In this article, I’m going to teach you how to get off Vicodin at home. I used to be severely addicted to Vicodin while I worked as a cook at a fast-paced restaurant in New York. The Vicodin gave me unlimited energy and enthusiasm at work. Since I didn’t have a Vicodin prescription, I had to buy Vicodin from a drug dealer. There were times where either I didn’t have money to buy Vicodin, or my dealer had run out.
During these situations I had to get off Vicodin at home.
After going through several home-based Vicodin withdrawals, I started to learn what worked and what didn’t. Eventually I got clean and went on to become a Substance Abuse Counselor at an Opiate Treatment Program (OTP), where I helped many individuals recover from Vicodin addiction.
Over the past year I’ve made it my life’s purpose and mission to research and write about all of the most powerful and effective strategies for getting off Vicodin and other opioid drugs.
This natural at-home detox plan for coming off Vicodin is gentle, safe, inexpensive and POWERFUL.
If you follow these simple steps exactly as I’ve outlined, you should be well on your way to getting off Vicodin with ease…
Step 1: Start Tapering Off Vicodin
Coming off Vicodin “cold-turkey” is a huge system shock to your body. After using Vicodin daily for a period of time, your body becomes physiologically dependent on Vicodin. This doesn’t necessarily mean you are “addicted” (though you might be), it just means that your body now requires Vicodin every day to prevent you from going into Vicodin withdrawal.
The abrupt cessation of Vicodin after a tolerance and dependence have been established leads to a variety of horrific physical and mental withdrawal symptoms.
Some of the most common Vicodin withdrawal symptoms are:
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Restless Leg Syndrome (RLS)
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Gastrointestinal (GI) distress
- Diarrhea
- Hot and cold flashes
- Sore and aching muscles and limbs
Note: The most effective natural strategy for preventing these withdrawal symptoms is to start tapering off Vicodin. Tapering refers to systematically reducing your Vicodin dosage over a set period of time. The single most important thing you can do to decrease the severity of withdrawal symptoms is to taper off Vicodin. This approach is preferred to a “cold-turkey” withdrawal. Tapering off Vicodin enables your body to gently ease off the medication over a span of weeks or months.
Now, let’s go over a few Tapering 101 basics:
- Slow tapers are easier on your body than fast tapers (the slower you go, the less withdrawal symptoms you experience).
- Everyone is biochemically unique (what works for one person won’t necessarily work for everyone).
- Take only as much Vicodin as is necessary to prevent you from going into withdrawal (you’re not trying to get high or feel good, only to keep from getting sick).
- It takes serious discipline to adhere to a tapering protocol (giving your pills to someone you can trust and having them only give you the dosage on your taper schedule is highly recommended).
- “The lower you go, the slower you go” (it might be easy to taper quickly from 100 mg to 30 mg of Vicodin, however, it’s better to slow it down towards the end of the taper because it will be less of a shock to your body).
Note: Since everyone reading this article is going to have varying levels of addiction severity and their own unique biochemical makeup, there is no way I can outline a “one size fits all” Vicodin taper plan. However, I will provide you with some detailed examples so you can get a good understanding of how to implement a Vicodin taper plan into your own life.
Example #1: Joel the Musician
Joel is a guitarist that started taking Vicodin after he injured his back picking up an extremely heavy guitar amp with bad form. His doctor prescribed him to take 5 mg Vicodin pills, 4 times per day. Joel found that the Vicodin gave him more than just pain relief. The medication also gave him energy, confidence, happiness, and the feeling that he could do anything he wanted in the world.
Joel also felt like the Vicodin made him a more creative songwriter. He quickly started taking more Vicodin than was prescribed, and within three months Joel was purchasing illegal Vicodin off the street, and taking an average dosage of 100 mg per day.
If I had to come up with a Vicodin taper plan for Joel, it might look like this:
- Week 1: Take 80 mg of Vicodin per day
- Week 2: Take 60 mg of Vicodin per day
- Week 3: Take 50 mg of Vicodin per day
- Week 4: Take 40 mg of Vicodin per day
- Week 5: Take 30 mg of Vicodin per day
- Week 6: Take 20 mg of Vicodin per day
- Week 7: Take 15 mg of Vicodin per day
- Week 8: Take 10 mg of Vicodin per day
- Week 9: Take 5 mg of Vicodin per day
- Week 10: Come off Vicodin completely
Example #2: Roberto the Baseball Player
Roberto started playing Major League Baseball when he was 24 years old. After 15 years of playing the “catcher” position, he retired to spend more time with his wife and kids. At that point he began to have issues with his right knee. He finally had knee surgery, and his doctor placed him on 30 mg of Vicodin per day. Two weeks after the surgery, Roberto was in a car crash and severely injured his neck and back. His doctor upped the Vicodin dosage to 60 mg per day.
