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Addicted to Percocet?

by TS1DS1, Jun 28, 2001 12:00AM
I have had Crohnes disease for 15 years. I have had 5 surgeries the last two within 6 months. My doctors tell me I have nerve damage from all the surgery. I have constant severe pain in the lower right hand side of . I have been taking 1 percocet pretty much everyday in the afternoon (I can't take it during the day because I work) for almost 3 months. I go to a pain clinc where they put me on Neurontin which makes me too tired to work and tried Bio feedback which didn't work for me. The Percocet helps the pain but I feel I am addicted. Some days I feel like I need something really bad and I do not know what it is and then I realize after I take the Percocet I feel better. Sometimes I have that needing feeling during the day and want to take the medicine just to make it fo away but know I have to work. I want to stop taking them but I am I pain and feel if I stop I will have that bad needing feeling I can't stand. I am also afraid I will start taking more than one each day (sometimes I take more on the weekend because I do not have to drive or work). Is it all in my head? One a day seems like a small dose and the doctors told me to take it. If I stop taking it how long before the "cravings" go away?
Member Comments (87)

by Neena, Jun 28, 2001 12:00AM
Sorry to barge in on another thread but I need a quick answer to a question.  Is there any truth to the rumor that Darvocet can be used to help with withdrawals from Vicoden ES?  Does Darvocet contain a form of Methodone?  Is this a fact?  It does nothing for my pain, but I desperately need to know if they could come in handy for the three days of withdrawals and how to use them correctly in this situation.  Help.  Neena

by GypsyStevi, Jun 28, 2001 12:00AM
To: ts1ds1
Hello,

I was wondering if you have RSD in your hand? I know a little about RSD, my mom is suffering from that. It is a nerve disorder and my mom is in a lot of pain.

Hang in there,

Jackie

by TS1DS1, Jun 28, 2001 12:00AM
I didn't proof my question very well! The pain is in my abdomen and it is all the time. The doctors told me basically the nerves are "fried" from being cut so many times. Unlike most people I hate the way the Percocet makes me feel, dizzy, tired, itchy, and very cranky! I want to stop but the pain is awful and the "cravings" are bad too!

by Jimenez, Jun 28, 2001 12:00AM
To: Neena
Darvocet is a Class IV Narcotic. It is a synthetic narcotic that is a very, very weak cousin of Methadone. I've taken both and believe me - they are really day and night in strength...BUT YES - they will help in withdrawal cases. Now, if you were withdrawing from heroin - Darvocet would be the stupidest, funniest thing you could do...unless you shot up like 10 of them...But seriously - You didn't go into detail about how many Vicodin ES's you were taking so I'll give you a rough example. Say you're taking 10 Vicodin ES's a day. That's 75 milligrams of Hydrocodone. If I had that habit, I would expect to take 3 Darvocet (at first) as soon as withdrawal symptoms start (That's 300 mgs. of Propoxyphene and 1950 mgs of Tylenol). Now, different people react differently to Propoxyphene. If you have a HUGE Vicodin habit, you won't feel them that much, unless you really over do the Darvocet. If you overdo them - you will feel like you're high on Pot. I have actually had disturbances in vision from too much propoxyphene at one time - a crossed eyes feeling! NOT fun. So, only take as much as you need to kill the withdrawal symptoms but don't go over. Don't try to chase a high with the Darvocet. The high's not worth it and you should give your body a short rest anyway from all the Tylenol that's in the Vic ES's. Darvocet has 650 mgs. of Tylenol also, so don't overdo them. Darvocet also takes a little longer to get going in your system for some reason than say - Vicodin. Say it's 4 p.m. and you're starting to withdrawal from the Vics...take 2.5 or 3 of the Darvocet and wait. It WILL TAKE up to an HOUR for you to start to feel a little better. Vicodin is usually 20-30 minutes for me to start working...I wanted to tell you this because you'll feel like "These aren't doing anything!" and you'll want to take more. Wait at least an hour before you take any more. That's how I overdid it several times, I wanted to feel better immediately and took more before the first dose had a chance to kick in. Now at night: If you are nursing a large Vicodin habit - you should hold off on the Darvocet as long as you can before you go to sleep. You want the Darvocet to last as long as it can so you can sleep...Say at 11p.m. you take 2-3 Darvocet...if you have a high tolerance (i.e. a bigger habit - 15-25 Vicodins a day) expect to wake up around 3 a.m. with withdrawals...the weaker Darvocet not only won't satisfy your opiate receptors as much as the Vicodin, but it'll also wear off quicker. So keep a couple by your bed...if need be - chew them up a bit. I've noticed that if I wake up in the early morning with WD's and am relying on Darvocet to get me through - that hour wait before they start can really play with your sleep and patience...you're waiting for them to kick in so you can quit squirming, but you may have to lay there for awhile. I hope this all makes sense - YES Neena there is a Santa Claus and Darvocet WILL help you with your withdrawals. Of course, if you're taking 40 Vicodin ES a day and only have 15 Darvocet - You're gonna have a rough go of it anyway. But really - only take the Darvocet when you feel the WD's coming on OR BETTER YET - only when you can't stand it anymore. That way, not only will your body start getting some of it's tolerance back, but you'll conserve your Darvocet. Good luck and again, I hope this made sense and/or helped.



