Will I get addicted?

[doride]

I have been taking two Lortab 7.5 tabs each day for the past ten days. I am awaiting cervical surgery. The prescription reads one tab every six hours - so I know I am taking less than is prescribed, (my pain is not being adequately controlled!) but I am afraid of becoming addicted. How long does it take to create a problem for myself?

[Trying_hard19]

A great way to look at it is this..

Do you like the feeling ? Have you taken one when you had no pain? Do you look forward to the feeling when you know your going to be taking one ?

Most people, if honest with themselves, know it they are not using the drug for the right reason.  

If Ibuprophen will numb enough of the pain, leave the drugs for later..

I think the most important question is why are you here?

[rkjo84]

if you follow your doctors dosing instructions and don't abuse them or seek more of them than your prescription provides you will be fine.  Adiction in most cases takes a minimum of several months all the way to years to set in.  Physical dependence, however occurs in a matter of weeks.  When you quit you may experience minor physical withdrawal but you will be by no means be addicted.  (of course there are always very rare cases when people have become addicted in just a matter of weeks).  I myself used opiates for years before I actually became "addicted" to the point where I felt I had to have them.

[LongerDays]

That's an almost impossible question to answer. If you take them long enough -- as little as a few weeks for some (and dosage comes into play in the equation) a person is likely to become dependent, but that's different from addiction. It's what happens when you're body cannot function properly without the drug. With narcotics, you know you're dependent if, when you stop taking them, you experience withdrawal symptoms. Lots of people who have to take the drugs for pain for an extended period of time become dependent. But that does NOT mean a person will become addicted. In addiction, you would be seeking out the drug for purposes (feeling good, mainly) beyond what the drug is intended for. Well, that's just one part of addiction, but maybe you get the idea.

Hope this helps.

LD  

[pharma9]

Depends on the person.I have seen people addicted after one month.Usually less than a month may have some withdrawal,but rarely addiction.
Have you tried taking ibuprofen along with the lortabs for extra pain reliefI.