Hi everyone,

I'm still lurking, not posting much but keeping up with all of you who are in the midst of w/d'ing and learning, learning, reading, reading.

Has anyone here taken Tussionex? I am curious as to how closely related it is to herion, for example.

I had bronchitis early 2006 and was prescribed this. I also have allergies and my doc gives me the Tussionex for night coughs. The bottle is supposed to last 18 days but it lasts only about 6 days. I love the way it makes me feel but it is not a good substituion to wean myself off of Vicodin HP (I take 10 mg x 660 Tlyenol - 4 a day for endo). I'm planning to wean myself off of it soon as I know I'm addicted, though I have pain, the pills are consuming my thoughts.

Thanks for sharing any experience with Tussionex.
E

I don't believe you can compare tussinex to herion.........but it is addictive....very.......if you're taking it that much...you're addicted. Stop now

One of Tussonex's ingredients is hydrocodone, so that's what you're feeling.....so substituting your Vicodens for the cough syrup isn't really changing anything....if that helps at all. Sounds like you know that your pill taking is a little out of whack, so you'll eventually have to address it......and tapering if you can sounds like a good idea.

Best of luck to you, and know that you'll get plenty of support and people who've been thru the same thing here!

Thank you Flintrock and Trying Hard Mom.

I had read that 15mg of hydrocodone is equivalent to 10 mg (1/6th gram) of Morphine. I have taken 200 mg of Tussionex/Vicoden and am curious what that equals for morphine as I read they act similary once digested.

I'm distresed by the Tussionex entirely. I cannot take it as directed. I thought I would have one last good high before I hit the w/d plateau, sigh, it's difficult to admit my addiciton to myself. I always say "next week" and I've been taking Vicodin for 4 years now, averaging 40 mg daily (4 Vicodin HP). Some days I take 5. I also take benzo's - valium, about 20 mg daily, sometimes 30 mg.

Edited to add that I am sweating profusely tonight.

It's time to get off this rollar coaster but I'm scared about my complete lack of self control and will power.

Thank you again Flintrock and TryinghardMom, by just replying to me, I feel I'm opening a line of communication with others who have experience with addiction.
thanks ever so much. My plan is to start June off at 4 a day, swtiching to 3 a day by week 3, 2 a day by week 6, 1 a day by week 9 and then jump.
As for the valium, I can't quit them anytime soon nor without my doctor's help as I've been taking them daily for about 15 years.
Thank you again for your replies.
E

PS: I've tried to do the math myself based on what I read, but I'm coming up with around 13 gram, can that possibly be right? I'm afraid I may have took too much today and am researching OD signs. This is sick.

Well I can tell you this that hydrocodone is in the same drug catagory at herion. So yes its hard to get off of and yes you dont feel anything when your taking the cough syrup because it has vicoden in it. Do you tell your Dr. that your cough is painful? Because I wouldnt think of a Dr who would prescribe this as an allergy med infact I think thats insane on top of vic pills??? Are you abusing the pills? That is does the pain meds last you through the month? There is a difference between the two. Do you take the pillls as needed or do yo take more than prescribed to you for thr high? Vicotuss(tussinex) should not be rx'd for alllergies have you tried anything else like zyrtec, allegra, alavert? Those are for allergies. Unless you have bronchitis or phnemonia caused by allergies that is the only thing I have heard of vicotuss being RX'd for. If your dr is giving you hydro's plus the COLD medicine he/she is out of line. The pills would have treated the pain from nasal drip and other painful symptoms of allergies first try allergy meds. YOU need to tell your Dr the truth unless there is something you left out in your thread. You cant detox off a drug if your taking it in another form. Also, if your taking hydro Hp plus the cough syrup which has hydro in it you could be putting yourself in SERIOUS danger. If your not telling your Dr about abusing the cough syrup I HIGHLY recommend that you do. Unbenounced to your Dr he/she could be putting u into highly dangerous situations, re. kidneys. liver and other organs. In my best opinion I would stop taking both drugs at the same time ASAP. besids the hydro in the cough syrup there are other ingredients that could be harming u also tylenol which your getting some of in the pills (plenty). Vicotuss is to treat the pain of people who have a BAD case of bronchitis and phenomia not alleries and shame on your Dr for RX'ing it like that. I hoped this helped although not sure you'll have to do your own research on the 2, but I think I might be on to something.

