MaisieC or Robert-Stop here please!!!

[3furrykids]

Are you still around Robert?

[yezdegerd]

Again I'm not a doctor or Robert, but I am an addict and norco/lortab are my specialty. Both of them are 1/10th of your former pops, meaning taking 2 will stunt the big pain, but it will still linger. You will feel this way if you are choosing to taper off and quit with each decreasing dose. I'm guessing they gave you 120 for the month? That allows 4 a day with 8-12 left over, however I really wouldn't recommend them for quitting. When you take 1 your brain will be telling you to take another one in a lot shorter amount of time than the pops did.

The best advice I can give you is decide what you're planning on long term. If you're quitting go see a sub doctor and use the hydrocodone to curb the withdrawals. Stick with taking 2-3 but try and stretch out the time before your next dosage. Allow yourself time to get a little achy, don't just pop a pill everytime you feel a little uncomfortable. This will allow you to make the next step down to 1 at a time. Normally I wouldn't suggest even taking 2 at a time when trying to quit, however coming off your meds is a pretty hardcore intense process. But like I said, make a decision as far as quitting or changing medicines, then talk to a doctor from there. If you do have pain, if pain management is necessary, at the very least you can lower your meds to norco or something of the like and if you feel you can't help yourself with taking to many, it sounds like you have GREAT support in your husband

[Robert_325]

Are you still around Robert?

I have about thirty people I'm working with. I'm just taking them in order. Not forgetting you, I type 80 wpm and still can only go SO fast.

They gave you norco as they have less acetaminophen. FDA guidelines are that you don't consume anymore than 4000mg of acetaminophen in a day or 1000mg in a dose. It's not good for your liver in large quantites.

Those numbers are really higher than they should be and will likely soon be lowered. Your acetaminophen is metabolized in the liver so they are just looking out for your safety.

How many norcos did you receive and what are your dosing instructions? I'll be watching for your reply so you'll stay at the top of the list when I answer you this time. It's tough keeping up with all the posts. But I do my best. God bless.

[3furrykids]

I am sorry Robert....I am just feeling a bit clingy as this is all new to me. ...as it once was to all here....I know. I am allowed 1-2 tabs every 4-5 hours. I do feel bettter now than this am. I have a headache and and am low on energy. I tend to be anemic and I have a couple different sources of infections now...kidneys and a bedsore (paraplegic, remember?) so I don't really know what is responsible for the malaise/fatigue. Maybe a combination of all?

I am sorry if I am being demanding. You have been so good to me ....you don't even know me.Thank you from the bottom of my heart.....

[Robert_325]

I am sorry Robert....I am just feeling a bit clingy as this is all new to me. ...as it once was to all here....I know. I am allowed 1-2 tabs every 4-5 hours. I do feel bettter now than this am. I have a headache and and am low on energy. I tend to be anemic and I have a couple different sources of infections now...kidneys and a bedsore (paraplegic, remember?) so I don't really know what is responsible for the malaise/fatigue. Maybe a combination of all?

I am sorry if I am being demanding. You have been so good to me ....you don't even know me.Thank you from the bottom of my heart.....

I understand your desperation. It's no problem. I would take some excedrin MIGRAINE .... it works incredilble for my headaches. I would also address any infections as those can be dangerous if left unnattended. That could be partially to blame for your lack of energy. I'm glad we were able to get you some meds to get you through this.

Norco will not totally equal out the fentanyl, but they'll get you through this. That's the important thing. Then I hope you consider the sub therapy route and get clean so you can reassess your actual pain level. I can guide you right through that without a bunch of w/d problems. Take care of yourself and keep us posted. Just remember I will get back to you as soon as I'm able. God bless.

[3furrykids]

I will keep you posted. The more I read the more I feel I want to go the suboxone route. I will try the Excedrin. Robert..God Bless You too.

[3furrykids]

Robert...

I don't know what time it is where you are...It's 7:00 pm here....The Excederin and Coke(Coca-Cola!!!!) helped the headache quite aleot.
I have felt better as the day went on. I am so frustrated with myself though. I have no way to gauge how I really feel. I can't tell if pain is real or w/d, do I feel tired and a bit down because I of my health or because of w/d. Do I force myself to be more active or be more patient with how I feel....ugh!!!! Howwwww did this happen....I know ultimately the responsibility is mine but I really wish a doctor -there were plenty involved!!!-would have stopped me or suggested a different route. I nnneeevvvveeerr dr or pharmacy shopped but I have had a number of health issues over the years...several docs involved at the same time. Everyone knew what the others were doing. I was always honest and upfront. I wish someone would have seen a potential problem....I trusted them.

[3furrykids]

I did not answer your question fully......1-2 tabs every 4-5 hours. I was given 150 tabs but I am already down 5. I have 145 left..

[Robert_325]

I did not answer your question fully......1-2 tabs every 4-5 hours. I was given 150 tabs but I am already down 5. I have 145 left..

We all can blame the drs but bottom line is we still took the meds gladly. I did it too.

