin 600mg 1 time a day and flexeril 2-4 times per day. The anxious feeling was still there and that night I was having charlie horses to the point of soaking in a hot tub. I do suffer from RLS as do both my parents. The meds made me very sick so dr told me to just take a xanax and that would work.   During this process I was trying not to take the xanax either. My parents drink a mixture of oj, apple cider vinegar & honey so I tried that. I was able to get a little sleep here and there through out the night. Yesterday morning I only took 1/2 of the Norco pill. I found busying myself would help the anxious feeling but was scared to over do it because I do still have back problems. So I found a notebook and started writing about this. That helped. I have never been a person to talk about Their emotions to ANYONE but this past 4 days I have been a blubbering fool. 6 hours after that 1/2 pill the leg cramps got worse & started moving all over. At one point my thumb and pointy finger was cramped around my stearing wheel while I was driving. I had hubby only leave 2 pills so I still had 1 1/2 but never took them. At 9 hours after that 1/2 I was cramping terribly and extremely nausuated (which I haven't had an appatite for days anyway). I drink juice with apple cidar vinegar and lots of water through both days. At bedtime last night my head felt like it was in a vice. I needed sleep so i took a melatonin instead of the xanax. After 4 hours of tossing turning the anxious feeling I told my husbanf to go ahead and give me a xanax. So I took the one (1mg) and nothing. An hour later i took a second xanax. By this point the nausua had turned to dry heaves so I took a zofran. 45 minutes Later I was flailing around the bed so bad with anxiousness, restless feeling. I finally fell asleep hugging the puke bucket dry heaving into it. My husband sll the time laying there trying to help. At one point I told him I felt like I was dying. We told my 2 youngest mommy had a stomach bug. Here I am laying in bed going through this while my 9 yr old twins sat at the kitchen table outside my door playing leggos. My husband whispered things I was fighting for to remind me to keep fighting. I dont know what time I fell asleep in the puke bucket (empty) but I woke at 6am today. 2 pills on wed & Thursday was battles I WON because it was 1/2 what i normally took. 1/2 a pill yesterday & making it through that other mess is definately. A battle won. Today I am not taking ANY. I am trying to continue my fluids and eating small bites of bananas and crackers here and there. My goal is no xanax tonight but i have to sleep. Nights are when the "take one voices" are the worst. Because I am the only one awake.

I have read of the Thomas method for opiates. I know Norco isnt exactly an opiate so does anyone know if it will help me. Hubby goes back to work on Monday & I have kids to tend to.

Any and all help or comments are welcome
9 Responses
Sort by: Helpful Oldest Newest
Avatar universal
Wow you are doing awesome!!!  I live your plans. So wish I could take the Summer off too. But I'll have to do days here and there to do things.

I am so happy you are getting through this. I will say getting rid of the the flexeril and xanax is the best thing ever to do. You mix those with pills and yikes.  

Keep it up. Keep going forward. You are so blessed.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thx guys. I find writing helps. I let my husband read it so he will know exactly whats going on in my head.
My 13 year old had noticed a lot. She thought I was just battling restless legs and they were making me sick. Then she noticed I would tear up or cry over EVERYTHING!! I originally told her it was that time of the month because I knew she would understand that. But she noticed it was getting worse and worse.
I told her the truth. She cried with me and then told me some of the most painful things a mother hear. How I made her feel like I hated her. It was hard to listen too but I am SO glad she let it all out. I assured her that I can not take back the last 4 years but I WOULD spend the rest of my life trying to make up for it. I also promised her this WILL never happen again.  Telling her was a big step for me. The only thing she knew of rehab or detoxing is that a couple of years ago a close friend of hers dad went to rehab. They came home and after a couple MONTHS of being there. They took a week long trip with their two kids to Disney World. Came home and the next day had a heart attack and died. I did not want her to immidiatly fear the same would happen to her mom.

