tussionex addiction

[jaxcie]

     Hi there. I never thought in a million years I would be here, I mean at the point I am at and searching for help in this area, thats for sure. But drug addiction apparantly has no boundaries, rich or poor, young or old-it can happen to anyone.  But for me, i feel especially guilty because I am a mother to 5 great children who dont deserve the bad mood and the way I am while I am trying to come off this RX addiction.Anyways here is my short and not so sweet story, please respond to this as soon as you can, as I need help asap.

     Well, to start, I must say that I have just taken a dose of my meds because of the withdrawal symptoms I was having and I was not in a way able to write this otherwise. Here goes: once there was a little girl, or lady that had been diagnosed with chronic broncitis and chronic cough. This was often helped by the prescription given to her by her loving doctor, it was tussionex. After having this problem for years, one year, 2009 in January, this lady's illness was much worse than ever before. So the tussionex was prescribed again and again and again, hoping that after many tests, the problem would be solved and she could come off the tussionex. But lo and behold no problem could be found for that fair maiden and she remained on the tussionex for many, many months. She started taking this med according to the instructions, 1 pill every 12 hours, not to exceed 2 in 24 hours or the consequences could be grave indeed. Well, after a few weeks, the meds were no longer working and so the lady felt she had to up the dosage in order to get the same effect as before. But as well, now, the girl was no only taking the RX when she needed it, but taking it much more often and at an increased dosage.
  
     This went on for month upon month and soon the maiden developed breathing problems and needed to be put on puffers and ventalin treatments. Hmmm she thought, could this be due to the increase in medication she had been taking? Well soon she discovered the answer to be YES.     AND THIS LEADS ME TO WHY I AM HERE TODAY WRITING IN THIS FORUM, PRAYING FOR SOME HELP.

     I was up to taking about 2 tussionex pills every 6 to 8 hours, sometimes more in between, and whenever i felt like it. The other day I decided I would go off them and see if the breathing got better. The less often i took the tussionex, the better and easier it was to breath. So I am now trying to take 1 pill every 8 to 12 hours but( this time i didnt, i cheated, as i just wanted to feel normal again.)  I went as long as i could without reaching for another and experienced aweful withdrawal. I felt sick to my stomach, could not eat, had the most outrageous shakes, twitches, headache and paranoia resulting in one of my favorites, a panic attack. Not to mention that it was quite a challenge to take care of the children while experiencing this. The depression was horrid and I just felt downright LOUSY, almost like i was going to die, yuck.

    So, can anyone please make some comments here and give me some advice? I sure would appreciate it. Thanks ahead of time and God Bless.

    

[wannabeclean]

Here's my thoughts on methadone. Yes, It's a drug. You are basically substituting one drug for another. I have struggled with addiction for 10 years now and it all started with Tussionex. I had a really bad case of bronchitis and it was prescribed, THEN I got bronchitis all over again but this time it was worse, so it was prescribed again. After that, it was on!! I was Dr. Shopping for tussionex. I tried the methadone but coming off of the methadone is hard as hell too. I think Suboxone is the best. That is when Ive had my longest sobriety is when I was on Suboxone. I feel so sorry for you and wish I was there to give you a big ole hug and help you with your kids. I hope you are doing well. Do your research on all these drugs before starting them.

[jaxcie]

Thanks mr.lucky. I am now down to the recommended dosage and soon to  be off hopefully. Ya, i knew nothing about methadone but now i do, thanks to all of you, and i understand what a desperate plea it is, but a lifesaver for some. Thanks again for your info and kindness.

[mr.lucky66]

I also was addicted to Tussionex  and it is probably the highest concentration of hydrocodone you can get. Before 19990, it was even stronger with  hyrocodone resins but the drug company got pressured by the DEA I guess because junkies loved it. Anyway, I don't want to educate addicts on better ways to get high just to say that it is a more serious addiction  that can go beyond the usual hydro/ tylenol thing you see here. Still, I don't think methadone or sub would be a good idea. Methadone or sub maintenece should be reserved for the most desperate cases of multiple treatment failures and for people who can break the law to get their fix, at least that's was methadone was originaly designed for. It was for heroin addicts who put themselves and society at risk every day to get a fix. Now it's used for anyone who had an opiate problems and this is creating a whole new generation of methadone addicts.