Don't get carried away and gobble them up. The dr may not be so understanding if you call him back in a few days needing more. You'll have your new insurance soon and you should be making arrangements to have a pain dr ready to go the day you have insurance. Don't put it off and leave yourself in a bind.

Once again I'll say that I wish you would choose the sub therapy route, get clean totally, then reassess your pain. I know for a FACT that your pain will be less without that stinky fentanyl than it was while you were taking it. That is your decision but I've done all I can do until you decide what you want to do. Let me know God bless.

[3furrykids]

I will take a minimum of Norcos per day. Promise!!!To be honest, you are not the first person to suggest that the Fentanyl may be causing "rebound pain" . My CA pain doctor's Physician's Assistant suggested the same a few months ago ........I just was not in a place I wanted to hear that if that makes sense. Now I am. Well....I don't want to hear it but I can hear it.

I menitioned to you that the doc and I had begun a plan. .....It included methadone. Why is one better than the other? Just curious. I am looking for a pain doc but.e ma...Moving across country I have made some pretty drastic life changes...Maybe time for one more...Robert, I wish I could take you to the doctor with me!!! lol....

Could we do this gradually tapering the Norco? Just wondering...

I am still afraid but I will talk to the doc -FIRST appt- about suboxone. You'll be "hearing" alot more from me!!!!!

Thanks Robert!!!

[Robert_325]

I will take a minimum of Norcos per day. Promise!!!To be honest, you are not the first person to suggest that the Fentanyl may be causing "rebound pain" . My CA pain doctor's Physician's Assistant suggested the same a few months ago ........I just was not in a place I wanted to hear that if that makes sense. Now I am. Well....I don't want to hear it but I can hear it.

I menitioned to you that the doc and I had begun a plan. .....It included methadone. Why is one better than the other? Just curious. I am looking for a pain doc but.e ma...Moving across country I have made some pretty drastic life changes...Maybe time for one more...Robert, I wish I could take you to the doctor with me!!! lol....

Could we do this gradually tapering the Norco? Just wondering...

I am still afraid but I will talk to the doc -FIRST appt- about suboxone. You'll be "hearing" alot more from me!!!!!

Thanks Robert!!!

No way you want to taper off Fentanyl with Norco. It will be too painful. The norco is only to hold you over until you get to a dr. That is why I suggested sub therapy. It's the only way to go if you want to stop using. ONLY use methadone if you want to continue using narcotics for life. That is a last resort medication for pain. Trust me on that. Anyone of the many ex-methadone users here will say the same. It's tough getting off methadone, even worse than fentanyl. I say to go with the subs. Then after you reassess things if you decide you need meds for life then methadone is the way to go. But give yourself a chance first, get clean, and then decide later. Good night and God bless.

[3furrykids]

Subs it is!!! You will hear from me as soon as I find a doc in the area. My husband will check on insurance with his HR in the a.m. I will do as you say and have doc ready the day ins kicks in. I had heard Methadone w/d is easy but I have read old threads and clearly I heard wrong!!!!
I also read through some of my other posts...I told you I was a bad typist!!! Sorry about all the typos....

I am grateful fot your support. I am nervous about suboxone but excited too...You will hear from me soon!!! Good Night and God Bless you too.

3furrykids

[yezdegerd]

Question for the both of you. I also have full medical insurance but the couple doctors I called said suboxone is a cash visit, and it costs 400 for a week and a 100 dollars each week after that. There is no way that the people that have been on subs for a year+ are paying that much are they? I don't mind paying roughly 200 monthly for a couple months but There is no way I'll pay thousands. Please if anyone has any info on this it would be very helpful

[Robert_325]

Question for the both of you. I also have full medical insurance but the couple doctors I called said suboxone is a cash visit, and it costs 400 for a week and a 100 dollars each week after that. There is no way that the people that have been on subs for a year+ are paying that much are they? I don't mind paying roughly 200 monthly for a couple months but There is no way I'll pay thousands. Please if anyone has any info on this it would be very helpful

Those are the bandit drs. Legitimate drs charge legitimate fees plain and simple. Keep looking. I wish that I could send everyone to the dr I used who even did phone consultations with me once he trusted me and charged just like any specialist would. He sees patients monthly today and charges $120 per visit. We've become friends and I talk with him often. He uses my sub taper method and we talk about methods for inductions and related matters, I know what he charges and he's chief of staff at a big rehab hospital. There are good drs if you keep looking. God bless.

[3furrykids]

This is all so new to me I am not a good source of info at all. All I know right now is that my new insurance will cover suboxone. I spent quite a long time reading over the plan. The only downside? It is an HMO so everything will have to go hrough a new primary doc first.

Robert, I feel quite a bit better today . I slept well...that helps. I just have this terrible headache. I can't explain why but I feel like the Norco may be causing it. Is that possible? Still, I will take the headache over what I was feeling any day.....For me, even the very beginning of w/d proved almost more than I can take. Pretty wimpy, huh? lol.

[Robert_325]

Yes hydrocodone can cause a headache. If you'll try Excedrin MIGRAINE it will knock it out I guarantee you. Give it a try. I can guide you through dealing with the insurance company when you do the subs. My career was in that financial area prior to retiring. Don't be concerned. God bless.

