Help with hydrocodone withdrawal, please.

[crzydiamond]

The back pain may still be after effects from the pills. One time I detoxed from opiates and for 2-3 weeks after the withdrawal was gone I had pain in my tailbone whenever I would sit for more than an hour or so ( old snowboarding fall that hadn't bothered me in years)

I was in rehab 3 weeks after withdrawal and I felt perfectly fine except I had such bad lower back and tailbone pain that I sat on a pillow for group. I took ibuprofen which helped. After about 4 weeks I was fine again to sit without pillow

My point is simply that your pain/nerve endings are like super sensitive after being on an opiate. So the actual pain is magnified. Now, if 3-4 weeks down the road you have this pain I'm then I would attribute it to be your back issue. But now it's too soon to say that


Edit: oh, and yes half a Xanax or a flexeril is fine. Ibuprofen wil help. Hang in there, the worst part is over. And the depression/ sadness shouldn't stick around much longer next

 

[testudo]

The back pain may still be after effects from the pills. One time I detoxed from opiates and for 2-3 weeks after the withdrawal was gone I had pain in my tailbone whenever I would sit for more than an hour or so ( old snowboarding fall that hadn't bothered me in years)

I was in rehab 3 weeks after withdrawal and I felt perfectly fine except I had such bad lower back and tailbone pain that I sat on a pillow for group. I took ibuprofen which helped. After about 4 weeks I was fine again to sit without pillow

My point is simply that your pain/nerve endings are like super sensitive after being on an opiate. So the actual pain is magnified. Now, if 3-4 weeks down the road you have this pain then I would attribute it to be your back issue. But now it's too soon to say that

Thanks for the insight.

The reason I say that I think it is from the injury is because I remember exactly when and how I did it and it has pretty much felt the same since I did it. I mean, it did get super sensitive for probably 2 days, but you could be right and it is still super sensitive. I didn't know that a 30 day prescription (I didn't even finish it, I have 9 left) would/could cause all of this misery.

 

[manboychef]

I blacked out on benzos and fell backwards into the tub. My back has never been the same since. I do know that when you are detoxing pain and soreness from old injuries will be more pronounced. It is almost like your body is telling you that it wants to have opiates even though you know it is bad.

Try some aleave and a nice hot shower. This will help loosen your muscles up. I also use hotpacks that stick on my lower back and my knee. These work wonders. I also have this little stick on electrodes that send pulses of electricity through the muscles...it works but you have to use it sparingly. You might also want to try sleeping with a pillow between your knees if you sleep on your side.

 

[crzydiamond]

Don't worry, the feeling down/depressed/sadness doesn't usually last long. Unless of course you were coming off years of use--which you're not.

It's normal to feel like that. In essence, your system hasn't had to produce its own endorphins or dopamine. So now after a month of being flooded with "feeling good" chemicals, your body has to start making its own "feel good" chemicals. And until it gets back in balance your emotions/pain/depression may be all over the place. Sort of like a rebound effect. Flood system with "feel good" stuff then take it away and --uh oh--

After only a month, it should not take your system long to regain homeostasis. But for the next couple of days you may experience the random sadness, hopelessness, or getting no joy from things that normally produce it --such as favorite hobbies may feel "boring" to you. I promise, just hang in there and you will regain that surge of happiness looking at your kids rather than the soul crushing guilt that comes.

And really, you've done nothing wrong. Don't worry about telling your wife how you feel. It's not abnormal to get a slight dependency even on short term opioid meds taken as prescribed. Some people don't notice it at all when they stop. Others really do.

Just stay positive, and force yourself to do things even if you feel lethargic. Like someone above said--exercise is great for getting those endorphins working again

 

[testudo]

I blacked out on benzos and fell backwards into the tub. My back has never been the same since. I do know that when you are detoxing pain and soreness from old injuries will be more pronounced. It is almost like your body is telling you that it wants to have opiates even though you know it is bad.

Try some aleave and a nice hot shower. This will help loosen your muscles up. I also use hotpacks that stick on my lower back and my knee. These work wonders. I also have this little stick on electrodes that send pulses of electricity through the muscles...it works but you have to use it sparingly. You might also want to try sleeping with a pillow between your knees if you sleep on your side.

Don't worry, the feeling down/depressed/sadness doesn't usually last long. Unless of course you were coming off years of use--which you're not.

It's normal to feel like that. In essence, your system hasn't had to produce its own endorphins or dopamine. So now after a month of being flooded with "feeling good" chemicals, your body has to start making its own "feel good" chemicals. And until it gets back in balance your emotions/pain/depression may be all over the place. Sort of like a rebound effect. Flood system with "feel good" stuff then take it away and --uh oh--

After only a month, it should not take your system long to regain homeostasis. But for the next couple of days you may experience the random sadness, hopelessness, or getting no joy from things that normally produce it --such as favorite hobbies may feel "boring" to you. I promise, just hang in there and you will regain that surge of happiness looking at your kids rather than the soul crushing guilt that comes.

And really, you've done nothing wrong. Don't worry about telling your wife how you feel. It's not abnormal to get a slight dependency even on short term opioid meds taken as prescribed. Some people don't notice it at all when they stop. Others really do.

Just stay positive, and force yourself to do things even if you feel lethargic. Like someone above said--exercise is great for getting those endorphins working again

Thank you for keeping up with the replies. It helps!

I was able to get good sleep last night. I got up today and helped the misses and little misses get ready for work and daycare. I felt really, horribly sad when the girl left. In fact, I am getting emotional about it as I type this. It is crazy! I played with the boy, fed him and put him down for a nap. I took the advice and decided to stretch and exercise. I took a walk (almost 2 miles) on my treadmill and watch the latest The Walking Dead. I am a little sore, but it helped a bit. I still feel real crazy emotional and sad, though. I guess that time is going to be the major remedy in this thing.

I do have a tense (sp?) unit, the electrodes thing, that I may try for my back. Hot shower helped last night. I know that Xanax is mainly for anxiety, but does it help for the sadness and depression, too?

 

[testudo]

So, I just found out that there is a 2 day stomach bug going around with the same symptoms, minus the sadness/depression. My wife just came home with abdominal cramping, bathroom visits, headache, and nausea. I don't know if that is what I had or if it was withdrawals, perhaps it was so bad for me because I was/am going through both at the same time. I am still experiencing some abdominal cramping and bouts of the sadness, so I am sure that I had some sort of withdrawal going on, but it is a very odd coincidence that this illness is around the same time that I quit taking my prescription. Very weird. However, whatever it is/was certainly made me think twice about doing something like that again.

 

[LesFleursDuMal]

You're fucked bro. Game over.

Ha. You are going to be fine. Just fine. What I try doing is not thinking about what I am craving, and I need it less. I get very sick now if I stop using heroin and it's something some people have adapted to, others have more trouble with it. I think it's because it's such a shock to their system feeling that pain, aches, and everything all at once and for the first time. I really believe if not for the fact that I'm almost always sick I'd have lost it the last few times, but I have my routine of being sick where I eat/drink certain things, rest a certain amount, and occasionally will resort to calling upon a friend for a dose of methadone (great if trying to detox in any way) to ease the symptoms.

Power though it buddy, I feel your pain. You can do it!