[Aries42]

Ok, I need some advice. I have been taking Lortab (4-6@10mg daily) for a year. I want to get off ofit, but I don't want to go through the whole methadone or suboxone detox and maintenance system. Is there any way I can slowly wean myself off of this drug? It is destroying my life. Every time I try to quit cold turkey, I start having bad leg and back pain, and I turn into areal B&%@H. I think the pain is only there because the drugs are wearing off, is that even a possibility?
I don't know if it is or not, but I do know that I was never in this much pain before I took these for so long. Any Advice? Can this pain be triggered because the medication is leaving my system?

[Dave87666]

Yes what you are feeling are withdraw symptoms..You can slowly ween yourself off,and that works for some people,but not all most relapse back to a drug...I'd look into some kind of treatment(im on suboxone and it works) methadone also works,but anyway that you go at some point you are going to have to come off it all,and atleast the Dr. can control it so that w/d symptoms are minimal...

Since you are "addicted" but you als dont seem to be an addict as far as have the addict mind,I have a feeling that you could start to ween yourself...Next time that you go to your Dr. who gives you the pills,tell him/her that you want to ween off and see if that person can help...If he cant(some Dr.s really dont know) then come back here,and we can help you with a good tapper schedule..

[OUTACONTROLGAL]

BETCHA SWEET *** It's just your brain signaling that it wants the drug!!!!
I would suggest you get help though a detox place. Here in NY we have a great place called Parrallex. It does not substitute from one drug to other like suboxone or meth. This place aids you with certain meds to help the widrall symptoms. I'm on my 6th day of detox with the help of meds. I was popping about 20 perks10/325 and on fentynil 50's patches for about 5 years. I'm so glad i have stopped!!!!! IT is NOT easy I'll kid u not! but you have to focus on the prize!
God Bless you all!!!!
Stay strong......

[Aries42]

Thanks for your replies. I am going to try and wean myself off of the pills, I just hope I can. I don't want to substitute one addiction for another, so I am going to try to go c/t. I never meant to become addicted, I started out taking them for pain, but due to the loss of my Mother, I found that they somehow helped with emotional pain.....Or so I thought. I have two beautiful grand-babies that are 3 and 1 yr old. I am about to take custody of the 3 yr old, but I refuse to do it until I am totally clean. I have never even been a drinker or used any kind of drug, so this is really quite a surprise to me.

I can't go to my Dr for help.....he has no idea that I take them like I do. He has been my family Dr for 22 yrs, and I just can't let him find out. He doesn't even like giving lortab for pain.....said it was too easy to get addicted. I used to not believe him.....I've since changed my mind

[Dave87666]

I wouldnt go cold turkey,just start weening yourself down first...Then at the end it will make w/d alot easier..

[Aries42]

I have managed to cut down a great deal. The day after I posted my first message, I went 12 hours between taking the 10s and then another 12 hours between. It got pretty rough, so I am going about 10 hrs now and after a few days I am going to 11 and so on, etc. I am trying so hard, but having my oldest daughter and her husband living with me is kind of hindering my progress....they fight all the time, and it is driving me crazy. Espcially with the 2 babies watching/hearing all of it.

[mpvt]

I agree that methadone and suboxone are way to strong for you at this point in your addiction. Here is the Thomas Recipe that has proven to be very successfull.Good luck.......Dave

