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Mental Health (Expert Forum)
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Answered by
Roger Gould, M.D. - Mental Health, Wellness
Questions posted in the Mental Health forum are being answered by Dr. Roger L. Gould, author of the Mastering Stress and Depression program and affiliated with the UCLA. Department of Psychiatry. Topics covered include anger, attention deficit disorder (ADD), bipolar disorder, dementia, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), learning disabilities, memory, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic, personality disorders, phobias, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), schizophrenia, stress, transitions, and work problems.
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by Blndy, Sep 16, 2005 12:00AM
I am writing to talk with others who are withdrawing from Vicodin. I am on day 7 and I feel like I'm dying. I need support because I am all alone in this. I have managed to hide it (or did I)for the last few years. I can't do it alone. I went in the forum archives and saw that people with the same problem were able to converse with one another and I need that support. Will someone contact me? I feel like hell. I feel like I want Vicodin and need it and think of it all the time. On one hand I want to be free of this nightmare now, and on the other, counting the days sometimes hours until I can get my script filled. It has destroyed my life. I barely make it to work. I isolate from my family with the flu all the time. I am always alone either taking it or thinking of it. I was doing about 6 - 8 Vicodin 5/500 a day. I read how supportive to all were with one another and I need you. Please help. I don't think I can go on. Please, I don't want to be alone anymore.
Doctor's Answer
by Roger Gould, M.D., Sep 17, 2005 12:00AM
, Sep 17, 2005 12:00AM
I hope others will answer you, but my advice is for you to see a psychiatrist who can also help you through this medically as well as psychologically.
Member Comments (20)
by starrynight3333, Sep 17, 2005 12:00AM
i'm not in your situation but i did want to offer some encouraging words and to tell you to hang in there. i'm sure it's really hard for you but try to stay postive and i wish you the best of luck..
by troid, Sep 20, 2005 12:00AM
i was useing vicodin 5/500 about 8 a day also for my severe pelvic pain, i finally got surgery to relieve the pelvic pain, so i weaned myself off of the vicodin myself. it was very hard and nobody in my family new i was becoming addicted.i was on it off and on for almost a year until i finally said thats enough. its very hard and yes there are still days when i think man if only i could have one to relax me then everything will be better. stick to it you can do it.im here if you want to talk.oh by the way the last time i took one was about 4 weeks ago, so it hasnt been that long.take care
by zoe2005, Sep 20, 2005 12:00AM
I hope you are not on day 7 of a "cold turkey" withdrawal....I suggest you go to your MD and talk it over with him/her to help you wean off. Depending on the amount you've been taking, it can precipitate seizures! Not to mention, by now, you probably feel like you have the worse "FLU" of your lifetime! Please check with your MD. There is a new medication now called Suboxone which can help you "wean" off the Vicodin much more effectively without the cravings, flu-like symptoms, etc. You may want to check into it. Take care, you can do it!
by EvyEve, Sep 23, 2005 12:00AM
Please don't try taking yourself off Vicodin. This should be done by a doctor. Please go see your doctor right away. I hate seeing and hearing about people suffering. They is no need for you to be suffering so much. Good Luck!!!
by EvyEve, Sep 23, 2005 12:00AM
Please don't try taking yourself off Vicodin. This should be done by a doctor. Please go see your doctor right away. I hate seeing and hearing about people suffering. There is no need for you to be suffering so much. Good Luck!!!
by bootz, Sep 24, 2005 12:00AM
To: blndy
You do not have to suffer like you are!! Suboxone is available to help people get off narcotics without the debilitating withdrawal. One of the requirements for this treatment is to actually be in active withdrawal so the doctor can "induce" you onto the suboxone. It is a synthetic opoid that "tricks" your brain into thinking it's getting the narcotic, thus eliminating the horrible withdrawal, but you don't get a high from it. You also can't take narcotics while you are on it or it will make you go into withdrawal.Most people who are dependant on narcotics relapse over and over again because they can't stand the withdrawal. Fortunately, you are not taking that much, ( compared to alot of others I know) But your body doesn't withdrawal based on what the drug is or how much you take, just that those receptors are empty and want to be filled. Check the web wherever you live, only certain doctors can offer this treatment, and make an appt. If you have chronic pain, then you might want to consider seeing a pain management specialist, they are used to the problem of tolerance and dependence and usually will get you managed properly so you don't "run out" Best of luck to you.
by ashb, Sep 29, 2005 12:00AM
I know exactly how you feel. It is terrible! I was taking 60-80 mgs of oxycodone per day for about eight months straight not because a doctor prescribed them or because I was in pain. I took them to get high and because it suppressed the symptoms of my anxiety and depression. I was self medicating. It worked for a little while and then it consumed my whole life. The best advice I can give you is to just take a couple of weeks to yourself. Try not to have any responsibilities, lay on your couch or in the bed and sweat it out. Dont take anything to suppress your withdrawal because then you will mentally feel like you need those. I promise the withdrawal will be better after 2 weeks. Your probably already feeling better now (if you havent taken anymore). I also promise that life is SOOOOOOOOOO much better without them. Go to your doctor and get on a good anti-deppressant(lexapro worked for me). It will make all the difference in the world. I have been 50 days clean now and I am proof that my stategy works. When you get the urge, let it pass! It will! Find something to do. Anything. And most important, DONT TAKE THEM. Flush them ALL down the toilet.
