Short-Term Addiction to Xanax / Vicodin Possible

[ScottieG]

I'm a late 30's, professional male, living just outside Chicago.  I own a small business, and have been dealing with the downturn of that business, along with it a heavy debt burden.  I've always been successful, but this potential failure has beat up my confidence pretty bad.

I managed to tear up my knee playing bball a month or so ago, and the doc gave me some vicodin for it.  During my 'funk' I've been going through, I spent about 2 weeks taking Vicodin for the pain (10-15mg), and taking a couple of my wife's Xanax (about 1-1.5 mg per day) for my 'funk'.  

Needless to say, I realized I had been a pill popper for a week or two, and it scared the hell out of me.  Kind of snuck up on me.  I noticed I was lazing around, and not really interested in much.  Anyway, to my question.  I stopped taking this 'stack' of pills on Saturday, and by Monday morning - the 'funk' was a full blown mental mess-up.  I sat in my office and cried for no real reason, have had some muscle twitches and felt useless and pathetic for about 48 hours.  I woke up this morning, and though a still bit 'down' the really nasty feelings / thoughts / emotions have dissipated to no more than my "gotta fight to stay in the game" funk!!!

So, my question.  Is it possible to experience withdrawal symptoms after only taking these things for a week or two?  Or am I experiencing something else?  It was a one time deal, and I don't want it back.  I gotta say, I've read stories on here about people being addicted for years to that Xanax, and if my yesterday was a result of just a couple weeks use, my heart goes out to you.  Any professionals have thoughts, and / or anybody else experienced anything like this?

Thanks for the advice!

[christos24]

Hey Scottie, My name is Christos and I grew up outside of Rockford and now am finishing school in Milwaukee for substance abuse counseling, so i'm not too far from where you are. I was heavily addicted to snorting, shooting, smoking Heroin, Oxycontin,Benzos(xanax, klonopins,ativan,valium,etc.), Soma, Ambien, and many many more. Any other drug that could sedate me, give euphoria, and/or potentiate the opioids I was taking, I was addicted to. This went on for almost three years and grew worse and worse by the day. This disease destroyed everything and anything I ever had; all relationships,family, friends, work, school, a life, all my possesions, everything. I was constantly enslaved to opioids 24/7. Of course it starts out as fun, or in your situation and many others as a means to kill pain or ease the mind/body, but as quickly as it helped, it takes over, consumes you, and without treatment, counseling, therapy, and meetings it will continue to control your every move. No one is stronger or free from addiction. Luckily for you it has only been a few weeks of use. Realistically it is posible to feel some discomfort/minor withdrawals from stopping them all together, but as far as causing mental breakdowns, and most of the problems you described, it is highly unlikely. Opiate withdrawal symptoms include severe anxiety, depression, muscle spasms, aches, twitches, severe insomnia, intense cravings, unstoppable restlesness, very agitated, feeling useless,severe abdominal pain,cramps/aches, no appetite, heavy vomiting and nausea, terrible diarrhea, hot/cold flashes constantly, goosebump flesh, BP spikes and flucuations, bone pain, runny nose, constant yawning, and panic attacks*Note: This list is incomplete, everyone has different reactions, this is just a common list of symptoms most often encountered during wd.
Now some people don't get some of these symptoms and alot get them all. Some people have it worse in some areas or ache in a certain section of the body, whereas someone else may have it severe in a different area. Everyone is different with both opiate and benzodiazepine wd, but that list sums up just about all that could and most likely will be encountered during the 2 weeks of hell. Opiate users know they are starting to wd when they get a runny nose, start yawning every 10 seconds, get restless, and start anxiously craving getting opiates. Benzo wd's have many of the same symptoms , except more emphasis is put on insomnia, restlessness, muscle spasms, convulsions, and seizures. Benzo wd's can be lethal and are pretty much identical with severe alcohol withdrawal, the big difference is that it takes much longer to have severe wds from alcohol than benzos where it only takes about 6 months using high doses.
For your sitaution I would consider seeing a therapist, either psychiatrist or a psychologist cuz the symptoms and problems you seem to be having most likely have to do with your mental status and stress. It sounds like you have a lot of stress from work and need an escape. That is why you started to take the vicodin and the xanax. While benzodiazepines are great stress, anxiety, and other disabling mental disorders, for the normal life stressors they are not a good idea to take. Yes they bring instant relief, and thats the problem. Once you start taking thess for relief and an escape you'll find that the only way to handle the problems that arise is by taking the drugs. Thats exactly what addiction wants you to do. to self-medicate yourself, and by the time you question if there is anything wrong with this, you are already, even if you have no clue, a slave to these medications. You are extremely fortunate taht you have only taken both of these for a couple of weeks otherwise you would be in my case, having to be in treatment for mulptiple years, lose any trust with everyone, and basically start your life completely over. Its terrible, the worse thing in the world. It really seems to me that you are dealing with some major stress and are encountering problems in your daily life, so instead of deciding yourself to take this pill or that pill to provide relief from your problems, see a professional therapist. They go to many years of intense school and thats their job-to find out what is going on with you..I am sure they will see that there is some minor depression(even if you dont think so), lts of stress due to work etc.,they may find out you have an existing mental disorder that obviously adds to the problem, and from their they can properly treat you, probably by therapy sessions, but if there is a disorder that needs medication then they will make a professional decision on what the best route of action is for you. Now if you go in there and hide alot of the truth or exagerrate your anxiety, looking to get a benzo then welcome to the world of addiction. It *****, its no fun, believe me. I was prescribed for panic attacks and anxiety, while on the side heavily abusing opioids, xanax and klonopin. I was on them for over two years and it only got worse and worse cuz your body adapts to the drugs, turns them into a daily neccesity, your brain thinks in order to survive you need your meds. It all bogus and boils down to addiction. So while your at this point, very early on, stop taking both of the drugs. I definitely agree that you are having some problems, and yes, stopping both of the drugs could play a teeny tiny role into the symptoms you described, but there is most definitely something else going on. Sorry if that came off as being harsh, I would hate to see someone else get sucked into the everlasting vaccuum of addiction. if I can save one person, no matter how harsh or assertive I must be I will do it. Im only 22 and Ive been through more than I ever wanted to endure. Ive been homeless,steal everyday jsut to get my fix, and basically anything nasty, degrading, and wrong you can think of I did it. After 3 years of that BS, I entered treatment, got on a treatment med, and it has now been a little over a year and Iam still clean.
Both of the drugs you took were at low doses and for a very very short time period so wd from them is almost impossible. Actually there really is no way there would be any physical wd from them in your case. mentally there is a small possibility that your emotions especially if you are having issues, they could add to the stress or issues negatively, but realistically you havent taken enough of either or long enough to have any dependancy, let alone addiction. It seems like the easy answer, so sorry, but there is something more complicated going on, maybe depression that could be due to your situation at work or homelife recently or other mental problems at work here. The absolute best advice I can leave with you is stop taking both of them before it does turn into a problem and go see a therapist, it cant hurt, and can only benefit your well-being. Definitely. If you have any questions about anything let me know anytime-christos

