Weaning Off Dilaudid (Page 3) (Top voted first)

I have been taking 8 mgs. of Dilaudid 4 times a day for the last 6 months for a chronic illness. 3 months ago I had surgery to give some relief to my illness, and I have since found some stabilization to my symptoms. As such, my doctors want to wean me off of the Dilaudid. I am very nervous about the idea because I have noticed in the mornings (after not having the Dilaudid for 12 hours), I feel a bit anxious and I have joint and muscle aches and pains. Therefore, the first thing I do is take my Dilaudid. Currently to wean me off my doctor is suggesting that I taper back one pill a day (around lunchtime) each week so that I go from taking 8 4mg. tablets a day to taking one 4 mg. tablet a day. This process should take about one month to complete, and it truly frightens me. Do you have any advice?

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Please get with me going cold off hydromophone 4mg times 6 aday

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Tramadol 50 mg 4-6 times a day will help you taper off without withdrawals. Contact your doctor, some don't even know that this will help. It will keep you from getting sick. It is available in every pharmacy and you'll have no trouble getting it.

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I recently (Feb 10/14) came off of 30mgs/day of Hydromorophone.(Which I had been taking for a couple of years) My doctor provided me with a weening schedule that took FOUR months. Along the way he changed some of my pills to a smaller dose to align with the schedule. It worked well. I had a few shaky days, but nothing I couldn't handle. I can't believe your doctor is trying to do this in one month. There is another method, similar to methadone for H addicts (I can't remember its name) be it also addictive, but a more manageable weening process. I opted NOT to do that, as I didn't want to go from one addiction to another. I know how difficult it can be. So, good luck

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I was also taking 8 mg of dilaudid up to 5 x day. Went off cold turkey! Just 50mg tramadol and 2 Aleve, zanaflex for temp muscle spasms. No withdrawal symptoms other than a bit of fatigue the first week. Don't replace narcotic with another narcotic. Do this way!

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Do NOT take Methadone!!! I am trying to wean off myself. Got a little greedy and did most of my per. 8x4mgs a day. I don't see my Dr until next Tuesday. I have two # 4's a day until then. So I feel some comfort hearing you are doing good on 1 # 4 orally I just came off Methadone. I was on 200 Mls a day for two years. In 8 months I came off it. Dilaudid helped me. I am also on valium. I'm going to be doing 2 Dilaudid a day until next week. Exactly 7 days. I don't want to come off completely...but I want to come down to 2x4 Dilaudid a day instead of 8 a day. 8 is way too much. Thanks for the read. If a Dr can taper you off at one 4 a day that gives me great hope. Thank you..The reason I suggest you pass on Methadone is because it gets into your bone marrow and is really hard to kick. Worse than H. Don't do it! Seriously!

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Keep trying. I was on dilaudid for many years. I fell to hell while taking them. I'm a nurse and nearly lost my license over them. I've had experience on the legal and non legal ways of trying to battle the withdrawal. Although it is a very strong schedule 2 narcotic I was able to make it by having my dr put me on hydrocodone and decreasing from there after I had stopped the dilaudid. When all my previous attempts had not worked with all I knew of meds this worked very well. It was a godsend. Best of luck and remember if your doctor won't prescribe them you can choose another but never two at once or you'll b reported dr shopping. Just keep that in mind. Best of luck your post caught my attn. not to be mean but that dose is not very high and you seem u may have a addictive personality, nothing to be ashamed of, but keep in mind by asking pharmacists and your dr about any narcs prescribed. If u experience muscle cramps misplaced helps me with that, mostly my legs but it has more uses that those women days we dread every month.

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Keep trying. I was on dilaudid for many years. I fell to hell while taking them. I'm a nurse and nearly lost my license over them. I've had experience on the legal and non legal ways of trying to battle the withdrawal. Although it is a very strong schedule 2 narcotic I was able to make it by having my dr put me on hydrocodone and decreasing from there after I had stopped the dilaudid. When all my previous attempts had not worked with all I knew of meds this worked very well. It was a godsend. Best of luck and remember if your doctor won't prescribe them you can choose another but never two at once or you'll b reported dr shopping. Just keep that in mind. Best of luck your post caught my attn. not to be mean but that dose is not very high and you seem u may have a addictive personality, nothing to be ashamed of, but keep in mind by asking pharmacists and your dr about any narcs prescribed. If u experience muscle cramps midol helps me with that, mostly my legs but it has more uses that those women days we dread every month.

