addiction

[Need help]

This is the first time that I am posting this.  I am drug dependant.  I have been for a few years.  I need help - I feel as if I can't talk to anyone.  I took a pill this morning and don't want to put another one in my mouth.  The degree of my addiction is 1 to 1 1/2 percocets or vicodins a day. But I am feeling the pull towards them.  I want more energy, yet I crave the pill.  It seems to give me the feeling of euphoria.  I know I need meetings.  How hard will it be for me to detox from these?

Help is needed.

[HeatherBliss]

I can't quit. I am addicted to alcohol, and Meth. Everytime I qui
t treatment I leave. I have zero belief in myself. No self esteem. Longest sober one year and 5 months. I have kids! I am such a loser! I lost jobs. Isolated myself & lost hope. Please help with advice or words of wisdom.

[Brighty to Mark]

Just saw your post today !! I agree with you totally. Yes, I do think you are right about the behavioral aspects of addiction.... when I think about it I am often queried about addictions which are mental in nature and there is nothing being put into the body to change the climate or function of any brain system or any biochemical system in the body. For instance, the addictions of gambling or the compulsions of anorexia come to my mind... this is why I am sure this is not an exact science... there is so much still to be discovered. I do support the NA and 12 step programs... I just know there is not data for all the recoveries that happen by personal enlightenment.... and I wish there was data so we could understand this thing called addiction . Hope you continue to post, Mark. Love, Brighty

[Lulu]

that is how i started 18 months ago i am now up to 8-10 pers per day, and a chronic user.  i also realised soon into my usage that it was pulling me in but  because of emotional factors in my life i choose to ignore it.   I don't know what is reality anymore, i fear longterm depression once i'm off, i am in financial trouble and i the long term effects are surfacing, i feel very stuck, so stop now believe me it will be easier now than later.

[marque]

I agree with your concept that there are lots of recovering addicts that have found sobrity and healing thru other means....but when you have (been there done that) behind you , well its bound to help and besides the drug issue is just part of a addicted behavoir, thats where 12 step program can help. Ive have heard and belive that some addicts trade one addiction for another.........Thanks Mark

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

My last trip through rehab(a few years ago)was coed. I was appalled at the amount of sexual abuse the women had endured.  Getting off drugs was just the tip of the iceberg for them!

As a man, I've pretty much run rough shod through life taking what ever I wanted and trampling over the rest.  But never in my wildest dreams did I ever get treated the way some women do. I raised my daughters to be better than that!  

I also advocate AA/NA.  They are probably the best programs ever designed to help the addicted.  Anyway, they have a money back guarantee if it doesn't work.

[Brighty to JB and Tom]

Hello to my 2 favorite Old Reliables !! :-)) About this NA success rate thing..... personally I would not put too much emphasis on any of it because you know there is no accurate way to collect data on people who don't return or people who never even attended. I just read a really interesting article on the so called "therapeutic communities" concept of treatment. They for years have boasted a 75-80% success rate. They are generally the type of treatment programs with lot's of in your face type of confrontation and they claim the success primarily with crack and cocaine addicts... the really incorrigible ones. Well it seems that someone did a paper.. a study type of thing which tracked the "graduates"... the revelations were interesting... only 15% of all admissions ever completed treatment.... so you have a very low pool here for that very high success rate... additionally the graduates were tracked for no more than 5 years... other revelations were that the 15% who stayed were from the prison system and had only the choice to return to jail... many did return to jail because they could not take the confrontation. Also interesting was that they had little success with females... too confrontational for the general female personality.. the programs were fashioned after a boot camp mitilaristic style which is better accepted by males. They sited also that many drug addicted females have serious sexual issues and the programs are run primarily by males who were in their face... not very healing for sexually abused women. Anyway my point is that thousands of addicts of all types are clean and we just don't know who they are because they just did it on their own. I support 100% the NA/AA support concepts but they do not have a monopoly on healing and I think all those numbers can mislead all of us because the possibilities are limitless. It seems to be a trial and error thing sometimes. Thanks for your ears. Love, Brighty

[Frankinscense]

What is norco? If memory serves me-all norco is hydrocodone with tylenol. Why would a person with liver problems or hepC continue to take tylenol laced products? I thought everyone new about tylenol and liver problems. Oh well just a honest question.       Dan

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

Marty is doing fine and is probably at her doctor's office right now.  It's just a formality for the doc to say whatever and charge his $75.00 fee. Anyway the lung tumors have shrunk considerably.

By the way, I'm still in the 25% and working on staying there. Sure I still think about going out and doing more research on addiction from time to time but I'm happy where I'm at today!
Your friend,  J.B.

[J]

Trust me, it isn't easy.  Try going from 6 Norco (10MG Hydrocodone) /day to nothing.  I am suffering as I type
this.  It could take a week or so to start feeling normal.
The biggest thing is to be strong and don't take any more.
You can cut your dose or somthing like that but it will
only prolong things.  Coming off of these meds are BAD
but be lucky you aren't on something like Oxycodone.
I'm on day 2, can't really function, don't want to see
anyone, not really working, can't eat, hot flash, cold
flash...  Just plain nasty.  Good luck bro.

[tom to J.B.]

hello, my friend.
The 75% becomes the 25%, just not on the first go around. Oh, and the 25% usually goes back to being the 75%, they just wait until the survey expires to relapse.
Hope Marty is doing well on her new medication. Tell her I wish her a speedy recovery. Take care.

[marque]

You know I think Ive come to realize that most of us don't want to feel normal anymore. It hurts to bad. So thats why we need this drug to function. It helps pick us up when we feel the depression or withdrawls and the lack of mental and phyical energy We can't deal with life issues on life terms.That why once we are clean we need a support system. To at least hear from others that have made it. Such as AA or NA. workin the 12 step program.Good luck, Mark

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

I think you have made a valid observation there, Mark. In general life sucks!  And we do like to feel good so some of us opt for drugs. They get us up out of reality for a while and make us feel good--for a while.  Then reality creeps back in and destroys our little world.

