Vicodin Withdrawl

[david]

I got hooked on Vicodin after a serious knee injury in April. After the injury, doctors prescribed the drug to treat the pain, which was excruciating. It took nearly three months to get into surgery, so I was prescribed Vicodin again after that. I have reinjured the knee a couple of times, again more vicodin. I finally decided to get off this drug last week and it has been the hardest thing I've ever done. I talked to my doctor, who prescribed a beta-blocker to lessen some of the withdrawl symptoms.
Although I'm not having panic attacks, I am irritable and seem to have some flu-like symptoms such as achiness and runny nose and eyes. I am also extremely depressed and have absolutely no motivation to do anything except sleep.
My question is, how long do these symptoms last and are there any other medications which can help alleviate them?

[cody72]

hi my name is cody i am 16 and i have a problem i've been taking vicodin for four year none stop i really need quit im to young but on top of all this im a hemophiliac so i deal with pain, but with vicodins i've been take seven 7.5s a day for the past four years this is my second time trying to quit and this is my first day can somebody plz give me some advice or modivation

[buddyandkramer]

I am currently on 50mg percocet per day (my prescribed amount is 25mg)  So, yes I am obviously obtaining from outside source to supplement until my next rx - 60 percs 5/325 every two weeks.  I am quitting on Monday.  I have had it.  This is no life.  The way I figure is just do the best you can to find some help w/withdrawal.  I read alot about Neurontin and tryed it when I ran out and it helped alot.  My stomach was a mess still, I did have some energy but then I picked up my 60 tabs and decided since the neurontin worked, I can do it for real this time - 4 days from now.  I will succeed.  I have a couple dr's who I believe want to help me so I am trying to figure out a good detox plan.  Once I am off, I will NEVER - EVER go back - EVER.  I read here about people relapsing - why would you ever want to face the w/d again if you made it through once.  That is crazy.  I know I sound confusing because I started w/neurontin and then picked up my rx two days later, but that is because I have a huge family event and could not complete my w/d cycle.  After this RX is gone (4 days) I am fully committed - I really think Neurontin works best for me.  It is for nerve pain and also used as a mood stabalizer so you don't get the depression.  I am waiting to hear back from drs as to what c ombination along w/neurontin will work.  I will stick to it.  I hate this way of live - I want to laugh on my own, using my own dopamine and n/transmitters.  This happiness from opiates is fake - it is a trick - it is not real.  I want my life back and I WILL get it.  Please let me know how you all do w/your detox and anything you have found that might help out.  I will share my outcome w/you all.  CAT

[dru6704]

Im a 22 year old, 5 year addict.I started taking Vicodin occasionally, skipping school, trying to catch a buzz from almost anything. today, i eat around 10 to 15 vicodin and/or lorecet, and/or percocet daily. Ive lost my job and pretty much cannot afford my drugs anymore. So I guess you could say I feel forced to detox. Ive been wanting to detox for a longtime now, but under my own conditions. Today is day 1. Ive been awake for 2hours and cannot believe how much my body depended on the narcs. hot flashes, splitting headache, 100% body aches, nausea, irratibility... is there anything I can do to reduce this? Ive heard little things about Suboxin? i think its like methadone is for heroin? any help would

[liscamdave]

Raul..no one will read this as you posted on an old thread. Create a new thread by re-typing this. Click on Post Question and you can make a new thread.

Welcome to medhelp.

Lisa

[Raul707]

Well I have to say after reading most of the posts, we are all in the same boat. In 2001 I was injured at work (ruptured biceps tendon & 3 herinated disks t12, L4,& L5. Workmans comp took care of my bicep but had concernes about my back. It's now 2008 & been on pain meds since 2001 and Workman's comp is now takeing care of my back. It has taken me 3 weeks to taper down on my meds. By no way am I a doctor....but, here is how I stepped down...
First I took half of my prescribed pain meds & took them as directed every 4 to 6 hours. As it became uncomfortable I would stretch my time between doses from 5 to 7 hours & then added 30 minutes to the time until I could adjust to every 8 hours. Believe me there was some discomfort but keeping my mind busy was the key! Exercise produces endorphines that make for well being. I also would take methedone to replace the narcotics when my pain was tolerable.

As far as the depression...well it was there but again excercise was brought my spirits up. I road my mountain bike or went walking and listened to music (the music of my youth or better times in my life worked best because it produced memories of really good times) .There have been times were I felt normal & happy just out of no where, so I know my brain is starting to produce dopeamine & seratonin on it's own.

I'm on my last part of withdrawls wich is anxiety. The constant sleepiness and flu like symptoms have almost completely gone. There is hope & light at the end of the tunnel.