After taking 60 mg of Vicodin every day for six months, the doctor told Roberto he was taking him off the medication because his injuries were healed. The first day Roberto went without pills he didn’t know why he felt so bad. He had a runny nose, teary eyes, and he had anxiety, fatigue and stomach discomfort all day long. Roberto called a friend, and they told him he was going through Vicodin withdrawal.
If I had to come up with a Vicodin taper plan for Roberto, it might look like this:
- Days 1-10: Take 50 mg of Vicodin per day
- Days 11-20: Take 40 mg of Vicodin per day
- Days 21-30: Take 30 mg of Vicodin per day
- Days 31-40: Take 20 mg of Vicodin per day
- Days 41-50: Take 15 mg of Vicodin per day
- Days 51-60: Take 10 mg of Vicodin per day
- Days 61-80: Take 5 mg of Vicodin per day
- Day 81: Come off Vicodin completely
Note: If you don’t have the time, money, access to Vicodin or discipline, you might have to come off Vicodin cold-turkey. If you can’t taper off Vicodin, don’t worry…you can still get off Vicodin without severe withdrawal symptoms. I’m going to provide you with some great tips for getting off Vicodin cold-turkey (including medications) towards the end of the article.
Step 2: Start Exercising
All drugs mimic different neurotransmitters in the brain, and opiates specifically mimic endorphins, our natural painkillers (natural morphine). After taking Vicodin for a period of time, the brain gets used to this artificially-induced, massive supply of endorphins. Getting off Vicodin can be difficult because even though you’re creating less drug-induced endorphins, your body doesn’t supply you with the rest. This can lead to a massive endorphin deficiency, which makes you more susceptible to physical and emotional pain.
When people ask me how to get off Vicodin at home, I always encourage them to exercise as part of their overall taper wellness plan. Swimming, jogging, walking, weight training, yoga and other forms of exercise can help your body produce endorphins within minutes.
Exercise can help you get off Vicodin at home because it:
- Improves mood
- Boosts endorphins (natural painkillers)
- Improves sleep
- Reduces pain (both physical and emotional)
- Promotes well-being
- Reverses anxiety
- Reverses depression
- Increases energy
- Improves physique
- Boosts confidence
Step 3: Start Eating a High Amino Acid Diet
When people ask me how to get off Vicodin at home, I always tell them about the endorphin-boosting and mood-enhancing effects of protein. Protein is made up of amino acids. These amino acids are directly responsible for healthy production of neurotransmitters. Eating a diet rich in high-quality protein foods can help you produce endorphins and other mood-enhancing chemicals in the brain.
While you’re getting off Vicodin at home, it can be very beneficial to consume at least 20-30 grams of protein three times per day. I’ve been clean from Vicodin and all other opiates for over three years now, and I still eat plenty of quality proteins on a daily basis.
The following nutritional guidelines can help get off Vicodin at home:
- Eat plenty of turkey, chicken, fish, beef, cottage cheese and other quality proteins (free-range, organic and wild-caught are best).
- Drink plenty of water (half your body weight in ounces per day).
- Consume lots of fresh fruits, veggies, and healthy fats.
- Eliminate or decrease sugar, processed foods, and refined carbohydrates.
- Eliminate or decrease caffeine and alcohol.
- Focus mostly on organic whole foods.
Step 4: Purchase an Opiate Withdrawal Supplement
Opiate Withdrawal Supplements are specifically designed to help people get off Vicodin and other opiates. They contain a synergistic blend of herbs, amino acids, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients that have been shown to be effective at reducing symptoms due to getting off Vicodin and other opioid drugs. If you taper, exercise, eat a high amino acid diet and take a high-quality Opiate Withdrawal Supplement, these mega-strategies combined may help you get off Vicodin at home with ease.
The best time to start taking the Opiate Withdrawal Supplement is right when you reach your personal “threshold” on the Vicodin taper schedule. The threshold is the point at which you start to feel symptoms. For some people, this will be around 30 mg, others will feel fine until they reach 20 mg or lower.
