Help!!! Vicodin withdrawal. How long will this last

[Alscott]

I will cut straight tot he chase. I am a vicodin addict. I have no medical need for the pills. I buy them off the street, spending 60 every 2-3 days. Ridiculous. I know. My best friend and I have been popping pills together for sometime. Today we both decided to go to our separate doctors and spill the beans. I went to my pcp and told him everything. He prescribed me methadone and clonidine. I want to quit cold turkey. I went to walgreens and purchased a sleep aide. Can anyone tell me how long this will last? I took my last vicodin yesterday at 12 p.m.. I started taking lexapro on Monday and the side effects of the lexapro scared me enough to not take any of the vicodin yesterday. Please help. I am in the alone. Well with my BF, but my family does not can not know. I have a husband and 3 children, work full-time and go to school. I got a lot on my plate. This is why I take the pills. It gives me energy. The guilt of lying to husband, and spending so much money weekly is killing me. Please help. Any advise will do.

[NeverDreamed]

Pick up the clonidine, it helps greatly.  Its not a narcotic, there is no high and no addictive aspect.  It helps, so does immodium.  Just shred that methadone script

[got2quit4us]

Stay away from  the Methadone!! I done methadone for a few years. I almost died comming off of it, your taking a long hard road doing methadone!

[ricart70]

It is believed that alot of the symptoms of withdrawal are caused by high blood pressure.Clonodine lowers your blood pressure relieving some of the nervousness and tension of withdrawal and helps to get rid of that "ampy" feeling.I don't know how they discovered that this drug helps but it does.It is also used for alcohol withdrawal.Hope this helps

[Alscott]

Can you tell me how the clonidine can help. I am  very confused with all the medication

[ricart70]

Great job on not filling the methadone.I would just rip that scrip up but you would really be better off to fill the clonidine and take as directed.It is non narcotic and will not get you high.It is a blood pressure med and it will only help you.Since you have only been taking around five vics a day this will get better in about 4 days.Keep posting and let us know how you are

[overopiates]

U shoud get the clonidine they really help a lot.Methadone no way.I used clonidine getting off100to150mg of hydro a day.They help tremendiously and dont get u high at all.that,name brand immodium u will b feeling a lot better n3to4days from the day u quit

[Alscott]

Thank you so much. I drove to the drug store to fill my prescriptions but instead went in to by sleep aide. I did not fill the clonidine. I am not looking for anymore high. I just want to be over this. I am going to get some counseling after this is over.

[justneedtotalk]

Listen.....go flush the Methadone!  I cannot believe a Dr. would prescribe Methadone for a small Hydrocodone habit.  It is like throwing a stick of dynamite next to a firecracker.....Let me tell you from experience is that methadone is NOT a means of detox from Vicoden.  You are actually going the wrong way.  Methadone does not give you as much of a "high" feeling but it has a very long half life and detoxing off of it is soooooo much worse and longer than Vicoden.  If you do not listen and end up taking it, PLEASE do not drink while using.  Many people stop breathing at night and die with only a few drinks and taking methadone.  I cannot tell you how dangerous methadone truly is and how hard it is to come off of.  The Clonodine is good and will help keep you calmer and help with the blood pressure but check out the natural supplement amino protocol article and try some of the natural supplements.  If you use them and take the Clonodine, it will be over in a few days.  Methadone is a very strong opiate and should only be used for severe cases.  It sounds like you do not have that bad of a habit and your detox should be short.

You have gotten a lot of good advice here and please heed everyone's warnings.....This is no joke!  Get out now and DO NOT USE the methadone.  We hope you stick around and we are here to help, listen, and educate!

[littlebit667]

Listen to all of them!  They are doing it.  You can too!  Innerstrength is awesome and walked away from a large addiction and is amazing!   They all are and I have come back to get some of their support and strength!

[Innerstrength67]

You don't need methadone to get off Vics. I was a hard core user for 2 years. I'm almost 5 months clean. You can do this! Don't replace one drug for another. You can heal and won't die. However, with that being said, you admit your an addict. If us addicts don't deal with the reasons we started abusing drugs in the first place than relapse is likely. It could happen in one week or 5 years. This is just my personal opinion and I'm in NA and see it ALL THE TIME!
hope this helps. You can do this!!!!

[ricart70]

NO you will not die from withdrawals.I did a calculation on how many you were taking based on what you said you spent.How many were you taking per day and how long have you been taking them?
The clonidine will help alot and may make you kind of drowsy but it will not hurt you.
I wish I could tell you you could sleep this off but the main side effect of painkiller withdrawal is insomnia.

[NeverDreamed]

The Clonidine helped me feel better through the withdrawals. The only negative effect I had from clonidine was severe dry mouth. Just carry a peppermint candy or something to keep your mouth moist.  Just take it as prescribed, for me they said 3x per day.  If for some reason you start having scary symptoms like chest pain or anything serious, take yourself to the ER.
Check you msg. I just sent you one.  
Sleep will probably evade you.  You can rest a lot though.  I told my family I was sick, and that gave me a good 2 days rest, after that I had to return to my normal position of mother/wife/boss etc.  

[Alscott]

Will the clonidine make me feel bad? Can I die from these withdrawals? Can I sleep this off?

[NeverDreamed]

DON'T TAKE THE METHADONE!  
That is a whole other monster.. i've only read about, but terrified me enough to know I will NEVER take it.
I was taking at least 20 vicodin per day sometimes more, rarely less.  I went cold turkey 19 days ago.  Days 1-4 are awful, but tolerable.  I too was presribed clonidine.  I took that 3x per day like prescribed, and took immodium often.  I made myself eat, I made myself hydrate.  I read books to take my mind off of it.  I was also prescribed valium, but only 4 of them.  I took them at night, just one for 4 nights to help with sleep.  Please msg me if you have further question.  I am doing this alone too, I choose not to tell my husband, 3 step kids, my friends, or family.  You can make it through on the clonidine, immodium, and sleep aid...but only take the sleep aide when you are having insomnia...otherwise try to tough that out too.  

[ricart70]

whhhoooaaa!   if you are only taking 4-5 vicodins a day  then going to methadone would just be insane.So you have the right idea with cold turkey.It can be done and will only take about 5 days for you to start to feel better.If you go the methadone route you may never get off of it because withdrawal from methadone is 10x harder and longer than hydro.
Just make sure to stay hydrated and get immodium and take lots of it.You can do it and there are plenty of people here with lots of good advice to help you with the symptoms.Great job on wanting to quit!!