Safe to stop taking Vicodin?

[Cammie222]

Any help would be greatly appreciate.....I've been on Vicodin for 6 months.  I've been taking 2-4 daily of the 10's until about a week ago.  I decided to quit cold turkey and had some withdrawal symptoms.  I went 3 days without sleeping and had serious muscle pain.  Is this normal?  For the last few days I've been taking 1 or 2 a day and I started sleeping again.  Is there something I can take to help with the lack of sleep?  I've tried Ambien CR and Lunesta.  Neither work.  I've got to stop taking the Vicodin.  I don't really feel any mental connection to it.  I just feel the physical connection.  

[FLaddict]

Yes it is safe to stop... You were going throught the normal symptoms of WD from vicodin.  Melatonin works for some to sleep.. you just have to find the one that works for you. Detox generally takes 5-7 days with the 3 and 4th days being the worst. Get some Immodium that will help as well..

[fishmeal]

Can't add much to FLaddict's comment except that colonidine really helps with the wd's and your regular doc can give you that.  Also, it's so good that you nip this early cause many of us went way too far and got into a terrible rut!  It IS such a hard road back.... get off this stuff and stay away from it like your life depends on it, cause it does.  It's also good to post here everyday and let us know how you are doing.
Best
Jim

[Cammie222]

Well that puts my mind at ease a little.  I worry about the not sleeping part because no one knows I've become addicted to these.  I've learned to hide it extremely well.  It started out as a medical issue then a way to escape depression.  Thanks you guys.  This was my first visit here and I'll keep posting.  Thanks again.

[FLaddict]

If it wasn 't safe this forum would be empty.... we are all here trying to stop the pills.. It will be hard but no one ever died from lack of sleep... You will start getting more and more after about the 4th or 5th day..  you just have to stick it out long enough to get the drugs out of your system.. Since you went back to taking one or two.. maybe you should spend a few days just taking a half and then stop.. kinda like tapering but it may help your body adjust to being without first.. Just my 2 cents...

[Cammie222]

Well, what kind of led me here was the fact that the vicodin has run out and no way of a refill.  So I haven't had any today.  The last one I had was about 8 pm last night.  I'm okay so far but I know it's gonna be bad tonight.  I'm really stressing about that and I'm gonna have to continue going to work while I'm going through this.  It's not gonna be pretty.  

[liscamdave]

All good advice...Make sure you listen...llol..

When I first started my three year habit, I was certain that I wasn't psychially addicted, but when I tried to stop, HOLY ****...it was not fun...And at that point I was taking about 40mgs a day...around where u are...In any event, I never stopped for fear of W/D and took my self to a new plateau of 1000mgs a day, at one point. I have lost everything from this drug including my husband...Please, if you dont need em, get rid of the demon before he makes a permanent stay... Like Fladdict said, Melatonin works great...its cheal and can be purchased at any grocery/GNC/Rite Aid. What other symptoms r you having...Take warm baths for the Muscle aches...that will help, along with a heating pad. Look up the Thomas Recipe as it will help you with some vitamins to restore some energy...

Good Luck

Lisa

[charlenekt]

Oh how I can relate. I just took my last one yesterday as well. I can't get a refill until Thursday. Then I plan to refill and taper off with that prescription. I was taking them 8-10 a day after surgery, four months ago. I had complications so my doctor kept them coming, but I really needed them, too. Now not so much. I'm sure I won't sleep tonight. I have Benadryl which helped a little last night. No one knows in my family either.
kt

[Cammie222]

I'm sorry kt, it's gonna be a long night for you, too......I've never experienced anything like this before.......

[charlenekt]

How are you doing?
kt

[Cammie222]

I'm not doing so great right now.  My head is killing me and tylenol is not touching it.  I'm not sure what to do.  I feel like my head's going to explode.  I don't know how I'm gonna do this.

[charlenekt]

Try Excedrin. That's always taken away tension-type headaches when Tylenol won't do a thing. I'm going to take a bath in sea salt. And shave. I can't sleep if I haven't shaved my legs. And bananas, for restless legs. I guess it's the potassium level that makes them restless. I don't think this will last as long as some people say. We've only been using a few months.

[charlenekt]

what I hate most is the depression and not feeling like doing anything. On Vicodin, I LOVE to cook dinner, take the dog to the park, call and write people, go places, etc. Now all I want to do is hide in my room and hope the rest of the world forgets I exist for a few days.