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What type of prayer? I am in ICU... been here for what feels like forever. I'm about to start weaning off deluded. One day I didn't get my meds until very late the pains in my joints were unbearable. So, me? Yes I'm scared. Just curious though... how long will it take to get out of my body. If its short than cold turkey may be the way to go and just be done with it. Let me know your thoughts...
Jackie

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It is possible and it is possible whether Iv abuse or RX it is called willpower I have weaned off numerous times each time taking about a week! You just go from iv use to oral reducing by 2 mg a day it isn't as bad its mostly a mental thing!!! Mind over matter guys it f***s with Ur opiate receptors so u will THINK your in pain and THINK you need it its called withdrawal u will have some regardless when coming off any opiate or benzo!

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Withdrawing from dilaudid is not as bad as Methadone or Suboxone. The mental aspect of the withdrawal make the process a lot harder than it really is, not saying it is easy at all, but the mental post acute withdrawal is the worst. I've experienced withdrawing cold turkey only because then I was 22 and in an accident my South Florida doctors over-prescribed my pain meds, and my mother being the clueless square she was, went along with it and made sure I was taking them as prescribed and also offered me more when I was in pain because my doctor also prescribed extras or "breakthrough pain meds" in case I doubled up on dosage for extra aleviation. I was taking more pain meds than most cancer patients in final stages receive but only because my doctor was a corrupt one and ran a couple of pill mills. He is no longer in practice

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THE HARDEST PART OF WITHDRAWING FROM OPIATES IS THE LOSS OF SLEEP AND THE RESTLESSNESS. IT REALLY TAKES A TOLL ON YOU MENTALLY. MAKE SURE THAT YOU REQUEST SOMETHING FOR MUSCLE RELAXERS (only help minimally for restlessness but helps none the less). MORE IMPORTANTLY MAKE SURE THAT YOU RECEIVE SOMETHING STRONG TO KNOCK YOU OUT AT NIGHT. SYMPTOMS OF WITHDRAWING ONLY SEEM TO GET WORSE WHEN UP ALOT AT NIGHT AND CANNOT SLEEP. IF YOU GET SOMETHING FOR SLEEP YOUR WITHDRAWAL EXPERIENCE WILL BE OVER BEFORE YOU KNOW IT.

The meds I took to help me through it were.... Subutex (taper), clondadine (blood pressure, also helped me sleep) , Roboxone (muscle relaxant). And I also had Xanax to help but very little. Only took 7 days of strong withdrawals the rest was mostly mental.

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I feel the same way too. I take 4mg every 4 to 6 hours. I have to take it or I will WD. Shakes aches, feel sick. Then when I take mine , I'm ok. I'm hooked.

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Wow you must have needed extra prayers to come off 130mg of methadone cold turkey!

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That's a good friend. If you use opiates every day your body will get physically addicted. I suggest you try to abstain from using them every day. And recommend that you take them relatively at the same time when you do take them. This will keep you on a regimen rather than just popping them whenever you feel like it. Also dilaudid 4s are not very strong when taken orally. If you know someone that is willing to trade some of the 4s for a long acting opiate. I would recommend it. Hope this helps. Good luck

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But it is not cold turkey if you are given other medications that are either painkillers or benzos. Cold turkey is quitting ALL narcotics 100% at one time. And it is scary and hard. I have epilepsy so it puts me at serious risk for more dangerous seizures so I can't do that. I am weaning. Still a little scary but I am more motivated now than I have ever been and I know I can now handle the decreased pain after having recovered from major surgery to help correct my chronic pancreatitis which had me on very high doses of dilaudid.

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Stop the train!!!! Dilaudid and Valium or any benzodiazepeine are have a history of deadly drug interactions.

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Suboxone sucks! Best way to taper is go down dose by dose. It's very hard but I did it. Some days I had severe panic attacks Thank God for BEER!

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Did it work? I would love some info on how to get off of them

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I'm on 8Mg for chronic pain from 4 back surgeries and Lupus. I was taking every 4 hour not exceeding 6 a day, but I was admitted for hypoxia an now I'm on oxygen. My primary care dr said it could be From dilaudid so I weaned myself down to 3 a day so far breathing still not good an er visit nurse said same.thing. My pain dr said he doesn't believe meds are to blame for low oxygen levels. But I got to try to continue decreasing I've been on pain med since 2011.

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I have been on hydro morphing for three years. After having a knee replacement and continued after breaking my wrist last year. I am prescribed 4mg four times a day.
At first I noticed that I had more energy to do things, but had to take two at a time, then three and finally I'd take them more and more to do my housework and get moving,
I had to lower the dose as the time for my prescription appointment, but was very lazy and has no energy. I have tried to slowly take less and not go back to the pain management doctor but always do and get two months supply, I have got a week or more for the appointment and have deliberately just taken the last,three which means four today I am now out. What can I take over the counter to help?

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