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Friday Night Happy Hour.. Check in
So there are alot of new people here this week so I thought maybe we should do an introduction meet and greet... check in, tell your story, what brought you to the site, what are you struggling with.. etc..
I came here in Feb after being on pain pills for 2 and half years. It started after multpile jaw and mouth surgeries and some back troubles from a car accident. Prior to that I had been drug free for almost 6 years after a short but horrendous battle with heroin. I worked at a rehab for 3 of those years. I really should have known better this time around.. but like I have said before I took my will back..
I have struggled tapering for a few months had everything bad happen possible from bronchitis, root canals and two broken toes in the mean time that lead me to not fully put the pills down..
I went to a doc for Suboxone detox on tuesday and am on day 4 of treatment. I am tapering off and will be done in a week. I am feeling good. I think I am feeling so good because at day 4 of treatment the drugs I was previously taking have left my body. I am also taking lots of B vitamins EsterC and some amino acids that are laid out in a book I am reading called END YOUR ADDICTION NOW I am making sure I don't let myself get hungry or too tired.. I have not had a craving in 2 days.
I hope this posts lets everyone meet one another and get to know each others stories..
I came here in Feb after being on pain pills for 2 and half years. It started after multpile jaw and mouth surgeries and some back troubles from a car accident. Prior to that I had been drug free for almost 6 years after a short but horrendous battle with heroin. I worked at a rehab for 3 of those years. I really should have known better this time around.. but like I have said before I took my will back..
I have struggled tapering for a few months had everything bad happen possible from bronchitis, root canals and two broken toes in the mean time that lead me to not fully put the pills down..
I went to a doc for Suboxone detox on tuesday and am on day 4 of treatment. I am tapering off and will be done in a week. I am feeling good. I think I am feeling so good because at day 4 of treatment the drugs I was previously taking have left my body. I am also taking lots of B vitamins EsterC and some amino acids that are laid out in a book I am reading called END YOUR ADDICTION NOW I am making sure I don't let myself get hungry or too tired.. I have not had a craving in 2 days.
I hope this posts lets everyone meet one another and get to know each others stories..
Hi, I have been using 5/500 tabs of vicodin on and off for 3 years for endometriosis and bursitis in my right shoulder. This last year I have been taking them daily, usually 2-3 a day. I have managed to control the endometriosis however the bursitis flares up from time to time.
I am also a heavy drinker. I quit drinking 20 days ago and while that was difficult, quitting vicodin is by far much worse! I am receiving acupuncture for my bursitis and it has really been helping. Last Sunday I took the last of my script of vic. vowing this would be it. I wasn't suffering too badly...defin. insomnia...but the worst was the lethargy and the depression. I just wanted to lay in bed all day. My husband is at his wits end with me. Anyway, I woke up this morning with incredible pain in my shoulder, worse than ever. I wonder, is my body/mind tricking me into pain to get more vicodin? I know, it sounds crazy, but for the last two weeks my shoulder has been almost without pain and now this sudden flare up? Anyway I so want to get off vicodin for good but how long am i gonna be laying in bed like a slug???!
I am also a heavy drinker. I quit drinking 20 days ago and while that was difficult, quitting vicodin is by far much worse! I am receiving acupuncture for my bursitis and it has really been helping. Last Sunday I took the last of my script of vic. vowing this would be it. I wasn't suffering too badly...defin. insomnia...but the worst was the lethargy and the depression. I just wanted to lay in bed all day. My husband is at his wits end with me. Anyway, I woke up this morning with incredible pain in my shoulder, worse than ever. I wonder, is my body/mind tricking me into pain to get more vicodin? I know, it sounds crazy, but for the last two weeks my shoulder has been almost without pain and now this sudden flare up? Anyway I so want to get off vicodin for good but how long am i gonna be laying in bed like a slug???!
I am a 46 yr old mom/teacher who started taking vikes for back pain. I had almost 19 yrs in a 12 step program before this. I helped many addicts get clean and stay clean through the steps.