Note: If you are going to skip the Vicodin taper and do a cold-turkey withdrawal, you’ll want to start taking your Opiate Withdrawal Supplement at least seven days before you come off Vicodin completely. You’ll want to continue taking it for at least three weeks after you come off Vicodin.
If you can afford it, I also highly recommend taking this awesome supplement, because the benefits are just too good to pass up.
Step 5: Take Time Off
If you really want to know how to get off Vicodin at home, I encourage you to take time off from ALL responsibilities. When planning your detox from Vicodin, try your absolute best to get a week off work, taking care of kids, school, or whatever responsibilities you have. At the bare minimum, make sure you schedule 3-4 days of “alone time” for getting off Vicodin at home.
I understand this is not always possible. Just do your best to eliminate as much as you can from your day to day life. The less you have to do…the better. The methods I teach you in this article will eliminate the most severe withdrawal symptoms, so it’s possible to continue with your day-to-day life while getting off Vicodin at home (if you’ve tapered), but I don’t recommend it. A relaxing, stress-free and quiet environment will help you adjust to coming off Vicodin.
Step 6: Make a Vicodin Withdrawal Shopping List
Before I knew how to get off Vicodin at home like a pro, I made the mistake of being unprepared. The difference between a severe Vicodin withdrawal and a mild one is “planning”. A few days before you get off Vicodin at home, you’ll need to go shopping for some Vicodin withdrawal remedies.
The following list of items can help to reduce symptoms while you’re getting off Vicodin at home:
- Water – Maintains hydration
- Gatorade – Replenishes electrolytes
- Peppermint tea – Eases nausea
- Ginger ale – Relieves stomach pain
- Imodium AD – Stops diarrhea and stomach cramping
- Advil – Relieves pain
- Icy Hot – Soothes aching and restless limbs
- Dark chocolate – Produces endorphins and other “feel good” chemicals
- Heating pad – Eases pain
- Epsom salt – Add to hot baths to relax nervous system
- Whey protein powder – Supplies amino acids that improve mood
- Apple juice – Use as base for protein shakes
- Bananas – Contain potassium to help relieve RLS
- Berries and other fruit – Quick energy
- Healthy food to cook – Proteins, veggies, healthy fats, and carbs
- Saltine crackers – Easy to digest for quick energy
- Blindfold – Helps you sleep
Step 7: Complete your Vicodin Withdrawal at Home
Now that you’ve tapered, started taking your Opiate Withdrawal Supplement, got time off from responsibilities and gone shopping, you’re finally ready to get off Vicodin at home. Typically, the first day of Vicodin withdrawal is the easiest, the second day gets harder, and days three and four are the worst.
However, that being said, if you’ve done a good job tapering and are taking your Opiate Withdrawal Supplement, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.
Regardless of whether you’ve taken these steps or not, the following schedule should help you get off Vicodin at home easier:
- 7:00 am: Wake up and take your Opiate Withdrawal Supplement
- 7:30 am: Go for a walk, jog or swim. Exercise stimulates the production of endorphins, which are your natural painkillers. This natural morphine eases Vicodin withdrawal symptoms quickly and effectively. I know the last thing you probably feel like doing during withdrawal is exercising, but let me tell you, it’s the absolute best natural remedy there is.
- 8:00 am: Drink a glass of water or Gatorade. Eat breakfast. Have something like a fruit smoothie with whey protein powder or a breakfast sandwich. Eat a big piece of dark chocolate.
- 9:00 am: Take a long, hot bath with two cups of Epsom salt. Taking a hot bath during opiate withdrawal soothes aching muscles and limbs, relieves anxiety and promotes relaxation. Adding Epsom salt helps you calm the nervous system even more, while also stimulating the production of ATP and serotonin, improving the absorption of nutrients, and flushing toxins.
- 10:00 am: Put on some extremely comfortable clothes, lay down on the couch and watch either a comedy or an inspirational movie. This will take your mind off the withdrawal and get you in a positive mindset.
- 12:00 pm: Eat lunch. Try to eat something with fish, turkey, beef or chicken if you can stomach it. The amino acids in the protein will help bolster mood-enhancing chemicals in your brain. A sample lunch would be grilled chicken, rice, and steamed veggies. Eat a big piece of dark chocolate.
- 1:00 pm: Watch another movie (comedy or inspirational).
