vicodin addiction? at 13 years old? pleas help!

[kat1in2the3hat]

im 13 years old, ive had to be put on vicodin and codiene since may of 2008 due to an infection that turned out to be staph, they had to cut the area open, and prescribed 500 mg vicodin to me. my mother who has rhumetoid arthritus ?(sp?) constantly has vicodin due to joint pain and what not. i think i maybe be abuseing them.i steal them and would usually take half of one, every weekend, then it turned to 1&1/2, then it was once or twice a week. then it escaladed to every day, (now) 2 every day, with 2 aspirin, or sometimes 2 generic brands of acetamenophin that are 500 mg's. ive been taking 4 pills (2 vicodin and 2 500 other ones) every day. since february 1st. im not sure if ts an addiction, but then again, ive never had a dependancy on anything else. like, i will look forward to the buzz you get, and the feeling of being totally out of it. it calms me, and i really do have a lot of stress in my life, that may be why i take them so much. i dont know. my parents really think im some kind of child who has to live up to thier expectations and be a model f perfection, when n reality, im not, at all. theres stress on my grades, stress at school in general. stress at home. i think i should have a thereapist, but i dont know. i was wondering if i could possibly have an addiction. i get bad headaches when im at school, after i eat some of my dinner i always feel kinda crappy after, im really tired pretty often, im sometimes shakey, and when i have an itch, like  on my leg, and i itch it, i barely really feel it, or notice its happening, sometimes ill focus on a word on the T.V and it will become hard to look at after a while. does any og those things have anything to do with it? what are the withdrawal symptoms if i were to be addicted? what are signs that i will be addicted if im already not? i would really appreciate it if someone wrote back and answered my questions..

[mtgoat911]

kat, you still out there?
take a look at this 12 step workbook  for teens
http://www.hazelden.org/OA_HTML/ibeCCtpItmDspRte.jsp?item=1076

[mtgoat911]

here is what i found so far
http://www.yellowpages.com/Homosassa-FL/Drug-Abuse-Addiction-Centers?search_terms=drug+treatment+center
thats a list of treatment centers in your area
find a quite place, call each one of them

ask if they have free out patient group meetings for teens, if they say know ask if they know where you could find a meeting like that

[mtgoat911]

well, i am sorry to see that your parents did not take the information well, when i told my mom, she actually helped me
and she went to alonon
but for now, i want you to know that you have a disease, just like someone with asthma, or diabetis
you are not bad, you do not deserve punishment, you nee treatment
please read more about the disease of addiction, here is a link where you can find the information
at the back of the book there is a collection of addicts personal stories
find the stories
little girl grows up   and  sick at 18
do yourself a favor and read this book, there are millions of us!!

[Sithtiger]

I know it must seem like their punishing you and yeah, they are with taking away stuff but they are trying to help you.  You seem to get that though....much more than I would at your age!  Anyway you won't have to hide it anymore and you can concentrate on getting better.  

There's no doubt about it....it's gonna rough but you'll be stronger for it, even if you can't see it right now.  Your doing fine Kat, keep up the good work!

[SmithsGirl89]

I am 19 years old and will be 20 on February 16th...this coming up Monday>  I have been addicted to Loricets for about a year now.  The symptoms you described actually reminded me of what it felt like as a first time opiate user, (when I started taking them "casually" or for "fun".  The staring at a word on the television or glancing off for a second and you catch yourself staring at a color of a wall or an object....I used to get that a lot!  Your VERY YOUNG, and so am I.  Please take this...OUR good advice!!! You are in danger.  You have discovered that you like something, and that something is not only dangerous, but illegal, fatal, and stealing isn't good either. When you start stealing from the poeple you love...you have a problem.  It is a problem that can be worked on and somewhat corrected over time, but you will always have that addicition.  Maybe it won't always be that Vicodin or whatever the other painkiller.  Next time it could be cocaine, heroin, crack cocaine, meth, or hell even if you start to smoke cigarretes.  It is an addiction.  You can overcome it, but it will always be there, and you have to fight it!  Good Luck and you can POST DIRECTLY TO ME...PLEASE DO IF YOU HAVE ANYMORE QUESTIONS.  I WOULD LOVE TO HELP OR HELP YOU LEARN ABOUT THIS DISEASE MORE.
_Sarah_

[j34]

Good... don't look at it as a punishment. Look at it as a gift of Love and some children do not have that, their parents could care less what their children are doing.You are a very lucky young lady and I wish you all the best.