I started not going to meetings but always continued a spirtual path.
I watched my mother die slowly, caring for her for six years after a massive stroke. Some nights I just sat her helplessly as she cried in pain.
She died in Feb. of 2006 l couldn't cope very well. Lifting her every day and the 80 lbs I gained through sheer boredom (couldn't leave her alone at night) resulted in back injury for which I accepted the vikes.
I am now here struggling to leave the damn pills alone. I quit for almost two weeks by using ultram for the withdrawals and then when I tried to stop the ultram I had chest pain, sweats the whole nine yards. I am now beginning to taper. My plan is to do a quick taper and then cold turk it after June 15 because then I will be through the end of the year stuff a teacher has to do and also I will have got my sons graduated from 8th and 12th grade.
I will once again have to use pain killers next month because I am having surgery, a tummy tuck which I need because I have now lost the weight I gained. I have a recovering addict who will stay with me as I heal and hand me the pain meds as prescribed.
My past drug use included heroin and methamphetimine. I started using at twelve years of age. I didn't use while pregnant and have three healthy kids who are now 27 (daughter) and sons who are 14 & 18. I also have a 9 yr old grandaughter.
I live alone with 6 dogs and my youngest son is here Thurs - Mon usually.
Welcome to all who are new and to all who have been here awhile, thanks for all your posts. It really helps.
I started not going to meetings but always continued a spirtual path.
I watched my mother die slowly, caring for her for six years after a massive stroke. Some nights I just sat her helplessly as she cried in pain.
She died in Feb. of 2006 l couldn't cope very well. Lifting her every day and the 80 lbs I gained through sheer boredom (couldn't leave her alone at night) resulted in back injury for which I accepted the vikes.
I am now here struggling to leave the damn pills alone. I quit for almost two weeks by using ultram for the withdrawals and then when I tried to stop the ultram I had chest pain, sweats the whole nine yards. I am now beginning to taper. My plan is to do a quick taper and then cold turk it after June 15 because then I will be through the end of the year stuff a teacher has to do and also I will have got my sons graduated from 8th and 12th grade.
I will once again have to use pain killers next month because I am having surgery, a tummy tuck which I need because I have now lost the weight I gained. I have a recovering addict who will stay with me as I heal and hand me the pain meds as prescribed.
My past drug use included heroin and methamphetimine. I started using at twelve years of age. I didn't use while pregnant and have three healthy kids who are now 27 (daughter) and sons who are 14 & 18. I also have a 9 yr old grandaughter.
I live alone with 6 dogs and my youngest son is here Thurs - Mon usually.
Welcome to all who are new and to all who have been here awhile, thanks for all your posts. It really helps.
Hello COOLK...Welcome . My name is Cathy and I too am new this week. There are some very special people, you will find that out.n This forum is
a God send. I'm so very glad and grateful to be here in such fine company.
Welcome!
a God send. I'm so very glad and grateful to be here in such fine company.
Welcome!
Hi there! i am so glad you posted this! I have been a member of the board for awhile but it wasn't until recently that I started posting. I am currently on a suboxone treatment, and probably will be for a few more months. I was addicted to vicoden for about 2 years. I was taking about 15-20 a day. I started to become very depressed. Even thought of ending my life. I can;t tell you how happy I was to find this board. Finally someone who understands me and what I am going through. I started the vic's for kidney stones. I was producing about 1 a month. Then I hit a rough time in life and started abusing. I am started to go down the right path...thank god!! I almost lost it all. I can't believe how much those pills controlled me. Anyway I would love to get to know any of you. You all seem great.
