• BASIC DRUG
    DISCUSSION
    Welcome to Bluelight!
    Posting Rules Bluelight Rules
    Benzo Chart Opioids Chart
    Drug Terms Need Help??
    Drugs 101 Brain & Addiction
    Tired of your habit? Struggling to cope?
    Want to regain control or get sober?
    Visit our Recovery Support Forums
  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

Hydrocodone/Opiate withdrawal questions! Please help!

K

Kmahs20

Greenlighter
Joined
Oct 1, 2013
Messages
19
Hey, I have a few questions about opiate withdrawals. I've been taking 10/325mg hydrocodone for about 7 months now, about 5 months daily. I was taking anywhere from 40mg-60mg (4-6 pills) a day. I have tapered myself down the last 2 weeks to where I am currently taking 15mg a day (1 and a half pills). I take my pills around the same time each day, so about 24 hours in between doses. I haven't gotten any achey joints, sweats or any of the horror story stuff I have read about. I do get very bad restless legs and arms/hands first thing in the morning though. I was curious, now that I have been down to 15mg of hydrocodone a day for about a week now, how bad will my withdrawals be from this dosage? Should I continue to taper down to 10mg and then 5mg a day before stopping cold turkey? I'm just nervous about the withdrawals bc I have a son to care for and I can not miss work. Please help and give me some advice. Thank you!
 
15mgs of hydrocodone a day is very very little, you should be okay I would think, although you could eventually taper down to 5, and withdrawal syndrome could be mostly avoided, although it is different for everybody. For the RLS epsom salt baths are typically recommended. If you find yourself suffering there is a opioid withdrawal megathread in OD.

BTW great job, and good for you and your son. Tapering opioids can be a bitch!
 
15mg is very managable to cold turkey. If you notice you're having too much difficulties you could take 5mg for some relief for a few days. (It won't relieve all w/ds but it will surely help alot.) Honestly I'd cold turkey from 15mg for sure. No need to drag it out when you're already on such a low dose.
 
Thanks, I appreciate the feedback and advice. So even though I haven't missed a single day in about 4-5 months, you don't think the withdrawals will be too bad since I've tapered down to 15mg? I've been at 15mg for about 4 days now.
 
from there you should be able to ease off with 1-2mg of suboxone the first day and less every day after for 3-4 days, every other day if you can.

without suboxone, it may be harder than you think
 
Last edited:
1-2mgs suboxone would be a huge increase, not less than what she's taking now.
 
Yeah, I'm not messing with suboxone. I know too many people who basically just switched addictions over to suboxone. Maybe if I was getting horrible withdrawals, but so far at about 24 hours only symptoms I'm feeling is some restless arms and legs and a little upset stomach
 
i wasnt counting much of that taper seeing as its only 2 weeks. At any rate you want to take the least amount u can to feel right the first day and then less every time you feel shitty and jump clean in a week or so.

Drs want their patients on subs forever so they have to keep coming back-Unless you are 250 mg/day or more of the Ops-just do a quick taper over one week to 3 months on Subs depending how much Ops u were on
 
At this point, I'd be more focused on not worrying yourself to death over it. Worry makes all things worse, withdrawal included. Keep yourself busy and focused on other things, because it's unlikely that you'll get any terrible effects from those doses.

Treat any symptoms individually as they arise. OTC painkillers for pain; low dose Imodium for GI symptoms; Valerian root/sedating antihistamines for anxiety/insomnia, etc.

(I quit a 4-year opium poppy habit cold turkey 2 years ago and came out fine. It sucked royally, but nothing to worry about in terms of actual health risks or lasting effects).
 
Thanks everyone for the advice. Lady codone, you are right..I am a big worrier. I have bought Imodium but have read stuff about people dying from it so it kept me from taking any lol. I also am prescribed 1mg of Xanax a day so I can use that to help with the anxiety/panic attacks from withdrawal if I get any. I have 10 hydrocodone left and will taper down with them from 15mg to 10mg and then stop from there cold turkey and hope the withdrawals aren't too bad. I keep myself busy, I have an active job where I am outside working all day and I am also a personal trainer and do fitness competitions, so if don't know if being fit and healthy will help recover? Idk, we will have to wait and see. Thanks again for the advice!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top