How long will this last?

[askandyouwillreceive]

I have taken Vicodin for over three years now.  It was definitly off and on, more off.  I would get a scrip for fourty and demolish them in a few days.  Then I wouldn't have anymore for a long time.  My Mom gets them for an ankle injury she had a while back and she would give me some once in a while.  I lived away from home so only when I visited once a month or so.  I would only take two 5/500.  I moved back home in January and she would give a me two or three almost daily, maybe five days of the week.  She stopped getting them so I was cut off.  I didn't take any for months and had no W/D symptoms.  About two months ago I started hanging out with my brother's girlfriend and she got me back into pills.  It started with a few vicodin here and there, maybe every couple days.  Then we started getting methadone and morphine (those have only been a couple times, three at the most so I'm not so much concerned with W/D from those).  Then a friend broke his hand and was prescribed vicodin.  He is a MJ user so he doesn't take the pills so he sells them to us.  I have been taking these for about a month.  I started at about four 5/500 a day, then went up a pill and so on.  I am now taking six to seven a day.  He couldn't get his refill and I went without anything for three days.  The first day I feel nothing.  I don't even crave having them.  The second day I feel irritable and a bout of anxiety, mostly at night when I want to wind down and go to sleep.  I really feel nothing else, no nausea, no bowel problems, nothing.  Just the anxiety which causes insomnia.  Do you think this will last long?  I haven't been on them very long and I really don't take that much.  What can you suggest for the anxiety?  It feels like I am very restless and cannot sleep.  Putting a cold compress on my head or neck helps some.

[Addeycakes]

So if today is day 3 for you....and you usually don't feel anything on the first day...lets just say that instead, today will be like day 2, since day 1 you didn't feel anything. (for theories sake) And tomorrow will be your day 3 (in terms of discomfort) since you were not taking pills 7 days a week your days are a bit scured... day 3  is when the symptoms may get at their worst and then susbside slowly. I hope this makes some sense for you??   I know for me, I can always tell I've passed the worst part of withdrawl and am on my way back up by the aches I get.  It will become the primary symptom for me and not much else.  I'll get a headache, and then muscle aches. That's when I feel relief and can finally think straight and sit still long enough to be able to sleep with the help of Advil PM.  Do you have all the meds to help you through this? Potassium, vitamins, amino acids, IBuprofen for headache/bodyaches once they come, and definately hot baths!! Advil PM helped me as well!

[askandyouwillreceive]

Just severe anxiety/anxiousness/restlessness.  It is worse at night when I am lying in bed trying to sleep.  That's it...maybe a bit of depression but nothing I can't deal with.  Its just the first stuff I listed that is killing me.  I cannot sleep because of it.

[Addeycakes]

What are your symptoms as of this moment?

[Addeycakes]

I think the worst of it should be over in 3 to 5 days. But again, everyone is different.

[askandyouwillreceive]

How long will this last do you think?  I am hoping the anxiety/restlessness won't go past a week.  I haven't been taking them for very long at such a high dose so I am hoping for the best.

[askandyouwillreceive]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

@addeycakes...It is probably six or seven about four or five days a week.  I can go one day without any W/D symptoms.  This has been about a month I guess.  My metabolism is definitly not speed...lol.  But I am hoping for the best that I don't experience anymore symptoms.

@vicki595...Thanks for the suggestion.  I will try this as well.

[vicki595]

Hi!  Also,an amino acid : L-tryamine helps with anxiety...

[Addeycakes]

So you've been taking 6 to 7 pills EVERY day for a month and are not feeling much withdrawls on day three? You have been BLESSED my friend!!!  Take this as a sign that you got VERY lucky!!  I am truly impressed! Maybe you have a super speedy metabolism? Which I definately envy you for btw........ :)   Good luck staying clean and keep posting!!

[laurel453]

no that i know... i asked to tell you about a natural remedy for them as it is so bad for us with rls but if you don't have it, count your blessings here !!! :)

[askandyouwillreceive]

No to the RLS.  So far anyway.  Will the valerian root help that as well?

[laurel453]

Yeah, it iis not only for having bad wds.... addiction destroys our health, our life, our soul....

valerian root is for anxiety...hope it can help you. Aren't you feeling at nights those jumpin jacks legs ? RLS.. restless legs syndrom... this is something we usually all go through and it is really exhausting ... make sure you are drinking a lot of fluids to keep pushing the toxins out and repleneshing the liquid you lose .... take a lot of hot baths, they will help you a lot... eat healthy.. fruit, vegs, protein... and start with some light exercising as soon as you can..

[askandyouwillreceive]

Thank you for the advice!  I absolutly plan to stop this now.  I have read a lot of the forums and it is all downhill from here.  I don't want to take it as far as having painful withdraws.  I will try the valerian root and see how that helps.

I really only have trouble with it at night.  Right now I feel a little nervous/anxious but nothing I can't stand.

[laurel453]

Hi welcome to the forum !

wds usually last a week and you are not having a bad time with them from what you say, that's good for you... you could take valerian root for the anxiety or melatonin as it's a natural sleep inducer and non habit forming...

but i hope that you make up your mind and stop for ever... addiction is always progressive and it doesn't stop robbing our life and our health.... you are following a dangerous path and you may need some form of aftercare...na meetings, therapy or an addictive counselor. ... think about it...saying no is not easy for us and it seems you are surrounded by people using pills, take care of yourself, ok ? :)

stay here , the forum is a good place to find support and learn more about addiction