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MedHelp Member's Question

Vicodin Addiction

by sue, Oct 11, 1999 12:00AM
I am embarrassed to admit that I am 42 years old and addicted to Vicodin ES - sometimes up to 10 tablets a day. It started over 5 years ago after a pinched nerve in my back.  I have since developed chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia although I am not sure if the addiction has brought on the problem.  Before that I worked out 6 days a week and taught aerobics.  My injury and subsequent problems brought on depression and low self esteem as well as weight gain and I found the Vicodin gave me a "euphoric feeling" and I could get through the day.  What I found amazing is that my doctor kept okaying my prescriptions.  I have tried many times to quit - sometimes as long as two weeks but the utter exhaustion and depression made it hard to keep going.  Through this I have managed a full time job and taking care of a teenager.  I am now afraid of the long term damage I may have done to my body.  I have started working out again with an attitude of "I'm going to do it this time."  My question is - how long can I expect to feel pretty tired and edgy, etc. from the withdrawl symptoms?  I have recently started Wellbrutrin for depression which seems to work fairly well and I have no side effects.  Your answers and encouragement will help...thanks.
Member Comments (141)

by Chantelle, Oct 14, 1999 12:00AM
Dear Sue,

    My name is Chantelle & I was so touched by what you wrote. I am 26 years old & I was addicted to Vicodin, Lorcet,& Fiorinal with Codiene. I would take anything that was Codiene based. I also have been doing this for 5 years. My son was born in 93 & I began to have headaches. I started with Vicodin & everything progressed. I was taking 10 to 12 a day just to get through the day. If I did not take theses pills everyday I would go through wothdrawels & they are awful. You become weak shake diarrea can not focus much more. I had to go into a treatment center & get detoxed which takes 7 days. You CAN NOT just stop taking the pills you could have a seizure... You could die... Now I feel GREAT! I see a counselor every week I take Wellbutrin too! It is a wonderful drug & it helps with cravings! I also take Inderal it is a medicine for my heart it beats too fast & that is from the drug abuse also I take Neurontin for my moods & I take Trazadone for sleep. They are all Non Narcotics & believe me they work. I hope by sharing my experience I have helped you.. God Bless You!

by john horan, Dec 06, 1999 12:00AM
I have severe RSD&have been on vicodin for three months,I take 4 pills a day.Lately it seems its not much effective for pain^&i want to take more Is this a danger sign of addiction or dependence on the drug

by Mr. Vic, Jan 25, 2000 12:00AM
I have a love for vicodin. The ones I usually get are by Watson pharmaceuticals w/ a 349 # on them. I take two at around 6pm every other day. after one hour of taking the 2 pills I go to the gym and swim around 50 laps in an outdoor olympic size pool. By that time I'm completely in a state of nervana and relaxation. The water feels extremely refreshing and therapeutic. I feel so comfortable that sometimes I swim for 2 1/2 hours non-stop. After my swim I get out and do 60 pushups the hard way, w/ my feet on top of a chair. Then I immerse myself in a vary hot sauna completely naked. While in the sauna I'm completely relaxed and feeling great. The feeling is sort of like a dreamy state of mind. All mental and emotional pain, loneliness, spousal arguments and lack of love, are all but a dismal faint memory. The hurt and mental anguish is no longer there. After around 20 minutes in the sauna I put my swimming trunks back on and jump in the outdoors pool. I come out of the pool after a short cool off from the sauna, and immerse myself in a vary hot steam room. I stay in the steam room for around 15 minutes, cleaning out my pores from the vicodin toxins. Then I get out and take my shower and head back home. All these takes around 3 1/2 hours. I am  completely high when I do all these activities, but after spending time in the sauna and steam room, all the vicodin toxins become cleaned out of my blood stream. I go home and fall asleep w/ no withdrawal symptoms whatsoever. The next day I go to work a new man. I don't do this ritual until two days later. So, Because of the way I'm taking the pills and since it's not everyday, should I be worried. I mean, it's not like I'm taking 10 per day sitting at home like a couch potatoe, doing nothing. Am I okay w/ the way I'm taking the drug. I have great amount of respect for Vicodin, because I know what it can do to you if you abuse them. Pleae let me know.

by Candi, Feb 03, 2000 12:00AM
I work with a woman who I believe has a severe addiction to vicodin.  We work in a medical setting at a retirement community and she has access to narcotics.  Pills have been stolen but we do not know quite how to confront her-she is the Director of this community. Please give us your advice!

by John Russo, Feb 08, 2000 12:00AM
Hi, In 1994 i had a terrible accident while working. A large crane fell on my legs and crushed my nees causing me to get total reconstructive surgury. I was perscribed Vicodin Es 7.5. I am now and now only recently realize i am addicted to the Vicodin. I find myself taking up to 15 a day at times.



