Hydrocodone Addiction

[gm777]

Hey guys this is my first post here so I'll try not to ramble. I've been a drug user since I was 17 years old, and I am now 28, married with a son. I've tried everything under the sun except the big H. I really went off the deep end in the rave-club scene rolling and tripping for several years. I would say I've tripped on acid probably over 500 times. Anyway, all of the drugs I've used cocaine, crank, crack, mary jane, ice, crystal meth.......... out of all of them, I never really truly enjoyed them, until I found hydro.



It started with my back pain problems (chronic pain patient for 8 years). I started taking them and knew from the beginning that this was my drug of choice. I kept on and on and eventually developed a habit that has me taking 4 scripts of 120 per month. I guesss you could say that I have gotten out of control with it lately. Up until now, I felt some sort of control. I am a functioning addict, as any of you know, you can be with hydrocodone. No one can tell that you are on it. I take one some days up to 30 pills in a day (10/500's). But, here lately, no matter how many I take it just doesn't satisfy. Is anyone else out there going through this? Does anyone know any kind of taper plan/ alternative that will help me? I've recently read of Kratom leaves and would like to give them a try for opiate withdrawal. Any one with any experience in obtaining these feel free to PM me. Or if you like post some experiences here. Any help and support would be greatly appreciated. I would just like to be able to taper off and get back to a normal dosage that helps my condition.



So, sorry for the long post, but it just feels good to let some of this stuff out because nobody knows of this but my wife. I searched the web and this seems like a good message board to talk on.



gm777

[searcher]

If I was you, I'd make an appointment with my primary care doctor. Let him know that you want to reduce the amount of painkiller you are using. The doctor may give you something different or send you to a pain clinic to try something other than what you are doing now.

[gm777]

Well, that's the thing, he is a Pain Management Dr. I spent 2 years searching for a compassionate Dr. that was willing to prescribe something for my pain. My primary care Dr.s only gave me useless things that didn't help at all. I've tried everything under the sun, even several sets of epidural spinal injections. I really don't want to go to a rehab clinic, (I don't think that's what you were talking about, but) because of the fact that it goes into your insurance record, sending a red-flag to claims adjusters (depending on where you go, I guess). I really just want to get back to a normal dose of my hydro, comfortably, without going through the light withdrawals I've experienced from tapering before. I would really like to do this without trying the clinic route, it would be a last resort of course, but I would like to try the Kratom method as I have read in several places that it really does help with opiate withdrawal. Does anyone know this to be factual?



Searcher, thank you very much for your reply



gm777

[Hydrocodone]

Whatever you do, you NEED to cut down on the acetaminophen.

[Pinkavvy]

yeah... worse then the hyrdro is the massive ammounts of acetominophin your pumping through your liver. you could have immidiate liver failer at those doses. and yes, you will die. liver failure is 99% fatal (very few can get a liver transplant in time.)


please, go to a clinic. do whatever you need to do, because i'm afraid if you continue down the path you're on your liver will kill you.

[OneDiaDem]

I concur. The liver damage is by far more worrisome than the addiction. A good substitute without the tylenol content is ultram. Its a bit weaker than hydro's, but have no tylenol content.


I too got hooked on hydro's because of back pain. I am telling you now, that detoxing isone mean ass ride. One I will never go thru again. It took a solid month of misery before I finally felt normal again. Sweats, feelings of millions of tiny bugs crawling on me, skin felt like it was on fire, and totally miserable because I was so twitchy and nervous.


If I had to detox again, I would use ultram to soften the ride. Taking hydro's now and then for pain or even fun is one thing. The doses you are taking is like having Mr. Dead waiting to jump you..

[gatorez]

Try these websites:


http://www.grieved.fsnet.co.uk/


The guy on the site above can make you a program for reducing your use down to a manageable level. It says OTC drugs but covers most everything. Most of the UK uses 8.5/500 or 30/500 for pain, the 8.5/500 being available without a script in the local pharmacy so you can imagine what the addiction level is like.


http://www.solpadeinehelp.org.uk/


This site gives some info on the 8.5/500 or the 12.5/500.


