Tylenol 1 Addiction / Sense of Hopelessness

[mobiius]

Hello, I'm new here... I'm 31, married, and the father of two.  I'm also addicted to tylenol 1's.  On average I take 15 pills at a time, 3 times a day.  There have been times when I have taken 20 per dose.  About half hour after I take them I get the high I want, but it doesn't last long, then I feel sick.  By the end of the day (after eating 45 to 60 pills) I feel horrible, I'm pale, bloated, and have difficulty going to the bathroom.  I know what I'm doing is wrong, but I don't really care.  I've been struggling with depression nearly all my life as well.  I look at myself as "damaged goods".  I feel that I'm broken and can never be fixed. I'm taking a lot of medication for the depression (Effexor 75mg x 3,Effexor 37.5mg, and Prozac 20mg, all that once a day)I like to drink almost every weekend, I smoke cigarettes like others breathe air, and I take tylenol.  I know that the tylenol is doing damage to my body, they must be by now - I've been taking pills like this for almost 2 years pretty much every day.
I'm not even sure what to do anymore...

[Buaidh No Bas]

Dude,

Check out the post directly below yours. While the w/d's from the T1s might not be all that bad, the amount of acetaminophen you are taking is going to DESTROY your liver in short order. You've gotta stop taking that much, ASAP....

I believe T1s have 300mg of ACET, so, 15 X 300 X 3 = 13500mg

That's 13.5 grams of Acetaminophen a day. MAXIMUM dose you're supposed to be taking is 4 grams.

Just something to think about...


BNB

[wiredmac]

First of all, I am not a doctor, nor do I hold any degree or certificate in any medical/psychological related field. All internet advise should be viewed with heavy criticism as it is highly anecdotal. Only trained professionals should be trusted with your symptoms.

I notice you have identified one of the biggest stumbling blocks for addicts and those with clinical depression--the "damaged goods" belief.

Unless you're dying (routine tests with a doctor should prove otherwise), you are NOT damaged goods. Our bodies are incredibly adept at regeneration. Often we deplete some of our resources (cilia in the lungs of smokers, for example), but making healthy choices from now on will stop and sometimes reverse depletion--cilia do grow back!

From what you have mentioned, it seems your issues are psychosomatic and they need to be addressed through rigorous counseling with a therapist or psychiatrist. Always remember this:

Depression is indescribable to those who either don't have it or are not qualified to address it. The state of mind you think you are in is one experienced by millions of people (in various forms) and IS treatable, regardless of how irreversible or "deep" you believe the associated pain is. Much like your body, your mind is also capable of healing. The anti-depressants you are taking help correct the serotonin/norepineprine imbalance believed to be associated with major depression. While this therapy is useful, it does not attack the root cause. A combination of therapy and medication seems to yield the best results. A psychiatrist may recommend a mono-amine oxidase inhibitor instead of the SSNRI you're taking. Usually these MAOI's are used as a last resort due to their highly potent effects and dietary restrictions.

Your brain can mend along with your body. Your future will always be bright if you remember that the pain and hurt WILL go away--it may simply require an alteration in treatment. After all, everything we perceive is only governed by tiny electrical impulses in the brain. Some impulses can be trained through medication and cognitive behavioral therapy. That training--tough as it may be, will eventually heal your thoughts and put you back into a state of mind that is the same, or even better, than the state you were in before your depressive symptoms began. There is no reason why you can't achieve this state, as so many (like myself) have done in the past.

Depression is horrible--it tricks the mind into feeling helpless and hopeless; it takes away pleasure and renders its victims fatigued and constantly in pain (mental and physical). The good news is it can be managed and reversed in most cases, putting the positive life force back in your soul and allowing you to achieve the fulfilling goals you once had. Surpass them, even! Just remember to take small steps at first.

This planet began four and a half billion years ago in a galaxy that has two to four hundred billion stars. And that galaxy is only one of hundreds of billions of other galaxies, each possibly containing hundreds of billions of stars themselves. And the whole Universe is still growing at incredible rates! Nasa has actually used the term "zillion" to describe the amount of stars we have. Earth was a small rock that fused, through gravitational pull, larger pieces to its base. It grew as a uninhabitable ball of molten rock until eventually, enough environmental factors (particularly its distance from the sun) allowed for life to grow and evolve over billions of years. You were a sperm, competing with fifty billion others to breach your mother's egg. And despite a whole host of common human vulnerabilities, you managed to beat the rest and grow and develop into the person you are today.

You are so worth saving.

[SunnyRae17]

I so agree with this statement. I hope the warning about liver damage was taken seriously. Great comment.

[frocus3]

I have abused T1's for over 10 years and now I am having severe symptoms of liver damage. Here is what T1 addiction did to me;

Ears ringing from toxin buildup

Shortness of breath (hypoxia)

Bones breaking easily (osteoporosis) I got a leg fracture last summer

Cramps due to low zinc

Pain in liver, kidney's, and chest

Green bowel movements (strange I know)

Itching all over, especially legs

Abdomen swelling and showing more

Bruise easily (I got a softball sized bruise just from running into something lightly)

Weight gain around waste

Water retention especially around my legs and ankles (edema)

Weakness in muscles

   I am quitting T1 addiction for good because death and shameful exposure are right in front of me. I just know I must. It's ironic that the very thing I used to alleviate pain and fear has caused incurable pain and terror as to what I may face next. Please pray for me.

[Snakerss]

Brother I do pray, Me 15 year T-1 usage  200-300 hundred a month !  Every symptom you named except the ( green ) And for what ? The feel good
left a long time ago.  Cant breath , Hip pain  , no money left. I haven't told anyone, with your post here my Doctor tomorrow... Stay Alive , you are needed

[TroubledDude]

I've read your above post and I feel so bad for you. It's amazing how our addictions become more important than even our own health. You obviously live in Canada to have the ability to purchase these OTC. I also live in Canada (Calgary) and abused these for a short time but it just wasn't my DOC. I don't pray often but I think I'm gonna start, I will certainly pray for you.

God Bless,
TD

[ali3674]

taking that much tylenol will kill your liver.  U are already experiencing the bloating and the problems going to the bathroom.  I would imagine you have already done damage to kidneys and liver

[mdog1]

i started the T1 thing when my daughter was born. she is 16 now. i average 11 pills at a time about 4 times a day i need to get off the **** and have tried several times only to fail on top of that i have just recently been diagnosed with bipolar depression so now im on seroquel and citralapam  the funny thing is last week the doctor ran me for a bunch of blood test and even after 16 years of T1 abuse my liver and kidneys are still very healthy weird i know but none the less i need to quit the money alone that i would be saving would be astronomical, i was wondering if anyone out there has tried the methadone treatment for this addiction and if they had any success?