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How To Taper Off Vicodan?
Question: I am 21 wks preg and take vicodan daily, either half or whole of a 10 mg. I need to taper off but I don't want to stop completely.. ive taken them for years. please advise
Brief Answer:
here's the options.
Detailed Answer:
If it is really 5 to 10 mg of oxycodone per day, that is 1) a small dose and 2) not going to be in your system for most of 24 hrs.
so...
A) not changing anything but advising ALL YOUR DOCTORS of your situation will result in a tiny risk to you and your baby of withdrawal at delivery and about zero risk of miscarriage due to drug withdrawal (because you aren't lowering the dose).
B) cold turkey . slight risk of miscarriage and no risk of withdrawal at delivery at 10 weeks or more later.
C) stepping down... hard to step down from a total of 10 mg a day... 5 day for 5 day ?!? then 2.5 ?... it is a small dose, not there for most of the day... not sure what stepping down means...
D) don't choose this.... Going onto methadone or subatek. The doses of each of these is far, far more than the equivalent of 5-10 mg of oxycodone a day. You'd be increasing how much narcotic you are taking to do this....
Frankly, I think I have misunderstood how much you are taking, and look forward to clarification
here's the options.
Detailed Answer:
If it is really 5 to 10 mg of oxycodone per day, that is 1) a small dose and 2) not going to be in your system for most of 24 hrs.
so...
A) not changing anything but advising ALL YOUR DOCTORS of your situation will result in a tiny risk to you and your baby of withdrawal at delivery and about zero risk of miscarriage due to drug withdrawal (because you aren't lowering the dose).
B) cold turkey . slight risk of miscarriage and no risk of withdrawal at delivery at 10 weeks or more later.
C) stepping down... hard to step down from a total of 10 mg a day... 5 day for 5 day ?!? then 2.5 ?... it is a small dose, not there for most of the day... not sure what stepping down means...
D) don't choose this.... Going onto methadone or subatek. The doses of each of these is far, far more than the equivalent of 5-10 mg of oxycodone a day. You'd be increasing how much narcotic you are taking to do this....
Frankly, I think I have misunderstood how much you are taking, and look forward to clarification
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
its the yellow ones at 1000, which means 10MG right?its vicodan
Brief Answer:
yes that is so
Detailed Answer:
http://totalpict.com/how%20is%20vicodin%20made
I don't see 1000 on any narcotic pill but 10 mg is yellow, and you thought it was 10 mg.
1000 mg would be fatal.
AND, how often you take them is the main issue... 1 mg (lower than the lowest dose) is getting into the addiction range if you take 10 of them 10 times a day and would have mild withdrawal (at 100 mg/day). It wouldn't have much of an effect at once a day.
yes that is so
Detailed Answer:
http://totalpict.com/how%20is%20vicodin%20made
I don't see 1000 on any narcotic pill but 10 mg is yellow, and you thought it was 10 mg.
1000 mg would be fatal.
AND, how often you take them is the main issue... 1 mg (lower than the lowest dose) is getting into the addiction range if you take 10 of them 10 times a day and would have mild withdrawal (at 100 mg/day). It wouldn't have much of an effect at once a day.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
I only take half to one full yellow one per day. One pill
Brief Answer:
This is unusual
Detailed Answer:
Most questions (ok, ALL questions) I've had about narcotics are on much, much higher doses. the borderline high doses are about 10 times that, and most addicts take 20 times that much. I'm sticking to my first answer with the following modification that you really really have to let your obstetrician know about all drugs that you are on. Frankly, over the counter aspirin and aspirin like drugs are much riskier to you and the baby than 10 mg a day oxycodone per day.
Thanks! It's nice to have a question from someone who is doing rather well!
This is unusual
Detailed Answer:
Most questions (ok, ALL questions) I've had about narcotics are on much, much higher doses. the borderline high doses are about 10 times that, and most addicts take 20 times that much. I'm sticking to my first answer with the following modification that you really really have to let your obstetrician know about all drugs that you are on. Frankly, over the counter aspirin and aspirin like drugs are much riskier to you and the baby than 10 mg a day oxycodone per day.
Thanks! It's nice to have a question from someone who is doing rather well!
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
It's not oxycodone. It's hydrocodone. Is that ok? I take half to one per day bc it gives me energy. It has a V on it
Brief Answer:
yes
Detailed Answer:
hydrocodone is very similar; it is about 80% as powerful as oxycodone.
sorry, I did know that, misspoke. It is a bit LESS than oxycodone so a bit Less problems.
yes
Detailed Answer:
hydrocodone is very similar; it is about 80% as powerful as oxycodone.
sorry, I did know that, misspoke. It is a bit LESS than oxycodone so a bit Less problems.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
So best thing to do is probably take half the yellow hydrocodone for a few days and then half of half until they are finished and then I will not be taking any in the 3rd trimester. Does that sound like a good plan?
Brief Answer:
welll....... you could.....
Detailed Answer:
the key point is that 10 mg one time a day is a small amount. I am not convinced there is the possibility of withdrawal with decreasing from one pill a day.
Changes in any medicaiton should be coordinated with the obstetrician.
And... it doesn't totally make sense.... if someone is on a narcotic, they are getting it from somewhere. Legitamate sources would want to knoww what
is going on; illegitimate sources (buying off of the street) brings with it a whole host of complexities such as whether the pill is what one thinks it is or if it is actually a long acting 240 milligram of oxycontin.... which needs far more close attention and might not be breakable into quarters.
If someone were on one 10 mg pill a day. the original answer would hold (not much of a problem in any case BUT should be with the knowledge of the obstetrician).
welll....... you could.....
Detailed Answer:
the key point is that 10 mg one time a day is a small amount. I am not convinced there is the possibility of withdrawal with decreasing from one pill a day.
Changes in any medicaiton should be coordinated with the obstetrician.
And... it doesn't totally make sense.... if someone is on a narcotic, they are getting it from somewhere. Legitamate sources would want to knoww what
is going on; illegitimate sources (buying off of the street) brings with it a whole host of complexities such as whether the pill is what one thinks it is or if it is actually a long acting 240 milligram of oxycontin.... which needs far more close attention and might not be breakable into quarters.
If someone were on one 10 mg pill a day. the original answer would hold (not much of a problem in any case BUT should be with the knowledge of the obstetrician).
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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