- 3:00 pm: Take a long and hot regular bath.
- 4:00 pm: Drink a big glass of water. Eat a snack if you’re hungry.
- 4:30 pm: Watch an inspirational movie.
- 6:30 pm: Go for a long walk, jog or swim.
- 7:30 pm: Drink a glass of Gatorade and take a hot bath. Drink a glass of water after your bath.
- 8:30 pm: Eat dinner. Some good examples are fish tacos or a turkey burger. Eat a big piece of dark chocolate. 30 minutes after dinner drink a cup of peppermint or chamomile tea.
- 9:00 pm: Turn off all the lights in the house. Light some candles and listen to relaxing music. You want to avoid bright lights, the TV, computer, and any other electrical devices after 9 pm. This is when your brain starts producing melatonin to help you fall asleep. Staring at the computer or other lights tricks your brain into thinking it’s still daytime, and this interferes with the production of sleep-inducing melatonin.
- 9:30 pm: Start writing in a journal. Write about all of the things you are going to do with your life once you complete your Vicodin withdrawal.
- 10:00 pm: Start reading a self-help book by candlelight and go to bed as soon as you get sleepy. Make sure to get to bed before 12:00 am. Also make sure the room you sleep in is cool, quiet and dark. If you don’t get good sleep then don’t worry, lack of sleep won’t kill you.
- 10:30 pm: Before bed on an empty stomach, take your Opiate Withdrawal Supplement.
Note: This is just a sample of what a day of a planned Vicodin withdrawal at home could look like. You can switch it up and adjust things as you see fit. Make sure to drink plenty of liquids throughout the day. Avoid alcohol, coffee and energy drinks at all costs!!!
* If the food I mentioned doesn’t sound good then don’t worry…simply eat what sounds good to your body. If you have any diarrhea take Imodium AD. If you have aching muscles and limbs take Advil and rub Icy Hot on the problem areas.
* Don’t Google anything about Vicodin withdrawal! Stay out of the forums! Most of the people on forums aren’t professionals and give horrible advice. I’ve cringed after reading several of the things people on these sites have recommended. Sometimes there is good information, but usually, this is not the case.
Medications for Getting Off Vicodin at Home
If you haven’t been able to taper and are coming off Vicodin “cold-turkey”, the strategies I’ve provided you with will still help considerably. However, that being said, if you are coming off a severe Vicodin addiction, you may wish to consider using medications to ease withdrawal symptoms.
The following medications can be used to ease Vicodin withdrawal symptoms:
- Clonidine – A blood pressure medication that can reduce anxiety, slow heart rate and improve sleep.
- Benzodiazepines – Anti-anxiety drugs such as Xanax, Valium, Ativan, Klonopin, Librium etc.
- Gabapentin – A medication for nerve pain that relieves Vicodin withdrawal symptoms.
- Tramadol – A synthetic, mild painkiller that binds to opioid receptors and ameliorates withdrawal syndrome.
Step 8: Stay Clean!
Now that you know how to get off Vicodin at home, I hope you’ll use this plan to change your life. Getting off Vicodin is actually the easy part. 90% of people getting off Vicodin relapse within the first 90 days of being clean. Don’t be one of them! Continue to take your Opiate Withdrawal Supplement, exercise and eat healthily.
Keep writing in your journal and reading self-help books to feed your mind and improve your psychology.
Most people getting off Vicodin complain of the following symptoms that seem to linger for the next few months after quitting narcotics:
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Inability to feel pleasure
- Depression
What this refers to is Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS).
I’ve created an in-depth “How-To” article that will teach you how to feel amazing after you get off Vicodin:
How To Stop Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome From Opiates>>
How to Get Off Vicodin at Home Questions
Click here now to view my best home detox program. If you have any questions on how to get off Vicodin at home, feel free to post them in the comment box below.
I take 6 to 8 7.5/325 Vicodin a day because of severe spinal arthritis and Stenosis….I feel physically sick and in terrible pain every morning until I take two Vicodin….I hate feeling so sick without them…I want to quit…how can I taper off ?