NA and AA are very good programs that have helped me a great deal and I wholeheartedly recommend them.  They supposedly have the highest success rate of any program, yet they claim only about a 25% recovery rate.  Pretty grim, huh?  Ever wonder what happens to the other 75% that don't make it?

[J to Mark]

I beg to differ a little on that.  From what I read on here, yes, lots of people are as you speak.  From my stand point I always did as my doctor told me, when I felt like something wasn't right I stopped taking things such as Oxy.  Oxy was so mood unfriendly and uneven I couldn't stand to be on it, I was on 20MG x 2 daily.  I guess I didn't notice the withdrawl from it because I was immediately put on Norco.  Norco has been tearing my stomach up so I stopped and man, this is the worst I have ever felt in my life.  The people on this list are so great to help with talking through and explaining things.  As I previously stated, I'm only on day two and am staring REALLY hard at the little bottle.  I can see how it is so easy to get dependant on these damn things.  I keep thinking to myself, ok, 6 a day to 1, yeah, that will work then I keep RE-READING my reply to this topic, over and over.  I just wish I knew exactly how long I would feel like this.  I've been on Norco for about a year at 6 a day...  I'm thinking/praying a week, but in the mean time, it's day 2 and I feel like chopping my arms and legs off..
ARG..  Oh well, enough rambling, keeps the fingers occupied so I don't bite my nails I guess..  :)

[To sick and scared from Neena]

Instead of throwing the pills...cut them in half or go an extra 15 minutes before your next does.  Then increase the time before the next dosage.  You will find that you will almost forget about the pills.  Don't get anymore though, now that you admit that you enjoy the HIGH from them, it's time to take control.  Good Luck.  Praying doesn't hurt also. :)  Neena

[Need help]

Thanks to all.  Just admitting that I have a problem feels better.  I live with such shame.  It's the second day...I really want the high.  I don't have the courage to throw out the bottle of pills yet. I am living minute by minute.
Thanks again to all.  This forum is a blessing.

[loanne]

not terribly hard.  taper slowly.  no more 1 1/2 days.  then just 1/2 am and 1/2 pm.  shuldn't be taht rough.  good luck and deep posting.

[Kretzmeer]

1 to 1 1/2 a day is mostly psychological.  You should feel better in a couple of days.  I've got a 4-6 a day habit (Vicodin) and it takes me a week or so of discomfort to get straightened out but 1 - 1 1/2 is a very small habit.  Good luck.

[penelope]

I've heard about this Buprenex injections that help with detox.  It's suppose to mask the withdrawal symptoms while detoxing.  Anybody know anything about this stuff?  Or anybody out there that has used this Buprenex themselves.  I would love to hear about your experience with it.  For I am trying to fight an Oxycontin addiction.  Your help would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks. Email me at-  ***@****

[To sick and scared from Neena]

Hi.  Good news, you are taking a very small amount of the drug, so your withdrawals should be relatively easy, but it does vary.  Everything Tom told you is correct.  Did he mention lots of hot baths or showers?  Tapering is the key.  I did it that way, but was monitored by my husband.  Some have to do it Cold Turkey.  You will feel like Hell, but it is NOT life threatening, according to my doctor, although you may feel like you are dying.  Need Help, stay where you are on the amount of the drug.  No more than cut in half.  Xanax is nice for the shakes.  YOU ARE NOT ALONE.  Neena

[Need help]

Tom,

Thank you.  You are the first person that I have talked to about this.  I am scared.  I have been waking up lately and looking in the mirror at the dark circles...I've been getting the sleep (because of the percocets) but still look exhausted.

Thank you again. I will let you know how I am doing.

[tom to Need Help]

the good news is, you're apparently addicted to a very small daily dosage. Most people addicted to percs take dozens every day.
Here's how to detox:
Slowly tapering down to nothing would be the least unpleasant way to go, but takes longer and is sometimes next to impossible for people to stick to.
Cold Turkey:
Withdrawal symptoms will be diahrea, muscle aches in arms and legs. Insominia. Cold sweats. Anxiety. Cravings for percs.
Use Imodium (over the counter) for the runs. Take lots of hot baths for the muscle aches. Use Valium or Xanax if you have it for the anxiety and warm milk for insomnia (Valerian Root is a sort of natural valium and can be purchased at the health food store - it works). I suppose the only treatment for the cravings will be meetings. However, at your low dosage, I think the cravings will diminish over a few weeks.
Cheer up. If you're recognizing the problem at 1 1/2 percs a day, there is no reason you can't successfully quit. Good luck.

[tom to Need Help]

the good news is, you're apparently addicted to a very small daily dosage. Most people addicted to percs take dozens every day.
Here's how to detox:
Slowly tapering down to nothing would be the least unpleasant way to go, but takes longer and is sometimes next to impossible for people to stick to.
Cold Turkey:
Withdrawal symptoms will be diahrea, muscle aches in arms and legs. Insominia. Cold sweats. Anxiety. Cravings for percs.
Use Imodium (over the counter) for the runs. Take lots of hot baths for the muscle aches. Use Valium or Xanax if you have it for the anxiety and warm milk for insomnia (Valerian Root is a sort of natural valium and can be purchased at the health food store - it works). I suppose the only treatment for the cravings will be meetings. However, at your low dosage, I think the cravings will diminish over a few weeks.
Cheer up. If you're recognizing the problem at 1 1/2 percs a day, there is no reason you can't successfully quit. Good luck.