Vicodin trouble

[bill]

I am 40 year old writer and word processor.  I have used opiates for about two decades, but I stopped using any "street" ones after having a child 3 years ago.  The problem is that my dependency on vicodin is very severe.  I actually have back pain so I can obtain the es vicodin from my doctor occasionally.  But I can also purchase them black market easily, which I have been doing constantly for the last year and a half.  I started taking Vicodins to stop doing Percocets and Dilaudid.  I have used Percocet on and off since 1983.  When I had dental trouble early this year, I had access to about 200 Lorcet and Vicodin in one month.  Legitimately.  Otherwise I can purchase anything on the black market very easily.  

The problem is that my dependency builds and I become very difficult and horrible to be around when I try to space the doses.  When I take the drug at first I function fine and am able to   I usually build up to about 7 vicodin es a day and then have to stop cold turkey (2 in the daytime, about 4-5 at night).  The stop/start happens a lot, even with so-called occasional recreational "weekend use".  It is shattering me the cold turkey.  There are periods where I use narcotics about a 4-6 weeks (vicodin and lately oxycontin) then I have to stop and it is so shattering.  

Many years ago I tried NA and it doesn't work for me.  I also do not want to be put on shrink meds by a psychiatrist. What am I doing to myself medically?  Because of life circumstances I don't see myself being able to stop soon.  What is happening and what can I do?

[Paul4246]

Hello all, I am a Police Officer and i too take vicoden everyday for 2 discs that i blew out at work. I have been on Vicoden for a little over a year, I take vicoden ES 4x a day am i addicted?? Who knows but i will tell you one thing, I guarentee that as soon as i get back surgery if it is possible i will stop the Vicoden. In my years as a Law Enforcement Officer i have seen what this stuff does to people in the end (long term) Trust me folks you don't want to go down that road........I have a very addictive personality and i am sure it will be tough to quit when the time comes but i would rather be dead than to end up like some of the people i have dealt with.....I hope all of you who want to quit can find the courage-Strength or whatever you need to kick it...........These will really tear you up long term.....As the Nurse stated above narco pain meds destroy your vitals......Good Luck and God Speed........Paul from Ohio

[angel47630]

Post a new thread as you can see this one started 7 years ago, but, in the meantime......................what are you going to do?   STOP, that is what.    I have the same issue.   In legit pain management for 3 years having access to 180 Norco and 180 vicoprofen a month.     Pff, tell me with my hugely addictive personality I wasn't going to get into trouble eventually!!!

What did I do about it as they were blackmailing me???????    I am on day 8 of a massive taper................from 20 pills a day down to 5.   Today is my day to drop to 4 and a half.

It CAN be done.   I feel so wonderful, so clear headed................................so vivid and totally realize that these stupid pills are the devil himself!

Please, keep posting, how many you take, do you want to taper?   Do you want to ct?

Karen

[Calzy]

If you want some help you should start a new question because you posted on a 7 year old post and no one looks at these much. Look forward to seeing your new post.

[rock star]

Im new to this site and I really need someone who understands to talk to. The big sensory nerve down the front of my leg was damaged during surgery about 2 years ago. I was unable to walk and in pain like I can't even explaine. I was put on loits of pills lyrica nurontin morpine pills vics perks etc. I  have no issues getting rx's. I get 120 10mg norcos for 20 days. I also get 2 20mg oxycontin per day as well as 5mg oxycodone caps for breakthrough pain ( 60 for 20 days). I also have a friend who gets 100 7.5/500 mg vics per month and she sells them to me for 1$ each. So as you can see I have a real problem. I eat all of them and I am still in pain. I get nerve blocks and physical theripy and I still hurt. mI know that if that many pills are not helping that I don't need them but I ran outb a day or two before I could refill and I felt like I wanted to crawl out of my own skin. I am so afraid of going through that feeling again that I don't want to tell my doc that this isn't working. I feel stuck What am I going to do. These pills and this pain is controlling me. I feel like these damn pills are blackmailing me. I don't even get high from them anymore-most of the time. What am I going to do?

