June 19, 2009 - 7:35pm
Coming off oxy and lortabs after 4 years of everyday use. Weaned down and didnt get bad aches or crazy legs. But my stomach has been a wreck for a few days. Not so much diarrea but cramps and gas. I tried imodium but not much luck. Any suggestions?
June 20, 2009 - 2:05pm
#2
Send4Jimmy how much were you
Send4Jimmy how much were you taking per day and were they prescribed? We're not here to judge anybody.
June 20, 2009 - 4:21pm
#3
Why does it matter tacet? No
Why does it matter tacet? No one is asking your business.
June 20, 2009 - 4:40pm
#4
Now now, boys
To answer the OP's question. Benedryl or Trazodone will help u sleep, if you have access to a benzodiazepine, I prefer Xanax, but I think Klonopin would be better suited for this situation. Loperamide is actually an opiate (used to be C-V), albeit, a weak one esp at the mu receptors. The most pronounced effect of loperamide is the constipaiton, that's why it's prescribed for diaharrea. There have even been a couple of studies that showed a number of chronic loperamide users having mild withdrawal symptoms after discontinuing the drug after taking high doses for chronic diaharrea. I know it helps me immensely, along with the Hyoscyamine. If you take it, use a LOADING DOSE of 2 (two)- 2mg pills after your first loose BM and then take one 2(two)mg tablet after each consequent loose BM up to a maximum of 16 mg/24hrs. Use caution if you're also take other narcotics concurrently as there is a synergistic effect between the two. Oh, forgot to mention fiber capsules. Take the maximum the package recommends and drink plenty of water, this will keep you from getting constipated really bad. Best of luck!!
Ray
June 20, 2009 - 6:23pm
#5
Because if he was abusing the
Because if he was abusing the drugs in the first place it might be more troublesome to seek the help of a doctor! That way they are more than likely to seek OTC remedies.
June 20, 2009 - 6:47pm
#6
Tacet-
....right on...And furthermore, I am here to judge. I'm going through ???$* with my pain managment doctor right now because of people who abuse narcotics. My doctor is a paranoid mess since Danny Gans lethal OD on Dilaudid.
So for all those who want to offer help, that's wonderful. Ray knows what he's talking about btw. But if this guy was obtaining the drugs off the street, he should be going through withdrawals in the joint for all I care...
It's good that there are many much more caring posters on this site than I, and my hat is off to all of them.
June 20, 2009 - 7:46pm
#7
Perscribed due to neck
Perscribed due to neck injury. Never bought them on the street. After so many years they were used to prevent WD instead of being used for pain or high.
Thanks str8tup dude!
June 20, 2009 - 11:35pm
#8
What dosage are you at now
What dosage are you at now and were at before the taper?
June 21, 2009 - 12:39am
#9
Tacet was only trying to get
Tacet was only trying to get a little more background info so he could give some better advice. He even said he wasnt trying to judge anyone. No need to be so confrontational.
June 21, 2009 - 1:13am
#10
IBS plus w/d = horrible combination
I've been prescribed Hyoscyamine and Lomotil while attempting to titrate with less than successful results. My gastro-doc while sympathetic, could only try to explain that with the IBS, comes the "spastic colon" Immodium did not help me at all. If your symptoms don't improve, please see a doctor and don't be afraid to tell everything. You shouldn't have to suffer anymore than you already have. Wishing you the best... Theresa
June 22, 2009 - 8:40pm
#11
Theresa:
Have you tried eating at leasted 1 cup of boiled white rice every morning, I ve found this puts fiber plus fights diahrea, mountain mothers used to boil rice an feed the broth to infants when they had diahrea, it gave them some nutrition without charging the bowels for another bout, this was before Imodium
I m no Dr., just a hillbilly
June 22, 2009 - 9:38pm
#12
Woodstock, my better halfs
Woodstock, my better halfs mother does the same thing but with the water from making pinto beans. She told me that is one of the things they feed to the young and old folks in Mexico. It worked for me last year when I had the stomach flu and couldn't keep anything down.