by serenitybeth, Oct 04, 2005 12:00AM
Hello.. I am new to this forum. First of all I want to sympathize for everything everyone is going through. This is this first time I am talking about this and I am ready for help. I am taking about 150-200mg Vicodin a day. I cannot stop. I have a beautiful 2 year old son whom this is not fair to. I just graduated from college and I am so scared right now. I just failed a drug test for a new job. I am ready to do something about it and I think tapering off might work for me if I knew the right method. I really need someone to talk to about this. I just confessed this problem to a friend yesterday for the first time and he is going to do whatever it takes to help me. I just feel absolutely terrified. Anyone who wants to talk to me please email me at hatfield_beth***@****. I would love to hear from you. Good luck to everyone. You are in my thoughts.
by ashb, Oct 05, 2005 12:00AM
anyone who wants to talk about narcotic abuse please e-mail me at ***@****. Thanks
by Blndy, Oct 05, 2005 12:00AM
Thank you to all of you who responded to my last e-mail. Your support means more than I can say. Well I had two weeks clean and I got my prescription filled because there was a refill on it FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!!! Now I'm in my second day of withdrawal and going nuts. I feel deep cravings. What a loser I am. I just can't stop thinking on this stuff. The dr. said he would give me something for withdrawals. Would like to hear from you guys.
by ashb, Oct 06, 2005 12:00AM
Blndy Blndy Blndy. You were doin so good. What happened? The key here is will power. When the cravings come, let them pass. They will. I have been clean for almost two months now and I still crave EVERYDAY. But when I get the urge to use, I think about all the horrible withdrawal I went through and I don't ever want to do that again. My dr said shed give me something to reduce my withdrawal but being the addict i am, I turned it down for fear that I would become dependent upon it. Getting over the physical part is easy. Its the mental aspect that is so hard BUT yet so easy. heres what to do, take the rest of that prescription and flush it immediately. Dont save not even one. And just dont take another one. If you dont have access to them it will be alot easier. Just tell yourself no, no, no. Think about someone who means alot to you and make a promise to them not to take anymore. Good Luck and you are in my prayers.
by Blndy, Oct 06, 2005 12:00AM
I know I was doing so good. Now, I'm sure I'm dying. Ashb I sent you an e-mail at the address you left, but don't know if you got it. Of course I don't have any Vicodin to throw away. I took them all. Now I'm on day 2 and well. . . you know. I don't see how I can take another relapse withdrawal.
by ashb, Oct 17, 2005 12:00AM
Blndy. Im so sorry I havent been on the site for a little while, been busy. I didnt receive your e-mail. Again my address is ***@****. Your not dying. Your getting better actually. Hopefully by now your feeling better. I hope you haven't taken anything. You say you can't take another relapse withdrawal. Well just dont go through one!!!!!!!!! It really is that simple. I have figured something else out to help the cravings. Now when I get the urge I go online and perform a search for pain pill addiction. You know what it pulls up? Numerous overdoses and death. You know one 15 year old died from taking one 80mg oxycontin? After reading that I don't want that **** for love nor money. Also, what helps is watching "Intervention" on A & E and thinking how thankful I am to not worry about messing with the drugs anymore. Now I know that if something happens to me it was ment to. Not something I put into my body. It is such a good feeling. Try sending me another e-mail and Ill give you my phone number if you want. God Bless adn please stay strong. Ash
by Blndy, Oct 21, 2005 12:00AM
17 days free. depression now. Mental cravings. I such a drag. Sometimes I think if I only had a few . . . . . Made it through withdrawal while working too. That was rough. Hey Ashb I tried to e-mail you again and I checked the address but I couldn't get through. I don't know what's wrong, but I;ll try again.
by ashb, Oct 22, 2005 12:00AM
u go girl. dont know whats wrong with my stupid email. the mental part isnt going to go away. now you need a good anti depressant. lexapro works for me. Its always going to be a fighting battle with this stuff but you can get though it. i promise. You will c that there are so many other things to enjoy now that your off the pills. keep up the good work.
by Siciliana78, Nov 03, 2005 12:00AM
I was addicted to Vicodin and Oxi's for almost 3 years. I struglled everytime if I didn't have anymore pills I had to go through the worst withdrawl I could have ever imagined until I got more a couple days later or weeks! I litterly wanted to kill myself and even after being clean for a couple months I was still very depressed and lonely and I felt like not myself. I was taking about about 8-5mg vic's a time about 3-4x's a day, it was so awfull, way too many for me. Until one day I came across these amazing pills, that keep you from going through withdrawl and if you slowly cut down you can stop taking these and your withdrawl will be very minimul they are called Buphonorphine I took them for 4 months only 1/2 a pill a day and the last month I took them I took 1/2 of a 1/2 so that I would take