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hydrocodone withdrawal, amino acids

Hi. I hope people here can help me. I'm getting a bit desperate.  I have 2 questions.
1. I'm withdrawing from hydrocodone, 2 years of 10/325's, 4 times a day. The pain is so bad that I'm going to have to quit if I can't find some help! I've reduced to 8.75/325, 4 times a day,  which seems to me to be a tiny amount, but I can't sleep and  the pain is getting unbearable. Am I wrong about the amount? Am I just so dependent that I won't ever be able to come off this?  I've been withdrawing for 5 days and I just don't know if I can keep it up. Advil is useless. The doctor says anything he could prescribe would be just as bad as the hydrocodone.
2. I've heard that aminos help with pain. Does anyone know about this?  All comments appreciated! Has anyone tried amino acids for pain? 5HTP, glutamine, DHPA?
Best Answer
Avatar universal
look below for the Thomas Recipe for you to click on. Get those items. They will help you through this. Glad you have your doctor on board. Ask him about the drug Clonidine. That will help with sleep somewhat. Hot baths with Epsom salts will also help, especially for the sore muscles, but sleep will be at a premium until you get through this.

With the amount you've been taking I think you'll begin to feel better once you get down to the amount where you can quit cold turkey. If you're having the symptoms you describe, then you're taking too much of a cut from your usual dose. Try taking it slow and easy. Going back to your old dosage will prolong any future recovery attempts.

You'll get some other answers on your post, especially on the amnio question. Good luck, keep it up, you can do this!!
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495284 tn?1333894042
COMMUNITY LEADER
I hope you will stick with this.  Our brain has a way of playing some nasty games with us when we either reduce our amount or stop all together.  Rebound pain is no fun but it usually does subside.  Try and keep yourself busy during this time also.  

Congrats on being cancer free~
Helpful - 0
1235186 tn?1656987798
Yes opiates increase pain and actually make new pain,
Opiate induce pain
Hyperalgesia
There is no way around the withdrawals, you just have to treat the symptoms.
Alternating Heat  and ice, hot Epsom salt Baths.
Mild exercise, walking, swimming, stretching, yoga.
Can you get physical therapy?
During detox the pain increases, it is rebound pain.
It will take about a month opiate free to re evaluate your pain levels.
Tapering makes the detox much longer but less severe.
Cold turkey more intense  but more severe withdrawal.
Keep posting for support.
Sending prayers for healing and peace
Debbie
Helpful - 0
4113881 tn?1415850276
First off congrats on being cancer free! I can empathize with you in that I have severe spinal issues and just finished a 7 month course of interferon treatment in April. I'm sure your aware of interferon as it is sometimes used  to treat different types of cancer. I know how hard it can be to deal with multiple pain issues and be sick at the same time.

I understand you not wanting to be physically dependent on the Norcos. I totally get it but the common theme that always seems to come up in treatment guidelines is whether there will be more benefit or risk involved. If you are not an addict and dont abuse your medicine and your pain is managed through the Norcos then why would you get off them?

"By lowering the dosage, the pain increased immediately in my lower back and legs where it originally started. "

See, Im an addict therefore I dont take narcotic pain medication but if I wasn't and was able to maintain and manage my pain with medication...I would. I hear you when you say you are tired but would you rather be tired or in pain? Well...I guess you've already answered that by making the decision to get off the Norcos.

HMO's are messed up...your doc orders an MRI and they approve an X-ray...I know too well how they work. Again...I empathize with you. Although you have an HMO Im sure your still eligible for injections. Heck....I had 3...yes THREE in my left knee in 40 days time (May-June).  When you have legit issues HMO's have to step up....if they dont report your insurance company to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

http://www.naic.org/

If your sticking with coming off the Norcos....this site is great. There are tons of great folks here that can help with advice on how to mange your symptoms. Personally, I believe if your having that much pain from just lowering your dose by little...I would think about getting a second or even third opinion from another doctor to see if they can help you.

Just my 2 cents....