June 22, 2009 - 10:34pm
#13
The food in your intestines
kind of acts as an anti-spasmodic. Instead of your gut cramping, it has someting to move along, and the bulkier the better. Empty and it feels like CRAMPS. If you eat foods that are bulky like rice, beans, bread, cereals, things like that, mixed with fruit and there is no reason you shouldn't have a regular bowel movement. Beacuse there is always something fo ryour bowel to move along. Fiber supplements help immensely and the Cardinal rule about not getting constipated is drinking enough water, especially if you're taking fiber pills. At least 15-20 glasses a day. I prefer 20oz bottles of good spring water. Sometimes if you are having trouble a mild stimulant laxitive, if you're been eating correctly. I would not take any kind of laxitive if I hadn't eaten something.
Ray
June 22, 2009 - 11:34pm
#14
Its not easy
Hello again 
I was in denial about the alprazolam withdrawls for a long time. I used to think that I was just having the flu for a brief period of time. After awile, I finally realized that I was beyond mental dependency and physically addicted to my medicine. I took alprazolam 2 mg almost every night for about five years. When I first started taking the medicine, I thought that as long as I didn't take it every day, I wouldn't get addicted. I was wrong. The decision to start taking this medicine was my idea. I accept full resposibility for the predicament I was in. I tried to taper myself off but was unsuccessful. I finally had to go cold turkey! My psychiatrist had told me not to miss my next appointment because he was going to be out of town for the next month. I DID miss my next appointment and had to go a month without the medicine. It was really hard and although it has been five years I can still remember what it was like. I would start to choke, gag, and go into convulsions. Mentally, I would become very disoriented and dizzy. The withdrawls debilitated me to the point where I was in such bad shape that I couldn't leave my apartment when the withdrawl symptoms started to manifest. To me, the withdrawls compared to swimming across a lake. It was very long and hard but once I made it through it was over.
In narcotics anonomous they have a saying that none of us chose to be an addict. I don't buy it myself. You don't pick up something that you already know is addictive, start taking it and not choose to be an addict. As patients undergoing drug therapy, we need to be honest with ourselves about this. Accepting resposibility for our own actions is always a big step towards recovery. Good my friend
X
June 22, 2009 - 11:54pm
#15
thanks Woody
You're right about the white rice. Matter of fact, when I talked with the nurse practitioner I told her this is one food that doesn't trouble my stomach. 
June 23, 2009 - 12:17am
#16
X-factor, benzo withdrawl
X-factor, benzo withdrawl ain't nothing to mess with. Far more scarier than Narcotic withdrawl. You're lucky you didn't end up worse off than you did. You can die from coming off benzos and it should always be monitored by a doctor. Glad to see you are okay.
June 23, 2009 - 8:15pm
#17
I was on two 20mg oxys and
I was on two 20mg oxys and about ten 10/500 Lortabs a day. Took the lortabs in sets of three. When I weaned down I dropped a Lortab each week till I got to an oxy in the morning, an oxy at around noon, and spread out 3 lortabs in the evening. Eventually decided to try quitting for my 4th time and just dropped a lortab off each week or two. Then each week I dropped off 5mg of my oxy evenly. I got to 5mg of oxy in the morn and I took 10mg of oxy in the eve to assure I would sleep. When I dropped to 5mg in the morn and 5mg in the eve I started gettin pretty good WD. No where near as when I would go cold turkey at high doses. So I took my morning 5mg and around 2pm that day I was pretty sick so I shaved off about 1/8th of a mg of sub. I did the sub thing a few years back and still had a fill of 6mg pills. I just cut a tiny piece off of a 6mg pill (about twice the size of the ball on a ball point pen) and it would take my WD away for 2 days. then just took the same dose again. Did that for a week and just stoped all together. Really no WD's. Other than my stomach and I get really weird anxiety when I try to fall asleep at night. I feel tired and good but 20 miniutes into laying down I get this weird feeling in my body like an energy where if I dont move or shack it off I feel like that body part is going to explode. Not the same feeling as restless legs. No ach, just an energy. Like when your closterphibic and your locked in a small space and you feel like your gonna freak if you dont get out. All physical, not mental. My mind is relaxed, but my body is restless. Usually in my arm or one leg. It rotates. I always wondered after being on pills everyday for 5 years what "normal" felt like. That was my drive in wanting to quit. I just had to know. For 5 years I was either high on pills or sick as ???$* for a couple days when trying to quit. I am only a week free from sub, but feel alot better than I did day to day on my happy pills.
