Current Dilaudid (Hydromorphone) Withdrawl

My pain management started out with Tramadol which made me have a crawling, reoccuring nerve based itch all over my body.

I've been taking Dilaudid for about four months now.

I started out with 2mg a day,

but by the "end" I was IV'ing approximately 10mg/day.

I used up my 30 day supply in 12 days (give or take a day),

and I refuse to ask the doctor for more.

This is my 3rd day of withdrawls,

and although it seems to be getting easier...every day is extremely trying.

The pain (due to a torn L4 or L5 disc and degenerative disc disease) has continued to worsen since my injury last January.

I have tried PT, traction (I have a traction chair at home), 2 cortisone shots,

but medication has been the only thing to get rid of the pain thus far.

I am scheduled to see a neurosurgeon next Thursday,

but I don't know how I'm going to make it through Christmas (and the approaching work week).

Yesterday and today I have been crying off-and-on, screaming, and praying to God.

I am also currently taking Lyrica, however, the nausea that has ensued has kept me from taking the Lyrica.

(Also resulting in more pain...in addition to the pain of withdrawl.)

I know that my actions were a serious mistake,

and I have even been called a "degenerate" in one of my online communities.

I ended up here because of a search,

and I'm glad that I did...just reading through the topics/posts has been major support.

However, I have questions for those who can relate:

How does withdrawl from hydromorphone differ from that of morphine, fentanyl, or oxycontin?

I know they are all differing in exact chemical makeup,

but that they are all opiates...withdrawl times, and symptoms should be similar then?

I am wanting to go through work (on my 20lb lifting, bending, pushing/pulling restriction),

and have a surgery (hopefully) without the use of any more opiates...

...is this feasible?

Would Valerian root added to my chamomile/peppermint tea be of some use?

Would anyone advise against this?

Tylenol PM seems to help a small amount,

but trying to sleep is a complete mishap.

Any sleep suggestions for torn discs in the lower back?

Thanks ahead of time for any replies.

P.S.--Wish me luck.

Post Edited (DilaudidDependent) : 12/20/2007 7:37:27 PM (GMT-7)

and he was glad to hear I was finally off the medicine.

I'm going to start taking Celebrex again (despite the stomach upset),

and he offered to call in something for the anxiety like a Clonopine or Valium.

I hope this is the best course of action.

Chutz said...
That's great news! You have a doc who's very compassionate and that's the best kind.

Keep in touch,
Chutz

    His office humor lightens my day; he talks about the holidays, pheasant hunting,

    and even when I came back from a festival in early September and told him about my conversation with an orange

    he was quite interested, and nailed the reason I had been talking to said orange.

    When I got to the pharmacy today he had called in an entire bottle of Celebrex and 15x .5mg Valium.

    At 0.5mg dosage I shouldn't become addicted or have withdrawls from it

    (so says the pharmacist).

    I've probably got a "drug seeker" comment in my chart,        

    but it was worth the four months of intense BLISS.

Howlyncat said...
At 5 mgs of the valium no I do not think you will have aprob BUT they should help with the w/d

I take 2 10 mg valium when needed daily for anxiety and other illnesses I have
I wish you all the very best ..............

Just a point of suggesstion the valium will make you feel a bit euphoric or laid back BUT plz stick with the dose given by the doc or you will be in the same boat again and I dont think even with him being as compassionate he will RX more Benzo's til those are due to be done ..........Just suggessting so you are not hurting my friend ..I am not judging you at all ..........

Glad you posted and got some help

Merry Christmas

      (Which equated to 5mg Valium.)

      Thanks for the warning; the xanax doesn't really provide a buzz...just the well-needed rest I hadn't had for 4 days.

      (I probably slept 6 hours in 72 hours.)

      After the first 0.5mg dose...I slept through the entire night, and after I woke up that morning...

      ...I was able to actually LAUGH again after not doing so for approximately a week.