I did get a little scared about the xanax and taking 2 1/2 on Friday night. So I took two yesterday. 1 mid day and 1 near bed time. Today I will cut back and take 1 mid day and 1/2 at bedtime etc until I take none. Because I wasnt taking them regularly I was told this was a good taper by the pain management triage nurse.

I fell asleep dry heaving into the bucket again but it was not as bad as Friday night. I never thought I was dying. Just saw it as a hurdle and was prepared because now I know nights are the worst!!!

I got all the vitamins for the "thomas method". I am drinking tons including gatorade with apple cider vinegar, green tea witb ginsing, and the oj, ACV & honey mixture several times a day that the dr told my parents to drink for their RLS.

Still no pain. And I honestly have not even thought about a pill. I have taken otc ibuprofen for headache .

Today is the BEST Mother's Day EVER. Cards from kiddos, breakfast from my hubby, even walked my fur baby & spent a few minutes sitting on the porch because I was the first one up. Oh and I am taking the summer off with my children. For the first time in 13 years. I know its only a drop in the bucket toward making up for lost time but I think its a heck of a start. Also with my mom who is retired. We used to be so close!!!!! Now I realize I miss that!
Helpful - 0
352798 tn?1399298154
You are lucky to have a husband help you through this. Keep up the vitamins for months. Your body needs them. Chocolate of at least 65% cocoa can help too. Soak in a hot bath with 2-3 cups of Epsom salts.
   I know you can do this.
Helpful - 0
1235186 tn?1656987798
That is good news. The pain can actually increase taking opiates for extended periods of time. It is hyperalgesia, opiate induced pain.
Your body produces extra opiate receptors.
Pain usually increases during detox.
I am happy for you that you don't have pain.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
The funniest part is I have had ZERO backpain in this process. I actually sat in my living room floor and played jacks with my twins!!! Their excitment was worth every bit of nausua and "charlie horse".
Helpful - 0
1235186 tn?1656987798
ok thanks for clarifying. you sound good right now. it is good to keep
yourself busy. you did a great job of that today.
awesome job on the vitamins, hydrating and eating.
keep moving forward.
you are doing wonderful.
great job on flushing the rest, we love flushing parties.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Thx guys. The flexeril, gabapentin and xanax were not steady. The xanax was usually cut 1/2. A rx of 20 lasted 2 months if not longer. The flexeril & Gabapentin has been taken sparaticly also. 1 month RX has lasted me almost 3 on each of those.
Last night was only the 2nd time I had ever taken 2mg xanax. At most 1 a day for 3 days in a row.
This morning I made my self get up and run errands with my husband and kids. I took all the vitamins from the thomas method, drinking powerade, green tea, juice & LOTS of water. "Charly horses" have been minimal, took 1 otc ibuprofen for headache and pretty nausuas. Ate a banana for breakdast & chicken noodle soup for lunch. Munching on saltine crackets through the day. I have been up for 7 hours and so far no nrestlessness or what seems to be racing heart.
I just flushed what was probably 40 Norco down the toilet.
The 1/2 yesterday morning was the LAST I took
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
While I am not a doctor I know this much: you can not stop taking Xanax suddenly you can have a seizure. Please call your doctor and be honest with him. You are taking a few medications which mean, you need help weaning off. PLEASE call your doctor.

We understand that you need your life back, and that your kids and husband need you, but please do it the right way.  This is your life!!  

Keep us posted. Will include you in my prayers.

Helpful - 0
1235186 tn?1656987798
Hello and welcome. CongrAts on wanting to reclaim your life.
But my friend you are stopping to many meds at the same time.
They all have withdrawal symptoms.
How long have you been on xanax? At 2mgs a day?
You need to taper all of these meds.
Going from 4 hydros a day to  2 was too drastic.
If you already have rls that will greatly increase during detox.
Please detox from one med at a time.
Glad you found us,
Praying for you,
Debbie
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.