I take norco/lortab 7.5 5-6 times a day for pain. Am I addicted? in the sense that i am dependant, yes, very much so. I can go 4 hours before I start having watery eyes, sneezing, and super yawns.

Well, i called the dr office on thursday to ask for refill called in for friday. They said ok, see what dr says (it has never been a problem, I have been a good patient). We will call you if there is a problem and he needs you to come in. What pharmacy, etc.

So i gave them all pertinent info. I never got a call back. they require 24 hours, and I had called thursday at 2 ish.

So, today I go to pick up Rx. I have two more pills left. Turns out they had not called it in.

shit. So I call dr. Get answering service, tell them situation. They never call in pain meds after hours. Well, I called them during and did their own protocol.

Well, we will call the on-call dr but I'm sure they won't do it.

So they call and sure enough on-call doc doesn't know me from adam (or michael) and has no records, and won't call them in. Of course.

I called back, and siad, do you know taht I will go into withdrawals before monday? Besides the pain issue, I am really more scared of the withdrawals.

she was like they never call in after hours, but I did everything right and I will end up in the er. Can't you call the dc, he knows me and will know exactly what the deal is. Oh, but he still won't do it. Well, can you call and ask?

She gave me the supervisor, etc. Said to go the instacare if i gat sick. They won't give pain meds either on a new patient. So what am I supposed to do?

I have never ever called after hours or on-call or the doc at any time. Followed all protocol. I live in Utah, so they are uptight and pretty much everyone is treated as a drug addict that uses it to get high. I wish. I feel nothing except a lessening of pain.

So, i am screwed. What is anyone's experience with withdrawals? If it were my fault I wouldn't have anyone to blame. But I did exactly what I was supposed to do. I pay my bills, go see him,, do drug tests occasionally, don't doctor shop, yet it's ok if I get sick.

Just scared.

You could go to the hospital emergency room.

unless the problem is obvious like appendicitis, broken bones, knife wounds,stuff like that. "Alleged" pain that cannot be proven - WELL - that leaves chronic pain sufferers out in the cold.

I try to always under-utilize my pain meds. If I'm allowed, say, up to 3 a day but it turns out that I only need 2, I'll put that extra 3rd one in another bottle. That becomes my emergency stash.

I annotate my calendar for the date that I am allowed to call back in to refill the med whether I actually need it that day or not. I stay as far ahead of the pain as I can. I have never OD'ed, but I don't trust the system because of the very kind of thing you have described.

Good luck!

I know how Utah is regarding the pain pill thing. It happened when my BFF went to the ER for severe tooth pain. Because her teeth were bad (she's since had them all pulled and received dentures)they assumed she was some kind of addict, which she is not.


I'm sorry you have to go through this and from what I understand, withdrawal can have any or all of the following symptoms:

Severe shaking
Pins and needles or feeling like ants are crawling all over you
Vomiting and nausea
Chills and fever
Seizures
Severe insomnia

It's not your fault you're addicted to the pills- Anytime you take opiates for more than 3 days, you become physically addicted to them. So sorry you have to deal with this.

That's not true. You do not become addicted just because you take an opiate for 3 days in a row. Ex-heroin addict here.

Withdrawal sucks. I feel you. Get yourself to a meth clinic or suboxone clinic, but it's a bit pricey and you don't need it for but a few days so that's no good.

If you know you can't handle withdrawal go to the E.R. But I would not tell them you're in withdrawal. Lie and say you have horrible pain.

That might sound conniving and all, but drug addiction is looked at as a major sin by most.

Uh, I know something about that particular addiction myself from personal experience. You can experience withdrawal after using opiates 3 days in a row and the body craves them when you stop. Maybe this didn't happen to you, but that doesn't make it untrue.

I didn't make that as clear as I should have, though.

2 tylenol and 2 ibuprofen every 4 hours for pain relief. I got this concoction from my dentist, who uses this INSTEAD of lortab for pain relief after oral surgery. He says it works just as well, without the side affects. Although you still have to be careful about liver damage and stomach bleeding, so don't exceed the daily limit on those meds. ;-)

I don't know what to tell you about the withdrawl. I hope it's not bad. Maybe you should spread out when you take the remaining pills. Save one for tomorrow?

