hydrocodone and depression

[Kuya]

Has anyone used hydrocodine (or anything similar) for chronic depression--- either with or without doctor supervision?

[Whollymolythathurt]

Hey Mamabear.  Congrats on being lean for 3 mos.  Thats great!!  Sorry to hear about the depression & anxiety

You posted to an older post.  Please scroll up to the orange "Post a question" and start a new thread.  There are many great people here that have been or are going through what you are.  You'll receive great support and information.

[Mamabear36]

I have been clean of hydro condone for 3 months and have been diagnosed with depression and anxiety...I was on this med for all most three years... I have never had depression or anxiety in my life till now. It's crazy...don't ever take this medication. It has ruined my life!

[Switch11]

I have had serious depression for 15 years. I have been given celexa,xanax and the lot of anti depressants and they did nothing but make me very aggresive,made me sleepy,grouchy,sick,head aches I had alot of different side effects and the big side effect was that they ended up just making my depression worse. A few years ago I got a tooth pulled and was given lorcet for pain. FOR ME it was a God send. It gave me confidence,my social anxiety was gone and I mean gone,no more depression,I quit smoking and I rarely drink anymore at all. The only way I could get it at the time was through friends and people I worked with after that. I was able to start living again,was able to enjoy things like hobbies again. I didnt need it everyday either. I took no more then 1 to 2 pills in a day on the bad days when depression was bad. That was my limit. I watch some of  these crazy addicts that take 20 pills in a day and I don't get that at all. There is no way I would take over 2 in a day. Medicine is to help you not kill you. You have to control it. Now its been close to 2 years since I have had a pill because people I used to get them from have moved away and I have no way to get them now. I've had to start smoking again because it helps my anxiety problem to where I can at least get myself to a job but I can't go to places where there are crowds I start sweating,can't breath I have bad anxiety. I'm back to being depressed all the time. I don't go out and do the things I used to like doing because of anxiety and depression. My life is back to the hell it was. Antidepressants make things worse for me. If you pay attention to the news with all the gun shootings almost all of them were on anti depressants. But they do work for some people and shouldn't be taken away from people that it helps and the same goes for opiates. I'd give anything for a steady prescription of lorcets for my depression and anxiety but the doctors aren't allowed to prescribe it for that anymore. So for now I'm forced to live a life of misery.

[frankie_13]

no, YOU are the ignorant one. doctors prescribe lots of **** that isnt good for you. LOTS. they are told by drug companies all of the great things the drug can do for you. then a year later you see the lawyers on tv asking if you have had a really bad side effect,such a stroke,mi or death from it, so you can sue. there are great doctors and idiot doctors. great people and idiots...

[vilified]

you are the ignorant one. doctors prescribe medications everyday because the good they do outweighs the possible risks. take back your mind from the jackasses who stole it from you. idiot.

[runnertim]

I the above poster obviously never had to go through the agonizing and miserable withdrawals of this evil drug, because they would NEVER EVER say it's ok treating depression. Sure at first I felt great taking 1 pill or 2. Over a period of time 1 or 2 pills didn't give that good feeling anymore, and taking more actually made me very depressed. Then when I quit cold turkey because I knew I was out of control, I suffered the worse debilitating depression I could ever imagine. For a while I totally understood why people kill themselfs if this is how they feel. I'm 2 weeks clean now and I feel absolutely wonderful - both mentally and physically.

I know this is a very old thread....but the last post pissed me off with their ignorant thoughts

[oblada]

Opium has been used as a medical aide for those suffering from chronic depression, until the "protestant ethic" kicked in" Heroin gave opiod use as a treatment a bad name because of it's highly addictive qualities. I suffer from chronic pain and take hydrocodone, what is a person to do in this cycle? What's wrong is the opium available for use in our country through prescription has added chemistry i.e.  tylenol etc. that does damage to the liver in continued use, the help, is out there, but our screwed up medical community is to tied to it's we're right and thousands of years of natural medicines and medical history is wrong. Western medicine is in the habit of cutting out what is wrong and treating symptoms, not causes....
http://www.findrxonline.com/rss/articles/opioid-treatment.html