[kat1in2the3hat]

my parents know. im getting a therapist. they hid everything. they yelled at me, took everything away from me, arent letting me out of my house, and took my cell phone away, wont let me talk to any of my friends who smoke. i dont smoke though. they called my guidance councelor. i havent doneanything in a longggg time though, like 3 or 4 days.

[Sithtiger]

So has it been 3 days now?  Are you having any withdrawals yet?  If you're not then that's a very good sign.  If you're not having them bad or at all now, then it shouldn't be too bad.  Then again having bad w/d's is more incentive not to use anymore, but of course we don't want you to go through any more suffering than you have to!

Just chime in and let us know how you're doing...ok.

[j34]

Good job on the two days. Have you talked to anybody yet. You don't want to push this under the rug and be a "secret" secrets can kill you. This is harsh but the truth. You know what you need, you know that this is not normal or you.You are reaching out, funny thing is when we have problems we almost always know the answer our insides tell us.  ,find somebody you can trust and talk about it.if you feel you need the help you probably do. Good luck and give yourself a gift .....   freedom from your secret,freedom from substance abuse that will only spiral downwards, there is no up from addictions.Good news is you can learn to live without.With help.Keep in touch k.You can do this.You were brave enough to reach out to us .Help yourself

[firefish]

Two days?  You haven't had any in two days??  GREAT!  Give it one more day.  Then if that goes well, see what Day 4 can bring.  We're pulling for you!

[kat1in2the3hat]

well, im gettin there. i havent done anything in 2 days. with a little motivation. but i have this awfull craving.

[firefish]

Talk to us, Kat.  Howzit going?  I'm worried about you.

[Sithtiger]

I don't have a clue how bad a Staph infection hurts but I can tell you that Vicodin can do that to your stomach!  This is especially true if you're taking more than your body can tolerate at the moment.

Since you have Staph, I can't say well you should get off the Vics now because if you did, you'd have to deal with the infection pain and w/d pain.  On the other hand, you've got to look at what the Vicodin is doing to you.  The Staph can kill you, but then from what I see, the Vicodin is making pretty short work of your insides fast!  

I would go see your counselor and the doctor immediately!  From where I'm sitting, you're in a situation where you should be calling or going to the ER right now!  I don't think you realize that the Vicodin is lowering your immune system too, which can't be good considering your situation.  It's gonna make you body that less resistant to the infection.  Whatever you do Kat, you need to do it now before something really does happen where you're life is screwed up or even taken away forever.  I'm not trying to scare you, but you need to understand the situation your in right now.  You need to make a choice while you still can.  If you wait too long, some choices will be made for you.  Seriously talk to someone tomorrow....please!

[mtgoat911]

i was 15 when i went to my first aa meeting, i remember the old timers telling me that they spilled ,more alcohol than i drank, which was true, i was addicted to pills, at that time i had never been drunk, ,, it was so hard to get help when i was a teen
i am not sure where you live but 2 fridays a month i speak at an adolecent unit, the patients are 13 to 18, i can contact the facility and see if they can recomend treatment options in your area
i hope you feel better soon, you are not alone in all this, many of us started early!
please feel free to post as many times as you need to here at medhelp!!!

[this_big]

  First off let me say i'm glad to see you still posting.I think thats a great idea to take a friend(if they are there to support you).Does this friend in mind take anything..drugs???Not that it makes that much of a difference if they truely are there for you on this.Alot of the things you say your feeling could be side affects from the infec. meds,But sound alot more like w/ds from vic(not knowing about "zyvox").Im sure your very well aware of this but you are talking to adults..moms,dads.Most if not all of us would be SO proud of our child for coming forward w/something like this,but all have been 13 and know how scary it is.I hate preaching to my son.Its just in a parents nature.My parents were a royal pain in my ***.I thank them everyday for that .NOW...Its because we care and want the best for them.Knowing how much of a (for lack of better word)B!TCH... life can be...