[jaxcie]

Oh yes, wanted to mention, should i still be having such bad breathing issues when i am down to the reccomended dose? wow, its so hard to breathe at times.( Its so bad, I cant even wear a bra due to the compression to my chest, makes it even harder to breathe.) Do you think this is something else going on as well? I am seeing a pulmonary specialist again this week. Wish me luck.

[jaxcie]

Hi all. Just want to let  you all know where I am. I have got myself down to 1 pill every 12 hours( but am always craving it.) I need now to get myself down to 1 only every night. I forgot my purse in the car( it had my pills in it) last night and coughed the entire night through. Not a bit of sleep. Now I have to take care of my 5 children on no sleep. So I do need the meds but only at night, and only when i sleep. So I must get to this and stick to this. Thanks for all your help, Jaxcie xo

[jaxcie]

Thanks, appreciate all the comments. Good to know that about methadone. Like I said, I know nothing so anything people tell me is new information. I am trying the tapering process and do have adivan to take with as well, so well, i have actually been okay for the past 10 hours, but that could change at any minute. And it makes me so tired. But I will keep trying and going forward with this all. Thanks again for the support. Hope yoiu are all doing well. Jaxcie

[toejam_muncher]

well the thing with tussionex is that people do think it's just a 'cough med' and don't realize what's actually in it. at least, the vast majority of people don't realize what's in it. life would be so much better for a lot of people if doctors would just warn patients on the addictive potential of certain drugs before they prescribe it. i mean if you're prescribed percocet, you probably know it's addicting. but if you're prescribed cough syrup...you probably don't realize it has vicodin or codeine in it and that it can be highly addicting.

anyway...very good to see your doctor has a tapering plan and i hope it works for you.

[daisy699]

I'm glad you talked to your dr.!! that's a step in the right direction and I'm sure the meds will help w/ the wd.... As for the methadone I would definately try to avoid that at ALL costs!! From what I hear kicking methadone is hell and a long drawn out process.. Give this tapering with your Dr. your best shot I know you can do it! Just resolve yourself to the fact you HAVE to get through this and once you start feeling better just think you NEVER have to do it again!! i understand you can't leave the house I don't remember suggesting that?? I have a 2 yr old and she got me through alot of the hard days (I can't imagine what your going through with 5!!!) Just stay motivated do the next rite thing and I promise you will come out on the other side of this hell with alot of self will!!! Keep going and pm me anytime..daisy

[GA Guy]

I don't make it a habit to discourage any reasonable treatment plan, but for your addiction, methadone would be a mistake. You can be through withdrawals in a couple of weeks at most. Methadone is a maintenance drug meant to be taken for an extended period. Withdrawals from Methadone can be moderate-severe for months.

[jaxcie]

Hi there Daisy,

     Hope you are well. I am okay right now as I just had some meds, my doc gave me a tapering plan, and if that dosnt work then i will have to go to the methadone clinic. All because I took too much cough meds, omg. Whats really scaring me is that I have a hard time breathing now so i really have to get off this junk. Does methadone really work for tussionex, it is a narcotic. Anyhow, there is no way i can stay at a house, like i said i have 5 children and i have to be here. I have no one to help and no real support. I hope i dont die.

[bkwrm679]

Honestly, you're probably going to spend the first 3 days in bed damn near 24 hours a day. If you don't have a backup support person (husband, etc.) that you can talk to about this, you may want to arrange something. The Clonidine will help with the withdrawal symptoms, but when you decide to get clean, your energy will be sapped for a while. Not trying to scare you, it's not unbearable or anything, but there's no way you're going to be doing laundry, picking the kids up from school, cooking dinner, etc. when you're in full withdrawals.