[painandlosing77]

Hi,
I actually have read many theories relating to using opiates as a treatment for depression.  So i don't find it that crazy that ur Dr. would suggest it.  i find it more crazy just b/c of the fact that doctors seem so anti opiate altogether that I can't imagine finding a dr. who agrees with this.  
Like i said tho' it's something I have read about in many books, papers, online etc. as a suggetion or possibility and more so for cases where the depression is highly resistant to any other forms of therapy commonly used for depression.
I am not in any way advocating this b/c i found myself here b/c I think my own use of pain meds is spiraling out of control and I never saw that happening to me and i took for over 2 years in a way that was not abusive.  
In my opinion if they are taken at a very low dose in a controlled manner by someone who doesn't start taking them in anyway other than prescribed, i don't necessarily think that it's a terrible idea.  having been through a lot of antidepressants, more for pain than depression, they have their own set of problems and they can be wicked to get off as well.
Just saying I have seen this idea brought up by doctors, patients in many different places, so i don't think the idea on the part of ur Dr. is that off the wall.

[mamabear6]

I'm grasping at straws today.  I am a mother of 6 who has struggled off and on with depression and PTSD. I have also had a lifelong cough that was finally diagnosed as cough variant asthma.  I've been using some inhalers that help, but the doctor also gave me som histussin that I REALLY liked.  It calmed the cough and ME. There have been some stressful times in the past year that I have taken more of the cough syrup than I should have.  Everything caught up with me right after the holidays.  THe pharmasist and doctor cutme off from the cough syrup.  This is the beginning of week 2.  I seem to be done with the initial withdrwal symptoms, but I am feeling SO LOW and SO SLOW.  I have been taking Lexapro since last spring.  The doctors gave me some Xanax XR and some CLonidine tablets--but I am hating them.  I just feel so depressed and like crying and crying.  Even though I am tired, I rarely sleep without taking some AMbien.
I am so confused about how much of this is true depression and how much is due to withdrawal from the Histussin.  HOw long does it take until I will feel joy again?

[gipsee]

I can't even imagine... not even fathom... that a Dr. acutally suggested use of Hydrocodone for depression.   The pill is not meant for depression... it counteracts how our bodies feel pain.  Does nothing theraputic about the pain... just how our brain receptors manage the pain.     I'd really like to talk to your Dr.. for a few mins... Holy Crow!  Can't get over that he actually told you it could be used for depression.

Just do a google... there isn't one description of the med that doesn't suggestion "depression" as a contraindication.

Good Judgement coming and asking.. I hope we all have convinced you enough.

I HATE THOSE PILLS....

Gip

[Kuya]

Thanks again to all. My doctor said hydrocodone is used successfully to treat depression. I don't know if it's just a ploy to get me to reveal that I am using it improperly (still use it just for pain at this point) or if it's true. It doesn't seem like my doctor would try to trick me. Also, I did find a web site with a description of depression treatment with hydrocodone:

http://www.findrxonline.com/rss/articles/opioid-treatment.html

It's a commercial site so maybe they are just disguised drug peddlers. Also, I see that they have no scientific references and suggest that it would only be appropriate with severe depression. I have an appointment with my doctor next week and will ask for more information. If it really is considered an acceptable treatment I'll let you know.

[wifecares]

TODAY i TOLD MY HUSBAND THAT i WAS GOING TO CALL HIS DOCTOR ABOUT HIS ABUSE OF HYDRO./TYL.3 HE HIT THE CEIALING! he USES ALL HIS 14 DAY SUPPLY IN 1 WEEK THEN GOES THROUGH WITHDRAWL,I WORK IN A HOSPITAL TAKING CARE OF DETOX PTS. WHY DO I FEEL LIKE A JERK?

