Vicodin... can't live with it, can't live without it??

[remedyz]

Hi gang. First I want to say that I've been lurking here for about a week and your posts have been invaluable to me in helping me understand what is/was going on with me as I withdrew from Vicodin and Valium.

I'm 25/male, and I have ulcerative colitis (inflammation of the colon). This past January, I came down with it although this time it was preceded by inflammation of the iris in my left eye. It was extremely debilitatingly painful, and i was prescribed vicodin for the pain. During the course of the colitis which lasted about a month or so this time, I kept taking the vicodin and was also given a script for valium/5 to help me sleep while i was on the prednisone (steroid). Once things got better I kept taking the vicodin because I felt it helped me feel confident to re-enter the world without a fear of having to run to the bathroom all the time, it lifted my (situational) depression, gave me loads of energy and basically made me feel like a better than normal human being.

I was using 2-4 vicodin/5 per day, and 10mg valium at night for approx 2 1/2 months - a total of maybe 190 vics + 120 darvocet and maybe 120 valium/5,. Tomorrow at 7am will be 2 weeks since i cold turkeyed. When I stopped i immediately was thrown into a deep depression, anxiety, fear, shaking, cant sleep cant eat, no energy, but no stomach probs or anything too serious. Thought i was losing my mind until the doctor told me i was having withdrawals. They never advised me of anything, they just cut me off and im thinking of suing. Yesterday was the 1st day i started feeling almost normal again.

[gracie97]

I typed too soon this morning. Things are worse again, the more I try to move around the more I am running to the bathroom. I NEVER EVER want to go through this again!

[vicoaddict]

The mental cravings last a while.  But the physical ones go away.  I still take vicodine in my dreams and then wake up craving it.  It gets easier though and there are medications you can take to curve the cravings.  I take naltroxene.  Good luck you doing good the tough part is over.  It gets easier around the fourth day.  And you will start to notice your energy level increasing.  Don't forget to take vitamins to help your body heal.

[vicoaddict]

I have been a vicodine addict for 4 years now. Vicodine doesn't react the same for me as it does for others.  I get energy, confidence and feel I can do anything.  I felt it helped me to work harder and fster and gave the confidence to be in ant situation.  I did things I would never normally do. The are days I can't even remeber.  I started to steal my vicodine from phramacies and faked systems with many doctors to support my habit. I have been in recovery for 1 year with 4 relapses in that year. My withdrawals get worse each relapse. I know I took the vicoine/hydrocodone to excape feeling life. I relapse when the feelings get to intense. I was up to taking 6 vicodine/hydrocodone every 4 hours and I would chew them for a greater faster effect. I knew I was in trouble when I graduated to oxycoton. The withdrawals were more than I could handle on my own and I had to get help. I know now I am lucky to still be alive. But I dream about vicodine/hydrocodone and still crave it everyday. But no more taking the easy way out of life. Good luck to everyone. Good to know I am not alone.

[gracie97]

Just wanted to says thanks to everyone for sharing all the great info. Today is the beginning of day 4. I am finally starting to count days instead of hours. I am still being very lazy, start to do some cleaning and only manage to get it half done...Scared what it will be like back at work tomorrow morning, especially after being gone for a week, you know the saying you need a vacation after you come back from vacation.... I am not really feeling "sleepy, just lazy" I am taking the vitamins, gatorade and walking the dogs. I am no longer running to the bathroom every half hour. BUT, man I do think about that "whoosh" from the tabs, I still miss it, how long do the mental cravings last?

[mystere]

Good Morning! Congrats on 14 hrs 17 probably at least 18 minutes by now--I too had to count the minutes-hours since my last pill and what's wonderful is that the hours do actually turn into pill free days-Amazing isn't! I'm on day six and things are looking wonderful--except for not sleeping through the night I'm amazed at how well our bodies can recover after so much abuse! It looks like its going to be a nice day here in the Crescent City except for being a little hot and muggy--Oh yea I have friends that had surgical procedures took a few of their pain pills as prescribed and then I watched them throw practically a whole bottle away--Used to break my heart! (Even considered going through their trash to retrive but thankfully I never did)Keep of the good work! Gracie-- As you know we are all in this together! Peace and Prayers--Mystere AKA New Orleans Lady

[gracie97]

Good Morning everyone:

Well, it has now been 45 hours and 18 minutes-NO TABS, getting better every hour. Yesterday my energy lasted for about 7 hours, starting at 5 am. Hope today will make it to 9 hours, I have to go back to work Monday 4/28 and it will probably be an 11 hour day since I have been gone a week. I am so afraid someone will notice something different about me, because I never called the office this vacation like I usually do. After reading all the posts, I feel lucky, my normal habit was 5 no. 10/500 mg per day, 8 on weekends. I don't know what it would be like if we hadn't tapered them back. But we did do something on our first "free" day, we flushed our left over pieces down the toilet! YEAH! YES, man it felt like someone took 2 bricks off my shoulders and I was proud. (won't deny the initial urge to reach down in that toilet bowl and grab one of the pieces though-GOD I AM SICK) LOL Oh well. maybe someone out here can laugh with me on that one......

Thanks again everyone, for the Thomas receipe and all the info. It does get easier minute by minute, hour by hour.