My husband & I are coming off a 4 year Percocet habit together. We just ended 6 weeks of Subutex therapy (someone asked about treatment cost...we went to Meditox of Palm Beach. They also have a clinic in Dallas, Chicago and LA). It usually costs $4000 per person, but since we went in together it was $3500 for each of us. $7000 may seem like alot of money, but considering all we've paid for Percs over the years, it's worth it to get ourselves out of this mess. The Subutex and other Rx's you get at the clinic (ativan, Provigil, Clonidine, Phenergan, Ambien) were all covered by our medical insurance. We were both taking eight to ten, 10/325 Percs per day. I am a medical professional and have lots of Dr. & pharmacist friends and access to lots of Rx pads, so it was not hard for us to stay fully stocked up. I have felt fine my whole time on Subutex therapy. I started on 12 mg for 2 weeks, 8 mg for 1 week, 4 mg for 1 week, 2 mg for 1 week, and 1 mg for 1 week. When I dropped from 2 mg to 1 mg, I did start to experience achy legs. I don't want to stay on the Subutex any longer tho. I know I'm going to have a few days of discomfort coming off them whether it's now or later, and I've heard the longer you're on Subutex, the harder it is to come off. My husband has been almost 3 days since taking his last Subutex and is functional. Tired and achy, but nothing like coming off the Percs CT. I came to these boards just to get some support. It gives me strength to read about people going thru the same thing as me, and hanging on and getting better. We started taking Percs about 4 years ago. My mom had cancer and got a Rx for Percs. She didn't like them cause the made her "itchy", so she gave them to me. I had neck and shoulder pain periodically due to stress (nothing that warranted a Percocet). Initially, the Percs made me itch too, so I would take one with a Benadryl and be knocked out. One day I took one without a Benadryl and was like "Wow, I feel pretty good!" Back then, one 10 mg would last me all day. Then after awhile I needed 2. One time early on, I took 3 and was so nauseous I didn't take any for 3 days after that. I went back down to 2 per day and didn't think I'd ever be able to take more than 3 (ha!). Fast forward a couple years and I'm taking 8-10 a day just to feel normal. No more buzz, no more energy. My husband and I were fighting all the time over "missing Percocet", bills were not getting paid. Not because we didn't have the money, but just because we didn't care and let them pile up. Our phone was ringing off the hook from bill collectors. Our little girls would see us take a Perc, which was always "allergy medicine" and I just felt so disgusted with myself. I don't know how my husband and I managed to fool everybody and not lose our jobs. I finally admitted that I needed help. We had tried to taper down a million times by ourselves, but could never get below 4 a day. I called a hotline and they recommended I go into treatment for 90 days, which was not even an option for us. So I was desperate. I read about Meditox of Palm Beach online and it sounded perfect for us. You are in and out of the clinic in 3 hours and you are monitored for the remainder of the 6 weeks of therapy via phone or e-mail. They call your Subutex in to the pharmacy of your choice each week, so they don't give it to you all at once. We never deviated from the taper schedule that they gave us, and it really did save our lives. We were both at rock bottom and so over the Percs. We just wanted them out of our lives. We came home and immediately flushed all that we had left. Never thought I'd voluntarily flush away Percs. It truly was the biggest mistake we've ever made in our lives. When I think about having days in the future when I might crave them, I will remind myself the pros and cons of going back on the Percs. Pros: NONE, Cons: I could die; I could get arrested for some of the ways that I obtained Percs in the past; I may lose my job; my husband and I would probably end up divorced; when I realized the mistake I made, I'd have to go thru the Subutex tx and the w/d's again. So please, if I ever come on here and say I'm having a bad day, remind me of all the cons I've just listed. I'm very lucky we got out of our Perc mess with as little damage done to our lives as possible. This is a new start for us and I pray we don't screw it up. I am so happy to meet all of you and I know that together we can do this.
Great idea Fladdict.
I have been an addicted to Vic's 10mg - about 15 a day for 10 years or so. I did quit 4 months ago and was actually clean for 3 months. Then one day I took just one thinking I could handle it and it got back up to 4 a day in a month. I am now 9 days clean. Lots of days have been up and down. Today was particularly difficult after having two tough days at work. I did not eat anything and that was a mistake. Luckily I logged on here and got some great ideas, talking to everyone helps so much. So this evening feeling pretty good again.