Hi I take One 10 mg vicoden a day and three 7.5 hydrocodone I would like to taper off. I have been taking them for 10 years that dose above for about 5 years, but am sick of being treated like a pill seeker.. I have had neck surgery and should have another but really don’t feel like the first one helped all that much. I also have degenerative disorder in my back and hips. I walk five miles a day this hurts also but its a different kind of pain once I get moving. I would like to live pain free but I have tried everything. What is your advise on tapering? I also don’t want to be stuck in a position like some people I have seen where the Dr says oh your done taking these and leaves them hanging .. Thought I could get a jump start on it. I also take klonopin .5 mg for anxiety and panic attacks any help would be greatly appreciated thank you
Tapering is the best thing you can do to prevent withdrawal symptoms. But not everyone is able to do well tapering and so in those situations, a good cold-turkey detox plan is preferable.
Pretty good. I can live with the product placement, it’s a fair deal for generally good advice. The only big thing I take issue with is listing Tramodol at the end. It is, in fact, a synthetic opioid that also has an SSRI ingredient. It is often mis-prescribed as an alternative to stronger opioids, but does, in fact, come with a high potential for addiction itself. For a certain profile of addict, the SSRI in combination with the opioid can be even harder to quit than a straight opioid. I recommend you remove that one thing.
hey, i need help, i love this article and its helping me so much, i been takimg 10-15 pill a day for 2 years bug not im taking about 3-4 pill a day 10 mg each , but i been having alot of stomach discomfort and insomia really bad and i haven’t been eating lately , is there anything i could do from my stomach ? or my insomnia? and would i ever be healthy and normal again to live my life?
Make sure you are taking a magnesium supplement, eat lots of bananas and protein and see if your doctor will prescribe zofran for neausea.
Wish me luck thank you so much for your work Matt
Hi, I am looking for advice, I currently take 10mg (sometimes 12.5mg) of vicodin a day so basically 2 vicodin a day (rarely 2.5) I am worried about withdrawal and wondering how I would taper taking the amount I take..
would this look ok?
day 1-4 take 1.5
day 5-9 take 1
day 10-14 take .75
day 15-20 take .5
do you think that is too fast?
Janie,
That looks like a very good taper plan. Even if you’ve been on it for a very long time , tapering this way might make you feel a little tired is all. I wish all Dr’s would taper their patients this well.
~
Mary
Thank you very much Mary, today was the first day I took 1 and so far I don’t feel too badly yet, I have been drinking a lot of water and trying to just keep busy.. hoping my withdrawals won’t be too bad but I have been on vicodin for almost 10 years so I have a feeling when I completely quit then I will start to feel awful (but hopeful that with being able to taper that it won’t be as bad as it would be if I didn’t taper)
Hi Janie,
Looks like we’re on the same taper plan but I’m a little further along (currently at .75). I’m not taking any calm supports because I didn’t know they existed until now. The worst symptom for me is mild anxiety but it helps a lot to remember it’s temporary. In fact if I get out and walk it tends to dissappear.
Good luck, you can do this.
L.A.
I have a question about using tramadol to help kick vicodin. Isn’t that trading one addiction for another potentially? I don’t understand how all this works but I’ve taken tramadol and have abused it.
LA
L.A.
As with every option that has been discovered to help some people deal with the withdrawal, tramadol won’t be good for some. If you have ever abused it, it wouldn’t be a good choice. We list many other things here that have helped people. You just need to be cautious and not use anything that you know would be a problem.
~Mary
OAS RECOVERY SPECIALIST
Hi Janie, just checking in.
I finished my taper, got down to .5 and only had enough for one day of .25 so that’s done. Today is my first full day, it definitely helped to taper. I have some muscle pain but I took an advil which helped. Fatigue, I’m not scheduling much so I can rest, and a little anxiety. It helps me to remember it’s the withdrawal and not reality, and it goes away pretty quickly.
It feels good to not have to deal with all that even if it’s a little uncomfortable. I made a list before I tapered or all the things I hate about using. Getting that out helps also.
Let me know if you want me to keep leaving updates.
LA
L.A.
Absolutely we want updates!
~ Mary
OAS Recovery Specialist
Ok, I went to the page but it didn’t allow me access, do I need to wait for approval?
L.A.
I checked it out but not sure that format is for me, too exposed.
One more update and I’ll take a step back for awhile. This is the morning of day 3. I feel pretty good after a slow taper. My biggest obstacle will be if I’m exposed to the drug again, since the withdrawal was minor. I could see myself stupidly justifying another round. Stupid because I just spent the last 6 months kicking myself for getting back in, the lying, constipation, worry, guilt, shame.
I want to stay clean, feel good in healthy ways. Can’t do that if I keep inviting this crap back into my life. Thanks for this forum and letting me rant.