[3furrykids]

Two Excedrin Migraine down the hatch!!! I will let you know. I have been reading old threads to educate myself more. I learned you recently had a staph infection. I hope you are feeling better now. I have had a few too. It makes you feel horrible. I also learned I am very fortunate....I have the best support in my husband that anyone could ask for. We have not gone to church since moving from CA. We finally found one near us that looks great. I need to be with people.....and I know that whaat's to come will be so much better if I am spiritually "nourished" too. Thanks Robert.

[yezdegerd]

norco give me headaches also, It's pretty common

[3furrykids]

The Excedrin did help .....thanks!!!

[3furrykids]

I got some good news!!! I think I mentioned in an earlier post that the one of the issues that the fentanyl lollipops caused me is that they destroyed my teeth which has left me very very self conscious. My medical insurance will be several more days but I have the Norco to hold me which it is doing nicely. Only 2 tabs a day..The even better news? My new dental coverage is effective as of today !!!!! Woo Hoo!!!! Yeah !!!! So now I can start- it's only a start- working at putting this all behind me!!!!!

[yezdegerd]

I got some good news!!! I think I mentioned in an earlier post that the one of the issues that the fentanyl lollipops caused me is that they destroyed my teeth which has left me very very self conscious. My medical insurance will be several more days but I have the Norco to hold me which it is doing nicely. Only 2 tabs a day..The even better news? My new dental coverage is effective as of today !!!!! Woo Hoo!!!! Yeah !!!! So now I can start- it's only a start- working at putting this all behind me!!!!!

Here is some good news for you also!

I called a therapy center today because my insurance finally kicked in, they referred me to an addiction specialist pain doctor and since I've detoxed and relapsed so many times he gave me suboxone, 4mg twice daily and I must say it's the best thing that's ever happened to me. I've always struggled with severe depression and anxiety after trying to quit, and it literally took away every struggle I was having with stopping narcotics. i strongly strongly strongly suggest going that route. Get off the pops and start fresh, get your life back! After that you can really evaluate your true pain level, because I'm guessing fentanyl is not exactly the medication you require, and whatever doctors gave them to you should really be evaluated.

[3furrykids]

The more I read the more convinced I am that suboxone is the way to go.. Yezdegerd , I am happy for you. I know it must be a huge relief.
I do wish that I had never begun the Fentanyl but I do feel a bit of a need to defend the docs a bit. My me]dical needs are very complicated - as I am sure others can be too. There was a time when the doctors had every reason to belive I was terminally ill. It in time became clear I would survive but there are a number of reasons that some of the more conventional pain meds would have have been difficult for me. In addition to other things, I for example could not swallow tablets-and then tablets caused very signifigant intestinal issues. I am not defending myself but the docs. I have been a bit frustrated that we did not try different things as my health improved but I just want people to know that the I think the docs were also just trying to make the best out of a really bad, complicated situation. Because I know the whole story I can look back now and see what happened. I just can't let people think badly of people who while MAYBE dropping the ball a bit- also SAVED MY LIFE.

[yezdegerd]

well that's good then, whatever gets you well. The downfall of "pain management" is when you take it for so long it actually causes more aches and pains than it fixes

[yezdegerd]

Yeah I can definitely understand that. I think the common mistake on this forum which can be easily misunderstood is that some people DO NEED pain management of some sort. As much as I hate them because I became an addict, they do do what they are intended to do. My wife for example gets extreme pain, generally at nights all over her body, but she never took pills seeing as how I am an addict. maybe now with me being on suboxone she'll consider maybe getting some 5mg lortabs or something for the pain. It makes night times tough sometimes for the two of us. Btw, I am still in love with suboxone. My insurance didn't cover much of the script though, even with drug abuse as one of the things covered. It's gonna cost me 140 a month for the suboxones, but worth every penny to feel normal again. This is the first night in 2 years that I didn't count the minutes until It was time for bed. I'm up at 130am happy as a clam!

[3furrykids]

Okay...I am going to try really hard to describe a very odd sensation....I think the Norco is holding me even better than maybe even you expected.But....this is weird. The only way I can describe it....the thought keeps going through my head " the monster wants to be fed". It's like I am aware that my brain is not getting something it normally does. It's sort of an odd tingly feeling in the back of my head..Does that make sense to anyone?

[yezdegerd]

Okay...I am going to try really hard to describe a very odd sensation....I think the Norco is holding me even better than maybe even you expected.But....this is weird. The only way I can describe it....the thought keeps going through my head " the monster wants to be fed". It's like I am aware that my brain is not getting something it normally does. It's sort of an odd tingly feeling in the back of my head..Does that make sense to anyone?

It does. My cigarettes for example, I switched to the e cigarettes which provides the exact same thing as a regular cig without the bad 4000+ chemicals and for some reason i still want to smoke haha. Just gotta tough it out. It's more of a habit that needs to be broken

[3furrykids]

Robert,
Is your internet back up yet? I hate when that happens!!!! lol Did you see my last post about this weird sensation? It does go away sometimes but it comes back.What do you think?