two part question, quitting hydrocodone and quitting smoking

[remedyz]

In short I had a vicodin/5 habit of up to 6 a day for 2 1/2 months, i was also on prednisone, and on valium to help me sleep. i CTd off the valium and vicodin, was dropped off the prednisone very fast and went thru hellish withdrawals for 2 weeks. after beginning to feel somewhat normal again, i became obsessed with wanting fo feel how i used to feel. i relapsed for 8 days with lortab. The withdrawals the second time were not as bad but the not sleeping part and RLS were 10x worse for some reason. This friday will be 3 weeks since i used an opiate. I am just beginning to be able to sleep again i think. I am still depressed and have some anxiety. I decided to quit smoking 2 weeks ago as well. I did the patch for 2 weeks and am now on day 2 of not taking the patch. My stomach is in knots and i feel like it has made the depression and anxiety worse. Oh, for the last month i have been taking Remeron 45mg to help with depression and anxiety. How long until the nicotine withdrawals are done, and also how long until the post-opiate depression starts to subside? I didn't have very long of a habit. I know I am an addict now though, and I struggle to stay away from the pills every hour of the day almost, because i get these urges to get high. Honestly looking back i think it was the combination of prednisone and vicodin that changed me... that is what i miss. When i took the pills again, it just wasnt the same. I wasn't instantly happy or anything. It was sort of a let down overall to be honest. I feel like i am forever changed in a way, but i worry about the depression the most.

[benharper]

I know what the depression and anxiety feel like when withdrawling from opiates (perc, vik) but one thing I have found to put me in a better mood is remembering that all-satisfying feeling you felt while you were on opiates, and listen to a song that you really like. If you listened to that same song alot while you were on opiates you actually can feel that same way my psych. taught me this method for relaxing when i feel like things are too much. Your not on alone in this confusing and sometimes lonely situation.

I am only 17 and I feel like Ive aged so much withdrawing from a 2 year vic addiction. Being a soccer player turned me on to them at 15, they gave me a pain tolerence and stamina of unmatched levels, I was a star when i was high on vic. Once the season ended I found I couldnt be happy without them, so I would pay up to 15 dollars a day for enough vic to make me happy. After my recent overdose in class which nearly got me busted I am going cold turkey with no help but the threads on this forum and my psych.

[remedyz]

Man, I feel for you... you are so young, you will bounce back in no time though. You have so much ahead of you. I am 26, still fairly young, but it's hard taking care of a house by yourself, working a full-time job, and trying to keep a relationship going when depressed or going through withdrawals. In the past I screwed around with pills occasionally to get high and escape, but i never got addicted. Only once I actually needed them for pain temporarily did I get addicted. Now I wonder when the hell I can ever feel normal again... Thanks for the tip though, i will try that to try and relax at times.

[remedyz]

Thank you Doc, that does provide me with much insight, and I appreciate your advice in dealing with the urges, it really makes sense. I was on the prednisone for ulcerative colitis and associated iritis. I've had it 3 times but never needed pain meds during it until now. Unfortunately I am one of those people that requires a lot of prednisone to suppress the inflammation, so I started at 20mg in the morning, 20mg at night and once it was under control, tapered slowly from there, because too fast of a drop initially led to inflammation returning. Once i was down to 10mg in the morning 5mg at night, they dropped me to 5mg in the morning and 2.5mg at night right as i CT'd off the other meds. That felt like a big let-down as well.

[emmy22]

hey guys, sorry to cut in on the thread, but as usual i couldnt post...its so busy in here :)  Anyway, does anyone know anything about the cough syrup Guaifenesin w/ codeine? How much codeine does it have in it? It doesnt say on the bottle. Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks

[justalittlehelp]

I am off opites for over a week, and feel sluggish and sleep bad.  I was on them for 8 years and took 40 Lortab/10 a day.  To help mentally I look at all the stuff I payed no attention on the pills.  I look at music different, studies have been done on the soothing of favorite music.  I look at the world different.  I see people in the streets talking and laughing, and think to myself I am glad to be back in the real world.  Problems are a part of life and were not made to pop a pill for every little problem...I did that.  I see birds different, the smell of fresh cut grass.  Of course these ma be hallucintions becuase my sleep has gone to ****(j/K)...I know that even though I dont feel 100% I will feel better each day.  I now live life for myself and to help others intead of living life controlled by a bottle of pills.  I will take a few weeks of feeling blah in order to get my life back.

