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Vicodin detox and blurred vision

I have been weaning off of vicodin for about a month and a half and now in full detox. Since I started weaning off my vision have been very blurry, grainy and shaky. Has anyone else had this during withdrawals/detox? How long did I it last? Very scared!
Best Answer
1235186 tn?1656987798
hun have you had any physical therapy? if you don't use your muscles for awhile they go into atrophy. when was the last time you saw your doctor?
what strength of  vicodin were you taking?
the pain definitely increases when you are in detox. it will take at least a month to re-evaluate the pain.
sitting in a hot tub with Epsom salt will help with the aches and pains.
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Avatar universal
I know this is an old post but I wanted to share my experience with my vision. I'm 40 years old and have worn contacts/glasses since I was 25. I was on hydrocodone for 2 years until I quit cold turkey. My vision was so bad I could no longer see close up with or without glasses/contacts. So after being 100% sober for about 6 months, I went to my eye dr. My vision is now 20/20. He said since I got off the meds, my eyes adjusted back and now I have perfect vision. Which I don't understand because they wasn't perfect for the 13 years I wasn't taking anything. But I was definitely glad I didn't have to have glasses or contacts anymore. Strange how our bodies react to medications. I would wait several months of being sober before going to eye dr to make sure they have cleared up as much as possible. I've always had to deal with astigmatism and now it's also gone. This was very strange to me and the Dr but I'm very thankful. Best of luck and hang in there. Each day gets easier!
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Avatar universal
Just an update, 81 days no vicodin. Still feel w/d symptoms once in a while, but still have the blurred vision. Now I am having an Arthroscopic knee surgery this Tuesday for scar tissue as a result from my previous surgery, so here we go again! I told them I don't want opiates of any kind! I hope I can handle it.
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4522800 tn?1470325834
Post acute withdrawal can last two years or More. It also has emotional and physiological aspects that are very difficult to endure.
If you are only in a month you still can be the detox state. The Brain Transmitter take a while to balance back and it can affect the body. It took me at least 40 days to come down a bit. BUT I came off 3 drugs that hit 3 different transmitters.
Have you talk to a DR about all of this?? The blurred vision should be checked out and has far as the smell I have heard people say they smelled them self's as the poison came out of the skin. They called it a Swiss cheese smell. The burning I do not understand unless you snorted as I did. Anyway I wish you the best and go see the DR. OK?
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Avatar universal
And I don't think I mentioned this before but on and off the whole time even when I was taking the Vicodin I have had this burning smell in my nose. I have it even when I go to physical therapy.
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Avatar universal
I was on Vicodin for 4 months including the time I was weaning off. Do you think withdrawals and PAWS could last longer than the actual time that I took the drug? It's been over a month now, symptoms the same but maybe not as severe, although the vision thing is still the exactly the same.
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Avatar universal
Hey there....Congrats on your 14 days:)

How's your vision doing? Mine is still blurry as hell.... Have had it since I started weaning off, but giving it a chance! I feel like there is a window between me and everything, the light is too light, and the dark is to dark! Dizzy too!
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Avatar universal
The only reason I may not think so is because it happened so suddenly and severely. I put my contact lenses on and managed to go to dinner on Mother's Day and I could see my food. Then maybe a week later I couldn't see my food clearly with my contacts. I then noticed without my contacts I can only see clear about one foot in front of me now, it wasn't like that before. Seems also shaky and grainy.  And light sensitivity too. That all started about the same time I started weaning off until now.
Helpful - 0
4522800 tn?1470325834
HI, I just noticed how old you are..Do you have to use reading glasses yet??
My eye site has been blurry for awhile. Not as bad when I was using but I was told it does happen as we age. I just went again about a year ago and had to get stronger reading glasses. So maybe that is all it is, is just age too..Be strong and keep on pushing them days. I am proud of you trying to do this in so much pain..
Bless
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Avatar universal
Hellos my friend, hope your feeling good today!

Kind of had a bad evening last night....light in the house bothered me alot, vision seemed worse, chills, Kept waking up in the middle of the night pissed off about the whole situation. Eyes burning this morning too. This vision is getting me nuttier....

The PT, husband, daughter, no one understands think everything is so simple....people just don't understand if they never been through it, or felt it. PT suggested I see "someone" so I can deal with the trauma and problems I am going through since I don't have an understanding family. It's just another appointment they don't want to take me to, and my husband loathes those kind of people.

The PT even told me out of the blue yesterday that "your leg is crooked". I have been asking everyone that question before, they all said no! Then she told me because of the way I am walking with the cane it's twisting me up. She said to walk without it and walk more straight, it will correct. She said its not the bone, although it kind of does but I think it's because of swelling on one side of the knee makes it look off. The doctor always says its fine, and like your doctor he always says give it time too. Yesterday was 5 months to the date of my surgery.

I know I have to push myself a little more, it's just the vision that gets me so down, and feeling trapped. I feel like I could cope better with the physical if I could get out of the cloud!

