Vicodin Withdrawl

by Diane, Oct 16, 1999 12:00AM

My father is 46 years old and has lived with chronic back pain for the past 15 years. He was told that he could undergo a major operation to alleviate some of the pain; but that is not even guaranteed. His only relief is the vicodin; which, now he is addicted to and relies on this for his moods as well. He pops 10-12 pills a day like it's candy. He too needs counseling; I know. When he can't afford to buy the pills or hasn't taken them he describes the sensation as worms crawling through his body. He has come clean today with my sister and I about all of this. He was rushed to the E.R. on Friday complaining of chest pains that felt like he was swallowing glass and dry heaves. So far the doctors have found nothing wrong with his heart; but they don't know about the vicodin abuse. We are so worried about him. He goes through his prescription in less than 2 weeks than goes and buys the pills from a "so-called" friend. I thought you two could help each other through this hard and trying time. I know he truely wants to change his life around but he probably feels helpless and hopless. If you would like to e-mail some advice or just have someone who knows what your going through e-mail him at j_trevethan***@****

by bob, Oct 18, 1999 12:00AM

Wow...every time I open this site I hear my story over and over again. I am 35 years old and have been addicted to prescription narcotics for about 7 years. That is before I went to a drug treatment facility about 20 months ago. There they introduced me to the fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous. When I had finally had had enough and surrendered to the fact that I am an addict and that my life is unmanageable I was finally able to get help. I found that in the fellowship there are rooms full of people just like me who are living clean and have a new lease on life. I felt pretty unloveable when I arrived and they loved me unconditionally until I was able to love myself. I have just come back from a convention where there was over 30,000 years of combined clean time. I too have had 7 back surgeries, and I have just made an appointment for #8 on the 29th of this month. I will take Oxycodone and Oxycontin again, but this time I surrender the control of my meds to my wife, who then administers them as prescribed. Yes, it is a little humiliating, but who cares? I am clean....I deal with my pain when it gets untollerable through accupuncture, and through distraction. I have a new life....thanks to God and the fellowship of Narcotics Anonymous. Open the phone book....they are listed everywhere. Go to a meeting with an open mind and look for similarities not the differences. You too can have a life free from active addiction...just for today. Thanks for letting me share. If you'd like to my e-mail address is ***@****

by Christina, Oct 21, 1999 12:00AM

Hey Steve,

I am very empathetic with your struggle and want you to know that you CAN do this! I was addicted to vicodin for a long time before my hysterectomy and had to go off it after my surgery. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done, but I'll never forget the day I woke up and realized I had made it through the worst of it. I suggest you not wait to get the help from a drug counselor until after the phyical affects are gone,and get the help during the withdrawl time. I spent a lot of time on the phone with my drug counselor day and night during those very hard and sleepless two weeks. He helped me through the worst of it, as well as my husband and kids. If I can do it, anyone can. Please do this for your body and your life. I don't know about the addictive-free narcotic pain killer...but I pray you are able to get through your next surgery without having to face this all over again.

Feelin' For Ya,

Christina

by Christina, Oct 21, 1999 12:00AM

Diane,

I would like to know if you would be interested in having an internet friend who is going through somewhat the same thing you are going through. My mother has been addicted to vicodin for 9 years because of numerous bowel surgeries. The doctor has decided to use the drug vicodin to keep the bowel under control so she is able to keep weight on....but this doctor really dosen't know what damage he has done by doing this. He hasn't researched any other drugs to see what else would do the same thing without causing such negative side affects. She takes about 8 ES vicodin a day. It is unbelievable the mood swings and ups and downs she has. My parents are living with us right now and it is in my face every single day and is now affecting my children negatively. I finally got the guts up today to talk with my dad about it and he just broke down. We don't know what to do. Mom isn't open to going off of it and our family is just in agony over it. I have dealt with my own addiction to vicodin in years past so I know how hard it is...but I also know how worth it it is. Please email me if you'd like. I'm 29, married 12 years with 5 gorgeous kids. I'm a desperate daughter...this is tearing me up inside. I can't stand to see my dad hurt like this either.

