fordman_mustang

I haven’t been on this as much as most on here im sure, but a quick summary is im 28 and I had back surgery in January, i started getting prescribed vicodin ES back in June 2010 and was told to take it as needed and the DR. would fill the scrip as much as i needed at that point i was only taking about 2 pills a day, well until my surgery i was taking that 7.5 vic until January then after my surgery until now ive been taking 10 MG Norco and ive been taking about 2 pills every 4-5 hours and a valium on top of that.

Anyways my pain level at the moment is manageable but im withdrawing pretty bad from the hydro. I quit smoking a few years ago cold turkey and I think im really strong willed but i just want to know for sure if im better to taper down or quit cold turkey. Right now im actually down to about 2-3 pills a day but i do have a bit of withdrawal im fighting and im starting to take 4 half pills a day so a total of 2 total, now im wondering if this tapering is good or if i should just stop?

Also i still do get a lot of pain here and there and i have a bottle of ultram at home that im thinking about starting to take that once or twice a day to see if that gets rid of the pain it will help me not think about the hydro so much

basically the long and short is tapering off good or is cold turkey the only way to go?

Is ultram good to take for pain while trying to kick this hydro


thanks

itsnowornever

Welcome to SR. Love the screen name. We can't give medical advice here but we can share our experiences. The only sort of taper that ever "worked" for me was going a few days without, then taking one pill then going a few more days without and trying to not look back. It's really an individual choice. If you can stick it our for 3-5 days you should start turn the corner and feel better. However, some people really due need these pain meds so keep that in mind too. I just used them for recreation and that's not a good idea. Best of luck to you.

TheReader

Tapering works for some and not for others. I have always tapered during my 20 year roller coaster with various opiates due reduce the w/d symptoms and it works for me. I had a much worse Vicodin addicition (taking 12 tabs of 10 mg each day for several years) about 7 years ago and tapered gradually over about 2 months. I still had some w/d after that last one pill, but not as bad as cold turkey. I relapsed a few years ago and changed my DOC to codeine, ordering on-line for a few years, and did the same thing with taper, but for a shorter period of time.

We cannot give medical advice, but I would not use any potentially addictive products during tapering or w/d - it just prolongs the agony and then you have something else to deal with. Hot baths, immodium, basic tylenol, fresh air and exercise are your best bets.

Good luck and keep posting and share your story and progress. It really helps in recovery. I wish I had found this site during my Vicodin days. We are all here to support each other and offer support.

fordman_mustang

I called the Dr. today and they want me to do 7.5 norco for a month then 5.0 and just keep tappering down and i said im allready doing half of the 10s and they said they want me to tapper slower lol

Holyhell

This is my first time posting and I'm on day 6 of opiate wd's, cold Turkey style. I was taking any type of opiate I could find, up to 7 a day. And yes like most everyone in this situation I had a couple of surgeries but then became dependent on them. I couldn't even get out of bed without taking one. Well was tired of the burden and all of the money I wasted so I finally broke down and told my husband. He was already more than aware of my problem but I thought I had everything under control. Not!! Back to my point, sorry my brain is still all over the place, day 6 wd's...yesterday I felt pretty good, not great but at least not ****** lol!! But today I am dealing with the hot/cold flashes, crawlies and zilch motivation. My husband has been great but I'm an impatient person and I know I'm never going back to having something control me but I'm over not having any motivation! When will I get back to giving a **** about anything????

FT

Hi FordmanMustang, Holyhell, and itsnowornever:

Great to see you guys all posting!

I personally could not taper, hence my name. During my 2-year opiate addiction, the first year I thought I had had it, started tapering in 2010, which only caused my addiction to get worse. Tapering was recommended to me, but what "they" didn't know was that I would lie and go behind "their" backs to get as much drug as I wanted. Finally, at the end, I got so toxic from "tapering," I finally went cold turkey after a 3 day taper from 24 pills a day down to 0. Needless to say, I got very sick in withdrawals.

You will find all you ever needed to know about withdrawals on other threads, so I won't go into that here.

Holyhell: I came clean to my husband, too, after lying to him big time about my true addiction. At 6 days out, you will start having some much better days next week. I am 4+ months clean now, and feeling better than I have in a really long time.

FT

Kev70

as stated I am not giving medical advice but if you can taper slowly the better off you will be

as for me I never tapered I would jump off and cold turkey it, which in hindsight was crazy but I was a addict trying to hide it all the time

Whatever you do good luck