You may notice on the newsgroups of the two sites above that many people are taking more tablets than you, but remember that they may not to anywhere close to what you have in your pocket.


If it doesn't help then the only other thing I can think of is to reduce by one tablet a week (yes a week), this way it won't feel as bad but its going to take alot longer to get your dose down to a manageable level, but who cares if your going to kick the arse out of it anyway you may as well just reduce by one a week.

[gatorez]

In the meantime you could go here:


http://codeine.50g.com/info/hydrocodone.html#


about half way down is the extraction info you need to take the acetaminophen out of your dose before it wipes you out for good. Lets face it you don't need the acetaminophen effects when your taking so much hydrocodone you wouldn't know if it was there or not.

[gm777]

Thanks alot guys for your help. I've often wondered about the extraction methods but didn't know where to find them. I read the info and am still not totally sure about every detail, but would like to experiment and try on a small dose to see if I can make it work.



I am still curious about the Kratom and it's help with opiate withdrawal. I've read that some people have used it to successfully w/d off of opiates.



I will try the extraction in the meantime though.



Thanks guys,



gm777

[Hydrocodone]

Ive tried the cold water extraction, and it seemed to lose alot of the Hydro in the process..?

[gm777]

Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. I'm a little scared to try it, especially with a large batch of pills. I would hate to ruin them within the process.The second method on the page seemed a tad to advanced for me....(the one with the chlorophorm). It had a 90% yield according to the author. I definately wont be trying that one.



I guess there really is no really easy way to taper. You just have to do it. I do know that I have to go back down to a safer level.



gm777

[Nicaine]

Been through it (oxycodone too).



Kick cold turkey... it's miserable as hell for a week or two, but if you can't do it then just wait until it starts messing you up good. Eventually your lungs will start deteriorating (opiates make you breathe shallowly and bacteria grows easily) and you'll get pneumonia and other nasty lung problems. Also, your intestines may stop functioning altogether, and even a hundred enemas and a 10 gallon jug of prune juice won't help. You won't be able to sleep anymore without waking up about 20 or 30 times/night. Then you'll notice that the stuff just gets you "normal" and you feel sick, sick, sick when you don't have it. Hopefully you'll be ready then.



Just boot that crap right out of your life before it really messes you up. Don't mess around with tapering, just do it... if you don't it will "do" you eventually. I've been there and never want to go back.

[Liteweight]

As my name suggests, I am not deeply addicted to anything, but an addictive personality, none the less. I smoked pot for 20 years, quit through prayer nearly 7 years ago, and quit drinking two years ago.


I am taking Hydrocodone for severe headaches, and became concerned when I started needing 2 instead of one, and needing them more frequently. I knew where this was heading, and I became interested in the Kratom.


I have experimented with it lightly, and it seems to have much the same analgesic qualities as the hydrocodone. I take approx. 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of the powdered leaf and using about a cup of water, boil it into tea, which seems to knock the headache out well. I don't strain it, but drink the whole thing. I tried a larger dose and it was uncomfortable, edgy and jittery. These doses are much smallerthan I have read aboutelsewhere, but I knew I would react differently than most other people,so I experimented with that in mind.


I agree with the rest, your liver is going to get fried if you don't do something soon, so you might as well try Kratom, and start out smart--try smaller doses and work up to what helps take the 'edge' off your discomfort.

[gm777]

Thank you very much Liteweight for answering my original question. I am pursuing trying to find the best way to buy it now. If anyone has any suggestions please pm me. I am hoping for a gold membership soon.



gm777

[2hi4u]