Pain, Addiction & Withdrawal Support
> The Thomas Recipe for Cold Turkey Withdrawal
PLEASE NOTE: I am not a doctor, simply a long-time Rx opiate junkie who has had many opportunities to develop a way to detox. This is a recipe for at-home self-detox from opiates based on my experience as well as that of many other addicts. It is not intended as professional medical advice. It is always wise to make sure none of the recipe ingredients or procedures conflict with medications you may be taking. Likewise, if you have any medical condition, disease, allergy or any other health issue, consult your doctor before using the recipe. Thanks, Thomas
THOMAS RECIPE
If you can't take time off to detox, I recommend you follow a taper regimen using your drug of choice or suitable alternate -- the slower the taper, the better.
For the Recipe, You'll need:
1. Valium (or another benzodiazepine such as Klonopin, Librium, Ativan or Xanax). Of these, Valium and Klonopin are best suited for tapering since they come in tablet form. Librium is also an excellent detox benzo, but comes in capsules, making it hard to taper the dose. Ativan or Xanax should only be used if you can't get one of the others.
2. Imodium (over the counter, any drug or grocery store).
3. L-Tyrosine (500 mg caps) from the health food store.
4. Strong wide-spectrum mineral supplement with at least 100% RDA of Zinc, Phosphorus, Copper, Magnesium and Potassium (you may not find the potassium in the same supplement).
5. Vitamin B6 caps.
6. Access to hot baths or a Jacuzzi (or hot showers if that's all that's available).
How to use the recipe:
Start the vitamin/mineral supplement right away (or the first day you can keep it down), preferably with food. Potassium early in the detox is important to help relieve RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome). Bananas are a good source of potassium if you can't find a supplement for it.
Begin your detox with regular doses of Valium (or alternate benzo). Start with a dose high enough to produce sleep. Before you use any benzo, make sure you're aware of how often it can be safely taken. Different benzos have different dosing schedules. Taper your Valium dosage down after each day. The goal is to get through day 4, after which the worst WD symptoms will subside. You shouldn't need the Valium after day 4 or 5.
During detox, hit the hot bath or Jacuzzi as often as you need to for muscle aches. Don't underestimate the effectiveness of hot soaks. Spend the entire time, if necessary, in a hot bath. This simple method will alleviate what is for many the worst opiate WD symptom.
Use the Imodium aggressively to stop the runs. Take as much as you need, as often as you need it. Don't take it, however, if you don't need it.
At the end of the fourth day, you should be waking up from the Valium and experiencing the beginnings of the opiate WD malaise. Upon rising (empty stomach), take the L-Tyrosine. Try 2000 mgs, and scale up or down, depending on how you feel. You can take up to 4,000 mgs. Take the L-Tyrosine with B6 to help absorption. Wait about one hour before eating breakfast. The L-Tyrosine will give you a surge of physical and mental energy that will help counteract the malaise. You may continue to take it each morning for as long as it helps. If you find it gives you the "coffee jitters," consider lowering the dosage or discontinuing it altogether. Occasionally, L-Tyrosine can cause the runs. Unlike the runs from opiate WD, however, this effect of L-Tyrosine is mild and normally does not return after the first hour. Lowering the dosage may help.
Continue to take the vitamin/mineral supplement with breakfast.
As soon as you can force yourself to, get some mild exercise such as walking, cycling, swimming, etc. This will be hard at first, but will make you feel considerably better.
Thomas [/i][/b]

[SiestaKeys]

I really dont understand why suboxone/subutex is off limits. They DO NOT produce any euporia/high, and the more you take, the less your body absorbs-its called the ceiling effect. Because it is an antagonist, it binds to your receptors and blocks opiates from binding, ie the more taken, the more the receptors are blocked. You can actually take too much and cause withdrawal because it has completely blocked your receptors. I have done the subutex route and the Thomas Recipe. Only subutex works without withdrawal. Beleive me, the Thomas recipe will only make you go back to Lortabs because you will be in misery. Thats why people relapse without the help of meds when trying to quit.
If you want to quit without other meds, then the perfect regimen is by taking one less daily for 5 days and so on. This will cause only minor withdrawal at the very end. I had to do this when I moved and had to find a new Dr. I was taking 50-60mgs hydrocodone daily and was able to wean myself off. Oh and the subutex thing happened thanks to a close friend giving me oxy when I had no idea what opiates were. Thats why I stay away from oxy.

[bradn6919]

you should definitely try weening your way off of it, going cold turkey is very bad for your body, and if you try it you will discover the withdrawal symptoms are much worse...

if you still can't control your usage during weening yourself off, i would definitely try suboxone (it works for me and many of my friends) or methadone....

[circa9870]

The reason why suboxone and especially methadone are off limits is because his addiction is not very severe at all. Taking 60mg of hydrocodone a day is not very much to take, as far as addicts go, and the suboxone may actually be harder to get off then the hydrocodone that he is on right now. Make no mistake about it, suboxone is a VERY stong opioid. the actual opioid in it is called buprenorphine and it is very strong, it is a full agonist also. They only mix it with an antagonist, (naloxone) to discourage abuse, but people can and do still get high off it I have heard, especially if they have low tolerances (for example a 60mg of Hydro per day habit tolerance). This is why the suboxone might actually end up being harder to get off, simply because it is stronger than what they were taking before in some cases. While you are right about it causing withdrawal if they take too much, people figure out how to take just a little before that limit so they get high without going into withdrawal. Buprenorphine is a very strong opioid and people shouldnt go on it when they only have a minimal habit without trying very hard to break that habit first on their own. Then if they are unsuccessful, then sure he should go ahead and try the suboxone, but only after a couple of trys on his own with the hydro in my opinion, otherwise he might end up on suboxone for the rest of his life. Methadone is like that also, but even worse and should only be used for people with very bad addiction (something that it is very good at, especially if the person plans on staying on it for a long time). I hope that this answers your question. Just remember that suboxone is not some weak opioid, and in fact it is much stronger than hydrocodone, and it could be argued that it is stronger than a lot of other opioids depending on what factors you look at, and simply because it is mixed with an antagonist does not mean that the agonist stops working, and it is not addictive. I wish the thread started luck in finding help for his addiction and I think that he should give it a go after talking to his doctor about it and asking him for advice and his doctor may give him some non-narcotic meds like clonidine.

