Hi Jnn,
If I'm not mistaken, Lortab is Hydrocodone (same family as Vicodin). I've been tapering off of Vic for over a month now, and have experienced all the withdrawal symptoms that you mentioned. Like you, I have work and family obligations, so couldn't be a vegetable while going through the taper.
Several people here suggested that I was trying to go too fast, and I was. Like you, I wanted off SO badly, that I was trying to just quit and be done with it. Unfortunately, my body wasn't going to agree to quitting quickly, so I started over and have been going down in small increments, waiting about a week for my body to adjust to each taper, then cutting the dose down a little more. Once I started giving myself more time, the withdrawals became a LOT more easy to tolerate.
I'm now going down by 1/4 pill, a week at a time (or sooner, if I'm comfortable and not having problems). I was at one pill a day for a week, and yesterday tried 3/4. No withdrawals so far. So I'll stay at 3/4 for a week, then try 1/2, then 1/4, until done. It's going to take a little longer than I had hoped, but you have to do what works best for YOU. Trying to quit in a hurry was leaving me in a state where I couldn't function. If you have enough of the medicine on hand to really take your time, I think you'll feel a lot better, and be more mentally "together" to take care of your daughter.
I'm finding that as my dose gets lower, the taper is getting easier to tolerate, so hang there. Whatever discomfort you're feeling now will get better as your body starts to let go of the drug. I'm down near the end and am feeling pretty good. I'm having rebound headaches, but no withdrawals at this point. Just know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, and you'll get there.
Best of luck to you.
