How long does it take to withdraw from vicodin? Is this feeling normal?

[Bootiemang]

How long does it take to withdraw from vicodin?  I have been taking vicoprofen 7.5/200's for roughly 10 months after a slip and fall where I herniated a cervical disk in my neck.  I normally took 3-4 only in the evening which was when the pain got to be its worst.

I took 2 six days ago.  two days later, I woke up and had a REALLY nervous, chest- tight feeling and vomited quite a bit before I finally passed out and got sleep.  The next day, I felt nauseous, but OK.  By that evening, I was feeling VERY anxious, like I had just consumed 40 cups of coffee.... I couldnt think straight and even took 1/2 of a pill to see if I was withdrawing and maybe it would help a little for relief.... it didnt.  I went to the urgent care and they called an ambulance when I complained of chest tight nervousness.  Long story short, they ran every test they could and found my heart to be fine.  Blood tests from THREE different ER visits show normal liver, kidney, heart, everything.

I am 33 years old and have had pretty good health and no family history of heart problems (other than diabetes induced issues my grandfather had).  Is this chest tight nervousness normal?  I feel like a switch has been flipped and am deathly afraid that I will live the rest of my life like this.  I have been prescribed xanax and am afraid of becoming hooked on that too,... how much longer?  Am I withdrawing?  I only took the meds for 10 months and only 3x a week for the first few months...  HOW do I make this nervous chest feeling go away?  Will it ever go away????!

I see many people talk about RLS, etc, but how about panic attack like symptoms???  PLEASE SOMEONE HELP!  

[Bootiemang]

Thank you!

I've been reading since I posted and have found more than a few people who say it will be a month or more in many cases.... I know everyone is different, but I NEED something to push for!  I'll try PMing you, but if I don't catch you, how does your anxiety manifest?  Mine is a burning/tingling down to my toes... and it freaks me out!  I feel like something is absolutely and horrably wrong and I need to rush to the ER.... until I tell myself im ok... then i start thinking,... what if im NOT ok and its my body telling me in its own way...UGH...  

See how this is a nasty circle??  Thank you for helping.  It does make me feel better to know there are others in my shoes.

[luciddreamrgrl]

Hey I'm right there with you. I was taking vicodin in the same amounts and for the same amount of time as you did. Maybe a couPle of months longer. I have the same dabilitating anxiety as you. I get really bad panic attacks especially at work. I'm 15 days clean and it seems to be letting up a little but not much. I've always had anxiety but never so bad that I had to be put on Xanax. The stuff makes me sleepy anyways. I couldn't take it at work. But anyways 15 days of this and I feel run into the ground. And I totally understand what you mean by mechanical movements. It's a cloud or a haze. Like my brain isn't attached to my body. It feels like I'm walking through water all the time. I wish I could tell you when it will stop. I would really like to know myself. I fooled myself into thinking that withdrawals would only last a week tops. I really believed it after all the reading I did. I was wrong. I just want to tell you that everyone else's time line will not be the same as yours. Mine certainly isn't following the typical time line. 15 days in and I'm still getting hot and cold flashes and periods of dizziness and panic attacks galOre. I also feel like I've broken myself. I just have to keep saying that I haven't and some people just take longer to get all those toxins out of their body. At least that's what my therapist has told me. Anyway, if you ever need someone to talk to who knows exactly what your going through, please feel free to private message me.

[Bootiemang]

It is SO nice to have someone else going through this with... if only to compare notes.  Thank you for any prayers and I too will pray for you.  Keep updating me on your progress too please?

[Bootiemang]

p.s.

I use Nyquil to help sleep through the night.  It works, but I have the hangover cloudy head the next morning and I hate it.  I will use Ambien to help sometimes when I need to sleep NOW to get up for work early...  I went the past two nights with just trying melatonin and both nights woke up cramping to go to the bathroom... and anxiety rolling in.

I really need to know if anyone has a time frame that I can expect things to finally clear away and be gone!  I need a light at the end of this nasty tunnel!

[Bootiemang]

I've been battling.... coming back to check on the topic and seeking more advice.

I am three full weeks clean +1 day.  I would say that week two - two and a half was where I felt much better... then suddenly, I started having anxiety again.... in the evenings and mornings for the most part.  Its nowhere near as bad as the first week, BUT its still VERY unsettling.  I still have stomach issues and cramping, but it feels like the cramping always brings on the anxiety.  It almost feels like I lost the ability to feel if I have to urinate until my kidneys are aching... THEN I know i need to go to the bathroom and pee.... Could the pain meds have caused this?  Like switched off a nerve that tells me i have to use the bathroom???  I have never really had anxiety issues in the past, but THIS is scary.

Can anyone give me a time frame as to when this might go away???  Is this normal?  Something I should expect??

My sleep isnt TOO bad, but I find myself waking up at 345 in the morning at least once sometime after midnight and feeling anxiety... and the urge to use the bathroom... and then I am normally able to distract myself and get at least some more sleep...

How long will this sleep problem last?

I'm just worn sooo very thin right now... I feel stronger, but unsure everything will be ok.  Blood tests and doctors say my numbers are ok... but UGH.. When will it stop??  Please, anyone?

[screwed_my_life]

Its very true what everyone is telling you here, the "plumbing" will get back to normal probablly faster than you would expect, I understand the concerns with this because I have just started getting past this phase myself.
I understand other concerns as well, having a wife I'm sure you've gone through the same "problems" as I have and it caused me and my fiance a ton of issues, I knew what was wrong but would not admit it to myself...
Everything that is natural to you WILL return guarenteed, and for me when that happened it was like being a kid again and it made me feel proud and excited all together, this too is one of the many aspects of healing that has inspired me and reminded me of what's truley important in this life were all blessed with...
Keep posting here, I am in the throes of trying to heal myself and still don't trust myself but this forum and great people like donewitis and others have and will help more than you know!

Good luck to you and know you are not alone, there are so many people that have been hurt and made to be miserable from this horrible epidemic but together, we can beat this...
There is and always has been strength in numbers...
I will be praying for you!