(Also, don't expect the Darvocet to make you feel GREAT or 100% better...all it will do is make life somewhat "normal" for you:) - meaning Life WITHOUT drugs. You'll feel as if you haven't taken anything at all and you'll feel like your endorphin supply is actually normal. This is the hard part - the reason we all started abusing the Vicodin to BEGIN WITH was so we didn't feel "normal" during the day with a "normal" endorphin supply...so the temptation to do more Darvocet just to "play" with your "sobriety" will definitely be there...but like I said - the Darvocet high isn't much fun anyway...give your body a break and good luck.

by Jimenez, Jun 28, 2001 12:00AM
To: P.S. to Neena
I reread my long-ass post and wanted to say one thing:



I recommended taking 3 Darvocet right off the bat for WD's...that may be too much for you if you are only taking 5-10 Vicodin a day. The Darvocet can be a weird drug and sometimes it will hit you differently than others...so, disregard my "initial dosage" recommendation and do what you think is right for your situation. DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT treat 1 Darvocet as equal to 1 Vicodin ES though. That will just lead to trouble. It's really easy for us to think "Oh, Darvocet is weaker so I need to take a LOT more to make up for the Vicodin." That's NOT necessarily the case. They are 2 completely different drugs and you shouldn't make an ='s chart for them if you can help it. Take as LITTLE of the Darvocet as you can to feel okay. It's weird...there's been times where I use Darvocet for this reason and I'll take 3 of them and I just feel "okay"...the next time I do this I may feel slightly or even REALLY spun from the same dose. So be careful. I'll quit rambling now :)

by GypsyStevi, Jun 28, 2001 12:00AM
To: ts1ds1
I am sorry, when I read your post I somehow thought you said you had nerve damage in your right hand.

Disregard me reply :)

And hang in there,

Jackie

by Angelica, Jun 28, 2001 12:00AM
To: Jiminez
Well, hello there.  Still around I see.  LOL

by Francoise, Jun 28, 2001 12:00AM
Watcha gonna do about the pain if you get off?



I'm taking oxycontin and although it scares the bejesus out of me to be on it, it really does work and works well. I just don't abuse it because it will kick your ass around the block and back.



But from what you say, I think you'd benefit from 20 mg oxy (that's only one pill) every 12 hours. It's smooth. No up and down. No mood swings. But it is addictive.



But you know, my friend with diabetes has to take his medicine every day or he dies.



My father must take his heart meds every day or he dies.



My friend with the transplanted kidney has to take his meds every day or he dies.



I have to take my meds every day or I die.



Can't see much difference. The oxy gives me a life I wouldn't otherwise have. Thomas got me thinking like this, and I will always appreciate it. And I got lots of other good advice from lots of others on this site as well.



Best to You,



Franc

by Thomas, Jun 28, 2001 12:00AM
To: Neena
yes, Nina, Darvocet is chemically related to Methadone, although, as you've discovered, has nothing like the pain killing power of methadone. And, yes, darvocet will definately help ease the withdrawal symptoms from VicodinES, as it will even W/D from heroin. It's no magic bullet and won't make withdrawing from Vics painless. But I've used Darvocet many times to "hold off" the W/D's until my next Vicodin script was refillable. If managed well, you could use a gradually decreasing dosage regimen of darvocet to get off VicodinES. I would, however, have a box of brand name Imodium handy as you might stil experience the runs from withdrawing from the Vics. This might or might not be necessary. I would start with 2 Darvocet N100's every four hours and gradually reduce it to one every four, then one every 6 hours, etc. -- whatever makes you comfortable. Many heroin addicts will use Darvocet or darvon to tide them over until their next fix. It's a partial solution at best for heroin, but a damn good one for withdrawing from Vics. Don't mix alcohol with Darvocet, however, as the tylenol in Darvocet will react with the alcohol and potentially harm your liver. You can, however, affect a more complete self-detox if you can add some benzos to the darvocet. Valium or Xanax or Librium or Klonopin in small doses accompanying the darvocet will give you an excellent level of relief from the Vicodin withdrawal. Good idea, Neena, all in all. Just don't OD on the Darvocet N100. I'd say two at a time would be your max. Don't take chances by taking three or more of the Darvocets at a time. Good luck.



Thomas