Sincerely

by Bevy, Oct 21, 1999 12:00AM

steve i dont have any advice but i can relate to what you are going through i have the same problem.my boyfriend of 14 years is very sick from diabetes. so you see i cant put my kproblems on him. hes aware of my problem and would love to help me, but i need to work to pay the bills. i hope you only the best. i do smoke pot, and it helps, but coming off codeine im afraid you will need more help.

by Randall Day, Oct 28, 1999 12:00AM

This is addressed to all Opiate/Opiate based addicts,Heroin, Vicodin,Percodan etc...There is a way out, and it's good old

Methadone! I'm really addressing 1st time addicts/those kicking for the 1st time. Find a Methadone clinic, sign up for

the 21 day detox. Let me explain, the worst part of kicking is

approx. the 1st 3 to 6 days. Follow your clinics instructions

for that period of time, in fact, split the difference,a good

choice would be 5 days on Methadone, than drop the program.

   This gives the Opiate time to leave your body,get past the

Physical withdrawl, but not enough time for the Methadone to

get a grip on you. Methadone can work miracles if used properly,

and make for a pain-free withdrawal, but many say it's worse to kick than even Heroin! Many so calledMethadone "lifers" started with an innocent 21 day detox relapesed,than went on the progression to what is reffered to as "maintenance" Trust me, you don't want that....

  By the way, i'm speaking from my own personal experience of

kicking a hard core 2 yr Heroin habit,studying virtually every

piece of info on Methadone as well as every piece of info I could

find,watching the behavior of others in my similar predicament.

  You probably shouldn't let the clinic know in advance of your plans to discontinue after only 5 days of their 21 day program

because they, to make a profit and stay in business are depending on you completeing the full 21 days. It would not be ethical or honest to vanish without letting them know your dropping out,

they will probably ask you for a fee for early departure which

is only fair, furthermore,heaven forbid you should ever need them

again! Many so called "lifers" on Methadone began innocently

enough the 21 day detox but somehow ended up on permanent

"maintinence" program...Sometimes for the rest of their lives....

  I think I should also point out that after you do your 5 day

"early getawy" from what's suppose to be 21 days program,you

have 2-3 days to think about how you feel and if its not well

you will not be dropped and can continue with the remaining time

left of your 21 days if you think it's necessary, so it's all up to the way you feel.... By the way, I want to make it clear that

i'm in no way putting down Methadone,it's turned lives around

an made peoples lives funtional that otherwise would be usless.

All i'm saying is that i'd rather not have "clinics" and "dosing"

as part of my life!!  So take this for what it's worth......

\

kicking

by Randall Day, Oct 28, 1999 12:00AM

This is addressed to all Opiate/Opiate based addicts,Heroin, Vicodin,Percodan etc...There is a way out, and it's good old

Methadone! I'm really addressing 1st time addicts/those kicking for the 1st time. Find a Methadone clinic, sign up for

the 21 day detox. Let me explain, the worst part of kicking is

approx. the 1st 3 to 6 days. Follow your clinics instructions

for that period of time, in fact, split the difference,a good

choice would be 5 days on Methadone, than drop the program.

   This gives the Opiate time to leave your body,get past the

Physical withdrawl, but not enough time for the Methadone to

get a grip on you. Methadone can work miracles if used properly,

and make for a pain-free withdrawal, but many say it's worse to kick than even Heroin! Many so calledMethadone "lifers" started with an innocent 21 day detox relapesed,than went on the progression to what is reffered to as "maintenance" Trust me, you don't want that....

  By the way, i'm speaking from my own personal experience of

kicking a hard core 2 yr Heroin habit,studying virtually every

piece of info on Methadone as well as every piece of info I could

find,watching the behavior of others in my similar predicament.