[ejwilson]

HI Scottie,
After taking the vicoden's for 2 wks. and stopping or running out is going to make you feel  antsy, irritable with some depression and you may have pain. If you have no stomach problems you could take an NSAID (Aleve). I think what your feeling is mostly from the xanax.

The mean elimination half-life of alprazolam (xanax) is about 11 hours in healthy adults. With multiple doses, given 3 times daily, steady state is reached within 7 days. This means with a half life of approx. 11 hrs. that the med is in your system for approx. 22 hrs.  As this is depleted from your system you are going to experience some slight withdrawals, muscle cramps, anxiety, depression, sadness, fatigue, and possibly some difficulty sleeping. These problems should let up daily as it clears your system. It sounds like today is better then yesterday. So tomorrow will be better yet! Yes. Some people do experience this even after only 2 weeks. To avoid the                 withdrawals you could taper. Meaning taking a smaller amount every other day until your taking next to nothing. But that would be prolonging this for you.  And could cause your wife a shortage and  she will be going through the same thing.
I hope you start feeling better soon. elaine  
  

[sway1]

i think you just answered your own question and if you're smart and you seem to be, learned a very important lesson about yourself. it sounds to me like you are prone to  addiction. please be careful and aware and remember this funk. it can get way funkier as you have read on here. to stop it before it starts is the answer to many a prayer. good luck and feel better soon. peace     sway

[Sunnyd210]

Hi Scottie. I think it depends on alot of things I think the problem might be with the xanax though I dont have much experience with them but I have heard that people can become hooked on them pretty fast I think the vicoden probably needs more time to give you withdrawal but you didnt say how much of the Vicoden u were taking a day?

[jt808]

HEY I FEEL FOR YA HOPE U STAY AWAY FRM EM CAUSE U SAW HOW THEY MADE U FEEL AFTER FEW WEEKS SO IMAGINE A FEW YRS, I TO DO NOT KNO IF U CAN BECOME ADDICTED IN FEW WEEKS BUT IT SURE SOUNDS LIKE U DID SO BE CAREFUL IN THE FUTURE IF U KNO OW SENSITIVE U ARE TO THESE PILLS, I ALSO LIVE IN CHICAGO AND AM GOING THRU A 7 YR HABIT OF 50+ NORCOS A DAY EVERYDAY FOR THE PAST FEW YRS AND LET ME TELL YA ITS A LIVN HE LL  SO PLZ STAY AWAY FRM EM CAUSEU LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSON AND U SHOULD STAY AWAY FRM EM, GOOD LUCK TO YA.

[cathy5841]

your body can become dependent pretty quickly, but i dont know if you could become dependent in just a couple weeks.  of course i am no professional, we do have a few nurses here...maybe they will have a better answer for you...however it may be later when they get on...they are at work now.  good luck and lucky you for seeing the problem so quickly and taking action...if only i had been that smart.