[Kristi 1968]

I am having a very hard time learning how to post here. If anyone replies to my questions, can you please tell me if there is a better way to start a post? I just went to the community forum, and clicked onto new thread I think. And just started writing this. I also have no idea, tomorow if anyone replies to my questions if I am gonna be able to find where those replies are. Soooo please help me out on how to work this crazy thing! I have been hooked on and off to vicodin. Went to rehab when after taking 5/500 hydrocodones. Started out taking as prescribed, then after 5 years in a two month span I was taking 16 a day for 2 months then checked myself in and got clean. This was the most excrutiatingly painful experience that I have ever gone through. I was told that I should have been in the hospital only 3 days, but I was in for 10. I was so sick, they had to hold onto me for extra time. Doctors told me that I am just really sensitive and bad with withdrawl symptoms. Brain chemical wise, I was messed up for a good 6 months. I blew it again after a knee injury 2 months ago. Heres the question..... I was taking 7.5 mg per tablet of vicoprophen (just vicodin with motrin or advil instead of tylenol) 6 times a day for a month, then in the last two weeks started chewing them like candy and for the last 2 weeks I've been taking about 50mg of the dang stuff. Just ate the last one, so addicted that I couldnt even wean down. I start cold turkey tomorow. I do have klonidine from the last time I detoxed to help. Anyone wanna guess how sick I'm gonna get taking that amount for that legnth of time if I am a HORRIBLE detoxer? Even with the Clonidine? I am scared to death of going through that again. Im ready for it, I gotta do the time, but hoping you have some advice for me. What I went through 4 years ago at rehab was so inhumane that I would have sold anything I could have gotten my hands on, or re-mortgaged my house or got a loan for 10,000$ just to have gone to a facility that gave you a DESCENT ammount of detox meds. I was too sick.I went to Kaiser, and they just stick you in a little pink room and IF you can make it to the nurses station to ask for you pathetic dose of clonidine( I am having a hard time remembering if the med is called clonidine, or klonipin? it is a little orange pill. its what they give you in rehab) you get it, then crawl back to your room and puke, sweat, have restless leg so bad you cant sleep for days, pray you have the strength to get to the bathroom every 10 minutes with raging diarrhea. I lay awake all night most of the time I was there just crying cuz I couldnt handle the whole mess. I feel like such a looser that I did this to myself. Crying right now. Someone told me that after you have been addicted to vicodin, or anything else, kick it, then relapse and get clean, and then do it again, each time you get clean, then take that substance again, its like the addiction is that much harder to kick. Or does the addiction level stay the same? Did that make any sense? Sorry I am really nervouse about tomorow. So, Been taking 50mg vicodin for 6 weeks, then for the following 2 weeks been taking about 60-70 mg vicodin. I have been chewing about 1/2 of them this last 2 weeks if that makes any difference. I am not working at the moment so I have the blessing of being home through this. I could really use some people to connect with IF I can get out of bed and check the message board in the next few days. I hope I can figure it out also! Thanks for listening, and if anyone might have an idea of what I may be in for with the severity of the withdrawls I would love you to post them. Sorry so lengthy, I will work on that. Kristi 1968

[melinda7.5]

Hi Kristi
You made the post just fine and I hope you find this today...
There are allot of us here that have done the same thing that you have done. I'm going to post the Thomas Recipe for you...It will help you a bit..
Klonidine and klonopin both help, I would rather have the klonopin for the first four days...you can do this, remember its only temporary.
I dont think detoxing gets worse everytime...It just sucks everytime.LOL
Hang in there and let us know how your doing...
Talk to you soon, Melinda


Thomas Detox Recipe
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

This recipe is designed for cold turkey opiate detox. It assumes that you can get about 5 to 7 days away from your job or household responsibilities during which you can sleep, veg and act as miserable as you feel. Opiate WD mimics the symptoms of the common flu, so, if you need a smokescreen, hide behind a bad case of the flu.