I am not sure if you all go into why you got into the drugs in the first place but like a lot of people I had a tough childhood. My father died when I was 11 and my mom remarried to a terrible man. Anyway, that is why I think I started self medicating in my early twenties. I did not want to deal with the pain of my life. Of course the drugs only make things worse and delay the inevitable.
Shelby
I have been an addicted to Vic's 10mg - about 15 a day for 10 years or so. I did quit 4 months ago and was actually clean for 3 months. Then one day I took just one thinking I could handle it and it got back up to 4 a day in a month. I am now 9 days clean. Lots of days have been up and down. Today was particularly difficult after having two tough days at work. I did not eat anything and that was a mistake. Luckily I logged on here and got some great ideas, talking to everyone helps so much. So this evening feeling pretty good again.
I am not sure if you all go into why you got into the drugs in the first place but like a lot of people I had a tough childhood. My father died when I was 11 and my mom remarried to a terrible man. Anyway, that is why I think I started self medicating in my early twenties. I did not want to deal with the pain of my life. Of course the drugs only make things worse and delay the inevitable.
Shelby
May i sign up to be a part of the check in deal? We talked yesterday. What is
your name again? What brought me here was guilt and shame. I had two
fractured ribs and then two hernia surgeries 2 and a half years ago. I managed
to milk the doctor out of meds up untill recently. My son joined the Navy and
was graduating from bootcamp May 18th in Chicago. Well around the first
of the month I began stratiigising how I was going to come up with pills or a
plan so I would either have something so I woulden't be sick and ruin the trip,
otherwise what? Well the was another option . Tell the doc. the truth, that I had been abusing my meds. That sounded like the better plan. So, I never
really thought I would make the trip and feel as good as I was. My primary doc.
was out that week so I saw his partner which was a blessing in discuise. He
said I would need a chemical evaluation, which the counclor recomended
in patient treatment for opiate addiction and withdrawl. I told him I couldent do that but knowing all of that the doctor suggested meetings and counceling.
And recomended soboxone. He told me all about the drug, and that he was
still learning about it. that it was new and to be very honest with him on my progress. And what progress! For me I swear by it. I went to chicago the
graduation was beautiful. I can't have my son worring about mom, while he's
down for the country. Recovering and getting well is a tribute to my son. I swear
to God that kids my heart. Soon it will be time to wein off this medicine, but thats where i'm at and how i got here.
your name again? What brought me here was guilt and shame. I had two
fractured ribs and then two hernia surgeries 2 and a half years ago. I managed
to milk the doctor out of meds up untill recently. My son joined the Navy and
was graduating from bootcamp May 18th in Chicago. Well around the first
of the month I began stratiigising how I was going to come up with pills or a
plan so I would either have something so I woulden't be sick and ruin the trip,
otherwise what? Well the was another option . Tell the doc. the truth, that I had been abusing my meds. That sounded like the better plan. So, I never
really thought I would make the trip and feel as good as I was. My primary doc.
was out that week so I saw his partner which was a blessing in discuise. He
said I would need a chemical evaluation, which the counclor recomended
in patient treatment for opiate addiction and withdrawl. I told him I couldent do that but knowing all of that the doctor suggested meetings and counceling.
And recomended soboxone. He told me all about the drug, and that he was
still learning about it. that it was new and to be very honest with him on my progress. And what progress! For me I swear by it. I went to chicago the
graduation was beautiful. I can't have my son worring about mom, while he's
down for the country. Recovering and getting well is a tribute to my son. I swear
to God that kids my heart. Soon it will be time to wein off this medicine, but thats where i'm at and how i got here.
I am glad you all found it helpful... my name is Stephanie by the way to whomever asked.. i think it was Ionote...
Keep em coming.. it helps to know each others stories when we are struggling.
