vicodin and tramadol addiction

[kkat_16701]

I started taking a few Ultracets of my grandmother's when I had sprained my ankle.  It worked really well, and I thought it may work for shoulder pain I frequently had and still experience from disc impingement.  My doctor prescribed it and I have been taking it for about 2 years now.  It worked for the most part, but I thought something stronger would work better.  My doctor prescribed me various narcotics including Vicodin, which I'm taking now.  I am addicted to both Tramadol and Vicodin.  I know I have to get off of it, but I am scared to death that I'm going to become very depressed, and the reason being is that I had be diagnosed with depression at a very young age (I am 34 now) as well as ADD.  I like how I feel when I'm taking Vicodin.  I am motivated and sociable.  Without it I am severly depressed and withdrawn.  I feel normal with it; I do not feel "high" just "normal"; like I SHOULD feel WITHOUT it.  My psychiatrist is starting me out with Aderall and Effexor, and I am wondering if you think this will help me to feel like a normal person?  Like I said, I am scared to death to get off of the Vicodin and Tramadol because without it, I simply DO NOT function at all.  Please help.

[amythist2779]

Hi and welcome to the club. What kind of feeling do you get when you take the tramadol? My doctor told me it wasnt addictive although I have learned from many on this board that I guess it is. I have taken it in the past and it didnt even touch my pain. I have a neighbor who is also addicted ot it. I was just curious what you felt from it since it didnt even take care of my aches.

I have been on effexor in the past. It wired me. I felt like I was on crack because I had a ton of energy, I could not sleep, and I did not eat. I hated how it made me feel though because it wired me too much. I have never been on adderal though.

I can not relate to the vicodin feeling either. You see I live and love someone who is an addict. I take the meds myself but for pain only. I have chronic pain daily and there is no cure for it, its fibromyalgia. I dont experience the high feeling that some people do while on it. I also dont feel withdrawl symptoms when i am out of it.

I would discuss this with your psyc doc when you go in, if you havent already. Maybe he can help you out.

[againstthegrain26]

I am not trying to be rude by no means , I am 26 years old been through it all.I started with hydro then moveed to herion. Got addicted kicked in rehab. It was bad but not NEAR as bad as what the future would hold. I have kicked Hydros so many times I cant remember , Kicked Heroin 2 times and was on 100mg a day Mehtadone (MMT) FOR 2 years. METHADONE IS THE DEVIL! I am currently on Subutex and have been for almost 3 months now (16mg) daily sometimes 8 mg daily. What I want to tell you is every body is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO different I have a super pain/sick tolerence (Methadone Detox is the hardest thing I i have done since i have been on earth). Your fear should not be the depression but the pain you will feel you will not be able to evaide this the only way to evaide it is to A.) Continue to use Hydro, B.) Get on methadone (which if you do that you would never be able to forgive yourself) C.) Get on Subutex ( But even with the Sub. you have to be into mild to moderate detox to even begin this medication) and if you make it that far , especially with Hydros you might as well just kick all together. And thats about it. Once you are addicted to any opiate you are in for a ride. You are not going get off a three year habbit in 7 days it takes time,mental anguish,pain,sleeplesness,nausia,vomiting,fear,sweats,cols,runny nose,yawning icky ,yucky ****** up mess! I hate this addiction but I did this to myself. We make our own bed. Good luck you will need it.

[lou lou bell]