[Erika_Ann]

I WAS VERY IMPRESSED WITH YOUR RESPONSE.I JUST WANTED YOU TO KNOW YOU MADE ME SMILE TODAY AND I NEEDED IT. BUT YOUR WISDOM YOU SHARED IS TRUE AND ON THE DOT!
TAKE CARE
ERIKA

[justalittlehelp]

I do have a question...can anyone recommend some books or writings for people with or overcoming addiction.  What about books once you are clean?  Any suggestions would be so helpful.

[skipper]

hey people:
for what ever it's worth.....
all of us answer to 3 (actually 4 entitys)...
they are (and not necessarilly this order)
(1) god
(2) the tax man
(3) blind joe DEATH
(4) opium jones

so....you all like the alternative???

keep an angel on your shoulder (you will need it)
kio

[AmberHunter]

this is an awesome forum, and i want to marry the forum doc but until then... a few weeks ago i started a really simple forum for drug addicts going through whatever it is we are going through, good or bad or in between.......... this is just a very simple to use hang out place and if you are interested PLEASE email me at ***@****...

i will email anyone interested the link.

as for the person quitting smoking and opiates, one thing at a time... that is just my opinion, but damn, i could not have quit both at once. but if it is working for you than hang in there. i figure it will be sometime before i give up both... opiate w/d is hard enough and in itself is so difficult, i just don't fight ALL of my battles at one time! but i wish you the very best!

amber

[oxic]

I can't believe how lucky we are having Dr. Bozian here.
Its one thing to answer, but to really ANSWER is another thing, and topped off with some compassion and caring.

percs

[mrmichael67]

It IS nice.  I can still remember Dr. Steve's wonderful, in depth answers.

[bmac]

Oh youz guyz are so sweet! LOL
Sorry Percs,that shoulda been hey ey!
     BillyBob

[oxic]

wassup billy???
Hows the w/d's; and the knee pain ??

you getting nervous yet.........couple more days

[bmac]

I am about to pop here Bubba! LOL
I am doing fine. I will tell you all about it when I call.
Friday morning at 9 am I will be off my brother! One day I'll turn northwest! Real far northwest!

[rodewc]

Both of you have mentioned N/A. I hated A/A. There is only one here (A/A). One group/place w/ many myg times, same core group of people, though. That's beside the pt. I want to try N/A but am afraid for a couple of reasons.. that it really isnt anonymous and/or some pharmacist/nurse/doctor/or like/ will recognize me and not give me meds if i really did need them later in life. I truly believe I have the resolve to sray away from docs (never have gone the street route) but I can't, for example, have a root canal "straight" (I dont need any surgery currently, etc) but as I age, I will and I see this as cutting off nose to spite face. Any thoughts? Almost Friday on a Hols. weeeeeekend! rwc~

[pammy0690]

If you go way up northwest to see Greg you better stop in PA on the way! Pammy

[peaz]

.....And stop by MN and take me w/ you.........:-)  ROAD TRIP!!!

[terter]

i WAS CLEAN FOR 10 DAYS!! uNTIL LAST NITE, i FEEL i DIDN'T RELAPSE BUT i WAS IN SO MUCH PAIN FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS i NEEDED RELIEF, i FEEL GUILT OF COURSE FOR GIVING IN BUT i HURT SO BAD i COULDN'T LIFT MY HEAD OFF MY PILLOW. i'M NOT ABUSING THEM (YET) i REALLY DON'T WANT TO GO BACK TO THOSE PILLS AGAIN, mY GIRLFRIEND IS HOLDING EMERGENCY PILLS FOR ME AND ONLY GIVES ME WHAT IS NEEDED, i REFUSE TO GO BACK TO DOCTORS FOR MORE AND i'M ALMOST OUT 10 LEFT. eVEN TAKING 2 i STILL HAVE PAIN BUT I REFUSE TO TAKE MORE AT A TIME. IF I HAVE TO TAKE WHAT I HAVE LEFT AS PERSCRIBED WILL I GO THROUGH W/D AGAIN AND CAN ANYONE SUGGEST A GOOD PAIN MED THATS NON NARCOTIC OR IS THAT THE GOLDEN QUES. i HAD A NECK FUSION BUT FOUND THAT I STILL HAVE 3 MORE BULGING DISC'S ALSO I HAD 2 CARPOL TUNNEL SURGERY, THE DOC SAYS MY MEDIAN NERVE WHICH CONECTS FROM WRISTS TO NECK IS MORE THEN LIKLEY SCREWED UP I GO FOR A NERVE TEST ON TUES. i WAS TAKING ALEEVE AND IBUPROFEN THE LAST 10 DAYS AND IT HELPED BUT THEN MY HEAD FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING TO EXPLODE AND i FELT PAIN ALL THE WAY DOWN MY BACK. iF ANYONE CAN TELL ME WHAT THEY HAVE DONE WITH EXTREME PAIN WITHOUT NARCS. I REFUSE TO GET HOOKED AGAIN, oH YEAH THE DOC ALSO SAID THAT SINCE I HAD INDOSCOPIC sP? CARPOL SURGERY THAT 9 OUT OF 10 TIMES THEY END UP DOING IT AGAIN WITH A SLICE THROUGH MY PALM.  MY HUSBAND WILL BE WILLING TO REGULATE ALL MEDS IF I NEED SURGERY BUT I'M STILL SCARED, THIS IS A WORK COMP CLAIM AND THEY WONT LET ME BACK TO WORK UNTIL THE DOC SAYS AND I REALLY WANT TO GO BACK. AMBER DO YOU THINK I TOTALLY SCREWED UP BY GIVING IN TO THE PAIN?  THANKS TER