I am scarted that i have physical and mental dependancy to them. what should i do? I dont know where to begin. Please help i am a 30 yr old male. When i take Vicodin i have no pain, my hands a warm again, i have an appitate, i feel like i can do anything in life. Without them i feel usless and always in pain.



please help



email me



***@****

by Jesse, Feb 25, 2000 12:00AM
I have been taking 1, sometimes 2 vicodin es for about 2 years. Sometimes I have one drink. I am ready to stop both, but am afraid of withdrawal, although I have not honestly abused that terribly. No one knows about this in my life as I am in a 12 step program. I have 3 children and a wonderful husband.



Please advise

by Ms M, Feb 25, 2000 12:00AM
Mr Vic:



I liked your post. It did it for me.

by bill, Apr 11, 2000 12:00AM
All of you people are either very poor spellers, or have had one to many pain pill. I am addicted to Vicodin and am stopping right now!!!!!!!!! Those Qack H.M.O. Doctors that keep giving this **** to us should be shot.

by kristin, Jul 10, 2000 12:00AM
I have been on vicodin for about 3 months. this is my 2nd real day with none.My doctor has me on the Catapres patch. I feel very weak , no appitite. and very depressed. I  have 3 kids to deal with. Can anyone tell me when this will get easier? i feel like such a **** hole..........

by Andrew, Sep 25, 2000 12:00AM
It is now 1:35am,and I feel as if I am gonna worsen overnight.I just have stoped taking lorcet 10/650,which I have been taking for 2 years now. I am very sick,and hoped to find info on how to make myself feel better.I have been preparing for this for a while,but i feel the worse I ever have in my life. I was taking about 10 lorcet 10/650 a day,and decided to try to detox myself at home.I have been asking God why this has to happen to me,and the only conclusion I can come to is its my own fault.I am only 20 yrs old,and feel as if my life is slipping away from me.I lost my girlfriend recently and that makes it worse.My legs feel so bad,I wanna just cut them off.I started taking the pills to relax me so I could go to sleep,because my dad was going through a tough battle with chirosis of the liver,and I had a ton of worries.I hope my story lets people know that it is hell getting off these things.If anyone wants to email me , my address is ***@****

THANKS

by Jo, Oct 05, 2000 12:00AM
I am in my fifth day of hell going through self imposed withdrawl and detox from Vicodin.  Those damn pills were ruining my life, and making me sicker and sicker.  I was up to sometimes 8 a day.  After a while, it was making me equally sick to take it, as to not take it.  I decided to finally stop already.  Consumed my life with watching the clock to see if it was enough time since my last one, juggling doctors and pharmacists to keep my "habit" going.  This is the hardest thing I have ever done and I'm doing it on my own, and trying to keep my job and raise my children.  I'm really hoping it'll only be a couple of more days.  Would appreciate any help, advice, or survival skills.  Email me at ***@****.  Thanks, and good luck to all of you!

by dmsbjake, Jul 19, 2007 10:47PM
To: everyone
i am 17. i have been taking vicodin for 6 years. it started when i was in the 6th grade and got headaches and went to my doctor and he told me i had migraine headaches and gave me vicodin. i took them with no sign of addiction. but then i felt the pills not giving me the effect i wanted. then i started taking them when i had bad days. and i my rational was this will make my day better. then on good days i would start to take them saying to myself this will make the  day great. and on great days it would make them better. it then got to the point where i would take 7 at a time of 750mg pills. i got depressed and i had to lie to my parents saying i spilled them in the sink. or faking headaches. i started to fake them and say the vicoden did not help and would go in to the doctor and get a stadol shot for a huge high. i have quit many times but started up again. i was able to function and go to lacrosse practice and go to school. i am from an area where problems like this are not accepted because all the millionaires that our family friends and next door nabors would look down at my family. i have thought of taking my own life for what these pills have done to me. i take on a huge amount of pressure. all of my siblings got into ivy league schools and i have to look at schools that will take me. not only in academics but on the sport field. all of my siblings have been captains of there sport. and that so far is the only goal i have been able to complete for my family. i want to get help for this but it would crush my family and make others look down at them for something i did. i am trying to quit on my own but withdraw makes me sick and shake and get bad fevers. it makes my legs feel like a thousand needles our in. i want to know if there is an easy way to quit in secret.

by jaydeesil, Jul 20, 2007 02:40PM
To: anyone
i am 17 i have been taking vicodin 7.5/500 for like three month im not sure if im addicted. I tell my self im in control but i take them even when i dont want to iv never been threw opiate withdrawls im kinda scared. does anyone have some advice for me anything would help.thanks

by NASTO, Jul 20, 2007 03:34PM
To: jaydeesil
whats up! Seems like you havent been taking too much too long. Get out now while you can. I was using up to 150mg's - 200mg's of oxycontin a day and decided to stop CT this tuedsay am. That tuesday morning I remeber laying on my couch thinking to myself,"theres now way in hell you can do this". The mind is powerful and will do anything it can to get its next fix. Im now nearing day 5 and am about 99% better!!!!!! I cant believe I didnt do this sooner. Im one of those lucky ones who goes through WD's fast and with minimal discomfort. We are all different. You just got to suck it up and bite