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Vicodin Addiction
I am embarrassed to admit that I am 42 years old and addicted to Vicodin ES - sometimes up to 10 tablets a day. It started over 5 years ago after a pinched nerve in my back. I have since developed chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia although I am not sure if the addiction has brought on the problem. Before that I worked out 6 days a week and taught aerobics. My injury and subsequent problems brought on depression and low self esteem as well as weight gain and I found the Vicodin gave me a "euphoric feeling" and I could get through the day. What I found amazing is that my doctor kept okaying my prescriptions. I have tried many times to quit - sometimes as long as two weeks but the utter exhaustion and depression made it hard to keep going. Through this I have managed a full time job and taking care of a teenager. I am now afraid of the long term damage I may have done to my body. I have started working out again with an attitude of "I'm going to do it this time." My question is - how long can I expect to feel pretty tired and edgy, etc. from the withdrawl symptoms? I have recently started Wellbrutrin for depression which seems to work fairly well and I have no side effects. Your answers and encouragement will help...thanks.
Let me start out by saying that I have been on some form of opiate for the past 15 years . You name it and I have Done it . This all started from bad car wreck 15 years back . I can tell you all this everyone has there breaking point with this stuff and odds are you will tire of the trouble of obtaining your scrips as your tolerance increases . I would say that short of complete loss of access eveeryone will self medicate it is only a matter of time years months .trust me I know it will happen! As for me me breaking point hit and at the time I was consuming up to 100 10/325 Norco in a 48 hour period . Don't ask how I had the access cause I am not going to tell you but let's just say if you guys knew how dirt cheap this stuff really is you wouldnt believe . To the point . With endless supply comes a means to an end and those of us that continue to turn to opiates for long time pain relief and I mean those of us with jobs and kids and presumably some life left to live we would only be fooling our selfs to think it is ok to take this stuff. It changes our bodies in was you wouldnt even imagine. The good news is that with strength and some form of a support system this can all end if you want it to. It is and i repeat up to you and only you. It will take most likely several months to get back to some sense of normalcy but be strong hang in make no mistake you are taking back your life first one hour then one day at a time .
So on a personal note I arranged time off work with an unset return date and belive you me I am a person with a six + figure a year job and more responsibility than I want to talk about so there was never a good time for this . Remember your life dose depend on this so you will need to make the time to get better . So I made my plans and under the cover of sickness due to overworking myself which I had to the extreme . Easy to due when you medicate , I set my boundaries and having only my girlfriend as the conduit to the outside checked into the hospital and went cold turkey from opiates 450+mg a day folks. My potassium dropped to a value of 2.6 and I felt if I had been hit by a truck . I spent 4 days in and came home not having slept at all . I knew that I won't I was prepared for this but this was tough and I did make it through . There are no magic tricks here. Folks the truth is that if you want a life back you have to get rid of anything opiate. So if you are going to quit make the proper arrangements and do it safe trying to detox at home one of 3 things usually happens you start up again you end up in the hospital or the worst dead. As a side note methadone and Suboxone are replace one thing for another if you want out get the F out. One of the things that helped me with the depression was the focus ( for me 15 years!) back on how it used to be when this didnt exist and I selpt the whole night throught and I felt young and good and athletic I promised that I would get back there to some degree and I am doing it its been a few months now and i am alright my injuries are there but I figure if I fought the withdrawl depression I'll take some physical pain over mental I just don't want them both at the same time:)
I wish everyone strength find it where you can not to be corny but sometimes it is found in the smallest of places if you hang in there .
I will disclose this in closing I am in the medical field with many years of education to do the job I do. So we can all slip into the life of opiate dependancy /addiction. It's what we do about it that defines us.
HANG TOUGH!
So on a personal note I arranged time off work with an unset return date and belive you me I am a person with a six + figure a year job and more responsibility than I want to talk about so there was never a good time for this . Remember your life dose depend on this so you will need to make the time to get better . So I made my plans and under the cover of sickness due to overworking myself which I had to the extreme . Easy to due when you medicate , I set my boundaries and having only my girlfriend as the conduit to the outside checked into the hospital and went cold turkey from opiates 450+mg a day folks. My potassium dropped to a value of 2.6 and I felt if I had been hit by a truck . I spent 4 days in and came home not having slept at all . I knew that I won't I was prepared for this but this was tough and I did make it through . There are no magic tricks here. Folks the truth is that if you want a life back you have to get rid of anything opiate. So if you are going to quit make the proper arrangements and do it safe trying to detox at home one of 3 things usually happens you start up again you end up in the hospital or the worst dead. As a side note methadone and Suboxone are replace one thing for another if you want out get the F out. One of the things that helped me with the depression was the focus ( for me 15 years!) back on how it used to be when this didnt exist and I selpt the whole night throught and I felt young and good and athletic I promised that I would get back there to some degree and I am doing it its been a few months now and i am alright my injuries are there but I figure if I fought the withdrawl depression I'll take some physical pain over mental I just don't want them both at the same time:)
I wish everyone strength find it where you can not to be corny but sometimes it is found in the smallest of places if you hang in there .