  You probably shouldn't let the clinic know in advance of your plans to discontinue after only 5 days of their 21 day program

because they, to make a profit and stay in business are depending on you completeing the full 21 days. It would not be ethical or honest to vanish without letting them know your dropping out,

they will probably ask you for a fee for early departure which

is only fair, furthermore,heaven forbid you should ever need them

again! Many so called "lifers" on Methadone began innocently

enough the 21 day detox but somehow ended up on permanent

"maintinence" program...Sometimes for the rest of their lives....

  I think I should also point out that after you do your 5 day

"early getawy" from what's suppose to be 21 days program,you

have 2-3 days to think about how you feel and if its not well

you will not be dropped and can continue with the remaining time

left of your 21 days if you think it's necessary, so it's all up to the way you feel.... By the way, I want to make it clear that

i'm in no way putting down Methadone,it's turned lives around

an made peoples lives funtional that otherwise would be usless.

All i'm saying is that i'd rather not have "clinics" and "dosing"

as part of my life!!  So take this for what it's worth......

\

kicking

by Randall Day, Oct 28, 1999 12:00AM

This is addressed to all Opiate/Opiate based addicts,Heroin, Vicodin,Percodan etc...There is a way out, and it's good old

Methadone! I'm really addressing 1st time addicts/those kicking for the 1st time. Find a Methadone clinic, sign up for

the 21 day detox. Let me explain, the worst part of kicking is

approx. the 1st 3 to 6 days. Follow your clinics instructions

for that period of time, in fact, split the difference,a good

choice would be 5 days on Methadone, than drop the program.

   This gives the Opiate time to leave your body,get past the

Physical withdrawl, but not enough time for the Methadone to

get a grip on you. Methadone can work miracles if used properly,

and make for a pain-free withdrawal, but many say it's worse to kick than even Heroin! Many so called Methadone "lifers" started with an innocent 21 day detox, relapesed,than went on the progression to what is reffered to as "maintenance" Trust me, you don't want that....

  By the way, i'm speaking from my own personal experience of

kicking a hard core 2 yr Heroin habit,studying virtually every

piece of info on Methadone as well as every piece of info I could

find,watching the behavior of others in my similar predicament.

  You probably shouldn't let the clinic know in advance of your plans to discontinue after only 5 days of their 21 day program

because they, to make a profit and stay in business are depending on you completeing the full 21 days. It would not be ethical or honest to vanish without letting them know your dropping out,

they will probably ask you for a fee for early departure which

is only fair, furthermore,heaven forbid you should ever need them

again! Many so called "lifers" on Methadone began innocently

enough the 21 day detox but somehow ended up on permanent

"maintinence" program...Sometimes for the rest of their lives....

  I think I should also point out that after you do your 5 day

"early getawy" from what's suppose to be 21 days program,you

have 2-3 days to think about how you feel and if its not well

you will not be dropped and can continue with the remaining time

left of your 21 days if you think it's necessary, so it's all up to the way you feel.... By the way, I want to make it clear that

i'm in no way putting down Methadone,it's turned lives around

an made peoples lives funtional that otherwise would be usless.

All i'm saying is that i'd rather not have "clinics" and "dosing"

as part of my life!!  So take this for what it's worth......

\

kicking

by Randall Day, Oct 28, 1999 12:00AM

This is addressed to all Opiate/Opiate based addicts,Heroin, Vicodin,Percodan etc...There is a way out, and it's good old

Methadone! I'm really addressing 1st time addicts/those kicking for the 1st time. Find a Methadone clinic, sign up for

the 21 day detox. Let me explain, the worst part of kicking is

approx. the 1st 3 to 6 days. Follow your clinics instructions

for that period of time, in fact, split the difference,a good

choice would be 5 days on Methadone, than drop the program.

This gives the Opiate time to leave your body,get past the

Physical withdrawl, but not enough time for the Methadone to

get a grip on you. Methadone can work miracles if used properly,

and make for a pain

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