They had me go up and down a staircase yesterday with my cane and the handrail. Almost ready to do it at home, only thing that scares me is the vision and the dizziness when doing it. It's going to even be a transition from my hospital bed to my own bed, my husband snoring, generally can't sleep, having to walk around at night disturbing everyone up there!

I know it sounds like everything is a problem, so sorry but thanks for listening! Sometimes I actually pinch myself thinking its all a nightmare and I will wake up, lol....
Helpful - 0
3197167 tn?1348968606
First things first.....one thing at a time....you're hangin and have hit 21 DAYS!!!  Next stop.....30 DAYS!!  

It will just keep getting better and better.  You have to remember you body has been traumatized just by the surgery...and is isn't 6 months since surgery yet.  Your PT person is definitely correct about pushing ourselves to get exercise but yet to take it slow and easy and not overdo....consistency is the MAIN thing...and doing just a little more than you "want" to do each day.  At least it is for me.

Who drives you to PT?  Do you have anybody....I mean anybody in your life you can talk to besides your daughter and your hubby?  You need someone in your life that can be an encourager and build you up...not tear you down.  We do enough of that to ourselves, right?

Patience is "our attitude WHILE we wait"....and coming back from surgery is a tough one.  It can feel SO slow...I know all about that for sure.

If your surgeon is anything like mine was....he was only interested in "his work" so to speak.  All the other things I was dealing with, he would just say....give it time....and if "such and such" persists...talk to your primary care dr.  I ALWAYS left his office frustrated.....but TIME heals.....just hang on and find someone to talk to that's GOOD for you, ok?  
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Avatar universal
Yes I saw the surgeon today....he didn't say much about the withdrawals or the vision though. My physical therapist did say to try to walk without my cane and walk a lot even though it hurts. It will build the muscle. She didn't want to see me get into a cycle of pain, although I feel I am in a cycle of problems. One thing leads to another....
Helpful - 0
1235186 tn?1656987798
this is wonderful to hear. so glad that things are improving.

did you see your surgeon today?

please force yourself to do some exercise, walk, swim, get back to the gym, some light weights. it will really help you in some many ways.

make sure you are hydrating enough, dehydration can cause dizziness.
keep moving forward, you are doing awesome.

continued healing and prayers,
debbie
Helpful - 0
1827057 tn?1397520277
Hey great job friend !   I would say if the vision does not start to clear up by day 30 you may want to just get a checkup to be safe. Day 21 seemed to always be a day that I noticed a difference and a slight turning point. Keep it up ! ;)
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Avatar universal
Hey there,

On day 21 now.... The physical symptoms seem to be a bit better, all except for the blurred shaky vision is still the same.The bright is too bright, and the dark is too dark! Dizzy too....
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Avatar universal
Hello Connie, and everyone else too...

Hope everyone is doing well!

I think today is day 20 for me.... Yesterday seemed slightly better for me physically other than my rehab leg was so stiff, and my eyes are the same, shaky and blurry.... Driving me nuts. I just wish I had more support from my family. My 19 year old daughter tells me I annoy her, and my husband told me I was ******* crazy and don't tell him about it anymore..... It's just a broken leg. But it is many things now, he doesn't understand. He even told me I might a well kill myself! He even went out and bought a car...his life goes on.... I worry about going back to work, but I guess he doesn't!
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Avatar universal
From your mouth to God's ears!
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1827057 tn?1397520277
We are all impatient when it comes to this. ;)    I know it's easy for us to say just hang in there.  You are doing such a great job to have gotten this far !!!
  I predict by Sunday night you will be feeling better. LOL    I have a feeling ;)
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Avatar universal
I know I have to give it more time! I'm such an impatient person I guess. If the vision gets better, I know I would feel more capable of dealing with everything else too.
Diane:)
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Avatar universal
Thank you so much for the info! Since I was on them only for 3 months, hopefully the symptoms won't last for more than a few months. Man if I could just turn back time, I would of tried to get off of the vicodin sooner and taken advil instead for my broken leg.

I was rushing to go get our taxes done the day it happened and slid off the two last steps of my stairs and broke my leg.   ( tibial plateau fracture with a metal plate and six screws). The funny thing is later to find out they were going to cancel our appointment! You wonder why things happen!
Thank you my dear friend,
Diane:)
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1827057 tn?1397520277
You are still in withdrawal and it is very common to have the symptoms that you are describing. I never even started to feel better until 21 days .The first 7 days are a nightmare and then there is the energy crash,lack of sleep,anxiety etc.   It just takes this long to get over these things because our brains have to readjust. I also believe our brains hold out for as long as they can sometimes on readjusting in hopes that we will give up. At 21-30 days though the brain will start working more properly. Just hang in there. You will be feeling better real soon. If you give up now you will have put in all of these days for nothing.  Just keep taking it day by day friend
Helpful - 0
3197167 tn?1348968606
Hi girl.....YEAH on your 15 DAYS!!!!!!!!!  Thanks for asking about me....