I will disclose this in closing I am in the medical field with many years of education to do the job I do. So we can all slip into the life of opiate dependancy /addiction. It's what we do about it that defines us.
HANG TOUGH!
Let me start out by saying that I have been on some form of opiate for the past 15 years . You name it and I have Done it . This all started from bad car wreck 15 years back . I can tell you all this everyone has there breaking point with this stuff and odds are you will tire of the trouble of obtaining your scrips as your tolerance increases . I would say that short of complete loss of access eveeryone will self medicate it is only a matter of time years months .trust me I know it will happen! As for me me breaking point hit and at the time I was consuming up to 100 10/325 Norco in a 48 hour period . Don't ask how I had the access cause I am not going to tell you but let's just say if you guys knew how dirt cheap this stuff really is you wouldnt believe . To the point . With endless supply comes a means to an end and those of us that continue to turn to opiates for long time pain relief and I mean those of us with jobs and kids and presumably some life left to live we would only be fooling our selfs to think it is ok to take this stuff. It changes our bodies in was you wouldnt even imagine. The good news is that with strength and some form of a support system this can all end if you want it to. It is and i repeat up to you and only you. It will take most likely several months to get back to some sense of normalcy but be strong hang in make no mistake you are taking back your life first one hour then one day at a time .
So on a personal note I arranged time off work with an unset return date and belive you me I am a person with a six + figure a year job and more responsibility than I want to talk about so there was never a good time for this . Remember your life dose depend on this so you will need to make the time to get better . So I made my plans and under the cover of sickness due to overworking myself which I had to the extreme . Easy to due when you medicate , I set my boundaries and having only my girlfriend as the conduit to the outside checked into the hospital and went cold turkey from opiates 450+mg a day folks. My potassium dropped to a value of 2.6 and I felt if I had been hit by a truck . I spent 4 days in and came home not having slept at all . I knew that I won't I was prepared for this but this was tough and I did make it through . There are no magic tricks here. Folks the truth is that if you want a life back you have to get rid of anything opiate. So if you are going to quit make the proper arrangements and do it safe trying to detox at home one of 3 things usually happens you start up again you end up in the hospital or the worst dead. As a side note methadone and Suboxone are replace one thing for another if you want out get the F out. One of the things that helped me with the depression was the focus ( for me 15 years!) back on how it used to be when this didnt exist and I selpt the whole night throught and I felt young and good and athletic I promised that I would get back there to some degree and I am doing it its been a few months now and i am alright my injuries are there but I figure if I fought the withdrawl depression I'll take some physical pain over mental I just don't want them both at the same time:)
I wish everyone strength find it where you can not to be corny but sometimes it is found in the smallest of places if you hang in there .
I will disclose this in closing I am in the medical field with many years of education to do the job I do. So we can all slip into the life of opiate dependancy /addiction. It's what we do about it that defines us.
HANG TOUGH!
So on a personal note I arranged time off work with an unset return date and belive you me I am a person with a six + figure a year job and more responsibility than I want to talk about so there was never a good time for this . Remember your life dose depend on this so you will need to make the time to get better . So I made my plans and under the cover of sickness due to overworking myself which I had to the extreme . Easy to due when you medicate , I set my boundaries and having only my girlfriend as the conduit to the outside checked into the hospital and went cold turkey from opiates 450+mg a day folks. My potassium dropped to a value of 2.6 and I felt if I had been hit by a truck . I spent 4 days in and came home not having slept at all . I knew that I won't I was prepared for this but this was tough and I did make it through . There are no magic tricks here. Folks the truth is that if you want a life back you have to get rid of anything opiate. So if you are going to quit make the proper arrangements and do it safe trying to detox at home one of 3 things usually happens you start up again you end up in the hospital or the worst dead. As a side note methadone and Suboxone are replace one thing for another if you want out get the F out. One of the things that helped me with the depression was the focus ( for me 15 years!) back on how it used to be when this didnt exist and I selpt the whole night throught and I felt young and good and athletic I promised that I would get back there to some degree and I am doing it its been a few months now and i am alright my injuries are there but I figure if I fought the withdrawl depression I'll take some physical pain over mental I just don't want them both at the same time:)
I wish everyone strength find it where you can not to be corny but sometimes it is found in the smallest of places if you hang in there .
I will disclose this in closing I am in the medical field with many years of education to do the job I do. So we can all slip into the life of opiate dependancy /addiction. It's what we do about it that defines us.
HANG TOUGH!
