Yeah that regimen does sound awsome, chowpei, and also very familiar! I have been reading this thread all day, and have been hesitant to post. I have never taken hydrocodone, or it's big brother oxycontin. I take codeisan or perduetas, along with a couple of alka seltzer, when my back flares up, a regular but not everyday occurence. Codeine is junior-league as far as pain meds, but I am really afraid that if I started on hydro thrrough a consult, I might like it too much, and find it hard to stop.

I have posted in other threads about my past recreational opiate addiction, (which I put to a stop 3 years ago thanks to intervention, detox and rehab), and naturally the symptoms of withdrawl closely parallell what you are experienceing in your "Hydro Holiday". At some point I realized it would be a good idea to take a "heroin holiday" once in a while, not due to tolerance but to demonstrate that I was in still in control and could stop whenever I wanted. Long HOT baths worked wonders for me, and having a xanax or a valium at hand can make a big difference. Good healthy hot meals are an essential, long walks or bike rides to get the system pumping.

For me the experience of opiate withdrawl is kind of like a combination of Jet Lag and the flu, you do suffer badly but the worst is over in a few days. My very favorite place to endure withdrawl symptoms was in a good hotel, preferably one on a different continent, where I would lie in bed, order roomservice and watch TV, and pretend to myself that I was experienceing really severe jet lag!