Vicodin Withdrawal! feel awful! help!

[losfeliz1970]

Hi, i quite taking vicodin 15 days ago.  i feel terrible.

i have NO desire to take them again and feel really strong about this.  i nver want to feel like this EVER again .  i know i can do this, because i AM doing it.  i just wantto know what to be prepared for as far as how long i will feel so uncomfortable.


at first i did not feel too bad.   a week into being clean the withdrawal symtoms hit me lick a wall.
i feel awful now.  symtoms are:
anxiety- soooooo bad.  cold sweats, super restelss, can't sleep, panic attacks,  chills, hot cold, ancy body and just a fear of public in general, it is really hard to interact right now..  basically i am crawling in my skin.  have you ever licked a 9 volt battery when you were a kid?  my whole body feel like that!

i was taking vicodin for 4 1/2 years.  i took be tween  (3 and 4) 7.5mg vicodins a day.  the last month i got down to just one a day, the last week i was only takimg one a day, then i just stopped.

i have been forcing myself to walk 2 times a day, taking so many hot showers, eating well and drinking water.

there have been a few days when i have taken a 1/2 of xzanax, and some nights i have taken a 1/2 of ambian.  the ambian kind of helps sleep but i still toss and turn all night and up at at 5:am

how long will these symtoms last??????????   are there different phases.  when will the initial physical part be gone???

good luck to everybody on this forum.

[hydrofusion]

hey bud, It's great that you are hanging in there.  I know EXACTLY what you are going through.  My symptons were exactly like that and I did exactly what you did... ambien to help sleep.  My smptons lasted for 3 weeks and then they weren't really gone, but felt so much better because I was able to resume my normal life.

I've always been told to wein yourself off is much better, even if you have to cut the pills in half and then half again.  For me, I did the cold turkey and I found when I played raquetball (something really physical) it helped get my mind off the withdrawl symptons for a little bit.  I also found when I would pound like 3 or 4 shots of vodka that helped too.  I'm not sure if that is medically smart... someone help me out on this one.... but that's what I did.

Hang in there man... keep telling yourself that you will get through this and it won't last forever.  You can counter the W/D with several things, but choice is really what it comes down to.  Hang in there!

[beachtowel]

As far as your W/D symtoms are you should be done......now its the damage done from the addiction and the drug use......
Quitting will be easy compared to the mental part going on now and depending how long your drug use can go on for quite some time......

[losfeliz1970]

thanks so much for the replies everyone.
i am goimg to get out of the house and go to the beach today.  it is really hot here at i do not have A.C.!

[marcatj]

hey neighbor... you know, your symptoms seems delayed.

definitely take the zanax and any kind of benzo for the time being - your symptoms are normal, but like i said - they are also kinda delayed.  i'm wondering if the anxiety and a few of the symptoms are not just the w/d's, but perhaps a combo of that, and the anxiety and stuff you were trying to stave off because of the loss of your eyesight in your one eye.

some of those symptoms might be both.  but the good news is - it will pass.  as well, if the anxiety, etc. continues much longer, i would consider counceling to help you deal with the issue with your eye.  that's a big life change, and i imagine very, very hard to swallow, so if you covered up those feelings with drugs, you may have to face them now.

i'm so sorry you had to go through this.  but the good news is you WILL get better.

be well,
mj
(studio city)

[Two222]

clonidine is for blood pressure...part of why you feel lousy. It will help out a lot! Many of us on here have used it for withdrawal.

[losfeliz1970]

thanks for replying.  i knoww..... i read all of these posts about people taking 30 + pliis a day and i feel so bad for feeling bad.

i started taking vicodin 4 1/2 years ago to numb myslef from going blind in one eye do to a wk accident.  it was a way for me not feel t he anxieties brought on by not having depth perception anymore, the clostrophobia i felt, the anxiety of going blind in my other eye ect.

i have xzanaz.  thank god.  i don't take much.  i will look up clonidine.  is that like xzanax?

[JRG]

It sounds like you are having some very rough symptoms to such a small habit. If you can I would go in and see a doctor and they will give you some comfort meds to help you through this. Clonidine and a small supply of xanax if you have not had a problem with this drug should help a lot. Keep us updated to your progress. I finally came out of the w/ds at about 30 days my last detox.
Take care
Jackie