I hope that everyone has a pain-free day,
Circa

[alonenomore]

HI AIRES42

Fortunately you are asking for help in the early stage of opiate addiction. I can imagine that it does not feel like the "early stage" to you, cuz you are totally aware of how bad it can get. At least thats what i obtain from your posts. 60 mg of Lortab a day X 1 year may seem like a huge amount to you, and THATS A GOOD THING. As suggested above, I would do the taper regimen that includes Valium and other stuff above. I would do the taper sugggestionsm HOWEVER, i would take say five for four days, then four for four days, three for four days....until you are off them completely. I would suggest u attend NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS OR SEEK COUNSELING AS WELL. If u cannot do those things, atleast keep coming to this web cite daily at least. GOOD LUCK, i have been abusing opiates off and one for 18 years or so. I am 41 and educated, both formally and by life experiences. Currently abusing opiates to the tune of six to eight 40 mg of oxycontin a day. I finally contacted a Subox doc, and have a telephone interview on Mon. I do not think u ar anywhere near needing Subox stuff. However, i do not knowhow your back pain will do. If after say, one month of being off the opiates i SUGGEST u contact a doc for other regimens for yourbaick pain and if those dont work, contact a Subox doc, i hear it works for pain real well, however, have not experienced it yet.

GOOD LUCK.

I HAVE MY BACHELORS DEGREE IN SOCIAL WORK AND HAVE PRACTICED INTHE FIELD FOR YEARS, HOWEVER, I AM NOT A DOCTOR OR LICENCED TO PRACTICE MEDICINE.

[Mike VG]

What were you taking the Lortab for? And yes, you could be going through withdrawal, considering you were taking 10 mg for a year. Go see your Doctor, I don't think you're going to have to go through any long drawn out process. You need to be weaned off by a professsional. A Doctor who can prescribe you drugs to help you, Xanax, Valium; I don't know what he might use but you definitely need to be under a Dr.'s care weaning off the Lortab. Take care of yourself, and don't play around or think these people are over-reacting. Just trying to help.
Mike VG
Mike VG

[backpain123]

Aries42
I would like you to read my new post “Please read, I really need some advice from real people”

Vicodin is great for taking the pain away for about 3 hours, but then it comes back. Then you take more and the pain goes away for about 3 hours but then it comes back. So you’re in this vicious rollercoaster all day long of trying to keep the pain at bay. Towards the end I was worried about all of the Tylenol I was taking in everyday and the damage to my liver. Addiction was another worry of mine. However now I look back and ask myself “would I ever lie or steal to get Vicodin?” The answer is no. Would I ever do anything to attain it illegally? The answer is no. Then what is addiction?

I never took Vicodin for any other purpose but to help with pain. I truly felt that I became dependant on it for pain. In my uneducated opinion I think Vicodin would be great for short term use, something like a sore muscle that is going to heal in a week or two but not for someone like myself who has been in pain for years.

I really do not want Vicodin. I became dependant on it because it only last for 3 hours and I found myself taking it threw out the day to keep the pain at bay. I think that’s why people who are taking it for pain get into trouble. Within a few hours the pain comes back and you end up taking more to keep the pain away. I wouldn’t take Vicodin again but really helped with the ongoing dull achy pressure that I felt in my back.

I look back now and wonder why I didn’t ask for something else for pain, something that was more of a once a day.

I am amazed how people are so quick in these forums to advise people to wean themselves off of pain pills. If you are taking it for pain then how is it ruining your life? It started to ruin my life, not because I was addicting but because it is a short acting pain reliever. If your pain is Chronic you should be on more of a long acting pain reliever. That is just my uneducated opinion.