Hydrocodone

by Tony, Oct 24, 1999 12:00AM

Take the pain and know that with each day you WILL FEEL BETTER!! You probably should have weened yourself off, but if you didn't just hang on and it will be worth it. I am going through the same myself and it's not the first time. I've had back pain, surgery, pain again and next time pain management will consist of acupuncture, meditation and anything but narcotics!

by Mick, Oct 30, 1999 12:00AM

join the club no one in their right mind should join. It took 2 inpatient detox stays to quit. With Gods grace it will be 4 yrs this yr,I cannot imagine kicking at home..how many mgs/#of 7.5s or 10's were you taking per day? The best thing they gave me was catapress,blood pressure reducer. That with Quinine for the cramping made the physical tolerable. The depression?Time,God and knowledge that their is life after you get out of vic/lortab hell. God bless and good luck brother.

by vanessa, Nov 04, 1999 12:00AM

it's hard at first, your tired and very achey, it's like your body needs it. just try to get as much sleep as you can and within a week you will start feeling better

by Rick, Nov 15, 1999 12:00AM

To Tony, Was takin 20 7.5 per day. been completele off for about 6 days now. Don't feel like doing anything no hapiness, no joy , very irritable and depressed and weak. Girlfriend gave me Xanax for depression taking 2 a day helps a little. This **** is hell!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Took Vicodins for about 6 mths

by Cristi, Dec 07, 1999 12:00AM

To Rick. 20 7.5's a day??!! That is a lot. By now I am sure you are feeling somewhat better. I am going through the withdrawl hell myself, right now. It sucks really bad but I just keep telling myself that it will pass with in a week or so. A looooong week or so. -Cristi

by SG, Jan 04, 2000 12:00AM

Here in Australia we can get anything up to 9mg Codiene/tablet (with 500 mg Paracetamol) over the counter.

I've been doing these on and off for about 3 years now. I've quit twice. But it's SO easy to fall back into. Any excuse will do. An injury, a head cold, anything.

My new years resolution is to quit, for good. 1.5 days so far! I was taking between 6 and 8 9mg tablets a day. I feel like **** and find it hard as hell to sleep. But from memory these symptoms drop off in a week or so.

This stuff is a *****!

by noneofyourbiz, Jan 16, 2000 12:00AM

I'm a family practice Dr. myself, and found myself taking some Vicoprofen's that were laying around just for fun. Now it's 2 years later and I have been writing Rx for myself under assumed names. I did stop for a couple of weeks about 6 months ago, but got some cough medicine for a holiday weekend; and the rest is history. I was up to #20 7.5/day and sometimes more before I stopped. I think my body knew something I wasn't ready to admit and I slept for 18hrs., sweats and only 12 pills over 2 days. The next day my wife found the stash of bottles (with old boyfriends names as the patient) and called me on it. The last time I quit, we were going through some tough times and she wasn't there for me. She told me not to be so scared to quit, that the withdrawal was all in my head. BOY IS SHE WRONG!!!!She knew I had trouble 6 months ago but didn't know I started again. Believe it or not, she has been very understanding! I'm trying to continue with my life while I withdraw, i.e. going to work, caring for our son etc.

I went cold turkey that day. It's now day 5 and I'm starting to feel a little better. Intellectually, I know all the problems but it's hard to personalize. I'm scared. I have access of course by prescription at any time. I WILL NOT LET ANYONE OTHER THAN MY WIFE KNOW! I will NOT go to NA and will find a way to kick it myself (sound familiar). Just writing this has helped me already. I just want to know.... will the desire to have some pills leave my every waking thought any time soon?

by Drnoneofyourbiz, Jan 18, 2000 12:00AM

Oh, one other thing.  I never used the Hydro for pain, other than when there WAS pain, it helped.  I have heard that if there is a true source of pain and that pain is removed (i.e. a nail in your spine) the withdrawl is less.

It bothers me when I see people justifying their use for the pain control.  First of all, there isn't much better pain relief with the Schedule III and IV Narcs than the new NSAIDS.  I.E. when I take off some moles or something, people NEVER ask for pain meds other than Motrin type stuff.

When you think of withdrawl think of what it does to you when you use and reverse it (constipation-diarrhea)(sweats-chills)and the good news, the impotence goes away:-)

Obviously I've lost all credibility to you all as a physician, but with my background, I do understand some of the physical aspects.  For example, I'm more worried that my liver will not recover from the Tylenol than damage from the Hydro.  I don't have any signs, but plan on a full physical in a month or two.