Also, I think it would be legit to call the answering service and insist that you need to talk to your doctor, and that they didn't do what they said they would do and that you don't want to end up in the emergency room because they dropped the ball. Try to sound as businesslike as possible, and not too desperate, if you get my meaning.

Thanks. I could go to the ER. Can't afford that and they are still really tight. I do have the rx bottle and they could then probably call dr but it will cost me $250+ where my rx is $10.

I did tell the answering service that I did what I was supposed to. She said they can't get ahold of the dr. That is pure bullshit. They can always get ahold of the dr.

I am going to spread out what I have. I do have sleeping pills, and while I can't take ibuprofen and other nsaids because of yes, liver damage, I can still take tylenol.

I just don't want to deal with the big D. I have several other health problems too.

I hate sounding like the whiney drug addict, but I am addicted. I should really be on something stronger but only a coup;le times a day, but this doc won't do it. I am going in for a couple of surgeries too, so this is a pain to deal with.


I tried to be careful when I spoke with the answering service. I just said, do you know what withdrawals are like cold turkey? Nope. Yeah, of course I can go to instacare. That will cost $150 out of pocket, and i know they won't give you anything until they can diagnose you. They have signs all over. That is why I have my doc because he knows me and my issues.

I wish sometimes I got high, but I never do.

I seriously hurt my back last year and was driven to the er. I couldn't sit or stand without excrutiating pain. they gave me morphine, and were shocked when they came in 45 min later and I was totally not loopy or anything. While it helped the pain a bit, i didn't feel it. I hate that. but pain sucks and I am always in it.

I am hoping they will call him anyway, but i have a friend who may have a couple and if i am desperate tomorrow I think she would help this one time. I have never ever asked.

Thanks for the advice and kind words. I feel so guilty, of course that comes from growing up mo too

Wow. Seriously?? 5-6 Lortab per day???

I have limited experience with Lortab, but I have taken it for various injuries throughout my life. The most I have ever been prescribed (what the bottle said) was 2 per day.

If you are going through withdrawals, I would probably try to deal with that first. You gotta wean yourself off the dependency, man! Maybe you can get your scrip refilled, and then try to cut back to 4, then 3, then 2.

The last time I went in for a refill, the doc said, "This is the last time, we don't like to do this for everyone." The medical community seems to be trying to cut back on this stuff. Which really SUCKS for people with legitimate chronic pain issues. Advil never did bunk for me when I was in real pain. But anyway.

Just wanted to say I understand what you're going through. But if I were you, I'd really seriously think about trying to break your dependency. You don't want to be in this position again, do you? At the mercy of some doctor's lame schedule? Maybe there are some other pain management options to look into. Good luck man!

First of all, don't listen to people who tell you how much you should or shouldn't be taking. There are millions of chronic pain patients who take just as much or more than you. I am one of them.

People apparently don't understand the word chronic. Just what is a chronic pain patient supposed to do? Suffer because people who have never been in that situation don't get it???

Your body become dependent on them. You already know that. For me, the other option would be to live in a state of pain that would have probably caused me to kill myself by now. I chose to be dependent rather than dead.

I've been in your situation. Brace yourself, it's not going to be pretty. If you have guns in the house, remove them and have someone put them where you don't have access. I say this, because people can become suicidal. I would try calling the emergency room and telling them what happened. Maybe they can get a hold of your DR. Situations like this make me furious. It's the people who need them the most that suffer. This is just one of many ways society tortures pain patients.

I'm sure I don't have to tell you to put a call in to Dear Dr. first thing Monday. It would be nice if he could give you two days extra so you don't ever have to go through this again.

My thoughts are with you. Hang in there if you don't get help until Monday. Also, if you can, have someone to drive you where you need to go, you'll not be up to it.

Also, to avoid this in the future, try to never call in on Friday. Dr's often leave early, then you're screwed.

If you have to call in on Friday, go in and pick it up yourself to make sure you get what you need. I've gone in and sat there for two hours just to make sure I got my meds before the weekend. Holidays are another big problem.

Another thing I do is KNOW when your DR. is going on vacation. Mine left and didn't tell me. His fill in gave me enough to last that week, but it was a giant headache. The Dr's know what's going on. They know exactly what situation they are leaving you in. If you can find one that cares, you're a lucky person.