[Thomas03]

If a doc, nurse or pharmacist (the thought amuses me no end) sees you at an NA meeting, that means they're an addict too. I doubt that they would risk their own anonymity by hassling you. I have limited experience with NA, but I know in AA many people use pain meds in connection with medical conditions and/or procedures. The difference is that fellow AA-ers help them to use the meds responsibly and lent moral support when the time comes to discontinue them.

However, I have heard stories about people in NA being ostracized for using pain meds, even for legitimate needs. These groups are generally obsessed with sobriety dates and use the threat of "revoking" someone's sobriety date as a means of discouraging pain med use.

I don't believe that this is an official policy of NA or AA, but like many systems implemented by lay persons, fanaticism and cultishness can seep in.

Thomas

[rodewc]

K, thx. That fanaticism is why I hated the A/A here. When I tried it, it was so pretenious. I cant even x-plain it. I gave it a long shot (2 yrs). The other thing is that after I quit A/A, when I would be picking up a six, or a bottle of vino, I felt (and still do) like a criminal. To this day, if possible, I ask my hubby to buy any alcohol that comes into this house. And other than Christmas-time, where we hit that cholestoralic (sp) yummy egg nawg as hard as we can, I bet we down a six of beer every month or 2, between us, So if buying a bottle of wine so many years later makes me feel like a criminal, God knows what filling a scrip for Vikes would do after say- bone spur surgery, or whatever. That's why I am scared of N/A, but wonder if it isnt worth the gamble.. Just my thoughts on yours, thomas.Thx. rwc~

[hippy]

hey all,as you may know , i have been going to na for many years,my experence  is that , there is nothing to worry about
regarding seeing someone you may know, when ever this situation
has arisin it has always been a positive.
i would say that mostly all the people in na who are clean
and living a productive life are honest people who are very happy to have thier lives back and they are happy to see  others
on the same road, addicts are extreemist we go from being
hardcore addicts who lie and minipulate to get drugs to productive members of society, who change thier way s in a 90
degree swing twards the better.
i notice there are more then a few people here at the fourm
who are addicts and they go to aa, from my experence  as addicts
we may find some problems in aa , some aa meetings do not tolerate addicts sharing about drugs and such.
i have found in my own life that it is not the substance that is the problem, but rather me.
for many years i was told , put down the drugs and all will be well, this has never been the case, when i put down the drugs
i am stuck with me and i still have the same problems that led me to use in the first place.
na  the last resort for addicts, after we try everything  in our power to get our act together on our own, after we have seen all the shrinks, been to detox, been to rehab,
when we find ourselves in a place where we don't want to live anymore. then na may appeal to us.  

[Thomas03]

Greetings, my good friend. You are indeed the sage of this forum. I wish you had been in my NA meetings.

When we get caught up in minutia, you bring us back to the heart of the matter.

Thomas

[gracie97]

You asked for some reading materials:
Rational Recovery
A Million Little Pieces

I was able to find Rational Recovery at Barnes and Noble here in town, if you are ready to be truly honest and look a things quite differently than 12 steppers, than this is a book to read. He is also the author of The Small Book, an alternative to AA or NA.
I have no personal opinion on either book, I take what I need from every source and leave what doesn't work.........

This forum has definately helped me, along with our sources. Today is the 1 month celebration!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mystere, are you out there??????????????? Lostsoul, also thinking of you!

Peaz, thanks for everything!

[lisabet]

Hi Gracie....I'm almost finished reading "A Million Little Pieces"...awesome book, IMO.  What is Rational Recovery about?  Do you remember the name of the author?  Gracie, hope you're doing OK; always happy to see you posting.  Love, Lisabet  xoxo
HI PEAZY!!!! Love you bunches!!!