Easing Hydrocodone Withdrawal Tips Anyone?

This thread is obviously a bit old but Ive gotta throw this in here for anybody else that might stumble upon it in case they are looking for help.Although this girl may not have had any case of serious addiction that wouldnt most likely be up in 3-5 days of mild to moderate withdrawal, she still most definatly could have developed a depedency after three weeks at one pill. Every single person is different. One other thing she mentioned was that she has been addicted before . Anyone who has been addicted previously runs a higher risk of becoming addicted much easier and faster and cross tolerance can also occur.

This is where one person may have been addicted to one substance but begins using another substance and shows tolerance and withdrawal much easier off of a totally seperate substance. You also dont know if this person had any other contributing factors that go along with making withdrawal what it is like anxiety, depression or real pain. Withdrawal is not AT ALL so universally general as people think. I have been seriously addicted to heroine, oxy's, suboxone etc etc you name it. I got off of them for about five years at one point.Then I can go and take about three 7.5 lortabs for about a week and get 3-5 days of withdrawal symptoms. Nothing like heroine of course but yea completely uncomfortable and crappy feeling with anxiety, lethargy, leg cramps and a pretty heavy depression.

I can also take, no lie, two xanaxes ONE DAY and note that I have never even been addicted to xanax or benzos before and have the most horrid rebound withdrawal symptoms for five days starting at 24 hours after last dose with the worst peaking at 72 hours.Some susceptible brains that have been exposed to these types of drugs act differently.Over time the chemicals can permenantly rewire the circuits in the brain. Those that are addicts in particular, thier brain responds wildly different and misses and loves the chemical so much that after weaning off and not using for long periods of time if re-exposed to it the brain will remember it and miss it producing fairly bad withdrawal symptoms after a very short period of use.

Dont pay attention to what most doctors say about the length of time it takes for someone to get addicted. I dont care how much you think they know...only an addict or the user really knows. The info these drs get about how addicting something is, is coming from the pill company who made the pill and is gaining off of that pill.They shade the truth and while those that become addicted as quickly as one week are rare it does happen and then the average experience of all people combined are then thrown into thes studies.

People have much more going on than just the chemical use...and yea psychosomatic can play into these things too but that does not mean that it is still not real.It is still the body producing real symptoms in an attempt to gain what it thinks it needs. You might stand more of a chance with an addictionologist that would understand these things or an addict but as for me I have lost my faith in most Drs in this area of study at least. Im in school to become certified in addiction but like I said my past is what gives experience with this.

For anybody who is suffering even mild addictions why not offer more suggestions to that girl than we did? I mean we dont know what she is feeling ...sure we all probably have experienced WAY worse withdrawal than what she was up against but that doesnt mean from anothers perspective what they are feeling at that moment is not just as bad.If they dont know what worse is how can they not know that what they are feeling is not really that bad...its bad enough for where they are at so who are we to judge? Being hooked on a harder substance doesnt make us any more worthy of complaining about withdrawal. I mean why not give advice to the ones that are most likely having mild withdrawal too, the tips will likely work even better right?

Theres lots of things that will help and if you can get your hands on any of these things you will cruise right through it.Im leaving out the synthetic opiate choices as they are usually very hard to obtain unless seen by a Dr that specializes in addiction and honestly theres withdrawal off of those too which can also be hell.

The following helped me and others that I know get off of any opiates, of course the stronger the opiate the more of these things you will need.The long term users will already know about these things Im sure and that is why Im surpirised nobody at least threw a couple of these things her way. This is for those that dont know about these things. For hydro withdrawal these things will make it to where you almost do not even feel it.For stronger ones these things will help IMMENSLEY and keep you from losing your everloving mind!

Dr prescribed: Neurontin , clonidine, ( just these right here alone or even one will make a huge difference). Just google on erowid the use of these for opiate withdrawal.

Any benzo of course is also going to work but then again if your sensitive to addiction you need to also be concerned with withdrawal over these. Xanax would be the one to be most cautious with.

Google loperamide for opiate withdrawal,( brand name immodium)While I dont reccomend taking it in higher levels than the bottle says adding this along with these other things will help alot. Its an opiate that doesnt cross the BBB so you cant get high off of it although many have said they have at super high amounts but taking a certain amounts for withdrawal can not only help with diareah but withdrawal as well.

