Tapering Schedule

[OpiateHead]

Ok, so I found out that I was pregnant shortly before Christmas with a pretty decent hydro habit (10-12 of 10/325 daily). Been working myself down slowly and I got myself to taking 5-7. I know it's not that big of a drop, but it was a start.

So I go to my doc and level with him to see what my best options for getting clean are. At first he seemed really resistant to help me until I told him that the last time I tried to CT, I ended up in the ER with my blood pressure at 180/115. So he's given me a tapering schedule and a script of Vicodin (5/500).

Day 1-3 : 1 pill 3 x
Day 4-6 : 1 pill 2 x
Day 7-9 : 1 pill
Day 10-12 : 1/2 a pill
Day 13-15 : 1/2 a pill every other day

Does this sound like a pretty decent schedule? I was thinking of maybe adding 1 more pill and stretching it out a few more days and make it a slower taper.

What do you guys think?

[HistoryofMadness]

you want the truth?


i think you should go check yourself into an ER and detox immediately. the first trimester of the pregnancy is pretty fucking important.

furthermore these schedules ALWAYS take longer than planned, most people pick a day, fuck up, then head back up the ladder a couple of steps.

finally and most importantly it isn't just the physical thing that makes opiates hard to kick, and if you're anything like most of us, you're going to eventually need help staying off anyway.


BUT - i'm going to move this to the health professional moderated forum so you can get some professional advice from our resident nurses.

[nick]

It seems pretty quick,but I've seen worse.Being pregnant changes things so I can't really say apart from to wish you much luck.
I'd have thought PrettyPoppy and Candy can help you.

[OxyContinuously]

Whatever you do, do it soon, just so the baby doesn't suffer. Maybe the ER *is* the best route.

[OpiateHead]

you want the truth?


i think you should go check yourself into an ER and detox immediately. the first trimester of the pregnancy is pretty fucking important.

furthermore these schedules ALWAYS take longer than planned, most people pick a day, fuck up, then head back up the ladder a couple of steps.

finally and most importantly it isn't just the physical thing that makes opiates hard to kick, and if you're anything like most of us, you're going to eventually need help staying off anyway.


BUT - i'm going to move this to the health professional moderated forum so you can get some professional advice from our resident nurses.

Thank you for your quick response and I appreciate your honesty.

I know that the first trimester is very important and I wish that I had the perserverance to quit the minute that I found out, but I didn't.

I didn't realize it until you said it, but I should just stick with the schedule the way the doctor has laid it out and I will be done with them for good in just a matter of 2 weeks.

I know that staying clean is going to be an issue, because it is not just a physical addiction. I am going to be attending my first NA meeting tonight.

Thank you for moving the thread for me, I wasn't sure where the best place to put it would be.

[OpiateHead]

Whatever you do, do it soon, just so the baby doesn't suffer. Maybe the ER *is* the best route.

I called my local ER's to ask them about their procedure and my situation. The only thing that they would do for me is monitor my BP and give me Ativan. They wouldn't be able to hold me for longer than just a few hours unless I went in for a psych consult, then they would hold me for 72 hours. But I'd have to come in with suicidal ideation or the like and I don't know if I'm up to that.

[OxyContinuously]

You know what, though? At least you're taking positive steps to do what's right. That's good. Plus, you have enough stress when pregnant so why add the stress of an addiction to that too; also the baby's health. That's good you'retaking that step.

good luck

oxy

[Chipper]

The proposed detox schedule looks too optimisic to me. The last part is always the hardest so it's best if it's taken *very slowly* -- try to at least double the time involved or goes to 1/4's and 1/8's if possible.

Or convince your doctor to maintain the status quo with the same dose daily and perhaps detox *after* your pregnancy.

[chemboy7]

I'm about 75% sure that I had read somewhere that rapid detoxing is worse for the developement of the unborn child, esspecially in the first trimester. There is a very good chance that trying it could result in miscarrying or haulting the normal progression of the fetus. If your addicted the baby is too, WDing could prove too much for the little guy. Maybe a more drawn out taper? That could be detrimental in itself though... it's a bad place to be and I don't know what the right thing to do is. I wish you the best on it anyways. Hopefully Candy or one of the other nurses can validate whether my suspicions are correct or not; I'm pretty sure that rapid detoxing is a bad idea though.

[roxi*stardust]

Found this:
http://www.dryoutnow.com/alcohol-treatment/pdf_c031.shtml

[HistoryofMadness]

well since you are under a doc's care, you will probably find it hard to get more pills if he's holding you to this schedule.

this is a good schedule if you're doing the taper route... i commend your gumption... you are the final decision-maker. but since you asked, one more thing: if you do find yourself falling way off the mark, and dipping into the poison after you're through this taper, you'd be well-served to have a plan b.

[chemboy7]

Found this:
http://www.dryoutnow.com/alcohol-treatment/pdf_c031.shtml

Yeah I was sure I read something to that effect; it makes sense anyways, I mean if your WDing then the child is WDing too and that has to take a much bigger toll on the fetus than it does the mother. I liked that link. I thought it was kinda intresting that they were treating the addiction with a non-Opaite drug... I wonder how comfortable the transition or even just maintaining on it would be? I wouldn't want to detox on it but I'm not pregnant; sound's like just what the doctor ordered (for the OP anyways). I would turn down that "follow up treatment" BS though; from what it look's like in the paper that would consist mostly, if not solely, on you daily ingesting Naltrexone... you don't want that shite in your body. I would avoid it like it were the breath of Satan.

[candy]

Ok, so I found out that I was pregnant shortly before Christmas with a pretty decent hydro habit (10-12 of 10/325 daily). Been working myself down slowly and I got myself to taking 5-7. I know it's not that big of a drop, but it was a start.

So I go to my doc and level with him to see what my best options for getting clean are. At first he seemed really resistant to help me until I told him that the last time I tried to CT, I ended up in the ER with my blood pressure at 180/115. So he's given me a tapering schedule and a script of Vicodin (5/500).

Day 1-3 : 1 pill 3 x
Day 4-6 : 1 pill 2 x
Day 7-9 : 1 pill
Day 10-12 : 1/2 a pill
Day 13-15 : 1/2 a pill every other day

Does this sound like a pretty decent schedule? I was thinking of maybe adding 1 more pill and stretching it out a few more days and make it a slower taper.

What do you guys think?

I guess it is good your doing this now. I am not quite familiar with a tapering schedule for Vicodin and I would imagine that most good docs(OBGYN's) would consider you at a higher risk for miscarriage and send you to an OBGYN that deals with high risk pregnancy.

You need to remember that it is a critical time in your pregnancy and being drug free would be the best all of us could do during pregnancy, but any stress on your body is put on the developing fetus as well. Staying clean is hard thing to do and you need some extra support at this time.

All the best to you and I hope everything works out!

[VforVictory]

Honestly if you are down to 5-7 daily now you could be done in a week... I've done it both by choice and not by choice several times. The physical effects will not be great but not all that bad and the main WD should not last more than 3 days at that level. The sleeplessness and such will take longer but really what is issue here is the mental side. You are already going to meetings so you have taken the first step but hoenstly you could be clean in under 2 weeks at you current level and not feel that bad.