Don't forget about our creator. he or it is always there to help, but we need to ask.

If you believe in Darwin's theory, remember...the pills we became addicted to didn't elvolve...they were too created.

P.S. I mean no disrespect to anyones belive's or religions. Just some food for thought

[kitty gurl]

Help, is there any natural way to detox of vicoden.  I have insomnia, sweats, anxeity, depression, and just a plan disgusting feeling.

[kitty gurl]

comment above

[spook]

Their are people who can help with your anger problem.
good luck I hope you do not waste to much of your life FEELING anger.Its a pretty boring emotion really.

[spook]

I enjoy getting high on Opioids,of course the withdraws are unpleasant,I went for 14 years without using sometimes I get high everyday for a month then stop for a year,I really do not think their is much more to it.

[cheryl hergert]

you are all friggin crack heads.   i hope u all have a horrible relapse and die of ghonnerea and rot in hell!!

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

You take only one or two pills per day and that is a very low dose.  I would say that you are more mentally hooked than physically dependent.  You could try stopping for a day or two to see if you develop any of the classic physical withdrawal symptoms.  I take Lorcet as prescribed and do not suffer any withdrawals if I skip a day.  Yes, the little surge of happiness and energy is normal.  But remember the old rule of thumb saying:
"Do anything for five days and it becomes a habit, do anything for thirty days and you become an addict!".  If you are indeed taking the meds for legitimate reasons and not abusing them, you are simply drug dependent.

[tom]

Have been taking 2-3 vicoprofen 7.5 mgs per day for 1 year.  I got all my pills from a friend who works for a doctor.  The Drug Rep would bring in boxes of the stuff as samples (20 per box).  My friend would bring them home to me.  I just started to realize that maybe this wasn't such a good thing, and never realized how closely Vico was related to HEROIN.  Withdrawl symptoms seem to be very similar.  Gradually weaned myself down to 1 per day over a  week and a half (I think I should have spread this over a longer time span, due to my heavy withdrawls) Took my last pill Sunday night January 15, 2001.  Monday was cool, Tuesday OK, Wednesday Back and Leg Cramps Yesterday and today seriously going through major withdrawls.  Have slept at most, 10-15 hours since Monday night.  Wake up, with the "Happy Legs", extreme back pain, diarrhea setting in, just an overall bad feeling.  My friend is getting me some XANAX to help with the withdrawls, or at least to take some of that EDGE OFF.  Saw it mentioned on here in some posts.  I seriosly didn't realize how addicted or dependent I'd become, in reading some of the posts on here it has helped me to realize that I'm not the only one with these troubles.  Also good information and support.  I don't think I need to attend any support groups ... yet.  

It always amazes me how ordinary all you/me are in terms of our lives.  I always thought Addicts were lying in street gutters, or robbing everyone blind.  I read about a mom with an addiction that has children.  Scary!!  Good luck to all.  

I hope I can stay clean off these pills.  I've instructed my friend to never bring them home or call in a prescription for me again.

[Bobbie]

I'm still taking it and am afraid to stop. But I only take one to two pills a day. Maybe that's not a "problem" but I do feel very connected to it. It gives me a little surge of happiness and energy. Is that normal?

[steve]

dude i have been addicted to vikes for 13 years is hard. Talk to your dr try neurontin and phenobarital. it helps with the withdraws. you will start feeling normal in 2 weeks. late..

[steve]

dude i have been addicted to vikes for 13 years is hard. Talk to your dr try neurontin and phenobarital. it helps with the withdraws. you will start feeling normal in 2 weeks. late..

[Jake]

I have gone through withdrawls before and it sucks.  You have been on them a while and it will probably take about seven to ten days.  What I have done in the past is replace reality and the vics with other drugs like mussle relaxers and marijuana.  It isn't what you want to hear but vics are like heroin, only time will get rid of the bends.  I am going through the same thing with the knee injury right now and in about two weeks will be in your shoes hating life and wanting more vics.  It helps if you wean off the vics by taking two or three a day for about a week.  At least you did get a beta-blocker.  Vics are very scary and you have to be strong and just wait;only time has cured me of the withdrawls.  drink a lot of tea and use powder clonix for your digestive system because all the chalk and aspirin makes you constipated.  It will help flush the unwanted toxins out of your system. Hopefully by now you are past the rugh part, but now is the hard part, trying to go through the rest of your life without wanting another vic for the "mental pain".  peace out

[Aileen]