Thank you Kim - a side affect of the cough syrup for me is insomnia of sorts.

No, I didn't tell the doctor that I had a painful cough - he just renewed my scripts for Singular, Advair, Albuterol and the Tussionex at my follow up on Thursday of this past week.

In Januaary, he listened to my chest and dx'd alllergies/asthma. Per his instructions, I still have allergy-related wheezing and I've been instructed to keep up the allergy/asthma maintenance meds (scripts such as singulair and Advair and Tussionex). He did say that the Vicodin pills also act as a suppressant but to take 2 teaspoons of the Tussionex at bed-time amd to come with a tpdppAa rupu 0fji0dl-Sarah if necdsay

I do not abuse the pills, I never run short on them and take them as directed but I cannot take the sryup as directed. sith.

The cough syrup knocks me right out but the pills gave me a sort of energy kick isnt that weird how everyone reacts differently to the drugs. I would slowly ween off the cough syrup cut back the doses and try to take it as directed and not abuse it slowly tapering off it although since you take the pills you wont go into w/d's I dont think. Once you stop taking it as directed thats when you know your getting yourself into an addiction and abusing it. So I would really taper off of it and take it only when you really need it. Not for the euphoria the drug gives you which is why we abuse it in the first place cause we love the high and the feelings it gives us. I hope you try to stop and I wish you luck. Kim

Thanks Kim, I see I jumbled my last couple of sentences on my previous post. I took about 6 teaspoons 2 hours before "bed" and was up 1/2 the night in a stupor of sorts, worried that I hurt myself by taking too much. I flushed the rest of the Tussionex, which was only about 1 ounce left as I wanted to drink all of it at once. I noticed my breathing was slowed and it scared me too. Yes, it's weird how you get energy from the pills and I don't get proper sleep with the syrup. I used to get energy from the pills but now I use only for pain control.

I do have a refill on the Tussionex but I can't refill it for another 2 weeks or so and I don't think I will at all, ever, because I really scared myself this weekend. In fact, I'm very lucky I didn't od on the syrup I think as I took it too fast/too much. I guess I have had 150 mg of Vicodin/Tussionex for 2 days straight each day in my system. Today, no Tussionex and 2 Vicodin HP pills. I don't feel that great right now (naseau).

As for the endo/Vicodin HP's, I want off them completely for a long time now but am afraid that I'll fail with w/d's. I'm scared.
Thanks so much for replying.
Good luck to you too.
E

Just wanted to share what I know about Tussionex. It is similar to Oxycotin -- it is a time released hydrocodone. It is dangerous when it comes to overdose because it is much more powerful. It is different that taking one teaspoon of a regular cough syrup with hydrocodone, and much more addictive. It is mostly used for lung cancer and other lung disceases where there is heavy duty pain.

You were wise to flush it!

Meme

I didn't realize that they had come up with any sort of actual long acting time released type of cough syrup,is this new?i know I have taken tussinex in the past,like,oh ten years ago?and it was not time released back then,did they reformulate it since??just curious.marcia

Hi Marcia -- it is nice to meet you. I'm new here!

I went to treatment 23 years ago (1983) and was addicted to regular cough syrup and Tussionex and Forinol (sp?) #3. I didn't know about tussionex until after I left treatment and became a drug counselor for several years. It isn't widely used where I live and many doctors around here don't know about it's dangers. It is supposed to be used as 1 teaspoonful every 12 hours.

I stayed totally clean for 20 years. I had to have several surgeries for several things for which I had to have narcotic pain killers in the last 3 years and have begun to struggle again with addiction. These forums have helped me so much. I just decided to start writing some. I only found it about a week ago. All of your comments have been such a great comfort, inspiration and help to me.

