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!  

[Loventrustgod91]

i took a few and after not taking them for awhile i would get electric shocks in my body and twitches it was really bad

[Bootiemang]

OK.

I THINK I'm through the worst of it now.  I can't tell you all how much your words have helped.  I still have little waves of anxiety and my stomach is still.... yucky.... but I'm not "dying" anymore!  

Next question, and maybe the most... unsavory,... when will my stomach and the rest of the "plumbing" return to normal?  I've taken pepto bismol, etc to calm the stomach, but the cramping and bathroom visits are still pretty urgent and disabling as far as returning to work.

Any help/advise/suggestion is appreciated.

[Bootiemang]

Thank you for the advice.  As I read more and more,.. I feel better.

Yes, I explained to the Doc that I was taking them on a regular basis, not huge amounts, but 3-4 in the evening on some days and 2 on other days.  I was shocked to know that nearly 10 months of use did not equate to dependance... and it scared me into belief that something else was wrong with me, that I was dying.... which fed my panic and continues to feed my anxiety.  Bless you for hitting on that topic... it was still causing me doubt.

I DO feel better now knowing that more than one person can confirm that I'm not just flaking out and panicking.  Thank you.

[Bootiemang]

Thank you.  Knowing I'm not the only one feeling like this helps a lot.  It is such a lonely feeling when you don't have anyone to talk to who has been through it, or is going through it with you.  

Thanks to you for distracting me and giving me some relief.

[yllwjcket]

opiate withdrawal makes your BP shoot up.  alot of people report they feel anxious, like their chest has shot up into their throat.  BUT, it will pass.  the xanax should help but like they said watch how you take them.  few years back i came off xanax, now there your talking about some anxiety.  

cant believe that dr said you werent withdrawing because it wasnt long enough, is he crazy?  it takes as little as 8 days to develop a tolerance to opiates. after 10 months you are guaranteed a dependency.  but heres the good news, it takes only a few days for your body to heal,  within a week you will feel better.

[donewitis]

Sounds good. Get off them as quickly as possible. Magnesium is a natural muscle relaxer and also could help with sour stomach..Milk of magnesia? It's important to take multi-vitamin.

"but this is like a sandcastle trying to weather the incoming tide..." The imagery is so real...BUT...as each day passes, you will get physically/mentally stronger and the 'incoming tide,' becomes weaker...
It's true.

Yes, to the mechanical/surreal feeling. Though today I don't believe this..I felt otherworldly for a long time..half in this world (or less) and 1/2 in the misty netherworld...or H e l l would be more like it. That too shall pass.
You can do this, each day, one step at a time...one minute at a time...then it will become one day at a time.
Good wishes and God Bless