How many thought they could just take the precribed amount

[D30]

After going cold turkey 2 weeks ago, I tried to just take the 3/day I was prescribes. Before I knew it I was a few pills down. I said what the hell I am I ****. I just went through hell. Well I am now 3 days off again. My pain isn't being taken care of with 3 Tylenol. I still have a little pain. I am in a bad position with this. I can get my meds back on Tuesday if I want. Tuesday will be 5 days again clean. This time I went through hell the second day. I feel great today. I am through the physical. I just don't know what to do. Do I try to take the three or what? The pain is so annoying and makes me irritated as heck. Is 3    7.7/750 Vicodin a day really that bad?

Sorry guys for letting you down.

[TDA99]

i personally dont think aday is too hard to detox from but everyone is different. i hate to mention this but benzos really help the withdraw effects if you run out. be aware benos are one of the hardest to detox from and the easiest to become addicted. you havent let anyone down, just dont give up.

[D30]

I guess I should clarify this a little. 2-3 years of using Vicodin ES. The most ever taken/day 7

June 3rd-10th Cold turkey

June 11th-18th I begin to take 1/day and worked my way to 4 quickly

June June 19th-present Cold Turkey

June 24th considering tryin 3/day again.

[Chi_Chi_Lover]

3 vicodin a day is not bad if you have real pain. But there is some reason you decided to w/d from the pills to begin with. 2-3 years of taking pain pills is a long time. When we use pain pill every day we need to look at why and if there are other options.
You need to be honest with yourself. If you really need them for legit pain and do not abuse your dose you are probably fine. If not then you need to look at that and fine another option.
You do realize that your pain will seem worst without the pills for a length of time. Your body and mind is w/d from the pills that it "wants" and is use to having.
Your pain will seem worse than it is until you have a good bit of time between you and the pills. Not just a few days or couple of weeks. It takes time for body and mind to heal after years of use.
Good luck

[D30]

I wanted to go cold turkey because I seen it getting out of hand. I do need them on some days worse than others. I would be lying if I said I needed them every single day.
I had to get it back under control. That I feel is the neccessay evil here, CONTROL. There are somedays my back has me bent over sleeping bent over an ottoman.

I don't want to get into excuses why I need them, I want to find the happy meduium.

[worried878]

The pills have had control over u before...and for most this will remain the case...trying to stay at 3 a day is noble...but i can not...i have tried it and creep right up to my old dose again...i am not sure what ur dose was...but for me my tolerence makes it to where the prescribed dose is not helpful...it is like playing with fire...keeping them in ur house is like having a loaded shotgun waiting to go off and pull u down again,,,i would not do it...u have the power...remember that

[Chi_Chi_Lover]

Worried is SO RIGHT! You develope a tolerance to the pain med and have to take more to treat your pain as time goes on. You have been on them for 2-3 years that's a long time and not a good sign. Not only your pain is intensified by using the pain meds your brian Has to Have them to feel normal. If you do not need them every day then why are you taking them every day??? Not trying to be harsh or ugly just pointing out what you have said. I have been there.
Be careful and I would talk to my doctor if I was you about other options. You are here in this forum for a reason you must want to stop using them or feel there is a problem.

[GoingToMakeIt]

I really think you know the answer. You need to find alternate ways to deal with the pain. SamE  is a great mood elevator and helps with pain management. Omega3s do this also. Search and find non-narcotic ways to deal with pain. Also as you get farther along in recovery, the pain levels do decrease.