And by the way, I don't consider myself addicted to meds. I do consider myself addicted to not being in chronic pain though. What a lot of people don't know is, if you're in chronic pain you don't get high off of pain meds. I've taken them for 10 years and have never been high,not one time. If I get prescribed a dose that's too much, I don't get high, I get sick. Very sick.

What is the pain you're suffering from, BTW? An injury, an illness, etc.?

A couple acetaminophen and ibuprofen combination taken with food often does the job. Can be hard on the liver. Doctor recommended it prior to morphine.
I also suggest calling the doctor five to seven days before you run out, and not on a Friday (for reasons as mentioned above.)

Hang in there. If you have unmanageable symptoms, go to the closest hospital ER.

The OP called on Thursday...

Part of the problem with pain meds, is they don't let you call in and pick them up a week ahead of time. If you're prescription runs out on the 17th, you can't fill it until the 17th. If you're lucky you may have a DR. that will post date it, but they re reluctant to do that. When you go through the hoops every 30 days it gets to be a real pain in the butt.

Sorry to hear that your doctor screwed up your pain meds for your chronic pain. I've taken scheduled med for pain / anxiety for years, and this sort of thing has happened to me too. I hope that you make it through this okay. Two things.

Immediate term, withdrawls from opiates will make you feel like shit but they will not kill you or do long term damage to your health. Keep powering through the discomfort. You will be okay.

Second, maybe it's time to see a pain management specialist. I'm on my second one for my back issues and am beginning to see some results. 45mg of hydrocodone a day is a lot of hydrocodone. Sometimes large amounts of hydrocodone or other opiates can actually have a paradoxical reaction and cause you to perceive more pain. And maybe you're right about needing a time released medication. Maybe a non-narcotic drug might help as well. Regardless, get a second opinion or see a pain management specialist, and have an honest conversation with the doctor that put you in this situation about how much you're using and how bad your physical dependence is.

At the risk of getting flamed, and sounding completely uncaring, I am going to remind people that the Dr. is human. He/She does deserve to go on vacation, have their own family emergency, get sick, work a schedule that won't kill them, and otherwise. Asking ANY person to be available 24/7/365 is just unreasonable.

I am not trying to chastise anyone. It is just a gentle reminder. Remember TSCC demanding your whole existence? The shelf crumbled.

Of course, everybody needs some time off/vacations, etc. But is it too much to ask them to do their jobs when they ARE at their office/working? The OP called on Thursday and was promised action on the request for the following day. They didn't act on it, so now the OP suffers for the Dr's Office screw-up.

The OP isn't asking the Dr to be available 24/7/365. But when the Dr's office didn't do their job, there's no effective back-up plan in place. The people who are supposed to cover in these unfortunate situations are not doing their jobs and are passing the buck.

Thanks everyone, seriously. I would have never thought that I would get such great advice!!

Yes, I did call on Thursday, per their rules. Yes, you have to wait the 30 days.

This is the one thing that I have to have my own doctor for.

I have been to pain management clinics. They put me on suboxone, which then was just a pill, a very expensive and addictive pill.

I actually took myself off that because we could not afford the co-pay, spur-of-the moment drug tests (they are quite expensive) and the monthly doc visit to a special doc.

Thing is the Lortab doesn't do much. It keeps me from feeling like crap. It does help the pain somewhat, but not near enough.

Even the pain I feel is enough to make me suicidal, because it's chronic. I am going to have to do something about this, I hate this so much.

I have osteoarthritis of several joints', and my legs cause the most distress. It's like a distant storm with the low rumble of thunder that never quite gets past your house, that storm is always there.. Just enough to make you crazy and tired.

I also have a muscle disease. I shoulld be on a different drug. But it has just been the easiest to stick with this doc. I do have to go to another doc, more specialized.

degenerative disc disease, sciatica, etc. Pretty much from my waist down I have been in pain for 20 years.

Anyway, I just got up from a 5 hour nap. I took half a pill and now I will go take some additional tylenol. It seems to help me sleep. i just have to be careful to not overdue that or I could be in real trouble.

It sucks I can't take rx strength or any nsaids. They cause great stomach pain. Back when they came out they were the wonder drug, and thought to be perfectly safe. I had life defying cramps as a teen and through my hysterectomy, and so I took 4 at a time to not beg to be punched in the head. I had endometriosis very severe.

