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MedHelp Member's Question

help getting off Lortab

by nilagirl, Dec 13, 2006 12:00AM
I just found this board and am relieved to know there are others out there like me.  I need help getting off Lortab 10.  I have a lot of back pain and have been taking the pills for about 7 months.  It now takes more than 6 at one time to make the pain go away.  I'm scared for my health and I can't talk to anyone about this.  I'm a mom and I need to get back to my life, but I can't seem to do it.  I can't go to a doctor so I'm hoping someone here can give me some advice.
Member Comments (34)

by cakegirl, Dec 13, 2006 12:00AM
To: nilagirl
I know how it feels to not want to go to a doc with the addiction fear. I still haven't. I am so close to trying suboxone method, which is going to require honesty on my part, try researching this med and what I found was not only info on this drug, but how the medical community is trying to get rid of the stigma attached to pain med addiction. It really helped ease some of my fears of being judged ect. I think further down on this page someone gives some links to these sites. I am a mom too, and this is so hard, I am not there yet either, but weaning and trying. don't give up, and let me know what you find.

by nilagirl, Dec 13, 2006 12:00AM
Thanks for your post!  I've been sitting here hoping someone would....  I can't go to the doctor because I had to quit my job because of severe back pain and I no longer have health insurance.  And I can't tell anyone because I am supposed to be(and always have been up till now) the only sane one in two families full of addicts.  If something happens to me, my kids would have a horrible life.  They are becoming very aware of what's going on around them.  I have to be a good role model.  I am so scared.  But I'm also in so much pain with my back.  I have bone spurs in my neck which I think is causing the horrible upper back pain.  I feel like I am losing my mind.  I am a stay-at-home mom, and my kids deserve a positive role model.  I don't know what to do.  I try to wean myself off, but then I am in so much pain and I get so irritable.  I'm afraid I will die in my sleep and my kids will find me (my husband works offshore and we have no family here).



Anyway, I'm rambling.... but I do feel a little better having found this board and knowing that I'm not totally alone.  Again, thanks for your post!

by cakegirl, Dec 14, 2006 12:00AM
To: nilagirl
I understand your dilema, I lost my job in May. I owned my own nail salon, made a good living, worked my fingers to the bone-literlly. I developed arthritis in both hands, close to bone on bone. doc said he never has seen anyone my age 35 with it so bad. had surgery on rt. hand in oct. you get the gist. I am still in pain, and take for the most part reccommened dose, but I am not myself anymore, short with my kids and husband. he is fed up. the way i see it is nothing will get better if we stay on this road. your/my kids probally sense our altered state and honesty with ourselves and them and the work and bravery to fix and be accountalbe for our mistakes is a great example in my humble opinion gotta go to bed, I will be here in the AM, so pls write back I love this site, here all the time. It will be ok. -k

by nilagirl, Dec 14, 2006 12:00AM
Thank you!  I feel like I have a friend!  I will look for you tomorrow - cause I need to go to bed too.  I hope we can "talk" more and be there for each other.  I am trying to remain positive throughout this, but it's hard.  Maybe we can help each other. I know I could really use a friend right now.....

by nilagirl, Dec 14, 2006 12:00AM
I have decided to try weaning myself off.  I'm thinking of taking 2 every 4 hrs today, and hopefully 1 every 4 hrs tomorrow.  How long do you think I will feel like s**t?  I am in more pain since I've been taking these things than I was before.  What's up with that?  How long does it take to completely get them out of my system and feel normal again?

by cakegirl, Dec 14, 2006 12:00AM
To: nilagirl
Good morning, just able to pull myself together. I am not sure how long this feeling lasts, but I think weaning is pretty hard. I have heard that the longer the wean, and more reduced in minimal increments the better. some days I just try to maintain my smaller dose and hope my body gets used to that level and try to feel comforatble. I read here somewhere that if you were taking 4 pills for example, then wean to 3 1/2 and if possible stay there for a week or two, the reduce again to 3 pills, and so on. Some people carry on like this for months until they make the final break. I hear it still sucks in the end. I think it sucks now. my body feels like it wants more and is fighting my reduced dose. I have a feeling that there is no free ride off this stuff. I just know that I can't keep on the way I have been, because the more I needed to increase my dose, the more out of control I feel. I am glad that talking to me has made you feel better. I need the corospondence as much as you, and yes you have a friend in me. I have another friend here Kissysissy. She is great and very helpful. She is off now for 5/6 days and her experience is kinda a benchmark for me. She usually writes me everyday, so if you post here with her name I am sure she will join in. I am sad to hear that you are alone in this as far as not having adults around. That has to be tough. Most of my family and friends don't know what I am going through and I don't want them to know. I am debating getting a certified suboxone doc. and trying that way.

by cakegirl, Dec 14, 2006 12:00AM
To: nilagirl
one more thought, about being in more pain then before pills. I don't know, but is it possible that with the pain dulled from pills that we overused our injured areas because we couldn't really feel it? Or, maybe our mind is playing tricks on us and causing us to feel more pain then is really there so we feed it what it really wants. What are your thoughts on this?

by nilagirl, Dec 14, 2006 12:00AM
To: kissysissy
Hi,

Cakegirl said you have been a great help to her.  I read some of your posts below.  How did you quit?  Can you give me any info on making w/d more comfortable?  I started out on Lortab 10 seven months ago - taking 1 or 2 a day at first.  Now (yesterday) it was 15 in one day.  Today I decided to try just taking 2 every 4 hrs and then cut that down to 1 every 4 hrs tomorrow hopefully.  I want to feel better for Christmas.  And I have to work at a school next Friday and was hoping to feel better by then.  Do you have any advice for me?  I'm doing this alone and this board is the only place I have.  Thanks you guys.

by nilagirl, Dec 14, 2006 12:00AM
To: Cakegirl
Thanks for writing again.  It does make me feel not so alone to come  here and talk.  I need to try to get off of these as soon as I can.  My husband gets them for me and he is concerned and probably fed up with how many I have been taking.  I want to prove to him that I can do it.  Maybe it is my mind playing tricks on me that the pain is worse, I'm not sure.  Maybe it's w/d.  Anyway, any ideas on how w/d can be more effective and torerable are greatly appreciated.  Are you doing ok today?  I'm feeling fluish and have a terrible sore throat.  The weather here is part of the problem.

by nilagirl, Dec 14, 2006 12:00AM
do you know if taking that much lortab causes your blood pressure to go up?  The last doctor I went to told me I have extremely high blood pressure, and I never had high blood pressure before.

by nilagirl, Dec 14, 2006 12:00AM
Are we allowed to exchange e-mail addresses?

by cakegirl, Dec 14, 2006 12:00AM
hey, I don't know about e-mail, but I would like to get yours and kissy's. I know there is a customersupport address from med help, and before we do anything to lose access to this forum, I will try to contact them and get permission. Going to get flu shot today. why bother haha. talk to you later.

by kissysissy, Dec 14, 2006 12:00AM
To: nilagirl
Hi Nilagirl!

  I just read your post, and it is sooooo great that you are choosing to get healthy!  I am on day 6, and finally the worst seems over!!!!!!!!!  First of all, your not alone, and you can do this, and it will make you stronger.  If tapering off seems right for you, then do that.  It will take longer, but it is best for some people to do that.  I went cold turkey, and it was rough.  I did everything I could to get through it...I got encouragement here...I let myself be sick, and didn't mentally fight it...I took lots of hot showers, it actually made my body feel better...I listened to music that inspired me to keep on, and prayed a lot.  I took one moment at a time, and drank lots of water and have been eating as healthy as I can.  I did have to take one day, medicine for anti