[Jane]

Pardon my intrusion, but why don't you folks that are concerned about the tylenol in the pills titrate that part out?  The hydrocodone, oxycodone etc. It's water soluable and the tylenol isn't.  Instruction on how to safely do so are at erowid.org

God Speed

[Jane]

Pardon my intrusion, but why don't you folks that are concerned about the tylenol in the pills titrate that part out?  The hydrocodone, oxycodone etc. It's water soluable and the tylenol isn't.  Instruction on how to safely do so are at erowid.org

God Speed

[Lost On The Beach]

Hi All,
I wanted to say hello and how much better I feel in reading your comments.  I now know that I am not alone in this. I would love to write my experiences down when I get the time to, I too have a voice and a story. I am stuck in this "world" I can't tell anyone, not a sole as there is too much risk for me.  So many times have I wanted to go to my MD for help, my friends for support or my boyfriend......but I know that my walls would colapse around me if I did such a thing. I don't know why I am putting it here, but it's a release........thank you! Laura

[tom to MJ]

your post is somewhat mystifying. Maybe I'm missing something. As far as I know, pre-op blood work doesn't double as a drug screen. Unless something has changed recently, I can't imagine them even looking for narcotic use. That would be something the doctor would have to explicitly order. Also, why would it be bad for the doc to know that you were using some pain pills you happen to have left from some old illness? What's the big deal?

[want off]

i am trying to wean off vicodin...i have been taking them on and off for 5 years...i am now on 60 straight days of at least 4 a day...sometimes more....tried cold turkey but ...damn....no way....down to one a day...have 3 left plus 5 codienes and 5 xanax....would love to take all of those at once...but also want to live.....why is something that makes you feel so damn good have to be bad...bummer!!!!!i want to keep eatin them but know i gotta choose between them and my life and family....its just they go with just about anything you do...well,im gonna try this weaning and hopefully it will work......thanks for listening...

[MJ]

Reply to Dan the counselor.  I desperately need to know how long Vocdin is detectable in the body when routine blood work is being done. I am having surgey in 3 weeks and work-up blood testing in five days.  I have not taken Vicodin for about 4 days but had been taking quite a bit previous to that (about 10-20 per day.)  I agree with you that the issue here is actually quitting not talking about cocktails and how great the stuff feels.  I am in constant pain also and the past five days have been miserable but not so bad as this drug abuse has been on my presonality.  I am worried sick that my doctor will know I've been taking vicodin for my foot problem (that's what the surgery is for) and he hasn't prescribed any for me.  I've been putting off the surgery because of the pre-op blood test for about five months but the pain is too much to bear anymore.  It is also comforting for me to know that I'm not the only "normal" person living a relatively "normal" life carrying around this deep dark secret!  Barbara, or Kaytlin and other professionals, I would really appreciate any info you can give me about the subject!  Also some informative websights.  Thanks so much!

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

I'm really having a rough time here with pain. I have tried to work today but it's like 10 minutes of work and I have to sit down for half an hour. The lorcet I'm taking just isn't working anymore and I'm afraid to call my doctor for anything stronger. So I'm sitting here typing and trying to get my mind off myself for a while. Sometimes life sucks!

[reb]

i have had five days going on six today.  I am really achy.

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

For what it's worth, I think you are right on about going to Jesus with your addiction. It worked for me for many years. Yes, painkillers will always be an issue for you as they have been for me. I'm sorry for being so negetive right now but I am on them right now for legitimate pain and feel like a hypocrite. Ironically, I don't even enjoy being on painkillers right now. I am more concerned with the pain issue. Take care of yourself!

[Joyce]

After 3 back surgeries in 3 years (the last being a spinal fusion in March), I am addicted to Lorcet, Vicodin, Percs, etc.  It has only been in the past few weeks that I've admitted my addiction to myself and have made a conscious decision that the lifestyle this addiction forces me to lead is NOT for me.  I don't like monkeys on my back and this one has been hanging on for quite a while.  At my peak, I would only eat 8-10 pills per day, but when the script is only for 40 pills and you're calling the doc back in 5-6 days asking for more...  well...  everybody here knows how that goes...  you hold your breath and PRAY the doc refills for you.  EVERYTHING depends on that next refill.  It's ****.  This isn't any way to live.  I'm done with it.  Anyway...  I began detoxing myself last week because I tried "cold turkey" and just couldn't handle it.  I have kids and a job and can't afford the luxury of calling it the "flu" and going to bed.  I am now down to 1 and a half pills a day and I'm dividing them into 2 doses.  The suffering is minimal compared to "cold turkey" and it's something I can live with.  The only thing I can attribute my strength and power to do this is in the power of Jesus.  Once I admitted my addiction to Him and asked Him to overcome it for me, I began to gain strength.  I know there's a lot of work left for me to do MENTALLY, but right now my battle is getting off these pills without feeling the PHYSICAL PAIN.  Once that is under control, I'll be better able to work on the rest.