I am curious if you take the tramadol on its own what do you feel or do you combine it? I have taken tramadol for pain ( am a long term methadone addict) 23 yrs and finally coming off from 300mgs/day. I am down to 180mgs and am feeling fine. I am not thinking about what it will be like at 5mgs as I am not there. I think you need to slowly reduce what you take. You need to get the help of someone that you can be honest with and trust. Give them control of the meds and have them control your daily intake. Be reasonable. How much of both do you take ie mgs/ or do you take grams of the stuff at the moment. Is it expensive over there as I am in New Zealand. Tramadol is about $35 - $40 for 40 50mg pills here. I was told it was not addictive. Could you get off the vic using tramadol? I think you will need valium to sleep and try something like dextropopoxiphine(sp) for the pain you will get. The valium will help you sleep and relax you. Make sure this is only for a short period and try to use only at night. I find  hot water a great help - a hot bath has been at times the only place I have been able to sleep - it stops the twitching I get about every 10 seconds when hanging out.The trouble is sometimes you can be too sick to get out again. Anyone know that feeling? I am so pleased I feel well and am sure I will kick the methadone as I have everything else in my life that is important right. I have a normal like except I am draging methadone around with me from the past. The most important thing for me to stop was just being so so over it - tired of the liquid handcuffs. I just want to be free again. I have spend all my adult life on opiates and as I said I am over it. I have nearly halved my dose in 12 months I want to go faster than this but if I screw up it would be bad so I am going to go slow and recomend others to do the same. Fast detox is usually a temp. thing in my experience.

[mema3]

WOW!  What a powerful post.

Yes, everyone is different - but I think you hit the nail on the head when you said a three year habit will not be kicked in 7 days.

That is a post that will ring in my head for a long time - especially when I try and kick this beast!

Thank you for your post.

[bigsammieking]

I been on vicodin and tramadol for 5 years now. Do you think I'm addicted? Could I be? What would happen if I just cold turkeyed it?

[GoingToMakeIt]

Try asking this on a new post. Top of page the 'Post a Question' button.

This is an old post.Please do post though. Tramadol is nasty to get off of.

[Angela9780]

Hi kkat,

Although you and I started pain meds for different reasons, I feel EXACTLY the way you feel.  I've suffered depression my entire life, and pain meds are the only thing that make me feel normal...socialable...able to do my job.  I've tried antidepressants, and the side effects make me feel so sick and jittery.  I've been without pain meds for 2 days now...every minute feels like an hour.  Two days until I can get another script.  I don't know how I'm going to function until I can get my meds again.  That makes me sick to my stomach just to say that.  I have 7 and 9 year old daughters....they don't know what's wrong with me.  I cry all the time.  They ask me why I'm sad.  My husband just goes along like nothing is happening.  Without the meds, I can't open up to him...or anyone else for that matter.  I think of suicide often...but the thought of leaving my daughters keeps me from doing it.  Hang in there...I'm trying my hardest.....for the next two days anyway.

[GoingToMakeIt]

Try asking this on a new post. Top of page the 'Post a Question' button.

This is an old post.Please do post though.

[jali360]

You stated that you've suffered from depression your entire life, and pain meds are the only thing that make me you feel "normal...socialable..and .able to do your  job and you think of suicide often.
What does it take for someone to turn their life around and beat drugs and alcohol? I work at a treatment center. Addiction is pain. People are sick and tired when they check in, and they are tired of living in fear and running from their emotions and draining themselves of their life energy by abusing drugs and alcohol. Surrender is important. What does it mean to surrender? It means that you are broken down and you have hit bottom and you become willing to accept someone else’s solution to your problem.

Surrender means that you stop struggling and fighting and manipulating to stay on the roller coaster of addiction. You let go of the need to constantly medicate yourself and become willing to face the fear of living sober. It takes guts, in my opinion.
You also stated that without the meds you can't open up to anyone, but at when you wrote this post you had not used in two days and it seemed to me that you did in fact open up and were honest with your self.
The reason I am responding to your post is because it appears that you are struggling in your addiction and it is not only affecting you but it is also affecting your two daughters. And in no means am I trying to judge you, rather I am trying to offer you support and I want you to know that, if and when you are ready there are places where you can go and recieve help, support, and, if your fear is withdrawls there is help with that also and you could be linked with help for your depression.

[bainuar]

Please help me....I am addicted to subutex reason are using it to meditate my heroin addiction but has been hooked to subutex instead eversince...
I cant feel happy, sociable or anything that a normal person should without it.It is making me feel living a life of a zombie controlled by addiction and fear. I am realy sick and tired of the withdrawals which is realy unbearable and after all the sufferings subsides will have to face the DREADED MIND ADDICTION that maybe going to be for the rest of my remaining life..Why must this sad,sad story empaved in the journey of my life????why????please...oh please anyone or someone save me from this living nightmare...