Warning...this is pretty LONG...and MOUTHY....haha!  Can't help myself....I just want to help you.....and I never know when to shut up...LOL

I want to share some info that might really help you right now with your current struggles and questions.

I knew NADA....NOTHING....ZIP....about opiate w/drawals when I made the decision to get off them for good.  And not finding this forum until I was 55 days clean was somewhat a disadvantage, too.  Anyway, after I got thru the very, very worst of the ACUTE w/drawal timeframe ....well, that's when all this crazy weird stuff was happening to me.  I actually thought I was  PERMANENTLY DAMAGED....hahaha!

Not funny..really....but let me assure you that all you have read about detox peaking at around the 72 hr mark is true.....but no one has explained to you that there ARE symptoms (actually a group of symptoms) that occur AFTER the acute stage....they can appear 7-14 days INTO ABSTINENCE, after stabilization FROM the ACUTE w/drawal.  These group of symptoms are called Post (after) Acute Withdrawals.. otherwise abbreviated as PAWS.  They are VERY real....I have experienced each and every one of them..  In our Health Pages at the bottom of this forum page you can click on "see more health pages" to get to this info....but I'm gonna give you the link, too.

http://www.medhelp.org/health_pages/Addiction/PAWS-part-1/show/39?cid=66

Now that you have stabilized (some) from the "acute" phase...it will help you immensely to read this.  Here are 6 (six) types of PAWS symptoms:
1)  Inability to think clearly
2)  Memory problems
3)  Emotional overrreactions or numbness
4)  Sleep disturbances
5)  Physical coordination problems
6)  Stress sensitivity

The article FASCINATED me....cause all kinds of things in me were wacked out!
Some of the VERY things you are describing like coordination between your hand and eyes; slow reflexes; inability to concentrate; impairment of abstract reasoning....I could go on and on.  

I was SO RELIEVED to find this information.  I UNDERSTOOD what was going on inside of me....it was a "normal" part of healing and recovery!  I wasn't really NUTS.....and it wasn't going to be permanent.  I was SO JAZZED, girl.  

There are many in recovery that sort of "poo-poo" the whole concept and idea of PAWS....but NOT THIS CHICK!!!!!  hahaha!  I finally was able to read in black and white EXACTLY what was going on with me.  It didn't get me thru it any faster....but I didn't feel dumb....or damaged....and I quit stressin about so many things.

Our entire nervous system works perfectly with the messages our brain sends it....the hair loss, the temporary increased pain, the vision, our GI systems, our balance, our coordination...on and on.

You said you take some vitamins....just be sure you are taking a BCOMPLEX....all the B's.....cause we cannot store up these vitamins...they are water soluable and what our bodies don't use...we excrete in our urine.
After using pain meds we are seriously deficient....and it takes time for all these miraculous functions to heal.

Hope this helps you......you aren't going crazy.....you ARE experiencing what a gazillion others have also experienced AFTER the initial 7-14 days off the pills.  Be good to yourself.......you're gonna get better and better...and I have no doubt you will be back to work in December!  You are SO right about taking it for granted to be "able" to take a shower, get dressed, drive a car, go run errands, on and on.......you WILL be able to.....you're just now hitting the 5 month mark since some pretty major surgery.....6 mos to a year is what we are ALL told after a major surgery.....you're getting there~
Bless you~
Connie
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Avatar universal
I have never been a physically strong person. I believe I had fibromyalgia and pain before for no reason. Not athletic, although tried to go to the gym and felt better when I did. Had a lot of stress also. I needed all of this like a whole in the head. Feel like this is the last straw in my life, but I guess I have to be patient and continue on. Just with everything going on, I feel like there is no quality of life.
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Avatar universal
Thank you, that means so much in this difficult time!
Diane
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4522800 tn?1470325834
Hi, I just wanted to give you some support and share a bit. When I was on the hydo/oxys in the 90s I noticed my vision was getting bad. I went to the Eye Dr and told him about the Meds and he did not say anything. Well then for awhile while I got off I noticed things were looking better. Then I just went up the latter to the Dones because of pain. Well the eyes got worse again and they did not look right. Like they pulled a bit. I am in my late 50 and yes the eye site is going bad, but again when I stopped it all got a bit better.
I really think it is taking you a awhile to bounce back because of your physically issue and the brain transmitter are most likely not shooting  right.The reason why I say this is because I did my Methadone with Adderral and got real wired up and worked like a dog. I was in my 50s and pushed my body hard like I was in my Teens. It did take me a long time to physically bounce back because of the damage I did..But as far as the Brain and the damage I have done from being a long time user will take at least a year or two to balance back. At least that was what I was told by a psychologist. Just give this time and I know you will be fine Real soon. Keep working on the Physically Part and the Brain will kick in as well. We do alot of nervous system damage. So I do think you are having some w/ds but your Health issue plays a big part for you bouncing back really quick..I sure wish you the best and keep up the good work. Time is the Greatest Healer..
Bless
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