I can identify with everyone here.  With every posting I read, I saw a little bit of myself in each one.  I imagine that even after I detox ~ maybe for the rest of my life ~ pain killers will be an issue for me.  

I wish the best to everyone here.  May God keep His hand on us all.

[Rebecca]

I am on my fourth day without vicodin.  I was very comforable with seven vics a day. I have been addicted for six years.

I am just trying to find out what to expect as I try to get out of the miserable cycle of vicodin addiction.

Why did I stop?  I got busted by my doctor(s).  For ten years, I've had a doctor that prescribed nearly anything I asked him for.  Valium, diet pills...whatever.  Then I hurt my back and got a new doctor who gave me vicodin.  Since then, I have been getting my vicodin monthly from both doctors for six years.

Last month, the pharmacy notified both doctors and when I went in for my usual monthly exam, I found out I was busted.  The doctor gave me a prescription for 30 lorcets and told me to take three then two then one a day.  Last Thursday and Friday, I was down to one and on Saturday, I felt determined enough to not take the last one half lorcet I had.  Now I am on my fourth day without them.

I will never see these drug prescribing doctors again.  I am too embarrassed.

I really don't want to be a slave to vicodin anymore.  I still have one half a lorcet in my wallet.  Please help me get through this.  thanks      

[Rebecca]

I am on my fourth day without vicodin.  I was very comforable with seven vics a day. I have been addicted for six years.

I am just trying to find out what to expect as I try to get out of the miserable cycle of vicodin addiction.

Why did I stop?  I got busted by my doctor(s).  For ten years, I've had a doctor that prescribed nearly anything I asked him for.  Valium, diet pills...whatever.  Then I hurt my back and got a new doctor who gave me vicodin.  Since then, I have been getting my vicodin monthly from both doctors for six years.

Last month, the pharmacy notified both doctors and when I went in for my usual monthly exam, I found out I was busted.  The doctor gave me a prescription for 30 lorcets and told me to take three then two then one a day.  Last Thursday and Friday, I was down to one and on Saturday, I felt determined enough to not take the last one half lorcet I had.  Now I am on my fourth day without them.

I will never see these drug prescribing doctors again.  I am too embarrassed.

I really don't want to be a slave to vicodin anymore.  I still have one half a lorcet in my wallet.  Please help me get through this.  thanks      

[tom to Dan]

thanks so much for the info. That gives me some hope that there is a solution afterall. I'm going to check it out tonight. re: starting a new thread, I'm afraid the site only accepts one new thread per day. I imagine it's first-come-first-serve. But we know you now and will find your thread regardless of where you plant it. I suggest planting it in a fairly recent thread so it will stay on the board longer. There is the question of interrupting the existing thread, but you can read the dates and pretty much tell which ones are "spun." his one would serve just fine.
I know there are many of us who are just plain scared to ask for help because we'll be stripped of any pain relief "on the spot." Not every doctor is as enlightened as he/she might be. Thanks again, Dan.

[Frankinscense]

I have only first hand experience with methadone maintenance therapy (MMT). When I started on MMT six years ago I was amazed how all my cravings and withdrawals were curtailed with 40mgms of methadone. MMT allowed me to get a handle on my pain issues also.  I found that through the use of methadone over a period of time about 90% of the pain I was encountering while on Lortab 10 and the like diminished on methadone. Do not be scared of methadone it is a very safe and effective drug for pain and narcotic cravings. Long term use MMT has absolutely no effect on heart,liver or other vital organs. On MMT I was able to complete my education at age 46 compared to when Lortab my only concern was how I was going to score my next prescrition-- that is what I mean when I say that MMT allows you to get your life together- it's a real life saver. In closing I want to ad that there is a web sight that has all your answers to questions about opiate agonist treatment. This forum or website is Methadone Information Exchange. Use any search engine to find the MIE board. It is a patient run forum that covers all opiate agonist therapies and tons of useful information about many issues covered here. Also there are many people there with chronic pain issues. There is not a better run forum on the internet. Good luck Tom and all. Sincerely,Doc Dan S. (LCDC intern)
PS. When I have breakthrough pain now plain Ibuprofen helps me when in the past while on Lortab it very rarely helped. If I have unusally severe pain ONE lortab 7.5 mgm will kill the pain for 4-6 hours. Most clinics will allow occasional use of a legitimate prescrition pain pill. But you will find you will rarely need anything for pain while on MMT. I will answer any questions further if some one will tell me how to start a new thread on opiate agonist therapy. Doc Dan...