This is a great site I stumbled upon and like all the others I have become addicted to Vicodin after a couple of recent surgeries.  I am just starting my withdrawal symptoms (heeby jeebies, couldn't sleep due to "happy legs", upset stomach, headache and all that fun stuff.  I weaned myself off gradually so the withdrawals wouldn't be so bad.  I'm a big baby when I know I am going to suffer pain, I guess.  I took myself down to 1/2 of one pill twice a day for a couple of days and I still felt OK (no withdrawal symptoms)... but the first night I had NO narcotics in my body - LOOKOUT!  Now, my question is, if detox is easy with buprenorphine (by the way, I am a "Golden State" dweller myself), wouldn't that encourage rather than DIScourage taking Vicodin in the future?!  I mean, if the pain is BAD, maybe you wouldn't want to put yourself through it again, but if you know it WON'T BE SO BAD WITH BUPRENEX, you will "backslide" easier...   Just a thought...

[Kristina To Patrice]

Patrice, I know you feel horrible right now. I know ittakes many attempts at getting  clean with alot of people. PLease please you might have to check in somewhere. If your going to shoot.If have toget high please be careful... you'll over due and then you'll be DEAD!  I wish there was  something else Icould offer you but I feel helpless.

[Patrice]

Iwas on the buprenex/Nalxon program for 6 weeks.  I still craved the heroin so bad I can taste it.  I walked off the detox this Monday and am taking 3-4 10mg vics a day, I dont feel them, because the NX is still in my system.  Last night I shot some dope(GOD I didnt even mean to) but it happened.  I am lost scared and dont know what to do.  I want to be loaded, hell, Ive been in NA for 16 years, and had many happy years clean, but now I am stuggling, I know for a fact , that addicts like me, who had a lot of time, dont ever make it again.  I need help, could somebody e mail me at ***@****.  I need to talk, and figure out whats going on with me, my husbands no help in this matter, because he just suffered another nervous breakdown, and I NEED to talk

Thank you and take care


Patrice

[Nanc]

does this make sense to anyone? My doc switched me from vicodin to vicprofen for 2 weeks and now to ultram! and as far as I know,it is non-narcotic,but is supposed to block the opioid receptors. now does this stuff work? will I go through the withdrawl symptoms? it scares me to death about the withdrawl thing and to use the bup was never addressed. this is driving me nuts, any replies?

[Ginger to Von]

Nice to meet you too!  An please don't think I'm being critical or presume to know your situation, but...don't rely on the doc to understand addiction.  Most of the people here had docs gladly prescribing the meds that got them addicted.  Docs simply don't get much addiction training and you have to rely on YOURSELF not the doctor to take care of you.  I just worry that you may be doing what so many of us did, feeling justified in your use because it is "doctor prescribed".  This can be a dangerous way of thinking, so PLEASE be careful!!  Take care of yourself.  Ginger

[Von to Brian]

Hi Ginger, thanks for the reply. I understand what you're saying, and perhaps you're right. My pms and related pains last almost 2 weeks out of each month, I get sporadic migraines which are quite painful, and this chronic lower back pain is always there.  The OTC meds simply don't work for me, and the Vicodin not only eliminates the pain, but it makes it easier for me to  keep up with my running and workouts.  If my doctor says my monthly intake is too much or needs to be cut down, whatever, I'll abide by that, but he hasn't given any indication that needs to happen.  
Nice to meet you!
Von

[Cindy]

10 years ago i went into treatment for opiate addiction    I was using massive amounts of everything.  to make a long story short   I worked in a hospital as a nurse and the very first drug I stole was the Buprenex.  the drug they are now using to detox.  can't really say whether or not I was addicted to it cuz I gradually crawled up the drug ladder to stronger drugs. I do remember when I ran out of drugs on my days off etc.  i always kept a stash of buprenex to ease the withdrawals.  so it does work for detox but remember it is also a mood altering substance or i would never had started using it.  cindi

[Brian to Sick and Scared]

God, you sound exactly like me!  I was on the same regimen, and thought I just needed better pill management.  Guess what honey, you're never going to have good pill management.  There isn't such a thing for addicts!  What you will have is what I had...increasing amounts needed because of tolerance, continued withdrawals...eventually just couldn't get enough pills.  PMS doesn't last a month!  What you're really doing is just getting high.  The game will end one day, so why put yourself through hell until then.  I finally learned and amazingly enough my pain is dealt with now with a few advil.  It's incredible how the narcotics deplete your brain of the ability to naturally deal with pain.  Oh well.  It's clear from your post you're gonna continue using.  Some people have to hit rock bottom before they learn.  i hope that doesn't have to happen to you.  Ginger :-)