This ONE decision COULD  change your WHOLE life...My point is,, whomever you talk to(adult)i.e school,therapist,ect WILL help you.And YES you have the very beginings of a VERY dangerous and ugly addiction.It took most of us as"adults"alot longer to come forward w/this problem than you.That says ALOT for you.I think someone said above"wise well beyond your years".Stick w/your plan honey.Though not right in front of you we ARE adults.....Were not THAT scary....Well...if you saw alot of us you'd probably think different...thats besides the point...lol...Keep posting and above all STICK W/THE PLAN!!Sweetie your a VERY smart girl.DONT let this **** change that..

[kat1in2the3hat]

well, tomorrow im deciding wether or not to go see one of my councelors at school with a friend with me for moral support. i know this is bad, but last night i  was taking 2 750's and 2 tylenols w/ codiene. but i had an awful headache before i took them, and even when i did, this morning i woke up to what i thought was a hunger pain, but it was actually me feeling like i wanted to throw up. but i didnt. so, i went to get something small to eat and felt like i was going to throw up again. i was already in the bathroom waiting for it to happen. but im also on a drug called zyvox (sp?) for infection, because now i have contracted staph infection in my knee. so i think maybe that might have somthing to do with it?? i dont know.and i keep having that feeling in your stomach when your nervous, sort of like butterflies, but im not, at all nervous. I'm at home, calm as can be. i just have really mixed up feelings about life in general. i just had an awful mood swing yesterday morning (the day after i didnt take anything at all. my only day "clean" in a week) and said some pretty mean things i wish i would had never said. and felt angry, felt like crying, felt depressed, and then by the end of the day (after i had taken already 1 vic) i was mellow and felt the slightest bit happier than i did before.

[LIZZIE LOU]

i am the mother of three sons who are addicts...so i'm gonna speak to you as a "mother".

this is what drugs have done to my sons.

son #1:  gifted athlete who quit school in the 10th grade...spent 2 1/2 years in prison.  he has no education and struggles daily to make ends meet.  his marriage is on again, off again...his addiction to alcohol and xanax makes him moody and NOT pleasant to be around.  he has no plans for his future except scoring more xanax.

son #2:  gonna skip him to the end

son #3:  a gifted student (very high iq) and athlete...had football scholarship to private high school...a soccer and track standout...failed the 10th grade and had to attend summer school...lost most of his friends...jailed twice...two rehabs...and finally spent 13 months in long term rehab for a crack addiction.  he has been clean for 3 years :)

back to son #2:  this son of mine was a sweetheart of a child...God's gift to mankind.  he had so much life and love in him that it would just envelope others.  he could just smile at you and your heart would melt.
christian dropped out of school in the 11th grade.  he has been in jail too many times to count and his record is a mile long.  he has been addicted to crystal meth for 10 years and counting and it has destroyed everything and everyone around him.  i dont like him and i dont trust him...as he will steal from me no sooner than my back is turned.  he is a master manipulator.
this beautiful child of mine is now a monster that i dont even know anymore.  because of his addiction and the bad choices he makes...he now has HIV and has to live with that AND the stigma of it for the rest of his life.  

does any of that look like something that you desire for YOUR life?  please dont read this and say, "well that wont be me ! ! !"...because it could very well be you one day.  everyone one of my sons "started small"...smoking the occasional joint...having a beer or two...popping a pill here and there...but look how addiction grabbed ahold of them and didnt let go.  

if you think i'm just trying to scare you...you're right.  i am hoping that you will read my post and be scared to death that this might happen to you.  do something now...today...to make sure that you dont end up like any of my sons did.  

big hugs sent to you...
kim

[Sithtiger]

Even though it may be unpleasant, you should tell your parents what is going on.  They might be mad for a bit but I'm sure they'll be more concerned about you than angry.  Then that's one less thing you have to worry about and easier for you get off them.  The addiction in you is saying no, don't tell them because then if I want them, it will be even harder for me to get them.  

If you really want to get off of them, you have to cut all connections that have to do with getting them.  It's like a final step in your mind that your serious....and yes it's scary but like I said before the reality isn't as bad as what your mind plays it out to be.  Remember, your brain thinks it needs to Vicodin now but you don't.  I mean look at me....I'm almost 9 weeks out and I'm fine.....I mean I don't even pay attention to those aliens that are always with me....doesn't bother me at all.  :-)

[phuck_it]

Do you belong to a church or have a favorite teacher or maybe a friends parent? Go to them and let them know what's going on perhaps it will be easier if you had somebody with you when you get your parents involved. This is too important an issue to try and deal with on your own. You are a smart and articulate young person, but even adults need somebody to help them. Do it soon too...