[Cammie222]

I'm really hoping you're right.  I think I'll take a hot bath and see if that helps and settle in for a long night.  Thanks for your support.  Keep posting and let me know how you're doing.  

[Cammie222]

I know exactly what you mean....when I take it I feel soooo motivated to do all kinds of things.  It's like it makes everything seem that much better.  I have absolutely no energy right now and can't talk to anyone about it.  I don't want anyone to know.  All I feel like doing is laying around and it's really getting on my nerves.  I'll just be glad when it's out of my system and I can sleep and I get some of my energy back.  

This is killing me trying to work.  They probably think I'm retarded at work right now.  

[charlenekt]

I worked as a nurse. So whenever I was going through this I always managed to get more pills at work. I ended up losing my license, obviously. The boards have approved my reinstatement but I keep putting it off out of fear. How did you sleep last night? I slept fine. I actually feel fine physically. Just no energy or motivation. I'm hiding it too, so 'faking' being interested in stuff with other people that I'm usually interested in cuz I'm usually on vicodin, is HARD.

[charlenekt]

Did I read that you had been tapering? Doesn't tapering usually result in avoiding withdrawal? I thought that was the purpose.
kt

[Cammie222]

I had been tapering but am feeling the effects of it.  I'm sure it was too fast to avoid all the withdrawals.  Then a few days ago i quit completely but returned to taking 1-2 a day because I was hurting sooooo bad and couldn't sleep.  The last one I've had was yesterday around 6 pm so I'm about 20 hours without any.  I don't want to screw this up but it's just like I can't think.......I keep thinking I'll take just a half of one but them I'm like that's just going to keep dragging it out.  Anyway, that's the story.  

By the way, how are you doing?

[charlenekt]

Oh I'm ok actually. Just a little restless and depressed. Not much pain other than the pain I was taking it for in the first place. I had to force myself to take the dog to the park yesterday. (I told the dog we were NOT running this time!) so my family wouldn't wonder why I suddenly didn't for two days in a row! My biggest symptom is depression and lack of motivation. I have a refill today and I plan to taper with it. I didn't taper, and depression gets me to drinking. So that's why.
kt

[charlenekt]

Hi Cammie. How are you doing?

[Coheed]

To Cammie and kt...

Tonight is my 3rd night of cold turkey. I have been addicted to vicodin for about a year now ( on and off.) It has literally been impossible for me to find a tolerable way to withdraw from this drug until tonight.

Screw tapering and cutting. You two have strung together an ongoing conversation that has empowered me. I have felt so desperate today. and yesterday just looking for something to make me fell a little bit better.

I think biggest thing for me is feeling all of this pain and thinking that im the only one that knows what it feels like. Im glad that both of you are okay and found a way to deal with this.

To everyone that is reading this and are looking for a way to quit Vicodin ...im telling you....go cold turkey. Every chance you get read an addiction forum and drink a glass of wine. I was up to 4500 mg a day and now im feeling fine in my 3rd day without pills.

[charlenekt]

Thank you for your input. 4500 mg a day for a year?? I'm guessing you meant 400-500 mg, as a regular vicodin tablet contains 5 mg. of hydrocodone. Or maybe you were referring to the tylenol ingredient. That's 500 per tablet. Anyway, how many pills were you taking a day? I'm thinking that tapering by just taking one pill whenever withdrawal symptoms appear, that occurring less and less often, would be the answer. I don't know. I went without for three days then Wed got a refill, with the intention of tapering. I'm not doing so great. I've taken 10 each day so far. So now I have 30 to taper with. My intentions are good, I just keep saying "just two more".

[charlenekt]

Hi Cammie, haven't heard from you for awhile. How are you doing?

[charlenekt]

A glass of wine? That works wonderfully except for the fact that you risk transfering one addiction to another. That's what I did before. I ended up drinking all the time instead! Getting a prescription would be a relief because then I wouldn't have to drink; and drinking would be a relief because then I wouldn't have to worry about getting pills. It's all the same thing - addiction to mind-altering substances, no matter what form they come in!
kt

[jamie765]

i have been taking vicodin for 1 year and I am really ready to stop but i just don't know if i can. I have a chronic knee problem and i am awaiting surgery in sept. But I am really beating myself up over this i have two children  and I need to be there for them not wd in front of them I tried once and the pain and vomiting and no sleep it was terrible I am scared to do it. And it is Saturday and I want to start tommarrow but I have my inlaws coming to the house next friday night will I be okay by them. Have any of you tried that sobroxe