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Lortabs - Am I an "addict"?

Old 07-02-2009, 05:00 PM
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Question Lortabs - Am I an "addict"?

Hi everyone

First, a little about myself. I am a 46 year old male, ex-smoker/alcoholic who has not smoked/drank in over a year. I have been plagued with anxiety/OCD/Tourettes/Agoraphobia over the years and from day to day I usually don't feel all that well as a rule. I am on Ativan (25mg) and Prevacid (30mg).

Anyway, it all started with a half of a Lortab (APAP 7.5mg/500mg) each day for severe muscle/joint pain which I believe was caused by Fibromyalgia and soon developed into what I believe is now an addiction (?). I went from taking 2/3 of a tablet to 1/2 a tablet and for the past month have managed to taper down to 1/4 tablet each day. The reason I have been tapering down is not because I am trying to quit (although I'd definitely like to) but because I seem to feel less and less well/healthy with each dose and am no longer able to tolerate it as much as I used to be able to.

When I am coming down off of it (the next morning) I usually wake up feeling ok but as the day goes on, I end up feeling somewhat "toxic" as if poison was flowing through my veins. Sometimes I just feel zoned-out. I also tend to get very mild intermittent pain in the liver area from time to time and my bowels feel somewhat inflamed and uncomfortable. My brain also feels very loopy, hungover and surreal and this feeling is worse when I'm coming down off of it then when I am taking it. Also, my lungs seem to be affected to some extent. Either way, whether I take it or not, I still don't feel well so it's like a no-win situation for me.

Some mornings I experience wild mood swings, disorganized thinking, talk too fast and behave erratically and unpredictably - feeling good one minute but then going off in all directions the next, moving from one topic to another and ending up really p.o.'d about nothing as I ramble on about my dreams, stuff that doesn't make any sense, etc to my poor roommate. Sometimes I feel like I'm truly losing it and get really scared/panicky. Then, as the morning goes on, I tend to stabilize a bit and begin feeling normal again. I do notice that when I go off the Lortabs for a few days, the mornings get worse and I do begin to feel what I would describe as cravings.

I guess my question is whether these side effects/withdrawal symptoms are normal and if I am truly what you'd call an addict (I only take 1/4 of a tablet per day) and I can't understand how only 1/4 of a tablet would cause me to feel this way when there are people out there who take 10 tablets a day and seem to be ok. Also, any tips on getting off of this stuff or coping with the side effects/withdrawal symptoms?.

Thanks so much for any help I can get in understanding this!.

- Regards, JDun26
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Old 07-02-2009, 07:09 PM
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We are not allowed to give medical advice on this site, nor should we. However, my OPINION is that what you are experiencing has nothing to do with the tabs. I dont know your body weight but 1/4 of a tab is like microscopic. Im not trying to down play what you are experiencing, because obviously it is very real, but I highly and sincerely doubt that it has anything to do with the amount of narcotic that you are on.
I would GUESS (again, not giving medical advice) that the liver pain would be from being an alcoholic (even if you arent currently drinking). Have you ever had your liver enzymes checked? Perhaps one of your other medications is effecting your mood? Generally speaking, taking anything less than 4000mg of tylenol a day is safe. It is the tylenol in the loratab that is dangerous, and by the sound of it you are taking approximately 100mg a day, which is the same amount I give my 4-year-old.
As far as coming off, I think you will be fine. At this point there isnt a whole lot more you can do as far as tapering goes, except maybe going to 1/4 pill every other day. You should feel very little physical withdrawal, however you may still feel it mentally. Since you wouldnt experience much detox symptoms, you probably dont need my list of detox OTC meds; i would just load up on vitamins and fluids for a few days and keep yourself busy.
I would consider asking your doctor for an alternative drug as in time you can build up a tolerance if taking it daily. And we all know, thats when the trouble starts!
You can do it, good luck!
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Old 07-02-2009, 07:24 PM
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Thank you Nallabelle. Your post made me feel a lot better. Incidentally, I weigh 175 pounds. Lately I have been taking even less than 1/4 of a tab (more like 1/8). You made a good point when you mentioned that some of it might be mental. When you have taken something for awhile and then go without, it seems that your body can "crave" it even if what you were taking happens to be a non-addictive substance because you have become so accustomed to it.

Sometimes I wonder if it's my constant head-jerking that has caused brain damage rather than the tiny bit of Lortabs I am taking each day because some of them are quite violent and that can't be good for the brain.

Anyway, thank you.
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Old 07-02-2009, 08:15 PM
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Are you an addict? Only you can really answer that question. Being an addict really has nothing to do with how much or what...its more about why. Are you physically dependent on loratabs? Possibly. You could be experiencing mild withdrawals. Yes a 1/4 pill is not much, but everybody is different and over extended periods I dont see why someone couldnt develop a mild physical dependence to it. Any amount will interact with and alter your brain chemistry, afterall. Anyways maybe you should talk to a doctor about this. Good luck whatever you do.
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Old 07-05-2009, 09:59 PM
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I could probably bet money the Ativan is the issue. 25mg is a lot hard to believe that isn't abuse level very bad if a dr said stay on it that high. Most people who have that are taking it for a plane ride or a major panic attack but only occassoonaly.

Big issue is that it's fast acting but leaves ur body very fast.
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Old 07-06-2009, 01:07 AM
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I have to disagree, respectfully, with Josh regarding the ativan. I would go into why...but we really aren't supposed to give medical advice. What I would tell you is that there are MUCH better treatments for fibromyalgia than Lortabs. You may want to explore those with your doctor. Hope you feel better.
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