Eat bananas or take vitamin B6 to help with restless legs.Exercise as soon as you can.Drink TONS of water dont underestimate its power against anxiety and depression.

Dont drink alcohol, it didnt help me much and while it may help in the VERY small interem in the long run your making it harder for you body to recover though dehydration and sleeping far less optimally due to the irritant that alcohol is being in you system.Drink Pedialyte instead.On one more note if youve ever got a hellatious hangover pedialyte is a miracle.

Go and get an herbal tincture called passionflower from any health food store. Im not kidding you, we might scoff at herbs but this stuff works almost as good as clonidine but doesnt last as long and not as potent, but it does work esp good for maybe days 1,4,5 of withdrawal where its not as bad.Drink chammomile tea and take melatonin at night for sleep.For some melotonin is too weak at this point but try it just to see.If you are taking a benzo though or one of the above pharms you might not even need anything more for sleep.These all calm your nervous system. Anthistamines might not be the best choise because they are hard on your adrenal glands and dehydrate you in the long run.

If you can combine at least a few of the above things it will make anyones withdrawal significantly easier! Lastly, Im posting the tried and true Thomas recipe which goes along with much of what I have already said. L- tyrosine is also very beneficial on days four and five for lethergy and this expains why.

THOMAS RECIPE

If you can't take time off to detox, I recommend you follow a taper regimen using your drug of choice or suitable alternate -- the slower the taper, the better.

For the Recipe, You'll need:

1. Valium (or another benzodiazepine such as Klonopin, Librium, Ativan or Xanax). Of these, Valium and Klonopin are best suited for tapering since they come in tablet form. Librium is also an excellent detox benzo, but comes in capsules, making it hard to taper the dose. Ativan or Xanax should only be used if you can't get one of the others.

2. Imodium (over the counter, any drug or grocery store).

3. L-Tyrosine (500 mg caps) from the health food store.

4. Strong wide-spectrum mineral supplement with at least 100% RDA of Zinc, Phosphorus, Copper, Magnesium and Potassium (you may not find the potassium in the same supplement).

5. Vitamin B6 caps.

6. Access to hot baths or a Jacuzzi (or hot showers if that's all that's available).

How to use the recipe:

Start the vitamin/mineral supplement right away (or the first day you can keep it down), preferably with food. Potassium early in the detox is important to help relieve RLS (Restless Leg Syndrome). Bananas are a good source of potassium if you can't find a supplement for it.

Begin your detox with regular doses of Valium (or alternate benzo). Start with a dose high enough to produce sleep. Before you use any benzo, make sure you're aware of how often it can be safely taken. Different benzos have different dosing schedules. Taper your Valium dosage down after each day. The goal is to get through day 4, after which the worst WD symptoms will subside. You shouldn't need the Valium after day 4 or 5.

During detox, hit the hot bath or Jacuzzi as often as you need to for muscle aches. Don't underestimate the effectiveness of hot soaks. Spend the entire time, if necessary, in a hot bath. This simple method will alleviate what is for many the worst opiate WD symptom.

Use the Imodium aggressively to stop the runs. Take as much as you need, as often as you need it. Don't take it, however, if you don't need it.

At the end of the fourth day, you should be waking up from the Valium and experiencing the beginnings of the opiate WD malaise. Upon rising (empty stomach), take the L-Tyrosine. Try 2000 mgs, and scale up or down, depending on how you feel. You can take up to 4,000 mgs. Take the L-Tyrosine with B6 to help absorption. Wait about one hour before eating breakfast. The L-Tyrosine will give you a surge of physical and mental energy that will help counteract the malaise. You may continue to take it each morning for as long as it helps. If you find it gives you the "coffee jitters," consider lowering the dosage or discontinuing it altogether. Occasionally, L-Tyrosine can cause the runs. Unlike the runs from opiate WD, however, this effect of L-Tyrosine is mild and normally does not return after the first hour. Lowering the dosage may help.

Continue to take the vitamin/mineral supplement with breakfast.

As soon as you can force yourself to, get some mild exercise such as walking, cycling, swimming, etc. This will be hard at first, but will make you feel considerably better.

Thomas"