     Thank you so much for the advice (and the warning);

     after being an addict...I have to be very careful not to slip back down the spiral.

     P.S.- My mother-in-law has Crohn's disease; my prayers go out to you.

my heart to you!  i accidently went through dilaudid withdrawal last summer!  i didn't even realize it!

i was on dilaudid for over 1.5 years @ 2mg 3xperday....plus morphine (Avinza)...i nixed the Avinza b/c it didn't work well and even at 60mg i still had to use  dilaudid for breakthrough pain.

so doc upped the dilaudid to 4mg 3xperday when needed.  and then we tried Arthrotec.

well the Arthrotec worked so great i stopped taking the dialudid!

stupid yeah, but i was so happy this other med was helping.

whoa man, i ran a temp of 102 on the 2nd day off dialudid. unrelievable shaking, chills, vomiting, restlessness, diarhea all day...NO SLEEP FOR 7 days straight.

a Dr. my boyfriend works with actually said, "maybe she's going through withdrawal!"

lo n' behold yeah i was.

all did pass after 5-6 days.

it was bad, and i am sorry you had to go through it.

hang in there.

erin

Circa1988 said...
 because if you thought opioid withdrawal felt bad, apparently its like a walk in the park compared to benzo (benzos are valium, xanax, clonopin, ativan etc.) withdrawal.

    It is true that only alcohol and benzo's cause seizures and should always be detoxed with medical supervision, however, the chance of a seizure is rare and usually occurs in benzo patients that are taking well over the prescribed amounts. As far as which is worse depends on that fact alone.  The only really bad part of an alcohol/benzo withdrawal is the chance of having a seizure, which can be taken care of using simple detox medication.

    I have gone through withdrawls from Xanax (Alprazolam), Valium (Diazepam) , and Klonopin (Clonazepam). 

    Xanax was the worst of the benzo's then Valium and last Klonopin.  only taking a 3-7 days of (withdraw time) and then depending on how long it takes or if you even can get used to the anxiety again. Which, to me, can vary greatly.

    Opiates and engineered versions of them (I will just call them Opiates) on the other hand, are only dangerous if you have Hypertension or other heart ailments. Withdrawal symptoms from Opiates, for the most part, are pretty much homogeneous and depending on the dosage, severity too.

    The saying goes, "Ya, you could die going cold-turkey from benzos or alcohol, but you wish you were dead cold-turkey from Opiates."  As I said before the symptoms are pretty much the same depending on person and dosage, but the duration is dependant on the type of Opiate.

    Oxycontin and Methadone both have very long (withdrawal time). Depending on person and length of use, these opiates can take a month or longer for symptoms to depart entirely!! Methadone, for some, is worse than oxycontin in this aspect. 

    Heroin and Oxycontin, have the most intence withdrawal of them all. However, the duration of withdrawal time for Heroin lasts 2-7 days, whereas Oxycontin can last longer than a month.

   Hydromorphone, Fentanyl, Demerol and Morhpine also have a nasty withdrawal, but a bit less in duration and intensity.  These usually take 7-10 days to get through.

   Vicodin is a setp below these but can last as long. 

   Then comes the rest: Darvon, Codeine and others, bring up the rear with symptoms and duration ranging.

   All addictive drugs have thier own withdrawal and are different for everyone. Uppers and Downers.  Having been through many of these in my highschool and early college days, I can tell you that; by far, not even close, in the same ball-park, does anything come close to the physical and mental withdrawal than Opiates.

    Symptoms of withdawal can curtailed by using detox meds such as Buprenorphine which can only be prescribed. So you would have to go to a doctor that can prescribe that medication. 

    There are also a few Chinese Herbs that are said to help as well as acupuncture.

    It is best to gradually decrease dosage to get off these medications and best not to be taken at all unless needed.

    Fibrodude

Post Edited (Hello all..) : 1/8/2008 3:17:36 PM (GMT-7)