Aa
How long..
I have a question, first I'll tell you why I ask. Ever since I was young, maybe 10. I've had horrible migraines, and I'm not talking "take a day off school" I'm talking about having to go into the E.R due to puking my guts out and not being able to get up.
I had to take 5/500 Vicodin for years, however I'd only need to use that maybe once every two weeks, I did this for YEARS with no abuse, and no going up in dosages.
My question is that, it's something I have the live with. How long would I need to wait before I am go back to that without "triggering" WDs or bringing them back? I know a lot of people will say it's not worth it, tough it out etc, however with how sick I get from migraines and NOT having medical insurance...it's not an option.
This was not what got me on the road to abusing them, in fact the ones I abused were not even the same ones. I realize this question may upset some people, but it's an honest question. I don't want to abuse them again, if I did, no one could stop me anyways, so I am just asking for some advise so that I do not end up in bed with my back ache coming back...
Some quick info:
Been 100% clean for about 23-24days.
No WDs, except my back is still sore at times, pain was a 10 for about two weeks, is now at worst a 3.
No cravings for them, or anything going on besides mentioned above.
I get twelve 5/500 per month, usually use about 6 of those at most.
Thanks, again I know some people will scold me for asking this, but I am trying to do this the right way. If you have suffered from chronic migraines your whole life..you understand 100%
<3
I had to take 5/500 Vicodin for years, however I'd only need to use that maybe once every two weeks, I did this for YEARS with no abuse, and no going up in dosages.
My question is that, it's something I have the live with. How long would I need to wait before I am go back to that without "triggering" WDs or bringing them back? I know a lot of people will say it's not worth it, tough it out etc, however with how sick I get from migraines and NOT having medical insurance...it's not an option.
This was not what got me on the road to abusing them, in fact the ones I abused were not even the same ones. I realize this question may upset some people, but it's an honest question. I don't want to abuse them again, if I did, no one could stop me anyways, so I am just asking for some advise so that I do not end up in bed with my back ache coming back...
Some quick info:
Been 100% clean for about 23-24days.
No WDs, except my back is still sore at times, pain was a 10 for about two weeks, is now at worst a 3.
No cravings for them, or anything going on besides mentioned above.
I get twelve 5/500 per month, usually use about 6 of those at most.
Thanks, again I know some people will scold me for asking this, but I am trying to do this the right way. If you have suffered from chronic migraines your whole life..you understand 100%
<3
Best Answer
Thanks for the replies, this is something I have dealt with since I was a young child. I have seen 8 doctors for this issue in my life, including two Neurologists, and two pain specialists.
I have tried everything you can imagine. Imitrex was probably one of the first things they tried me on, as well as a host of others. I have tried injections, including botox (if you can believe they use that for migraines..) sprays (nasal sprays), changes in my diet, testing for allergies.
I guess my point wasn't to ask for alternatives, because I have dealt with this my entire life.
Sarah, that has never been an issue for me, but yes there is. I am not scared of addiction, as I said...I used them as directed for years, I only became addicted when something else was introduced. (it may sound like an excuse to others, but it's not.) I have been toughing them out for a few weeks now, because I needed to kick my addiction. I just wanted to know (in anyones opinion) how long I'd need to wait to not trigger with drawls again. It's not something I can just tough out my whole life as I search for a cure. It takes a toll on my mind and body, it'd be like telling someone with seizures to "try this, try that" as they are having attacks while searching for the cure. Migraines are not headaches...I know it's hard to understand, but they are on a whole other level.
Forgive me if I come off harsh, but I am not looking for permission, I am looking for advice on how to go about this the right, and responsible way. I do not mean to offend anyone. I have talked to many doctors about it, and the only solution we have ever found is Vicodin. I had to leave school in the 9th grade, and get my GED due to this issue, it's not something I can just deal with. I understand there is a double edged sword.
I have tried everything you can imagine. Imitrex was probably one of the first things they tried me on, as well as a host of others. I have tried injections, including botox (if you can believe they use that for migraines..) sprays (nasal sprays), changes in my diet, testing for allergies.