I would say more but that wouldn't keep me anon. My doc is pretty cool, I have been extemely honest with him about what and how much I take, I have tried to have a stock of two to three days just for this reason, but this last couple months I have lost track of time and called after the 30 days.. I will have to try hard to get that. I always worry about if there is some emergency and how I hsould have 3 days worth of it.

Thanks again for the support. I feel like a cliche. But chronic pain is life-threatening. It does make you feel really bad about yourself, because you feel so bad. I know I feel pretty worthless at times when I just can't get anything done.

I'm not the mother I want to be, or the friend, and I don't work because of it. I would take one kidney stone a year instead anyday.

I used to sing to myself, especially with cramps, pain pain go away, don't come again another day.

Then of course when they were really bad it was a lot of drugs, pillow on my lap and rocking back and forth singing every damn primary song I knew. I even got the book out sometimes.

eventually I would fall asleep and wake up hours later. There , it isn't o/t anymore!!

la la, families can be together forever, thru heavenly fathers plan, I always want to be with my own family.....and the lord has showm me how I can....

sick sick song. they CAN be together, only through HIS plan. Only if you stick with it can you be with yours.

Very sad.

Hi there, I work in the medical field.
You do have options.

*Id you have an afterhours advice line or nurse advice line, let them know you will run out of pain meds and need advice.

*You are taking a large amount of medication daily. Knowing you were ready to run out of this med, it was not wise to call for a Friday refill on a Thursday. For ANY medication, you should call 5-7 days before you run out. Most offices are very short-staffed on Fridays.

Just because it was not a problem in the past, does not mean it could BE a problem. Most offices have a 24-48 HR turn around policy. Most of the time they are faster, because they can do so.

The withdrawls you are describing-(watery eyes, sneezing, and super yawns) are not really true withdrawl symptoms.
These are something to be scared of? Pain I understand, but sneezing?

You can show that you have a history of this medication, and most ER's/On Calls will ONLY give you enough to get you thru the weekend until it is addressed by your normal prescribing physician.

I called back, and siad, do you know taht I will go into withdrawals before monday? Besides the pain issue, I am really more scared of the withdrawals.

You were directed to the instacare or the ER. If you do not get a refill on your meds..you will need to do this. You may not get the medication YOU want, but if you are in pain they will help you get thru the weekend.

I can tell you that this is standard protocol for everywhere and everyone on controlled medications IS handled very carefully for a reason. This is not about singling you out.

No, it is not ok if you get sick. But not having your pain medication does not make you sick. It makes you uncomfortable.

You will have to go the extra distance this time unfortunately.
You can also file a complaint with your patient advocacy department about their turn around time (24hrs) not being met. That way they can investigate to see what happened.

Other things to consider if you have been on this medication for quite some time, and do not like the withdrawl symptoms.

*Talk to Dr about weaning off or some other combination therapy. NO pain medication is intended for unlimited use.

*If you are not currently seeing a pain management specialist, it might benefit you to see someone who ONLY deals with pain issues.

*Ask HOW early you can request refill in advance and make a note of it. Some offices have the ability to send your Prescription to the pharmacy, but it will not be RELEASED to you until a specified date. Otherwise, you might need to get in the habit of asking earlier, so this lapse doesnt happen again.

NO one wants you to be in pain or have discomfort here. Sadly, becaues there are SO many abusers..this process is the norm.

Hang in there, you will get thru the weekend.
RMM

update.. Thanks again everyone. I was going to say soemthing but I already forgot.'

I did find a pill in a drawer. I also found my bottle of Tramadol. This is for break-through pain, which I really have everyday. But I hate how it makes me feel, really causes so much more fatigue.

Anyway, i do remember that they are now considered a scheduled medication as they work on the same receptors. So I am going to alternate those today, and I am hoping it will keep things under control.

Oh, now I remember what I was thinking. I am not worried about the withdrawals of sneezing, yawning, etc. Those ARE the beginnings of withdrawals. the sneezing is crazy, as my airways totally close up and kind of stick together. needless to say it is not fun.

But what I am/was worried about is the vomiting, diarrhea, cramping, etc. I have a really hard time with those, have passed out because of being so sick. I have seen people go through de-tox and know what can happen. So, I can live with the sneezing, it's the other stuff.

Doing fine now. Thanks again!!

I know someone who told me he once used kratom leaf to reduce opiate withdrawals.

People say it works, but it looks expensive and probably isn't safe.

I hope you get feeling better.