[Kuya]

Thanks very much for your advice and relating your experiences. I don't know if my question was very clear. I am taking small doses of vicodin for pain but discovered that it also diminished my moderate depression. My doctor has suggested that depression can be treated this way though I have not revealed that it has that side effect on me. I was just wondering if anyone has used hydrocodone, or similar, specifically for the treatment of depression; especially if it was with doctor supervision. Since I have had moderate depression for 53 of my 65 years I assume any such treatment would be lifetime. I have been taking vicodin for about 7 months and have increased the dose by very little on average but, of course, it takes more or less depending on the pain.

Thanks again for your comments. I can benefit a lot from the experience of others.

[vicaddict]

Hi hun;
Yes like Lisa said it is GOSPIL! I have been on hydro's for 3 yrs..and in the beginning, oh HELL YES I felt wonderful. Later.. it took more and more and more, to where I ended up at anywhere between 8-10 sometimes more in a day and just made me feel worse and worse.
It is a vicous cycle and I started on these due to chronic pain. Now I am trying to get off of them, but honey..take it from me and everyone else in here...stay away from them! They make the depression triple...go talk to a Dr...you do not want to mess with these.
I am severely depressed, and I have major depression anyhow..however nothing like what I feel with these pills, and or when I run out. The withdrawels are horrible..and the depression is part of all of it. Go back through older posts...everyone of us who has taken this drug have and or are suffering. I am now like I said trying to get off of them...it ends up eating you up and your life. Stear away from these please. If I had saw this forum back then? I never would have touched these damn things, and that is the honest to gods truth. You will end up way worse off than you are now hun, trust me when I say that!
Let us know how you are.

Tracy

[gipsee]

I am speaking from a 5 year usage of that stuff...with an RX from a DR for all of it.

Addiction:   Pppppffftttt.... someone just said... keeping on it just not to have to go through Withdrawals of it.. made so much damn sense to me I can't even tell you.

As you get addicted..doesn't matter whether it is physical or mental.... you need the pills regardless... then you crave the pills because you either physcially want them to feel better or you mentally want them to feel good.

Took me 2-weeks to feel human after a cold turkey withdrawal.  So if you have the opportunity NOW not to do it...just don't do it... sure... one pill will make you feel good... one time... but after a while...one won't work... then you are up to 8 - 10 - 20 or more a day in a whirlwind of nothing but pills and feeling like **** and taking a little bit of your life away as you are doing it.   Bottom line is.. Vicodin does nothing NOTHING AT ALL...  for depression but make it worse...matter of fact if you are not depressed it's a sure fire way to feel depressed after usage esculates.  that was your original question anyway.

Gip

[CATUF]

Yes, I developed chronic depression after using increasing doses of hydro for 5+ years.  It works great - especially when you ger to the point where the hydro does nothing except keep you from going into WD.  

Try the book End Your Addiction Now, by Charles Gant.  His premise (and that of some others like David & Merelne Miller, and Julia Ross) is that folks become addicts (including those addicts known as alcoholics) in the first place due to deficits in certain neurotransmitters ("NT's") in the brain.  They even have a name for it: Reward Deficiency Syndrome ("RDS")

Folks with RDS (which I think is most addict) have a hard time getting that "life is good" feeling of well being that makes "normal" people feel that life is generally worth living.  Thus, we addicts seek something (anything) to make us feel good -and resist letting go when we find it (even when it quits working.  Drugs and/or alcohol seem to fill that hole VERY well -
at least for the short term.  

There's a lot of info re this topic on the web - just Google:

       neurotransmitters "amino acids" addiction

[Kuya]

Thanks for your responses. Are you speaking from experience? If so, was the treatment with or without doctor supervision?

[PromisedLand]

Amen! I'm dealing with it now as I try to quit my very minor addiction when compared to other folks here.  My heart and prayers go out to you all.



Jim

[orangefyre]

She speaks the gospel truth!!

Lisa

[gipsee]

Nope   Hydrocodone use will eventually cause feelings of depression.

In the beginning it will "mask" symptoms of depression but after using it ... it actually makes it worse.