Meme

I didn't realize that they had come up with any sort of actual long acting time released type of cough syrup,is this new?i know I have taken tussinex in the past,like,oh ten years ago?and it was not time released back then,did they reformulate it since??just curious.marcia

I have a nephew who is addicted to Tussinex....he can't go anywhere without it. He used to use it to sleep. Not any more....it doesn't do anything for him, except keep the withdrawals away...Isn't that sad? He's also xanax addicted. He's college grad, dad and mom are doctors, and he's a big time addict. Has no job....no ambition...just a habit.............please stay away from the Tussinex.....my husband's doctor gave him a scrpt for it when he had bronchitis, and hubby wanted a refill just to keep for later use....doc said no...he never refills Tussinex...now we know why..............

Hi --

I was only 28 when I went to treatment (I'm over 50 now). I would tell the biggest lies -- anything to get the Tussionex. It was a real prison. I remember two druggist warning me that this stuff was really powerful and I needed to be very careful with it. I had 2 children at the time. I got pregnant and had to stop the drugs and the cigarettes. It was so hard. As soon as he was born though, I started right up again, and it was 10x's worse. I had 3 sons, I was teaching school, and was running around every afternoon to the doctors and the drug stores with my baby -- looking for Tussionex.

It is a very powerful and dangerous drug. I would stay away from it at all cost, unless someone is on their death bed of a lung related disease. That is what it is really for.

I went to treatment when my baby was only 5 months old. My mother kept him, and my husband and my dad went through all of my treatment with me. My other two sons would stay with my husband at night and go to daycare during the day. It was the greatest thing that ever happened to me and my family. During the treatment, my husband and father discovered they were alcoholics and stopped drinking. My daddy died 8 years ago a sober man! My husband is still sober.

My husband is a great support to me now. We knew there was a chance I'd have a struggle with addiction again having these surgeries, but it is shocking to me how fast it has grabbed hold. It is true what the recovery programs say that it is worse than it was before! I haven't taken that cough syrup, but I have taken other kinds with plain hydro in them. My main problem has been the pain pills.

I have just spent a week in withdrawals cold turkey, and I'm now on a taper. It hasn't stopped the w/ding, but it has helped. My husband is keeping the pills my pain management doctor gave me and giving me one at certain times of day, and we are decreasing them. I plan to go from there down to a lower type of pain medication and taper it off. It is a kind I do not like at all, but helps with keeping cravings and wding at bay. I'll do this tapering for months if my husband continues to help me, and he will. I'd do the same for him. After 30 years, 3 grown sons and 4 grandsons -- we know everything about each other and love each other even more.

When I quit smoking in 1984, I chewed the Nicorette gum. It was still a prescription then. The box said not to chew it for over 6 months. I had been to treatment the year before, and they told us to wait a year at least to try and quit smoking if we chose. I sing and play music, so I wanted to quit because it was affecting my voice.

The only thing was, I didn't want to stop chewing the gum!! LOL! I got addicted to the gum. So after 6 months, I started a taper with the gum, slow and long, but I got down to 1 piece a day and quit. I've never smoked since and never "chewed" either (the gum I mean -- or any tobacco).

I know the taper will work if I am not in control of it. I would, no doubt, get out of control really fast!

Meme


I have a nephew who is addicted to Tussinex....he can't go anywhere without it. He used to use it to sleep. Not any more....it doesn't do anything for him, except keep the withdrawals away...Isn't that sad? He's also xanax addicted. He's college grad, dad and mom are doctors, and he's a big time addict. Has no job....no ambition...just a habit.............please stay away from the Tussinex.....my husband's doctor gave him a scrpt for it when he had bronchitis, and hubby wanted a refill just to keep for later use....doc said no...he never refills Tussinex...now we know why..............

Hi!!

Guess what? You're addicted!

Since it sounds like it might just be somewhat early in your addiction to OPIATES, then stop now.

A lot of suggestions might follow as to your quitting, but whatever works works, as long as you stop, because if you don't..............

four weeks turn into eight.........

six months turn into a year............

etc..... etc......