I guess my point wasn't to ask for alternatives, because I have dealt with this my entire life.
Sarah, that has never been an issue for me, but yes there is. I am not scared of addiction, as I said...I used them as directed for years, I only became addicted when something else was introduced. (it may sound like an excuse to others, but it's not.) I have been toughing them out for a few weeks now, because I needed to kick my addiction. I just wanted to know (in anyones opinion) how long I'd need to wait to not trigger with drawls again. It's not something I can just tough out my whole life as I search for a cure. It takes a toll on my mind and body, it'd be like telling someone with seizures to "try this, try that" as they are having attacks while searching for the cure. Migraines are not headaches...I know it's hard to understand, but they are on a whole other level.
Forgive me if I come off harsh, but I am not looking for permission, I am looking for advice on how to go about this the right, and responsible way. I do not mean to offend anyone. I have talked to many doctors about it, and the only solution we have ever found is Vicodin. I had to leave school in the 9th grade, and get my GED due to this issue, it's not something I can just deal with. I understand there is a double edged sword.
Opiates are really not a good choice for migraine treatment...there are many other meds that are more effective so I think you should be able to stay away from the Vicodin once you find what meds work. Imitrex is excellent for migraine and not addicting.
It's never a good idea to take any med that has the potential for abuse. If it can't be avoided, someone else should hand it out to you. But for something as chronic as migraine...check your options; there are many.
It's never a good idea to take any med that has the potential for abuse. If it can't be avoided, someone else should hand it out to you. But for something as chronic as migraine...check your options; there are many.
Hey have you ever tried imitrex ? There is also toradol but I am not sure if it is indicated for migraine. Hope you are having a good day ;)
Have you checked with your dr. about alternative methods of fighting the migraines? Opiates actually can make migraines happen more frequently. It's a catch 22 because they do help initially, but they can trigger more migraines and worse migraines. There are a host of other options in treating migraines. I have a friend who has them all of the time. They started him on an very old school anti depressant and now he hardly ever gets them, and when he does they are not bad at all. You know your body and know what's best for you. Just maybe check and see if there are alternatives. I hope that you feel better soon. Hang in there.
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This is always a tough one as i know migraines are so god awful. Does the vicodin help with the migraines? Do you have someone that can hold these for you?
Well.......using opiates would not be considered clean and I used that same excuse. I too have suffered horrible chronic migraines since childhood and used the excuse of opiates/trams and anything else to ease the pain. BUT....they are really not an option for migraines it seems as though you have issues with these drugs, so I would strongly suggest staying away from such. Trams/Norc/Sub/Codeine etc. You will simply end up going in circles. There are medications that are specifically designed for migraine sufferers and they are NOT addictive any any slight form. There are soooooo many other options for migraine sufferers. I'm sorry to be harsh but I used to use the same excuses as you mentioned above. It comes down to this..... do you want to stop using addictive drugs? If not you are spinning your wheels. We are addicts and there is no gray area with us! No matter how hard we try to convince ourselves or others otherwise. If we use 1 pill.... it will become 2. Two will become 3 and then we will be back on this site asking how to get through the WD's again. Are you ready to quit once and for all? Have you had enough suffering? I sure as heck I know I have. I am being "firm" as others have called me out and "pushed" me as well. But....they were right.
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As for your question, there's really not a fool-proof answer. Obviously, the earlier you are into recovery, chances are you will be more vulnerable for relapse, however, by the same token, you may be surprised to have your Vicodin trigger you 3 years after getting clean...there's no guarantees unfortunately, therefore having a plan in place to keep yourself accountable will go a long way. There ARE people with addiction issues that have to deal with some kind of pain issue that requires a narcotic, either acutely or chronically. Obviously, it goes without saying that the BEST approach is to steer clean of any meds that are habit forming, but that's not always an option, so if you need the Vicodin for your migraines when they hit...then develop a plan, and put some safeguards in place.
Good luck!