This is in response to gm 77. LLLLLListen to me dude ! Ihave been taking hydro for eight years now. It began like everyone else herniated disk,pulled muscle whatever. the bottom line is any person taking this drug for more than three weeks and stops suddenly will have withdrawals. So you can see someone using 10/325 twenty some odd times aday for years is going to have a few issues to deal with. There is no such thing as tapering down this drug does not understand the word quit !!! Yea you might do it for a few days but you will get tired of the old lady not giving you what you need. Yes i said old lady , girlfriend , boyfriend whatever because if you think you are going to do it you are saddly mistaken. The only thing that usually stops somebody is , You know this is tough. let me put it to you this way think of yourself as thunder storm brewing over the warm tropics no harm right ? Well you move out over open water the little storm turns into a tropical depression a little faster but you can handle it [ handle] meaning as long as you can get them you can handle them. well your riding the storm pretty good so far, except now you are a hurricane full blown cruising along not hurting aaaannyybody out there in the water. right !!!! sometimes the storms weaken somtimes they strengthen or maybe just go off into colder waters and die a slow death. Thats not the bad storm , the dangerous hurricane that you are, out there spinning and spinning waiting for some direction to go like a ship without a rudder you cant steer, you think you are steering but your just riding along with the storm. Okay now were movin the only problem is your moving towards land. Up untill now ive been saying you but the hurricane is not you it is the hydro. And guess what folks hurricanes cant hear see or feel what is about to happen. The meteorologist kind of knows were its headed but there not always right you know. 95% of this countrys population lives within fifty miles of a coastline.If you ,being the hydro user is the target of the hurricane and believe me you are when it comes inland it not only takes you out but every one around you gets to feel the storm. hurricanes are ranked on a scale from one to five, five being the most severe. figure out wich one you are and prepare for land fall because on the scale of one to five they all suck , if your near the eye. Oh remember the meterologist tracking the storm there isnt one. It is only chaising you and eventually WILL hurt the people you love most!

to jm77- I have been there and back! If you think you are in pain and thats why you take Hydro than just wait till you try and stop! Thats not to say don't try , just try not to lie to yourself! We are our biggest enemies! Your head will create pain every 4-6 hours because it knows it's time for another goodie! The monster never sleeps and is a master of trickery! Always keep up front the pain you feel after a day of taking more than you should have or how crazy it is to let little white pills run your(and your son;s life) Anyone can stop ! The trick is to stay stoped!

[gm777]

Thanks for your help guys. I know I need help. I would also like to do it anonmously, i.e. without going into a rehab.I just want to get it back under control because it is ruining my home life. Everything that I do is based on, Do I have enough pills to deal with this? If I do it is all good, if I'm running low I usually just stay home like a hermit which is exactly what I am. I am a slave to this shit.It's really gotten to the point to where it sickens me to keep taking the amounts I do just to be a fucking normal person and get out of bed and walk and lead an everyday life and go to work. I am blessed with a wife that puts up with this shit I guess. I really do need help getting down to that manageable level. Any tapering suggestons and or plans would be greatly appreciated, and I know that everyone is different, so nothing said is off limits.



gm777

[gm777]

I have heard about the subutex plans. But those go onto your insurance and I don't want anything on my medical records about being an addict. I've heard it is totally painless withdrawal back into your normal life but the grand total is somewhere in the ballpark of 1,500 bucks.



gm777

[mbach]

Hello everyone. I am sitting here typing this after one month of taking hydrocodone. I usually take 4 pills a day and they are 5mg with 500mg of acetemenaphine. I have three herniated discs in my lower back and have been dealing with the pain for two years now with help from Ultrams occasionally. Well about a month ago my back hurt so bad I ended up going to the E.R. and they gave me a prescription for hydrocodone AND Promethazine to combat the nasea. In the past my doctor wouldnt give me the promethazine so I could never take hydrocodone because it made me throw up. Anyway..I first noticed that I enjoyed taking a few pills and sitting on the computer playing games. They also seemed to make me clean house better. BUT..the past week I have noticed when I wake up and dont have any pillsin my system I feel like I've been run over by a truck. My back pain doesnt even compare to the body aches I have ALL OVER now. Even my fingers hurt,,every joint on my body. I also noticed that the first week of use I was much nicer but now they seem to be reversing on me and make me irritable.They also make me smoke WAY TOO MUCH.Anyway, I try not to take them but the body aches bother me so much I end up taking a few...then a few later just to get a little high and have fun playing games on the computer and smoking the night away. It's gross and I'm killing myself probably. Just wanted to know if anyone else is g