Helpful - 0
4522800 tn?1470325834
Hi, I get my Amino Acids compounded in one..The Health food store carry's this one called "PROTEIN" on the bottle. It has A-V all in one..There are some I take alone for sleep and others I take alone for energy. But it is good all in one too..I do wish you the best and Congratulations on beating the cancer..My Mom is at Chemo right now.
Bless
Helpful - 0
5347058 tn?1381188426
I'm glad you're here! This is a great place for support, as well as good info. I hope that the amino acids help you to feel better soon. I am also glad that you are doing this with the help of your dr. Always a good idea if you have any medical conditions.
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Avatar universal
Thank you. That's the information I need! I'm so glad I found this site!
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Avatar universal
Thank you. I've replied, but I don't know where my replies are going!
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Avatar universal
Let me start by saying that I'm overwhelmed by the kindness of your answers. I was feeling very alone and am now typing through tears.

The doctor explained to me that Norco, over time, causes the pain to be even greater than it started out to be. I don't think the pain is from withdrawal, at least not yet. By lowering the dosage, the pain increased immediately in my lower back and legs where it originally started.

I'll explain more. I started Norco 5/325 two years ago for  a crushed vertebrae. Then when I went into chemo (unrelated), the pain 'seemed' to increase and I was prescribed 10/325. (Chemo was finished over a year ago and I'm now cancer free.) The doctor says that my x-rays and blood tests now indicate that there's not enough  organically wrong anymore to be causing me so much pain. Advil should really take care of what I have wrong, except for the Norco 'dependency'.

I belong to an HMO that does not have a way to control pain except by prescription pain killers.  My doctor, however, is very open to my trying to find alternative sources to control the pain. When I mentioned aminos he said that he didn't know enough to advise me, but he encouraged me to go ahead and research them online. (His hands may be tied by the HMO?)

Coming off the Norco was  my idea, although I have his encouragement. It has a side effect of making me very sleepy, and I want to go back to being 'normal.'
However, he won't reduce the dosage if I can't do this. It's just something I really want to do.
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Avatar universal
Thank you very much. This was information I was looking for!
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5347058 tn?1381188426
I am also confused. If you are at 8mg down from 10 every time you take them, that's a fairly small drop and you shouldn't be experiencing severe withdrawl symptoms. Did your dr. act like this was normal? As far as the amino acids, check at the bottom of the page under health pages. There is a wealth of info in there on amino acids and wds. I hope that you are able to get some relief very soon!
Helpful - 0
4113881 tn?1415850276
Im not sure I understand your question. Are you in pain because your withdrawing or are you in pain because of a medical issue (back, arthritis,etc) that you now feel more because you've reduced the meds?

Im not sure how to respond to this post. You were taking 4 hydrocodone 10/325's a day which I believe is an actual prescribed dose so in essence, Im just going to assume you werent abusing them since they are a script from your doc. Having said that, since you have been taking them continuously for 2 years there will definitely be withdrawals but you have barely reduced your dose so thats why Im not sure Im understanding the question as reducing that amount shouldn't have you feeling that bad on day 5.

Again, not sure if your asking whether aminos help with medical issue pain or withdrawal pain. A little more info would be helpful.

Amino Acids and Diet in Chronic Pain Management

Research and practice have found that increased intake of the amino acid substrates of the three key pain modulating neurotransmitters can often provide noticeable benefits within a few days.1,2 These precursor amino acids have also been shown to potentiate pain medications, thus sometimes reducing the amount of opiate needed.3,4 Seymour Ehrenpreis, PhD, pharmacology professor at Chicago Medical School did original research substantiating the benefit of d-phenylalanine, an endorphinase inhibiting amino acid in postoperative, cancer, and other kinds of severe pain.5 This reportedly allowed the medical school hospital to significantly reduce the amounts of opiate medication administered.

So important are amino acids to pain practitioners, this journal is publishing a multi-part series on amino acids and diet for the pain practitioner. This first article outlines the basics of amino acids and diet in pain practice and subsequent articles will give more detailed protocols and guidelines for the use of pain-targeted amino acids and dietary therapies.

http://www.practicalpainmanagement.com/treatments/nutraceutical/amino-acids-diet-chronic-pain-management
Helpful - 0
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495284 tn?1333894042
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