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
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.
Imodium (over the counter, any drug or grocery store). [generic brand anti-diarrheal is fine. Don't take it unless really uncomfortable]
L-Tyrosine* (500 mg caps) from the health food store.* [See Warning]
Strong wide-spectrum mineral supplement with at least 100% RDA of Zinc, Phosphorus, Copper and Magnesium.
Vitamin B6 caps. [or stress B-complex?]
Access to hot baths or a Jacuzzi (or hot showers if that's all that's available). [many gyms offer free trials]
How to use the recipe
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 W/D symptoms will subside. You shouldn't need the Valium after day 4 or 5. [melatonin worked well after day 4 for me. Sleeplessness sometimes hangs on awhile]

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 W/D symptom. [I like Epsom salts in the tub. Forces Magnesium into the muscles]

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.[Diarrhea is the bodies way to aid in the detox so take Immodium or generic for the comfort factor, if needed]

At the end of the fourth day, you should be waking up from the Valium and experiencing the beginnings of the opiate W/D malaise. Upon rising (empty stomach), take the L-Tyrosine*. Try 2000 mg, and scale up or down, depending on how you feel. You can take up to 4,000 mg. 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 W/D, however, this effect of L-Tyrosine* is mild and normally does not return after the first hour. Lowering the dosage may help. [*Read the Warning first! *L-Tyrosine* is great. *SamE 400* mg works for mood too]

With breakfast, take the mineral supplement.

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. [Walking gets the blood and lymph systems working, helping you detox better.]

PLEASE NOTE: If you have any medical complications, first check with your doctor before detoxing to verify that this regimen is safe for you. [Very important note]

[WARNING If you are on anti-Depressants, use medical supervision on L-Tyrosine, SamE and all mood enhancers. There can be a risk if taking L-Tyrosine, 5 HTP if you are on a tricyclic or a MAIO antidepressant's ...It can cause a spike in blood pressure.]

[shybaybe2003]

Well, I am on day 2 and i dont feel great but i am forcing myself thru this ********. I know in a few days little by little I will start feeling better. I hope the same is true for you. I am also w/d from vics, about 16 of the 5/500 a day.good luck to you and me.

[Kristi 1968]

I just wanted to say thanks for reponding! I guess only returning to the vicodin for 2 months DOES make the withdrawls much easier! I am so shocked. I was hardly ANYTHING like that withdrawls I had after using for 5 years the last time I detoxed. I wanted to thank you again for posting and hope you are up and around soon. If you need to talk I will post you back asap. Good luck and hang in there. Kristi

[Kristi 1968]

This is Krist, Thank you guys for writing me back! I tried to work the quick reply to write you guys back, but at the end it told me I had to chose an icon? Or something like that, can't remember the exact phrasing. I wanted to let you know that my withdrawl symptoms were sooooo much easier this time I couldnt belive it. I guess when you only return to the vicodin for 2 months and had been clean that it is not nearly as harsh. I also wnated to tell you that my Psychiatrist told me that if I was going to go to my doctor and get help withdrawling to ask for clonidine, NOT klonipin. Klonipin is sompletely fine for the help a benzo will give you, but I was told for withdrawl symptoms that clonidine is a COMPLETELY different animal (her word, not mine) it is what they give you in re-hab and helps MUCH more with the actual withdrawl symptoms. Lots of doctors dont know that. My doctor is an internal medicine specialist, and was trained and interned and studied at Loma Linda university and seems like a very knowledgeable doc, and he didnt even know this. So if you want to look into this and tell people its your call, cuz I am still learning to navigate this site. I have one question, is it something I did, or is it just this site, After I wrote my first post and logged out. I went to my history button and checked to make sure no one in my family could see that I was even on this website. I was soooooo shocked to see that notonly could they see that (although I pretty much new that was gonna happen, and that was nop biggie) but the big deal to me was that they could actually view the page that I posted on pouring my what I tought was my private guts out about my addiction, that I was just keeping away from my hubbie. Did I do something wrong, or is this normal and some people may not know this? Was I supposed to set up or click onto something in my settings when signing up here to avoid this? Please reply back. Thanks again guys for answering. and the Best of luck going thru this again. Hoping for all of us that it is the last time. Kristi