LA
Hi, I am checking in! The taper went pretty good, It wasn’t as bad as I anticipated at all, I was expecting to be very sick but it wasn’t too bad.. I was restless on day 3 and had some trouble sleeping (I did need a sleep aid for a couple of days only) and I didn’t have much of an appetite until about 5 days after but it’s really a fight with my mind now, the physical stuff is over but the mental part will probably always be a battle I guess.
I have had issues quitting since I started taking them following an accident. I love how this is worded though because it will make those who are seeking help feel like they are receiving genuine help and not getting the fear mongering that comes from other places. I was able to elimiate a lot of my withdrawals with taking a “nootropic” supplement but it really has amino acids and Phenylethylamine (which is found in chocolate) but it really helped with all of the mental and most of the physical pain.
It is just crazy to me that there are so many people with this problem and I wish I could help others so we can put an end to this epidemic.
I’m on board with you Brian. Ending this epidemic is something I’m striving towards, but more influential people will need to become involved for any significant changes to be made. Thanks for sharing your input.
I have been on a smaller dose on and off of almost 5 years now. I take 3-4 5/325 a day due to herniated discs in my neck. Tried many other options but allergic to tons of medication. Did various therapies etc as well but was stuck maintaining the pain this way. I just started a new business and left my previous job. I cannot WAIT to get this poison out of my life. I have been reducing by 1/2 pill once a week based on the guides. I’m almost halfway and while I am finally feeling parts of my true self starting to come back, I am sincerely numb and having a hard time feeling anything. I guess 5 years of that will do it even at a lower dose. If you have any other suggestions or ideas I welcome them. Otherwise please know that I personally am genuinely grateful for you and the time you spent to build this site.
Hi James,
It sounds like you are doing really awesome working towards your goal. There are so many things that can help, and all the information is within this website, so it’s just a matter of browsing through the articles and taking info here and there that seems appropriate to your situation. I also thank you for the kind words, as it was a joy creating this website to help you and others. You’ll be free of opioid dependence soon enough my friend!!!
Oh and thanks a lot for the info
Hello everyone, I have been taking hydrocodone for 7 years im suppose to take a 10mg pill 4 times a day but I cut one in four pieces, so I take 2.5mg 4 times a day. It helps my pain to the point I can tolorate it. But now I want to tamper off. So my question is, is it worse that I am taking it so close in time or is it good that I only take about 1 1/2 10mg pills a day?
Advice?? I have been taking 3-4 5/325 Vicodin a day due to severe neck pain for about 3 months. I would like some advice for a fast taper? I have 2 kids and ones at school all day but I am home all day with my 1 year old. I’m a busy stay at home mom but I need to get off of these pills and live without the need. I was addicted to them for like 3 years before and had a horrible cold turkey withdrawl. I don’t want to go through that ever again. And thank you so much for the information you provide. I am trying to get a refill to help with tapering but not sure if I can.
Please check out the following article that can easily show you how to create a custom tapering plan:
Tapering and Discontinuing Opioids
I need advice.
Hi there I am making a personal decision to come clean. I have endometriosis, fibromyalgia and osteoporosis. I am prescribed vicoden. I don’t take more than I should but as anyone have become addicted. I don’t want my life being based on this. My mom dies of pain issues. I have to figure my own way to manage. I don’t have life consequences from the drug I am just deciding I want control. It is not helping and I want to be free of this . I am currently at 5 a day with 20 left. I want to taper off and be done. I have tapered before and know what is to happen. I just want my life back.
I admire you for the courage it takes to make the decision to stop having your life based on opiate addiction. With the right mindset, anything is possible, including ending your opiate dependence for good. Thank you sharing your wonderful goal with me and the other readers. I wish you the best of luck!
Hello I am Bella I have been on a few different mess for almost three years now. Currently I am on Vicoden 10mg 3 times daily but sometime take it more. Also I am on Zohydro 15mg ER. I would like to quit cold turkey.
Hi Bella,
Please read the following article to learn how to quit cold-turkey from home:
How To Mega-Dose Vitamin C To Stop Opiate Withdrawal
Hi Matt. I’m finally at the end of my taper from 10mg hydrocodone 4x/day for ~14 months. After reading through the comments here, I now realize that I was doing a fast taper (cuts about every 4 days). I guess that must be why my symptoms have been pretty bad. I’m on day 5 now after jumping from 2.5mg/day and am having a lot of trouble with the withdrawals, mostly due to physical ailments of mine. I’d love to take some of the supplements that you mention on this site, but I’m hypersensitive to many supplements and meds due to protracted benzo withdrawal issues. I am trying to get by with clonidine and naproxen.