[SickofThis1]

Hey I truely wish you the best, I posted a question on here to, about 5 min. ago. Im the 33 year old that had surgery. First of all doesnt it suck to have to admit that you are an addict? It took me a long time before I could admit it, so that's a 1st step for ya! I no its harder with kids, I only have one and thats hard enough I couldnt imagine walking in your shoes. Did you try to maybe take 3/4 or 1/2 at 1st? I didnt cut down drastically all at one time. I just took 3/4, for about a week or so, then 1/2 so on. Im not saying that I didnt cheat once in a while. I always tried to keep my son in my head and say to myself, who do you love more? The pills or your beautiful little boy? As a mother I think your answer will be the same. Its not easy no matter what anybody says! And if they do say its easy then they were never an addict before! I also gave myself a time limit if it was passed 6 or 7 o'clock and I didnt have anything else planned, that was it, no more for the day. Another thing that I stopped doing was carrying the bottle in my purse or on me, I started to leave them home. If I had them on me it was eaiser to take more than I needed. Maybe you can try that.  I would also give so many of them to my non-addict best friend to hold. I told her no matter how much I cry dont give them to me until the day we discussed earlier. I wish you love, luck, and soberity. Dont give up , be stronger than "IT", you have made it this far, just keep looking for that light at the end of the tunnel believe me it does get brighter! Best wishes and good luck to you and your children.

[jaxcie]

i agree, i must give them to him to hold on to. i had an urge to take more already this morning and i have just been up for a few hours,lol. Then i hear my baby laughing and it encourages me to push on. I know I can come up with a plan for reducing the amnt i take but I am scared to actually put a finish date down, i dont think I am ready for that. Does that mean for sure it wont work? Does anyone know for how many days I should stay at a certain amount? This will allow me to get started on the plan.And do you think I should do this very slowly so that the kids will be back in school when I really face the hard withdrawal phase? Or is that just pushing it off because I know its going to be hard, I dont want to make excuses, but i do need to face the reality of my life situation, like family and stuff. shhh, i dont want anyone to know about this,lol.

[daisy699]

it sounds like you are really motivated to make a change which is great! Like many others said I agree you should try tapering off. I wouldn't recommend leaving this soley up to you I would give them to your husband make a plan for tapering and go for it!!! I just worry that if you keep the pills yourself and dispense them yourself you won't be able to control the urge! Every time yur anxious or your body tells you it's time you'd be reaching for that bottle and this disease I believe get's a strong mental hold on us and can convince us of things that may not be necessarily true! Good Luck stay focused

[worried878]

very positive..any move forward is great..dont hold on to the bottle tho..it can make u fail..if u r planning to wean off then it is often a good idea to write it out/the taper/how many pills u will take each day/ct is also an alternative at ur dose is u fail on the tapering stuff....pick a QUIT day and stick to it no matter what...i have found that peole who r unable to pick a day to be done do not make it...keep posting

[jaxcie]

Hi there. I wanted to thank you for your response and support. Like i told ga guy, I was up doing exacty what you suggested last night, reading and reading and reading and the thing I really realize is that I am not alone. I am going to wean myself off and maybe give the bottle i have left to my hubby. The withdrawal was pretty bad when i woke up today too, but I went an hour longer without it then yesterday so thats a plus right? Thanks again, Jaxcie

[jaxcie]

Thanks so much. I was up really late last night reading all the info. I prayed and I guess God led me to this site. Thanks so much for responding to my little story.

[worried878]

the pills u r taking contain hydrocodone..a narcotic and addicting..which u already know at this point..narcotics suppress breathing.so it is no wonder u breathe better when u dont take as many..repiratory depression is part of narcotic use especially is ur respiratory syste is already impaired

sounds like u r tired of the roller coaster and want to get off...the health pages have alot of info on narcotic wd..read and learn..you can taper off or ct..having someone hold ur pills is best if u decide to taper...read and learn..keep posting as there is alot of support here

[GA Guy]

As you know, those are withdrawal symptoms. There's no magic pill to make them painless. You can tell your doctor that you want off of them and he can prescribe Clonidine, a BP medication that can help with some of the withdrawals. The worst of the physical withdrawals will peak at 3-5 days and you should feel better within a week. Sleep and energy will get better more slowly but return to normal within a month or so. No easy way out of this I'm afraid. There's some information on the Health Pages including the Thomas Recipe and Amino Acid protocol that may help.