I just posted a long comment to (what must be) the general forum! Then realized there is a specific addiction forum. I want to be short and sweet with this message. I admit I am addicted. I've always minimized it and still probably will today. I want to call my rock bottom this time before I hit it. To me, I have hit it. I'm spending hundreds of dollars a paycheck on oxy cottons. I want that high. I've smoked rock twice in my life. I'm smoking it tonight because I want to be high. I was almost asleep and he called me to see if I wanted it. I took it. I knew I shouldn't have. I didn't really want to. It's not even that great. The buzz isn't what I was looking for, but I keep doing it. Anything to not feel normal. Why I do it? No idea. I have a great husband, great family, wonderful son who is almost 5 mos. I quit easily when I was pregnant, but slowly started again after. I've never admitted this to anyone before, but half of the reason I quit breast feeding was to take pills. I need help. I've tried meeting and support from family outside the household, and it doesn't work. I think I need someone, or people online to talk to. It's hard for my to talk and share feelings, but I'm great at sharing it through writing. My question is.. What are tips to help ease withdrawl? I can't make it through withdrawls, I need help. I have much more to say, just going to wait for a response first. Thank you for your ear and help.
PS.. I must share, my kid has never been directly affected by this addiction, but I know he will if I keep going and that is what scares me. One thing I am proud of is being a Mom. I know I do a great job, I just have to lay of the oxys and other pain killers to get me going everyday.

PS - if you need a higher dose for your pain then make it clear to the doc that you NEED it for PAIN. If they can't be responsive to that you should see a new doc. -It might be safer to switch to taking one Vicoden ES or something to lower the amount of tylenol you're taking each day while still getting relief.

if you don't take the drug to get a buzz, just for pain, then what you are talking about is NOT addiction, it is tolerance/dependance and it is medically acceptable (in most circles) for people with chronic pain to develope tolerance/dependance to a pain med and have to increase thier dose over time to controle thier pain.

But again, try not to because it's a ***** and if you're doc turns sour on you you'll end up with physical and maybe even psychological withdrawals like any addict goes thru.

find a different (buisy and "cool") doc and call in for refills instead of going in for visits. Least that's how I do it, my doc is buisy and not freaked out by the possibility of addiction if you really need the pain relief.
buisy offices just automaticaly give everyone refills unless it's something harder like Morophine, or something that is very unusual to refill. and if you don't make much of a fuss and don't take the stuff non stop and build a tolerance (need a higher dosage/make visits just to get your dose upped) they will just let you keep going
*i think this is generaly how it works with buisy docs offices*. But then again i read that you can't get more than so many (15 i think) refills w/o a visit in six months on Vicodins (etc) on the DEA website. If that is true than my doc is breaking the law about 15-20 times every six mo's. Maybe my docs office is so buisy cause it's a pill mill?
All I know is they have never given me a bit of fuss but to ask if i am getting addicted when I do bother/need to visit. I always say no because what are you going to do? say: "oh well I just love my vicodin to death, it makes me feel so happy and mellow and I take it for both pain relief and to feel better overall" and then give up both your happy pill and your pain relief- yeah right! like any addict would admit that unless they were really bad off and needed/wanted to get off the stuff.

But also and probably more importantly - don't take too much tylenol (though i do sometimes like an idiot). It can kill your liver. you should be taking an N-Acetyl-Cystien supplement if you take tylenol on a daily basis. Google "tylenol" and "NAC" and you will find plenty of info on why this is a good idea. You will also get plenty of scarry info/stories on why you shouldn't abuse narcotics that contain tylenol at higher than rx'd doses. Might scare you striaght, least for awhile..... hopefuly long enough to lower your tolerance back down to a level where you can take only the recomended dosage (and start all over again -uhg!, I've gone thru it at least six times).  

try to keep your doses/tolerance down, try not to become physicaly addicted. it's good advice but like it really ever makes much of a difference to hear when you've gotten a taste of something you like.
hope i helped. -katie

It's me again...I am new to this forum and after reading some other posts I figured I should add some details. I have degenerate arthritis in my spine and was prescribed Tylenol w/codine and now when I don't take it my whole body hurts and I feel very anxious and just plain horrible. I take anywhere from 8-12 pills a day and was completely out for a day and thought I would die. I have only been taking them for about three months. How do people on here get their meds so easily? And for such a long time (like years). My Doc is already telling me that I may need to consider surgery since I am asking for a new prescription every few weeks. I feel like they are going to eventually cut me off...and then what??? But my big question is how do you get the pills so easily and for so long?

Thanks for listening!