So glad that I found this site! I am a 37 yr old mother of one 10 yr old son, who is amazing! When I was 14, I was in a car wreck and fractured my lower back. By age 19, I had been in 5 car accidents and kept causing more issues for my back. I have never had surgery, it was reccomended several times to me in the past 5 years. I was married to my sons' father until 2yrs ago and he believed that the gym was the answer to all problems. For years I tried it his way in fear that if we did not have the gym in common anymore, our marriage would not survive. Over the past 7 years, all of my back issues forced me to stop lifting weights and my activity level has declined dramatically!! At one time I worked full time at an office and bartender at special events 1 1/2 hrs away at a casino. For over 2yrs now I have been unable to work, I am getting divorced (didn't see that coming! Lol) and I now have fybromyalgia, osteoarthritis in my hands, arthritis in my entire spine and body, degenerative disc disease, painful cysts on my wrists, neck pain, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Also, from the pain I am depressed. I had a wonderful, kind and attentive doctor, but we moved 2 1/2 hrs away and he said that I need one in my new town. He gave me 4 months to find a new Dr before dropping me. He had me on oxycodone 10 mg and oxycontin 30 mg for pain and Robaxin for muscle spasms, prozac and blood pressure medication. I know I am co-Dependant on my medication, but it is truly the only answer for me until I can get a new surgeon to help me. Before my Dr dropped me, I have tried to find a Dr to treat me but the first thing they ask me when I call to schedule is "Do you suffer from chronic pain or from anxiety?" I never lie and say "yes". Then they tell me (I have called 40 physicians in the past few months all over the State!!) "DOCTOR IS NOT TAKING ANY NEW PATIENTS THAT HAVE THESE ISSUES!" SO NOW WHAT! I CAN'T EVEN GET MY BLOOD PRESSURE MEDS AND I WILL SOON BE GOING COLD TURKEY AND HAVING SERIOUS WITHDRAWALS! I AM SCARED TO DEATH. When I am in a lot of pain my blood pressure sores! Then add the withdrawal symptoms, which I have experienced before when I would try to see if my quality of life would be affected by going of my medicine. I was sick for days and eventually gave in. I didn't like my son to see me so sick. I just do not know where to turn. How am I going to go through life in agony and with severely high blood pressure? I have even been to the hospital and they treat my like a druggie. My rim's and X-ray's do not lie! Anyone have any ideas? I feel like if you need medical treatment, too bad! You are on your own! It would be easier for me to get heroin then it would be for me to get a Dr!! I would NEVER DO THAT! BUT THAT SEEMS CRAZY TO ME!!
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME VENT! I AM SINCERELY SCARED FOR MY FUTURE.
THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME VENT! I AM SINCERELY SCARED FOR MY FUTURE.
So what is a good alternative?
I used Vicodin for 4 years (2-4/day). Due to trouble with prescription I stopped taking, still have a few but stopped cold turkey just to see if I had the power. While it was rough I did it over a weekend.
But my question is this: I have problems with 2 discs in my neck and the pain is through the roof. What alternatives are there?
I used Vicodin for 4 years (2-4/day). Due to trouble with prescription I stopped taking, still have a few but stopped cold turkey just to see if I had the power. While it was rough I did it over a weekend.
But my question is this: I have problems with 2 discs in my neck and the pain is through the roof. What alternatives are there?
That's a tough one, without knowing for sure how these pills are disappearing.
If you are certain it is her, the best way to comfront someone with an addiction is with love, concern & support. She is probably feeling shame as it is, so you definitely don't want someone to feel "attacked" or "accused" in any way.
Is there someone above her that you can go to with your concerns?
In many situations, employers will help recommend rehabilitation and insurance may even cover it.
Addiction is such an awful thig to deal with-not only for the person but for those who care.
GOOD LUCK!!!!
If you are certain it is her, the best way to comfront someone with an addiction is with love, concern & support. She is probably feeling shame as it is, so you definitely don't want someone to feel "attacked" or "accused" in any way.
Is there someone above her that you can go to with your concerns?
In many situations, employers will help recommend rehabilitation and insurance may even cover it.
Addiction is such an awful thig to deal with-not only for the person but for those who care.
GOOD LUCK!!!!
YES!!! That is one of the 1st signs that you are headed down a dangerous path. You have reached tolerance to the drug & it will take more to have the same results & the more you take, the more dependent you will be and worst of all, the harder it will be to quit!!!!
Ask your Dr. to help you find and alternative to help you deal with your pain. If you are ever tempted to take more than perscribed it is a red flag!!
Good luck and know that addiction'dependence is a chemical thing, not a lack of will power!!
Be safe,
"Been there , done that"
Ask your Dr. to help you find and alternative to help you deal with your pain. If you are ever tempted to take more than perscribed it is a red flag!!
Good luck and know that addiction'dependence is a chemical thing, not a lack of will power!!
Be safe,
"Been there , done that"
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