Vicodin Addiction

[DME2323]

I need to quit taking violin because it alters my mood and breaks my pocket book.  I am a single mother of a wonderful 3 year old daughter and she deserves me full time, not just when I am high on this drug.  I started taking it because I have endometriosis and it was prescribed to me every month.  I lost my medical insurance, so I started purchasing it from a friend and alas, I was able to get as much as I wanted, which has led me here...blah, blah, blah.  Either way, I'm addicted because when I don't take it I feel like I can't do anything and my body aches.  I become obsessed with trying to get some.  Crazy!  I currently get the 10mg (I believe).  I take a half in the morning to jump start my day and then throughout the day I take anywhere from 2-4.  I want to stop.  I was thinking my best approach would be to take my Yoga class in the morning (Bikram's Yoga, which is in a 114 degree heated room), that should detox me a little, huh?  At the very least, it gets my system working and gives me a natural euphoric feeling that lasts a couple of hours.  And then I suppose just suffer through the day.  How hard is this going to be?  Mission Impossible?  Any recommendations to help alleviate the pain I feel?  Motrin maybe?  Should I try to stay busy or rest (sleep)?  I just have to break this habit?  Should it be that hard since I am only taking up to 4.5 a day, if that.  Usually less.  P.S. I have been consistently taking them for about a year and sporadically for about 2 years before that.

[DME2323]

Thank all of you so much for answering my questions.  I am sure I will chime in tomorrow and let you guys know how day 1 went (if anyone cares)! :)  And thanks Stephanie, I printed the list and will head to my GNC first thing in the morning.  I am nervous, scared, and have a lot of anxiety - but soon enough I will be substance free and that seems well worth the struggle!  

[FLaddict]

This is a supplement program that helped me quit... Maybe it can help you... alot of WD symptoms is from the brain.. it sends a signal to the body when it no longer has opiates... this stuff helps regulate and rebuild the neurotransmitters that have been affected my pill use.. The book is very good and I highly recommend it.. I bought mine from Amazon used..


All of this program is from the book END YOUR ADDICTION NOW.. the doctor who wrote it ran a treatment facility in UPstate New york where they gave patients amino acids and vitamin via IV during treatment.. He also counsels patients individually.. All of these things are meant to rebuild activity in the major neuro transmitters.. as addicts our neurotransmitters have been disrupted by our use of drugs.. even stuff like cigarettes and eating alot of sugar can disrupt them.. with drugs however it can be more damaging.. I will list the aminos maily used for addiction, their dosages etc.. everything should be taken on a empty stomach... an hour b4 meals.. Take all of them together with lots of water...


B- vitamin Complex either 50mgs or 100mgs, needed for absorption of aminos..

Multi mineral vitamin, just good to take all around

5HTP-- this is what tryptophan gets turned into prior to being turned into serotonin in our brains. Serotonin is what is usually depleted if we are depressed and anxious.. Taking the with help with PAWS ( post accute withdrawl syndrome) DO NOT TAKE IF YOU ARE TAKING A SSRI OR TRICYLIC ANTI DEPRESSANT
Dosage-- up to 300mgs a day 3x DAILY ( I take 100mgs 3x per day, start with the lower dose and move up if needed)

L-glutamine--amino acid required for GABA production, that is the relaxing part of our brain.    up to 2000mgs 3x per day.. ( I take 1000 mgs 3x day, again start lower and work up if needed)

L-Taurine-- another "relaxing" amino  up to 1000mgs 3x daily

DLPA-- helps restore the function to the pain receptors working with the enporphins/enkephalins  DO NOT TAKE IF YOU ARE TAKING A SSRI OR TRICYLIC ANTIDEPRESSANT
Dose-- up to 2000mgs 3x per day (again you can start lower like 1000mgs 3x daily)

L-leucine-- required for the production of endorphins up to 500mgs 3x per day

L-methionine-- same as leucine

If you find yourself really struggling with energy after being on the aminos you can add L-tyrosine to the mix in the early part of the day.. up to 1,500mgs..

If you find yourself having some anxiety the amino L-theanine is like natural valium.. It has helped me so much I no longer need to take xanax at all for my panic attacks

If you are interested in other ways to help heal.  Ester C 500mgs to 1000mgs per day can be very helpful.. as well as extra calcium and magnesium.. Alpha lipoic acid is a anti oxidant that helps portect your body against free radicals.. EFA"S can also help in the form of fish oils and omega 3's

As far as sleep.. in my early days off of pills I took a sleep blend from GNC with a L-theanine and calcium magnesium liquid everynight and slept like a baby.

I suggest GNC to purchase this stuff they are pretty cheap (some stuff is only 4.99 a bottle)  they were also super helpful and knew alot.. I got a gold card to save some bucks in the future..

After a few months if you are feeling good you can taper the aminos back to once a day... then a few months after that a few times a week.. the best part about taking aminos instead of drugs is you don't have to take them forever to get the benefit.. the FIX the problem not put a band aid on it..

If you have any questions I am always around.. Stephanie

[crystallia]

That level of caffeine will make your muscle aches a lot worse. The lack of motivation will be the worst for the first 4 days, but it will take a bit longer to feel "normal". The bikram yoga is a really good idea, if you can find the motivation. I found that swimming really helps too. I'm convinced that you can get through wd if you sweat it out. I quit last Monday, the day after I ran my first marathon and I felt better through wd than any other time I quit. The other key is to keep very well hydrated to flush your system out and take vitamins, including calc/mag/zinc, potassium, and St. John's Wort for the depression you'll no doubt go through. I'm on day 7, my back and neck still hurts a little, but my energy is already back, and my motivation is slowly returning. I was up to 10 vic10s/day, so you should have a slightly "easier" time w/physical wd, but not necessarily with mental cravings. Just remember that it does get better. If you can find someone to help you with your daughter for the first couple days, do it. I know how hard it is to withdraw and be a full-time mom. I found a verse in another comment that has really helped me:

Romans 5:3-5 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit which has been given to us.

[FLaddict]

It will be hard most people are a combo of restless and tired... do what you feel at the time.. if you have the energy get out and walk.. if you need to rest.. rest... sleep will be hard get some OTC sleep med like Melatonin or Unisom..
The nasty stuff is usually only a week at most... the mental stuff can last alot longer... some people are really tired for weeks.. eat healthy,, drink lots of water.. I would cut back on the red bull.. I wouldn't just quit caffeine right now maybe handle that after the pills... but maybe switch to Green tea to get you through this..
Some people can taper down and then quit.. Not very many people though.. I was one of the lucky ones that could taper.. It helped alot to cut down on the amount of WD's and the severity..

[DME2323]

Also, I am very addicted to Red Bull and drink about 4 a day.  Does this interfere with the vicodin?  Intensify it?  I want to stop drinking the Red Bulls too, but I am worried that it will make the vicodin withdrawl even harder to handle?  This may sound silly to  everyone else, but I just want to be able to parent my child while I do this.

[DME2323]

Do you recommend staying as busy as possible or resting?  What about the mental/psychological side effects?  My main concern is that the last time I "ran out" I felt like I couldn't do anything.  I wasn't motivated enough to read a book or play with my daughter.  How long does that last?  (And the back pain was pretty horrific.)

[FLaddict]

Welcome to the site.. WD symptoms generally last 4-7 days those are the accute physical Wd. You are not taking a extremely high dose.. so hopefully it will not be too awful..  search this site for the Thomas recipe it has some helpful hints on OTC meds and supplements that can help.. Immodium is a must.. bananas, Motrin, lots of fluids..