[dominosarah]

I took mine as prescribed for a short time also and before i knew it i was at 18 vics a day.  The pain i thought was unbearable but in acuality it was my mind telling me my pain was so bad just so i would take more pills.  I still have pain but Motrin and my vitamin supplements help me tremendously.  The more days i am clean the more the pain eases.  Once i crossed that line into addiction the control was over.  Please be careful.                     sara

[D30]

One thing I do know is I have slept and slept and slept. My wife is wondering if I am ok. I slept all day yesterday then went to bed at 8:00pm and woke at 4:30am. Back to sleep by 6:00am or so to get back up at around 8:30am and back to bed around 10:00 and
I just got back up. Wife wants to do something. All i can say is I can go but I may fall asleep

[worried878]

LOL...u sound like me...i slept tremendously during detox and slept alot for a month or 2 after..toooooo much....guess u r lucky in a way as many have insomnia...keep sleeping...it is bettar than feeling bad or doing pills...let ur body heal

[wannabefree330]

The fact that you are here seeking approval for taking the 3 a day is worrysome to me.  You have admitted that there are days you don't even need them at all.  As an addict myself, I can come up with a thousand excuses as to 'why' and 'how often' i need them.  The constant thinking about the pills, how many you take, how often is addictive behavior.  With opiates, I cannot EVER trust myself to take as prescribed.  I open the bottle immediately and pop a handful.  Yeah i may have pain at the time, but it is the high and energy boost I am seeking.  Be honest w/yourself and see if this is the case for you.
If your pain is something that you can manage without the pills you will be much better off.  The fact that you go through withdrawls leads me to suspect you have a problem that is sure to escalate over time and eventually you won't be able to stop even if you wanted to.  Seek other alternatives to pain management-low impact exercise, massage therapy, ibuprofen.  If there are days you absolutely have to take the narcotic, have your wife lock them in a safe that she only has access to.  That way, they are available, but you don't have direct access to them.

[triedeverymed]

We are all diffferent. I did not have the self control to cold turkey or take the prescribed amount. I was so physically dependant on hydrocodone that taking the prescibed amount would throw me into withdrawls. I was taking 40-45 pills a day. I wish I could have gotten to only 7!!
I think if you are prescibed it for a legitimate ailment and you take that amount, and only that amount you should have no problem coming off when/if it is time. Some people have such pain that they are always on medication. If that were my case, I would be visiting a pain management specialist. They know their stuff. I would recommend you see one if not already. Sometimes there are other options, I realize not always, but sometimes. You may be one of those lucky few who can use an alternate form of treatment (not alternative medicine, just a different treatment plan).
Good luck to you!!

[Beargizmo]

I kicked vicodin nearly 10 months ago (with a minor relapse)..I still have considerable back pain (had a CAT scan Friday)..my doctor has me on ultram and Soma and I am taking exactly as prescribed..actually probably less..I'm taking only when needed and so far I'm doing fine.  I don't like the way either makes me feel, but they do help the pain.  I just have to remember not to drive when taking the soma.  walking is enough of a challenge.  I'm hoping when it comes time to get off them (assuming I do) I don't have any problems. At the most I'm taking 1 Soma/day  and maybe 4 ultrams (he prescribed 1-2 every 4-6  hours (50mg).

Jim

[Beargizmo]

I might add that had he given me vicodin I know I would not follow directions.


Jim

[worried878]

probably a post for the pain forum..and a old post to boot..and this debate can go on and on...in reality narcotics only mess with the signals to the brain as far as pain goes...it in no way actually works on the source of the pain....drugs like neurontin and lyrica///altho could not tolerate lyrica//do work on the nerve conduction of pain...as does ice and massage///and several others..muscle relaxers r even more direct for pain relief than narcotics cos they relax the muscle which could be causing the pain...in reality narcotics just make u not "care" so much and can virtually become an anti-depressant...and most chronic pain patients can and often become fatigued and depressed//ditto// so it is almost contiguous that a chronic pain patient with addictive tendencies would be screwed...and due to tolerence//even non -addicts who use long term for pain r gonna go up and up in dose due to tolerence//but it is easier for them to quit than for us//no mental crud like us///it is just a vicious cycle and is the reason why these days it is almost impossible to find a dr to rx this stuff long term//for anyone///cos it is just not gonna work long term....tolerence defeats it long term unless u go higher and higher//stronger and stronger...no point really....hate it as i am a chronic pain patient myself...but very true