Vicodin Addiction

[tal7295]

  I am a 34yr old single Mom and I think I am addicted to vicodin.  I was prescribed vicodin for dysmenorhea, menstral cramps were unbearable.  I find myself taking up to 10 pills a day at times.  I realize that it has reached a point of addiction, I take them sometimes when I am in no pain.  I want to stop but I am bipolar/manic depressive and the pills make it easy to cope, to function, to do things I normally wouldn't have the energy to do.  I have been taking the pills since sept. My concern is will I go through any serious withdrawl if I stop taking them?  Is there anything I can take that will lessen the withdrawl?  When I don't take the pills I am on the verge of an anxiety attack.  I have to take a xanax to stop my hands from shaking.  I guess the bottom line is I'm scared.

[tal7295]

Thank you for replying!  I really thought I was alone in this, but it feels good to know that others are going through it.  I just took my last 4 pills out of a 60 supply.  I don't want to use more but I put in a call for a refill because I'm scared of what can happen when I quit taking them.  

[Living life well]

I just wanted to tell you that be carefull with the xanax because when I was trying to get off Percocet I statred using xanax and I crossaddicted to it and that was even a bigger mess. In my opinion when you cold turkey it it sucks. But if you do the alternative tapers you could get addicted to them just like the Vic. Also find a support group through meetings. Someone that can help you through the pain you are covering up with the pills. And I dont mean physical.
Good Luck
God Bless
AH

[Marce4]

Hi and welcome to the forum...This is a great place for info and support for others who truly know what you are going through! I have to agree with Scotquit...option 1 & 2 are the best and it is not easy.  Being scared is how many of us have felt and feel.  Scared of running out of the drug and going c/t unitentionally, scared of what is doing to our bodies, scared of losing our families and friends and scared that we won't succeed.  We are also sick and tired of letting these little demons run our lives! You sound like you have reached a crossroad and are ready to make the decision to stop this insanity!  There are several options to quitting. I also did c/t...I am week 6 from a 10-15 10mg Norco daily for 2 1/2 yrs. W/d are difficult but there are ways to help with the symptoms....it is a tough road but it can be done.  Some here have tapered which is also difficult, you need lots of willpower and may still have w/d's but from what I understand they are not quite as intense. There is also the suboxone route which has worked for others....that is an opiate blocker which takes the w/d symptoms away but you also have to taper off of the suboxone. Any way you decide it is a fight but one that is so worth winning! You will get your life back and won't be held hostage by the pills!  Please keep posting and ask, ask, ask!!! We are all here to support you and help anyway we can!

Peace,
Marcie

[ScottQuit021907]

Welcome! I would say that it's ok to be scared, but know this - withdrawing from opiates is not generally dangerous. If you really want off of the Vics for good, you have 3 choices:

(1) taper off of them (take a little less every few days until you are down to zero)

(2) quit cold turkey - the fast painful way (and the method I used)

(3) replace the vics with something else (methadone, suboxone, other opiates)

Given those options, my opinion is to try (1) or (2) and combine them with education and support.

The people of this forum will support you in every step of your recovery if you will let them.