Vicodin trouble

[bill]

I am 40 year old writer and word processor.  I have used opiates for about two decades, but I stopped using any "street" ones after having a child 3 years ago.  The problem is that my dependency on vicodin is very severe.  I actually have back pain so I can obtain the es vicodin from my doctor occasionally.  But I can also purchase them black market easily, which I have been doing constantly for the last year and a half.  I started taking Vicodins to stop doing Percocets and Dilaudid.  I have used Percocet on and off since 1983.  When I had dental trouble early this year, I had access to about 200 Lorcet and Vicodin in one month.  Legitimately.  Otherwise I can purchase anything on the black market very easily.  

The problem is that my dependency builds and I become very difficult and horrible to be around when I try to space the doses.  When I take the drug at first I function fine and am able to   I usually build up to about 7 vicodin es a day and then have to stop cold turkey (2 in the daytime, about 4-5 at night).  The stop/start happens a lot, even with so-called occasional recreational "weekend use".  It is shattering me the cold turkey.  There are periods where I use narcotics about a 4-6 weeks (vicodin and lately oxycontin) then I have to stop and it is so shattering.  

Many years ago I tried NA and it doesn't work for me.  I also do not want to be put on shrink meds by a psychiatrist. What am I doing to myself medically?  Because of life circumstances I don't see myself being able to stop soon.  What is happening and what can I do?

[barbara to pain and lortab]

Wow, I did now know Klonopin and codiene together were like heroin. I never tried heroin but I like to take 2 mg Klonopin with 2- 30 mg codiene together. I skip the Ibuprophen unless I am in really severe and nagging pain.

I usually take that combo before going to the jungle to look for rare plants. It seems to make the surroundings almost like walking through paradise. Now I know why! Thanks for the info tom./

Hi, Joe, welcome to the group.

[to Barbara]

I too post without a name for private reasons. Please do not lump people together because of the experience you had with that gentle man who is obviously having some major problems. Follow your own advice and scroll past.Tom who just returned from funeral(very sorry Tom) is not an MD, but I have gotten more help from him than anybody on this site.But like he said there is some frustration about how the site is beingrun lately.DR.Brian will go in depth a little more instead of telling you to go see a specialist.I hope you find comfort here, but please don't generalize about no-name posters and others you know nothing about.You were welcomed here with open arms, do te same for others and if somebody like Tom 2 freaks let him go, he may be on the edge. Just a suggestion.Good luck.

[joedice]

keep up the good work tom and barbara. your helping us all....joe another pain pill addict...

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

I'm one of those no name posters you were talking about. I use no name because when I was some of my posts were mysteriously being deleted. I have never criticized anyone nor have I been criticized. I like sharing my experiences with all of you here as it helps me remember who I am and where I've been when it comes to addiction. I can't get out the way I used to and rely on my computer to "keep in touch". Thanks.

[tom to barbara]

thanks for the welcome. I don't know if we've spoken before. Vicoprofen, huh? It certainly sounds less stomach-churning than codeine and ibuprofen. Generally, 30mg of codeine is considered equivalent in pain killing power to one Vicodin. It is believed that codeine kills pain because it is metabolized in the body into morphine, 10% by weight (30mg codeine is metabolized into 3mg of morphine). Both codeine and ibuprofen are very hard on the stomach, though. I don't know if you're having stomach pain, but it would be even better if you could eliminate the ibuprofen. I have experienced most drug combos, and I can tell you that Vicodin and Klonopin together are going to feel like heroin -- no kidding. One potentiates the other and will give you an extremely good ride. I imagine Vicoprofen will have the same dose of hydrocodone in it that Vicodin has. Why Vicoprofen, though? Why not spare your stomach and just do Vicodin? Sure, high doses of the tylenol in Vicodin could damage your liver, but we're talking about a relatively high dose to do this.

[barbara to pain and lortab]

Anytime you have a no-name dish out criticism you know automatically it is probably not only a coward, but the same one who criticised earlier and then got blasted by a few others.

Yes, this is a forum for people with drug addiction problems whom are in the same boat so to speak. If you don't like my particular stories shared then scrol, that's what it was put on the keyboard for! You are entitled to your own opinion so I'll just leave it at that. But you are incorrect to indicate I dominate the forum. Although I do add my two cents worth in each day while I am at work, I don't reply to many of the treads. Just scrol down and check for yourself. How many other threads have I responded to lately? I think you need to get off the stuff, you are losing your short term memory and becoming irrational or possibly hallucinating?

Welcome back real Tom, you are not afraid to admit the truth about your true addiction. The truth has allowed for other addicts like myself to face reality of their problems and not remain in denial like so many do.

That is always the first step needed for any plan for recovery.