StratCat

Yep, just like it says. Been clean for 72 hrs now, of a 35-40mg/day 2 yr hydrocodone habit!

Ok, no big monkey, I know. But it's always a big thing when it's *your* habit, right? I cut down 5mg every week or two, and then jumped off at 5mg when an attempt at cutting to 2-1/2mg seemed too much of a hassle.

I'm using no other drugs or supplements, but, sadly, take a 5mg Valium tab every nite (I've been in a long-term Valium taper from 40mg/day).

So...this is my first experience with opiods and their withdrawal. I had no idea what to expect, and still feel pretty funky. Not killer funky, but milld flu, headache, anxiety, big time G.I issues, burning skin, general malaise, and some occasional dizziness. The symptoms wax-and-wane, but, I feel the worse after eating. Oh, didn't sleep much the last three days, either.

I do feel positive, tho, to have made it this far, since this is completely unknown territory for me, but I'm hoping I've reached the good side of the hump, so to speak.

Been using the same prescriber (my family doc) throughout this, and he's aware I've been tapering. I'm a pain sufferer, but just decided the pain of addiction was worse than the physical pain I was trying to alleviate. I just hope I'm right, 'cuz my pain has flared back up, somewhat, but I'm hoping this is a temporary rebound effect and will subside.

No idea what I want to do next or as follow-up. I'm considering Pills Anon, as much for support for the benzo as the hydro, but haven't decided since I've got a pretty decent benzo online support group.

Anyway, didn't mean to write an essay.

Thanks for listening.

This site had some good info.

Latte

Welcome. I'm glad you found SR. There is a chronic pain part here too. There are quite a few of us who deal with pain.

Keep coming back!

Stagebear

Cliché alert!
It is what it is...

Then you are on "other drugs or supplements".

Yup. that's about right.

Have you "considered" NA?

You may want to avoid "splitting" your recovery. Benzo group online, Pills Anon, here...why not just hit an NA meeting, give it a go and keep all yur addictive eggs in one basket? Stay here to report how it's going.

My concern for you, as a fellow addict, is we can drop "crumbs" of ourselves in various groups and then get responses we want, as opposed to the help we need.

Just sayin' is all... and I remain

lostbutterfly

Actually, a girl in my aa group recently started using a benzo online support group and AA meetings. She says the support group is great. She has been in AA years tho.

72 hours is ... 3 days? You'll turn a corner soon, I'm sure. And everything you're feeling is dead normal. I would definitely get into some kind of recovery programme tho. I am quite the master of giving things up and not being able to stay off them. I struggle with a programme, but without one, I didn't stand a chance.

StratCat

OK -

Just a follow up (& thx for the replies!):

The Hydro w/d went pretty well; no big issues. I think the taper may have helped. Day 4 was still funky, and day 5 turned the corner. Well, physically, that is. One thing I didn't expect, and blew me away, was the anxiety component of the w/d. The physical symptoms may have abated somewhat on day 4, but they were replaced with some pretty amazing anxiety. I'm not sure which was worse!

Anyway, I'm checking out a PA meeting Friday night. This is at the hospital where my addiction MD (not my prescriber GP MD) practices, and he recommended. I might even see some of his other patients there. Hopefully I'll meet some other Benzo addicts, and maybe some peeps from the neighborhood.

I've been dealing with the taper of a long-time Valium addiction. Been on 40mg/day Valium for 7 or 8 years, then started a taper program, and then recently crashed and burned when I got down to 2.5mg/day. I panicked, and sought out an addiction MD for help, and that's how I found out about PA. The meetings are at the hospital where he practices, and only a couple of blocks from my house.

No idea how I'll like PA or even what I'll really get out of it. But, as much as I get out of my online Benzo support group (excellent info and support), it's just not the same as real life human contact when the crap hits the fan, IMO.

I found that out when I burned my Valium taper, and had nowhere to physically turn to.

I'll be resuming my Valium taper w/i the next few weeks as soon as I got a few weeks of opiate free time under my belt.

Thanks again for the replies.

StratCat

Yeah, Bear, wasn't trying to minimize it. Sorry if it came off that way. I'm a long time Valium addict, and there's no fast or easy fix, physically. A long slow taper seems the only way. I wish there was another way, but c/t is pretty much out of the question.

I'm struggling to get completely drug free, which is the only way to be, IMHO. The Hydro was the first and fastest step. The V will take longer, I'm afraid.

I see what your getting at. It's too dayem easy to deceive, or even worse, self-deceive!

I'm going to start with PA, and take it from there. I know addiction pathology is often pretty similar, regardless of the drug. But while I'm still tapering Valium tho, I'd sure like to find some other ppl familiar with successful benzo withdrawel. I could use all the help and techniques I can get. Doesn't matter if they're NA/AA/PA, whatever. The addiction doc said there would be some Benzo ppl at the hospital PA meeting, so it seemed like a good place to start.

Thanks for your advice.