Years back when I was about your age I had a sililar situation as yours. I had this history teacher who was incredible cool, Mr Pisani! I went to him and it ended up being the right person to go to.

See if there is a teen Drug hotline to talk to somebody who is a professional?

God Bless You Kat and good luck!

[kat1in2the3hat]

i broke my foot and the doctor prescribed tylenol 3 w/ codiene for pain, my mother was going to fill he script, but decided not to because she thought i was going to abuse the privilege. she did anyway, later on.. so my parents have had ideas, and have questioned me, and i have denied everything.
there was even a rumor going on around school that i carry vics around in my back pocket. it got so big that it was taken to the administrators and school resource officers of my school. i was searched along with 3 other people, they didnt find anything. thank god. or call my parents. but my parents have had ideas..

[firefish]

You've been getting some really good advice, and I agree that you are very brave and intelligent so have admitted where you are.

The withdrawals are rough, fer sure.  For me, it took three full days from going cold turkey to get through the physical part  -  agitation, couldn't sit still, could not sleep, headaches, neck aches, and aches in places I didn't even know I had.  Physical activity, rigourous exercise (I beat the **** out of an exercise bike at my gym), Tylenol PM, lots of fresh fruit, lots of water, and I finally stopped hurting.  Then, for two weeks I just "felt crappy."  Lethargic, a general achy feeling.  Sleep started coming and man oh man did I sleep.  I found that keeping busy helped  -  I now can play the paino better than I ever could!  :-)

After the two weeks I started tasting food, seeing sunlight, hearing birds and generally feeling happy.  It was so nice.  But...

I still had chronic pain.  I was in a motocycle accident 6 years ago and my ankle is slowly crumbling.  I've had two surgeries and will eventually have to get my ankle replaced.  On days that I was active, like weekend chores, my ankle would be in so much pain at night it would wake me up.  I told the doc no more vikes, I am an addict, but he then perscribed Tramadol, as it "does not produce the high that vicodin does."  

To make a long story short I am on my third day of withdrawals from tramadol.  So, if you still suffer from chronic pain, DON'T let the medicos prescribe another narcotic.  Vicodin was easy compared to this ****.  But I'll get there.  Again I am keeping busy, eating well, getting exercise, and participating in forums like this.  It helps.  Just typing this makes me feel so much better, and hopefully it can help you or someone else who is participating.

Hang with us Kat.  You'll make it.  

[steveo30]

listen honey,i'm 47 years old.do you want to be posting about any addictions that you might have in 34 years like i do.believe me you dont.i am so happy you found this forum when you did,you really need to listen to these people,they are here to help you.i know it stinks when we cant talk to our parents about these things,have you tried talking to them,you just might be surprised.keep us posted,we dont want you going down the same road as we did,it's a very bumpy road with alot of potholes and they seem to get larger and deeper every year,unless we take time to fix them

[faithnhope41]

sweetheart, you are so brave to admit this.  Your phone book has numbers you can call to get help with addiction. Stopping an addiction like this will make you feel lousy, like the flu, and you will hurt, but the end result is so worth it. It's rough to stop when they are in the house. You have to continue being brave and strong, and if you fail try again. Find someone you trust to tell this to. Your mom and dad will be disappointed and there may be tough times but they will end too. Hold on tight to that strength you are showing right now. Try tapering off, little by little, this is hard to do alone, it takes a lot of willpower. I personally, think your mom should know since she is the unwilling provider of the drugs. She has to hide them or stop taking them herself to help you. Take care, I'll keep you in my prayers.

[kat1in2the3hat]

i really appreciate everyone. i dont have a good relationship with my mother. or father. i think my mother may have forgotten about the thereapist, but im going to keep mentioning it and encourage her to call one. due to talking with everyone and having an "i can do this" sort of attitude, i was so close to taking two 750 vics and two 500 acetometophins. but i didnt. im reallyy craveng them now. and maybe a bit more than what i was going to take yesteday. but im trying to keep thinking about other things. to take my mind off it.