Also, I am not constipated. I have bad cramps and go frequently but its not diarrea. Just soft. I kinda got the feeling from some of your post that you thought I needed help due to constipation.
Thanks
June 23, 2009 - 10:23pm
#18
I BELIEVE
that gelatin is a good for ones diet, not only does it do good for ones hair an nails, but I believe it helps one bowel movements more easier.
Woodstock
July 4, 2009 - 6:56am
#19
No matter what people may
No matter what people may think about people using opiates and other chemicals initialy for pleasure , I think it is anyone who has been damaged in some way or certain ways that continue to use a drug, the problem is in the psyche of the person not their concious mindthey are self medicating for some damage , and it only takes some weeks of weakness , depression, or just feeling out of control for a formally functioning person to become an addict / alcoholic and get locked in to circumstances that change the course of their lives, nobody is exempt no matter how much they think they are. I know the forum is for the discussion of chronic pain and medication in general , but nobody would choose a life where they had to get and take a subtance every day. So I think the least that could be done for people with enquirys of this nature is direct them to a forum that deals with their concerns. Acceptance and tolerance will at least maybe make some of these people feel a little better rather than alienation, and I am no bleeding heart by any stretch of the imagination.
October 3, 2009 - 4:54am
#20
simple advice
when taking any narcotics . benzos.antbiotics. always always always drink plenty of water along with your diet of choice cause it will help your bowels movements plus keep you hydrated which helps all the way around the board. guarenteed
October 3, 2009 - 9:17am
#21
Get on Suboxone they help
Get on Suboxone they help cravings and they help your stomach feel better-if u can afford it
October 3, 2009 - 10:05am
#22
give me the rundown on
give me the rundown on suboxone
October 3, 2009 - 10:53am
#23
re: suboxone
October 3, 2009 - 2:06pm
#24
WD's
No matter what the reason is going through W/D's x*#&s!! I have been a CP patient for 5 years at the same Dr. and never had a problem....then my meds were stolen by my "good friend" and all ???$* broke loose. I still had 2 weeks left and no meds...so I called the Dr. for help...I had waited 3 days because I figured this was my fault and they wouldn't help anyway...I was wrong. The Dr. was so nice, and since we had a good relationship she wrote me a brand new script and sent me on my way.... I also know people that took pills to get high and go through W/D's on a wekly basis.... they may not be going down the right path, but they deserve some compassion... being addicted is an illness, even though you may not like it, they are still people....
I feel for anybody going through this, no matter what the reason....so I disagree with the person who said... "they can WD in jail for all I care".
Good luck...
October 3, 2009 - 7:23pm
#25
ERIC HAHHAHAHAHHHH
The guy said that he wasn't tryin to judge.. That means exactly that. How else is he supposed to get an answer unless he tells us whats up.
October 3, 2009 - 10:23pm
#26
And,
You find that amusing Flyer1976?
Please, read that again Flyer, the poster did say "And, furthermore I am here to judge." They too are going through w/d, unfortunate situation. I think I might go to the Lounge. Hey Felix, Why don't you go to the Lounge, Glad to see you're back! I just asked about you. Woodstock, Goat & others have had some funnies to help (in the Lounge). U can go too if you are not grumpy Flyer.
I like what Milo said in # 19. Acceptance not alienation to our fellow posters, within reason. (The OP said that he did indeed obtain his medication(s) from a physician & NOT off the street) so why persecute, laugh or even add insult to injury? We are here to support each other, the legal ones of course.
Also we have many fellow posters sick, if not 3 or 4, & another luckily got their physician to Rx an "early" due to theft.
(I realize this post was dated back to June, but that's okay). Okie Dokie:)
you might ask about a prescription for hyoscyamine. It's an anticholergenic medication that you dissolve under your tongue that is specficically used for GI cramps in people with IBD (Inflammatory Bowel Disease). It works very well for cramps and works very quickly. Simethicone will help gas. You can buy gelcaps or strips that you can dissolve under your tongue. Good luck
Ray