Trying to Kick Vicodin

[Phylow]

I have been taking 1/2 of a 5g. vicodin once a day for almost 2 years. Will it be hard to kick this?

[mellie4]

I worry about the narcotics, too.  I'm a chronic pain patient and I'm on lots of meds.  I find I'm overly cautious about them as I don't want an addiction problem.

Anyone taking narcotics for a long time will find they become tolerant and/or dependent on the medication.  That is not the same as being addicted.  If you're being seen my a doctor, he can help you taper off without much, if any, discomfort, especially at that dose.

I have terrible arthritis in my hands and had joint replacement in the thumb of my left hand.  The surgery did not go as planned and as a result, I have terrible pain.  I see a hand specialist in orthopedics.  It may be something you want to try.  I wish I had done that when I first started having hand pain.  At first I saw a regular orthopedist and he may have done more damage by giving me too many cortisone injections.  Having extreme pain in your hands is really difficult as you use them for everything.

You might want to see someone at a pain clinic as well.  They have all kinds of treatments, not just narcotics.  I've been going for a while and we're still working on getting my pain under control, but we're getting there.  They're wonderful really, and I wish I had found them long ago.

Best of luck.  You can manage your pain without being addicted.  Check out the pain management forum here.  There are lots of people dealing with all kinds of CP issues, more than likely some with similar issues to you.

Good luck.

[Phylow]

Yes for pain, but I never do a whole 5mg. It just frightens me when I read about how people have so much trouble getting off them. Even after I had horrible shoulder surgery I never took more than 4 day and then started taking less than one. On top of the shoulder pain I now have carpal tunnel in both hands, with an extremely painful thumb that the 1/2 takes the edge off the pain with a 600mg. motrin.

[shmtty28]

it shouldnt be hard at all.  you need to be mentally strong.  you will probaly experience a little extra pain the first 2 weeks. maybe disrupted sleep,  and you will find yourself "not feeling normal" for maybe a month to 2 months.  

[dominosarah]

I wouldnt think at that dose it would be to terribly hard.  Are you taking it for pain?