[tom to Dan]

tell me about the narcotic agonist therapy. I believe you're talking about the partial agonist, buprenorphin (or LAAM?). My question is, if you still have chronic pain that doesn't respond to anything but opiates, will the buprenorphin or LAAM provide analgesia as well as stopping the narco cravings? I know methadone is a good pain reliever and is also used to treat addiction, but I don't know if they give it out in such dosages that it will serve as a pain reliever and addiction treatment. Also, will I have to go to an addiction specialist or can I go to my regular doctor? Is it meant as a temporary therapy (since I have chronic pain which is definately not temporary)?. By the way, without wearing out my keyboard, I've exhausted the non-narcotic therapies for my back condition. When another comes along, I'll try it. But until then, I simply can't function without effective pain relief and only opiates have been able to provide that. I'd appreciate your time to answer my questions. Thanks in advance.

[questioning...]

I come in here at times to find smoking addiction answers.
I feel for all who are going through the prescription drug struggles i read about here.
I just want to say that there must be a way for you to live your life free from drugs.
I also have chronic pain. Yes, I know what pain is. But even though I could be on strong painkillers, I choose not to be.
This is so sad in reading these posts.
I wonder, and want to ask some of those here, how on earth did you finally quit the abuse?
This is sad.

[questioning...]

I come in here at times to find smoking addiction answers.
I feel for all who are going through the prescription drug struggles i read about here.
I just want to say that there must be a way for you to live your life free from drugs.
I also have chronic pain. Yes, I know what pain is. But even though I could be on strong painkillers, I choose not to be.
This is so sad in reading these posts.
I wonder, and want to ask some of those here, how on earth did you finally quit the abuse?
This is sad.

[barbara to pain and lortab]

Whew! What a speech! All I have to say is I hate pain and suffering and I love euphoria and feeling good. The last actual euphoria I felt was in Super-Typhoon Paka three years ago.

I depise pain, seizures and especially the DT's! Luckily I have no more DT's but I still have break through seizures and a chronic pain disorder that at times makes me want to kill.

I would rather get rid of the pain, elevate my mood if possible sounds fine to me,(Nothing wrong with being in a good mood, in my opinion)!

The good news is, I am off work early today in a few minutes and am preparing to head to the jungle for meditation, relaxation and doing one of my many hobbies, this one being looking for rare plants. I plan to take my usual dose of 2 mg Klonopin, two -50 mg Ultrum, and two 30 mg Codeine added once I make it to the jungle.

Yes. this may seem a bit much but I would like to see you tromp through the jungle in 88 degree heat and 94 percent humidity. The Klonopin helps get rid of the break through seizures and acts as a muscle relaxant which is very important in the jungle.

The Ultram kills the pain very well, the codiene helps too but adds an extra boost of mood elevation which is important to me because I communicate with God or meditate, if you prefer to call it that, and I feel close to nature and God when I am in a higher state of hypnotic mind set.

I just recently read that 50 mg of Ultram is the same as 60 mg of Codeine! I was suprised at that but now understand why it kills the pain better than codiene.

If this bothers you, well then I guess you will suffer being bothered while I will have my fun and enjoyment in the jungle. War and Poverty are borthersome too but I don't go around obsessing over them or I would definately never have fun!

Thanks for the advice though, although I doubt I will change my lifestyle over it. I quit drinking. That was my main downfall and now I am not even tempted since I have the correct pain killers and mood elevators. Thank you.

Barbara

[Frankinscense]

I was pill addict for several years. You name it in the narcotic department I took it. Doses very high I do not even care to mention. Pain pills take your free will away. You live on the pills agenda and not your own. My passion is due to the fact that  there are lives on the line here. My zeal as you put is not new for I am six years clean from the pain pill rat race. Opiate agonist treatment is what saved me. They take away your cravings and let you live a life free of chasing a high. My heart goes out to all of you and simply want to pass on a bit of useful information. It wasn't until last year that I decided to go into a helping profession. I hope that with my knowledge and the grace of god I can help some people with this disease of drug addiction. My best to all. Until next time....
Sincerely,
Dan S. (lcdc intern)

[tom to Dan the licensed chem dependency]

A gentle suggestion: if you