Tim

Hello Tim -- yes well, no doubt about that. I'm living one day at a time. Mostly one minute or second at a time. Addict I am and have been even the 20 years I was clean.

So, what is your journey? You may have already shared, but I haven't been hear long.

Meme

Meme,

My "condition", is of an addict's one. I was, or maybe some still consider, still am addicted to hydrocodone.

This is not a lurid tale of one drug leading to another, years over time, with me becoming bankrupt, but instead a bit of a happier one.

I was prescribed essentially unlimited amounts of the stuff due to a nerve condition in my face, and out of stupidity (and I say that cause I could have managed the pain with a non opiate), I took them, and took them all.

Good Lord, they made me feel good. Granted, the pain in my face didn't improve that much, but hell, I could do three times as much in a day as I used to.

Fast forward four months. Okay, finally realized I am addicted. I was taking anywhere from four to seven 7.5 mg a day. Not a lot for some, but enough to become physically and mentally dependant.

Told the Doctor, no more pills, I fear I am becoming addicted. He respected my request, no dishonor, and I quit cold turkey, which sucked arse, but all done.

So, that is my condition, living day by day, remembering the feeling of euphoria I would get, and resisting, day by day.

Tim

Hi Tim and All --

Thanks for sharing Tim.

When I was a drug counselor I counseled people one on one and in groups, did intakes, sent people to inpatient or outpatient treatment or to detox. I taught classes at detox for a while. It was really interesting -- I LOVED IT! One thing we taught that I have never forgotten because it is so very true -- is that we spend our entire addition time chasing that first great high we had and never finding it. Oh we feel high at times, but we will never experience what we did that first time again.

It is because our body begins to set up a tolerance right away. It takes more and more of the drug to try and get the good feelings -- but the good feelings get farther and farther away. The good feelings get replaced with worry about how to get the money to get the pills or cough syrup or how to make it through the week, or guilt, and on and on. The throne of our hearts begins to push everything else off and replaces those things with that bottle of wine or pills or medicine or whatever we have grown to desire more that anything else. We have begun to love something that cannot and never will love us back. Not ever.

We will continue to play the game until the spiraling down causes us to hit what ever our bottom is. Once we hit, and there is no where else to go but up, we have to make a choice. Some of us wake up as we are falling. Others lay at the bottom and cry for a while. Some, as the big book says, are those unfortunates that never make it out -- but we have to decide that we will NOT be one of those unfortunates.

I have decided that no matter how many times I think wrong, or stumble, or feel lousy, or crave, I'm not going to live like this anymore. This past week and a half it has really felt wonderful to wake up in the morning and not have as the first thing on my mind, "Where are my pills?" and "Do I need to get more today?" I am so sick of living that way. I'm beginning to believe again that I have a purpose and just because I am over the hill and 50 (lol) my vitality is finished anyway!

I read in another post that you got dentures, I do too. I just got them this year but have struggles with my teeth for many, many years. That's another whole story. I only had 8 teeth left on the top because I had a lot of bridges, but even the bridges wouldn't stay in right anymore. So, I had them pulled in Feb of this year. I had foot surgery, a hysterectomy, and an MRI that revealed 3 displaced and worn down disc (pinching the nerves) in my lower back. I've played the piano and guitar in worship bands now for 20 years -- really lively stuff, and I have a great deal of pain in my hands (but I play anyway!) My right hip and leg are really bad, but I've decided to try and live with Ibuprofen and Aleve and aspirin as much as possible.

Mostly, I want to live my life without hydrocodone being on the throne of my heart. I'm so tired of everything revolving around that. It doesn't care a bout me!!! I have 4 beautiful grandsons and 3 sons and an 81 year old mother living. I have 3 dogs that I enjoy as much (sometimes more) than the human beings! It's time they become as important to me as the pills. I thought they were but now I know I was wrong.

I thank my God for this board. No one can understand us like we can understand one another here.

In His grace, Susan Riddle
http://www.tehillah.org