Keep em coming.. it helps to know each others stories when we are struggling.
hey everyone,
i've posted here a few times, but i mostly just read...and seek inspiration from everyone's stories
i'm a 23 year old female and have been clean for about 4 months now, after a little over a year of vicoden, xanax, and (my biggest problem) oxycontin use. i also used heroin more than i'd like to admit during that time period. i was not prescribed any of the meds, it started as recreational (stupid) usage and grew into a horrible addiction. i lost a boyfriend (we are now back together), friends, and most importantly, i lost custody of my 4 yr old (working on getting to see her again). i can't say i'm seeing more clearly. if anything, things are more blurred now than ever, as i learn how to have feelings again and deal with problems the right way, instead of doing harmful things to myself.
anyway, to anyone new, welcome...i hope you find this site to be helpful and supportive!
melanie
i've posted here a few times, but i mostly just read...and seek inspiration from everyone's stories
i'm a 23 year old female and have been clean for about 4 months now, after a little over a year of vicoden, xanax, and (my biggest problem) oxycontin use. i also used heroin more than i'd like to admit during that time period. i was not prescribed any of the meds, it started as recreational (stupid) usage and grew into a horrible addiction. i lost a boyfriend (we are now back together), friends, and most importantly, i lost custody of my 4 yr old (working on getting to see her again). i can't say i'm seeing more clearly. if anything, things are more blurred now than ever, as i learn how to have feelings again and deal with problems the right way, instead of doing harmful things to myself.
anyway, to anyone new, welcome...i hope you find this site to be helpful and supportive!
melanie
Hello, I'm Jim, 56 years old married to a wonderful woman..she has
3 adult kids and I have 3 as well.
I've been mostly reading this board for several months, contributing occasionally. I really
enjoy it, I've learned a great deal and look forward to reading posts from the frequent contributors and how their lives are going.
I've been addicted to vicodin for probably 3 years. Started taking 1 (5/500) "as required", then 1 and a half, then 2 and over the years am now up to 6-8 a day. My
doctor keeps writing me scripts and I keep taking them. I did have a talk with him a
few weeks ago and let him know I need to get off these things. I have an appt with
a pain clinic on 7/5 and I'm hoping the treatment there will be what I need to accomplish that. I can't c/t and I've tried tapering..problem is..if I have them..I take them. I've tried
giving them to my wife to dole out to me...but I keep taking them back...
anyway...hello everybody. While I don't know any of you personally, I feel I have come to know you by your posts, your struggles and your successes.
I wonder how things went with the 17 year old girl who was determined to snort vicodin...does anyone know?
Jim/BG
i don't know.. she did keep posting.. she didn't like what I had to say... actually I didn't like what I had to say.. she struck a nerve with me for some reason... I think she posted again this morning..
after 12 years in 12 step recovery i hurt my back badly, after 1.5 years of discomfort a friend gave me a pill, it took all the discmofort away, i started buying pills, 3 years later (lots of chiropractic) i figured my back was well enuf to stop taking the pillsso i did, over 3 weeks of horrible withdrawls later im now fully aware again about how cunning baffleing powerful and patient my disease is. i was close to being unable
to quit as the w/ds were so uncomfortable, dont kow what i was taking or how much, some pills worked better than others, but i think i tried em all over the 3 years?
to quit as the w/ds were so uncomfortable, dont kow what i was taking or how much, some pills worked better than others, but i think i tried em all over the 3 years?
thanks for the post.. well ive been an addict of vicodin/percocet for about 3-4 years now after i twisted the tendons in my knee and obtaining the opiates wasn't difficult it all since i started stealing them from my mom while i was still getting my own prescription.. finally came clean to her about 6 months ago.. and since then its been a struggle.. i ask god every day to help me and let the cravings go.. you just have to keep in mind, that your body is adjusting and you wont feel like this forever once you start to detox..
btw fladd, how much did the detox cost you? im super poor but i need to do something..
btw fladd, how much did the detox cost you? im super poor but i need to do something..
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