Anyway, I read on some other site that said that the withdrawals should lost 7-10 days after jumping. Would you say that this is correct? I’m supposed to be oncall for support at work next week and am trying to figure out how I am going to handle it. I’m hoping that being on day 5, I’m going through the worst of it now.
What do you think? Does 7-10 days sound right to you? Should I expect it to get much worse?
Thanks for all the great info on your site.
Hey Mike,
Typically, the worst of the symptoms coming off the short-acting hydrocodone come between days 3-4, though it is usually still difficult for days to weeks after that. Even if the acute withdrawal ends shortly, the post-acute symptoms can still be very debilitating, and they can often last for weeks, months, or even years in rare cases.
Make sure to read the following article:
How To Stop Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome From Opiates
Hi Matt I’m a 51 yr old female with fibromyalgia I’ve been on Vicodin for over 3 yrs, I’ve stopped several times but have gone back mainly because I have such terrible side effects from other drugs. I was prescribed 10/325 x 2 for the last several months then my Dr switched me to 5/325 x2 obviously I started feeling it right away so ended up taking 3-4 per day and running out abruptly. My last dose was Sunday afternoon and I have been in hell since! I called my rheumatologist and he agreed to give me
20 pills(5/325×3) to get me thru an event I cannot cancel. I will see him on Monday to discuss tapering off but he is not an expert in this. What can you suggest for a possible tapering schedule? I dread going thru this again but I just want my life back!
Hi Andrea,
The slower the taper, the less withdrawal symptoms one will typically experience. You’re already on such a small dose you might enjoy learning about the following:
How To Mega-Dose Vitamin C To Stop Opiate Withdrawal
Also, in regards to fibromyalgia, you also might benefit from the following book:
The Great Pain Deception: Faulty Medical Advice Is Making Us Worse
You’re going to get through this Andrea!!! I’m here to help you along the way if you have any more questions. Take care.
Hi Matt. I’ve been taking vicodin for three yrs. I’m taking about 8 per day. I want to taper off slowly. I quit cold turkey once and DO NOT want to go that route again. Your article was a wake up call. Thank you for writing it. I have about 90 pills left. What would be a good taper schedule with this amount of pills? Would this amount be enough for a withdrawal free taper?
Hi Jim,
No matter how slow you taper off Vicodin, there is usually at least mild symptoms like fatigue after coming off completely. But as far as getting sick goes, the steps in this article can help to prevent that. For tapering, you sure don’t have a lot of pills left. In these cases it’s usually beneficial to take the least amount of Vicodin as possible to avoid getting sick. That is different from person to person. Supplements, nutrition and exercise can help, as well as a strong mindset.
Disclaimer: I am a Strategic Intervention Coach, not a doctor, so I can’t give professional advice regarding aspects of the body, only the mind. This comment is for informational use only. It’s not intended to treat, diagnose or prevent any disease. Always check with your doctor before changing your diet, trying any new supplements, medications, exercise or opiate tapering programs
I’m so thankful for this article. I’m a 28yo male who’s been addicted to these for about 2 years. I’m up to 10 a day and just told my family about my problem. My grandma stumbled across your information and this is what I’m going to stick too. I’ve wanted to get off these for so long. I just wanted to say how thankful I am for you sharing this with everyone.
Thanks for the attitude of gratitude Chris! I’m glad your grandma stumbled across this site. It’s my pleasure to share this information with as many people as possible. Take care Chris.
Hello Matt. I agree about the forums, my head was spinning when I stayed up all night seeing that 8 out of ten people go back to the drugs….seems pretty hopeless. I have about twelve Vicodin left, I was taking 8-10 daily and I made it through yesterday with just four. I’m really afraid. Terrified actually. I took my morning dose and it’s not even helping me feel normal, which is where I’ve been at for months. I can see how people lose their homes cars families and lives on this drug. I don’t know how I will deal with the pain after I am clean but. Clean is what I want. I feel like my do for ruined my life with this stuff. PleSe help me with any info you can on how to taper myself, I’ll probably need to get more Vicodin to do it comfortably but I really don’t want to.