Tapering off Hydrocodone ER and IR

[SummerWinter]

Hi there.

I’ve been perusing this site on and off for a couple years whenever I need info on whether a pain relief drug works or not, and especially if I’m in withdrawals.

I chewed 40mg Hysingla tabs for about three weeks. I also used regular instant relief hydros 10/325mg and baclofen 10mg (muscle relaxer). These were all prescribed to me but I abused them. Having gone cold turkey before, I decided to taper. It took about 10 days to go through the Hysingla taper, five for the hydros. I’ve been on hydros for a couple of years but at the lowest dose, then middle dose, now highest dose. I have scoliosis, 4 bulging/herniated discs, and arthritis in the facet joints of my neck (I’m 41). Turning my head up, down, or side to side hurts. It has severely limited my ability to do….anything. The hydros make it bearable but I always abuse them. I don’t know what to do because I’m in genuine pain but I also like the high so much. My husband holds them for me in a place I don’t know about so that at the very least I have some accountability.

I’ve done quite a few radio frequency ablations, but I’m getting so tired of those. They generally provide only short term relief. And I need them in four places: upper right neck, lower right neck, upper left neck, and lower left neck. My dr will only do I area at a time. So it feels like I’m always either waiting for one or healing from one. That’s what led me to trying the Hysingla ER, but those have side effects, are expensive, and are too much of a temptation to chew. I recently got a second opinion and he agreed the ablations were the way to go with the next step being fusing my vertebrae together.

So I guess this is partially just sharing in a safe place, partially wondering how much longer I’m going to be in withdrawals, and advice on how to handle the pain without being an active drug-seeking addict. I’m so ashamed that I abuse them but I don’t know how to stop when I also need them just to (sort of) function.

Thanks everyone.

 

[Sidban]

Don't be ashamed. It will pass. You can do this.

 

[Jabberwocky]

One piece of advice for tapering off when you are on an ER and IR medication if you switch to the IR you shave one day off the withdrawal which was contradictory to what I would have thought
also helpful for extreme pain of body aches; nitrous
I tapered off OxyContin and oxycodone stopped the OxyContin then rapid tapered the oxycodone and when it became unbearable I would hold for a few days. Then start again. This is not something everyone has the ability to do because they don’t always have access to as many as they want.
i also had inderal which helped and Xanax
I started at 20mg 4x a day down to 7mg before I stepped off. I initially cut it in half right out the gate and it was fine

effects…
I had insomnia, dilated pupils that looked like I was tripping balls, aches in my ass, my legs, this feeling like I wanted to stretch my arms but couldn’t stretch them enough and it was really bothersome (sounds weird) but it was really uncomfortable I was using a resistance band to push against with my legs and pull with my arms
I used my heating pad, my ass hurt and I would sit on it
Imodium I mean everyone knows this but my advice don’t overdo trying to force it into your opioid receptors just use the smallest dose to keep the you know what from happening
I also had zofran (anti-emetic) to keep the nausea down to a bearable level
when I thought I was going to break I had a friend come over with more weed and he brought the nitrous cartridges and I think they kept me from slipping back it really helped so much they sell them at smoke shops here in ny they also sell them on Amazon

it was bad but not as terrible as I thought. I was so fearful there was something worse around the comer and that killed me anticipation for me is always worse then the event
also I found there was a lack of good information online which is why I am leaving this here.
hope it helps someone be less afraid
you can do it