I have read post after post about the withdrawals from hydrocodone. I have been taking 20 10/325 for two years. The few times that I have quit, I experienced all the withdrawal symptoms you read about. After I would get through the worst of it, then the debilitating depression would set in and then I would give up and pop a pill! Once I made my mind up that I HAD to quit-not an option-I set a date. I then fasted and prayed for 7 days. The first 24 hour was a liquid fast the rest of the six days was the Daniel fast ( no meats, sweets, or breads) I prayed like a warrior. I never asked God to take away the symptoms, I just asked him for the strength and will power to get through it. The night before I was to quit, I took my last hydro and worked til 1:30 in the AM. I knew I would be sick with the "flu" for a few days and I wanted to get as much done as possible. Here goes...The next day-my first day off Hydro-it was a litlle weird not to pop a pill to get going. Other than that, I was ok. I had everything that was mentioned on this sight to help with the withdrawals and took what I needed-(Immodium-L-Tyrosine. etc. etc. I knew some was still in my system so as I said -first day , ok and preparing for the worst on the second day. I waited ALL day for the symptoms to kick in...NOTHING!! i even went out that night with my family. Third day-I knew from addictions that the third day of any withdrawal is the worst. I would be lying if I didn't say that the third day kind of kicked my butt. I felt sickly all day and tired. The fourth day, I went to work and I walked 1.5 miles that evening. Every day has gotten better and better. It has now been two and half weeks and I am loving life. I feel better than I ever did when I took Hydro. I am telling all of you this because I wanted you to know the advice given on this website has been awesome. If you ever decide to quit, I recommend checking out the checklist and I think you will be ok!

Well done! You are my hero. I will check on you for inspiration as I go through this. I am trying to taper with what I have left and then be done with it. I can't let my family in on this and own my own business, so I really can't take any days off either. I can be very flexible about disappearing in the afternoons when it gets bad though, so I am lucky that way. You have great insight and I will follow your checklist. Congratulations and keep it up. I will be praying for you and thinking of you.

Lucyotis, that was VERY inspirational....I'm trying to taper right now, and getting ready to go to the store to get some otc helpers; cough medicine, immodium? not sure what else, but I'm glad I read your post, because I know this is somehting I must do very soon.

Hey, I wanted to give you the checklist that I got off of this site. It is very helpfu,
Immodim
Robitussim DXM
L-Tyrosine 1000mgs- (GNC) 3-4 pills 3 times daily in the beinning then you can go to label instructions,
5-DTHP (GNC) Foolow label instructions
Vitamin B6
Good quality multi-vitamin
Tramadol or ultram-this is only to help with withdrawal symptoms. Take only as needed. I only took two the third day and continued that for a few days. Then went to one, etc.
Lots of water and a hot shower every morning. As soon as you feel like it, try to walk or excercise.
Good Luck. This has been the first time that I have ever been serious about quitting and really wanted to..I had no other choice. I was spending too much money, money I didn't have and I was also taking too much. Good Luck to you!!

May sound strange but vigorous excercise - aerobic and strength training - will help immensely with fighting the 'urge to splurge" so to speak. Also very good for you. I work out maybe 4-5 hours a day on average to strengthen by back and even though in pain - sometimes terrible pain - it has had the effect to reduce my need for painkillers on a steady basis. anyway, just a thought. DXM is another possibility but I generally use it to potentiate opies to stretch out the supply. Cheers!

- Gekko

Gekko: Thanks for the idea's. I have a list going to help me. I am still not clear as to why or what the Immodium is for. Is Immodium an OTC...? Never heard of Robitussin DMX as a potentiate for Hydro...possibly a small content of alcohol? Anyone taking both Hydro & a Benzo, don't forget, the combo of alcohol with some of the Benzo's ESPECIALLY Valium if a negative potentiate, just not a good combo. The combo of Valium and booze got me in BIG trouble REAL fast!
Blessed Be to all!
coyotedave

Yikes! I get the bottles of powdered DXM from a chemical supplier - i will have to wait to get my tax info back from my CPA as the reciept is with her and it has the addy (it was on my old computer and it crashed). Anyway, the Robo tastes horrible and I prefer to put the powder in gelatin capsules. I think that Robo DXM also has alcohol and that could be a problem (obviously). But yes, it has been shown to potentiate Hydro.

- Gekko

coyote, I heard way back, cant tell ya when or where, but immodium is supposed to have an opiate in it. its just made in a way you dont get high. Just somethen I heard.

Re: Lody
Hmmm. That makes sense to me. I think that is the same reason for the Ultram, kinda like tricking the head to make it "think" it is getting the chemical it craves.
Tx, and oh yes, Nice Bike!
coyotedave

Immodium is an over the counter non-narcotic containing medicine for dirrhea. If you are detoxing from addiction to narcotics, you will generally get the runs. Immodium stops you up, hence its useful additive in this area.
Robo, wow, I havent thought of that in years. We called it "Tussin" and used to drink it by the bottle because the Robo DM has ingrediants which also will throw your natural chemistry for a ride, so I guess the idea is if you are detoxing why not fry on Robo and stop up with Immodium? I cant take this combination seriously, but if it works for anyone than good for them.
I would suggest a POWERFUL anti-nausua med like compazine suppositories, as withdrawl from a long term habit of narcotics is going to make you sick, sweat and want to die. Its not that bad, and most of it is in the mental committment, I went from taking 40mg Oxycontin 3x a day, plus 10mg valium up to 4 times a day, and had at least 50 or 100 percodan and codeine around all the time as well. And some dilaudid whenever I wanted, from a friend who got bottles of them once a week (I think he had an rx for 100 a week, I believe they were 5mg tablets) and liquid morphine for 'breakthrough' pain. Well, eventually this got to a point where I decided to stop. I was doing these drugs because of crushed disks in my L4 L5 and bad pain from this, resulting from being run over by an 18 wheeled truck.

So in a nutshell, I decide to stop being a junky after 5 years or so, and tell my doctor my plans. I am fortunate, as my doc understands that I still have a need for pain meds, and works with me most of the time to balance the pain with far less meds - and an open attitude toward trying different meds. This doc took a long time to find. I now take methadone 10mg 1x a day or so, occassionally some 10mg valium, and thats it. I need the occassional rx for Oxycontin, which gets filled (not enough, I feel at times, but a 10mg Oxycontin is a powerful drug when you arent eating 40 or 80 mg of them a few times a day.

So I sweated. I was sick. I felt like hell. I took more valium while I kicked the narcotics than usual, probably 60mg a day for 4 days. By day 5 I was no longer feeling any craving in a physical way for the narcs. Just a mental addiction which will probably never go away. Asked right now, would I rather be "comfortably numb" I would say "of course, who wouldnt" but thats the addictive personality talking. I can, and do, turn down drugs now when I dont *need* them. As in - I cant get out of bed or walk without some help. I have new respect for the power of Motrin. 200mg x3 twice a day is a wonderful pain killer - no high, but far less pain than without.

Its just a decision you may make, on your own, someday. You will be sitting there, bottles on your nightstand like Elvis in the 1970's, and you will or not decide to stop. And if its at ALL POSSIBLE, exercise! Lift, Run, Walk, Bike, crawl, anything. If you work out under a trained program, (swimming is GREAT) you will be doing yourself more good than all the long term nacro use ever will. Rehibilitate, dont Addict. Use the meds as a tool to reach a balanced state. If you want. A good book, if you are willing to see the granola side of how to kick, is Perscription for Natural Healing. Fasting, Retention Enemas, Sweats, etc all work to help kick, if you decide you want to.

Gileas