Does anyone know how long before a drug test is clean? After all the physical withdrawl symptoms perhaps?

by lori, Jan 28, 2000 12:00AM

Hi to all of you people out there who are having trouble with hydrocodone. I also feel for the doctor (noneofyourbiz) as I have been a nurse for 23 years. I started taking tyleno #3's 15 years ago after a car wreck and was really abusing them, going to several doctors to get enough meds, also getting on Zanax for awhile. It was a nightmare, and I was full of guilt because I was a nurse and a Christian, which made me feel like I was just not trusting God to help me deal with my problems. Boy, how you can lie to yourself when faced with an addictive personality. I finally got off all that for several years until 4 years ago when I hurt my back at work and had back surgery. I have constant pain, and for awhile I was taking Lortab and Some. Again I took more than the prescribed amount and would run out before refills were allowed. It is a terrible dilema to try and tell yourself "I will only take these when I need them, and not just to feel good, so I won't run out." Well, that never has worked for me. I also take 12 or so Tylenol and 6-8 Advil a day for 3 years now in order to deal with the chronic pain in my back and leg. But I want to try and stay away from the hydrocodone because obviously I can't take it like I should. I really do pray for all of you out there who are going through this type of nightmare. God can truly help, though. And He is always there, even when we fall, He always picks us back up. I too worry about liver damage from 4 straight years of multiple Tylenol use. So far there are no real symptoms of liver damage, and I pray God has protected me. It is hard as a professional to feel like you can talk to anyone about this type of problem. Glad there is a forum like this to come to, read, and know others are dealing with a very difficult area in their lives.

Good luck to all and God bless!

by lori, Jan 28, 2000 12:00AM

Hi again! Just as my letter was being submitted I noticed I left the "l" off Tylenol and spelled Xanax with a Z instead of an X

Boy, how is this for compusive behavior at 3 in the morning. Just wanted the letter to be right. The computer is too fast!Bye

by steph, Feb 04, 2000 12:00AM

I really feel for the doctor and the nurse. I managed a medical office for eight years. Eighteen months ago, after the birth of my second child, I started using some of the samples of Vicodin for menstrual pain. Once I discovered the energy they gave me and what a perfect employee and mother I became I was hooked. The last six months, I was taking 20-25 Norco tablets (10 mg. hydrocodone/325 APAP per tablet) EVERY DAY! I got another job thinking that if the temptation was removed I could stop taking them without difficulty. Boy was I wrong! At first, I think that every addict thinks that he/she is different from every addict that has come before. That they will be the first to stop on their own because they are stronger...this is only the pills talking. When you use hydrocodone, you think you are stronger than everything else. Eventually, I was forging prescriptions. I tried to taper and was falling asleep in the bathroom at work. I couldn't function. Four weeks ago today I went through rapid opiate detox and received a naltrexone pellet. At first I thought I would feel terrible for a couple of weeks and then all of the withdrawal symptoms would disappear. Wrong again. But I am much better than I was a couple of weeks ago. I am not saying this is definitely the way to go but for anyone out there who is addicted to hydrocodone, find whatever way you can and whatever reasons you can to stop. They will ruin your life. My personal reasons for stopping was for my kids. My mother was a severe alcoholic and I want them to have a good, sober mother. As for those addicts working in the medical industry, it is even more important to be honest with ourselves and others. As soon as you start trying to hide ANYTHING, you're trapped again. I have been attending AA meetings regularly and they have helped enormously. Do not be afraid to attend these. Your anonymity will be preserved and you will get more than you ever thought possible from other addicts. I was lucky. I quit before I was caught. Before I lost my husband. Before I lost my children. Before I even lost my job. But I would have lost all of these things - maybe even the day I entered treatment if I had not summoned the courage (and the fear) to quit. Also, my detox doctor (also an F.P.) was once addicted to cocaine, alcohol, and had a near-lethal dose of morphine. Talk about a wake-up call! He nearly lost his life! Anyway, his perspective is much different from most doctors. In fact, I trust him MORE than I would other doctors who have no personal experience of addiction. As for the F.P., maybe this is your calling. If you can overcome your addiction, think what a service you could do for your patients and other addicts. This could be your calling - a blessing in disguise.

Good luck and God bless.

by Kimberly

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