Aa
opiate withdrawal and depression
already beingt treated for pretty severe depression and have decided to get off the percs and the vics. I take one a day of either percocet (endo 602 5/325) or a Vicodin 10/325....i only take them as basically a steroid to allow me to work out and dont take them anytime else....my question is, will the withdrawal symptoms cause my depression to worsen based on what are relatively low doses?? thx in advance...ive read a ton about how they can help depression but my doc's keep telling me they are central nervous system depressants...have to go with their adviice i guess...
Hello my friend and soul mate- I am addict/alky- been in AA/NA since 1986-bi-polar-depressive-post-polio, arthritis- the list goes on. Been in rehab including nut house. Lamictal has saved me, that is the only coo-coo med I am on now, after taking a host of 6 together aft nut house. I am now on subs (for a mo.) aft taking percs and morph aft an ungodly length of time and was told to take suboxone 4 per day 2 works fine and doc told me to decrease 1/4 at a time when I can.-eventually to have a wk of quiet time (no responsibilities- work, phones, sabatical) I trust this doc cuz he is also addict not trying to scam me for continued treatment. He himself rebukes a lot of medical pros. Valium is not an option- it is trading seats on the titanic-can be worse to withdraw (addictive) I have found that lemon balm extract has helped w/ anxiety (herbal, at health foods) I have to be selective w/ herbals doc says cuz of my hep-c and is cosidered "off-label" prescribing. I have my life back and am excited about getting on w/ it. Never actually haved tryed the commit suicide, but was at that jumping off place, as AA describes it. Didn't want to live or die- my life just completely sucked and couldn't imagine going on in that state. Cold turkey methadone wd put me in that state and evetually returned to pain mgt drugs. I could not imagine life w/o being totally involved in 12 step groups- WORK. Counseling is free thru county mental hosps_help is out there-a sponsor in NA can be a life saver, but be selective they can be very sick themselves-we are not BAD ppl just sick ppl. I was told to get off the opiates b4 any further diag. for mental health so it could be accurately diag. A lot of the craziness is drug induced. Anyhoo I trust God and pray--12-step encourgages a higher power and it can be as simple as the group of recovering ppl. Recovery is possible. I do not want to relapse pychologically and have to revisit my fellow nuts.There I actually found some pretty good entertainment and the food was good, played cards, did crafts and puzzles and outside continued to stay ACTIVE and not dwell and realize I am very fortunate. I an now 55 yrs old and don't have to work any longer. I was a cocktail waitress in Las Vegas hotels for 30 yrs--imagine that. Hot springs- or even hot baths at home are very theraputic-Nature is my 1st love and always will be--get out of doors-exercise-it must be consistent. Love yourself..and if no one told u today that they love u--I do...
I may be in the wrong forum, but I am in the process of setting up appt. to go on suboxone. I have been taking 10-15 vic/percs every day for the last 3 yrs. I am terrified about the withdrawals, but Im also terrified that I have been diagnosed w/ depression since I was about 16. Im now 28.
I am scared I am going to fall into an even deeper depression after letting go of these pills (which have been there for me for the past 3 yrs). Does anyone have any suggestions on how to handle this? Am I able to take Zoloft (i've taken before pretty successfully) while on suboxone? I am going to need something! Also what about Valiums for anxiety attacks and sleeping?
Is there anyone else out there who finds this whole process extremely difficult while trying to maintain a 9-5 job 6 days a week?? How do I go about this? I havent been at this job long enough to accrue a wks vaca. And I love my job, and cannot risk losing it.
Any advice??
Anyone?
I am scared I am going to fall into an even deeper depression after letting go of these pills (which have been there for me for the past 3 yrs). Does anyone have any suggestions on how to handle this? Am I able to take Zoloft (i've taken before pretty successfully) while on suboxone? I am going to need something! Also what about Valiums for anxiety attacks and sleeping?
Is there anyone else out there who finds this whole process extremely difficult while trying to maintain a 9-5 job 6 days a week?? How do I go about this? I havent been at this job long enough to accrue a wks vaca. And I love my job, and cannot risk losing it.
Any advice??
Anyone?
how is one to know if they are "bi polar".......i have actue mood drops where im happy as can be one day and the next im sad/mad/disappointed....never said anything because dont want to be just experiencing LIFE and make a big deal of it by thinking i have bi polar or something.....
Good!
How long have you been on those medications? I'm on Lamictal and Lexapro.
I just started the Lexapro and I think I may stop as there are withdrawal symptoms with that one.
Plus I'm mainly bi-polar. Lamictal literally saved my life. I used to go weeks thinking about suicide and how I hated *existence* itself. It's been four years and I still have not even contemplated suicide. I hope it's the same for you.
To be honest, as someone in MUCH deeper than yourself, you should be fine. There is depression involved with any step-off, but I think you are confusing *normal* healthy depression with the clinical one that we have...I don't think you have to worry about it. Again, good luck!
How long have you been on those medications? I'm on Lamictal and Lexapro.
I just started the Lexapro and I think I may stop as there are withdrawal symptoms with that one.
Plus I'm mainly bi-polar. Lamictal literally saved my life. I used to go weeks thinking about suicide and how I hated *existence* itself. It's been four years and I still have not even contemplated suicide. I hope it's the same for you.
To be honest, as someone in MUCH deeper than yourself, you should be fine. There is depression involved with any step-off, but I think you are confusing *normal* healthy depression with the clinical one that we have...I don't think you have to worry about it. Again, good luck!
I can honestly say to myself that I am not addicted....i can quit cold turkey no problem...im on lexapro, lamictal, geodon and klonopin...do you think this should be enough to beat the chance of depression??....again, i was told by doctors i was not taking enough to even experience withdrawal symptoms....thx...
One more positive note: I am essentially Bi-Polar at heart (drugs or drug-free.)
I started taking mood stabilizer medication (Lamictal) years ago and in my drug days I tried taking Ecstasy...the mood stabilizer kicked in and the E didn't work! I don't know what you are taking but there is a chance your medication will help.
Again, quit the opiates, they are very helpful for pain, but taken at any length (even at low dosages of Vicodin...see the addiction forum again...they are basically much harder to get off of than almost anything else.)
I started taking mood stabilizer medication (Lamictal) years ago and in my drug days I tried taking Ecstasy...the mood stabilizer kicked in and the E didn't work! I don't know what you are taking but there is a chance your medication will help.
Again, quit the opiates, they are very helpful for pain, but taken at any length (even at low dosages of Vicodin...see the addiction forum again...they are basically much harder to get off of than almost anything else.)
Go to the Addiction forum, they will have more info there.
You are not in too deep, but if it has been a while, there will be some mental and physical effects. I would suggest cutting it in half each day for a while and seeing how you do before dropping to 0. (NOTE: I am NOT a doctor, so take any advice like this as a possible tip and nothing else.)
Plus get off it! I got caught in Vics, then percs, then next thing I know I had a full-on oc addiction! (a 5 mg Perc is EXACTLY like a 5 mg oc...it's been months since I quit but thinking about one of those makes my mouth water...that should show you the danger.)
Withdrawal from serious dosages will DEFINITELY cause depression even to those not prone to it.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you are borderline enough that it is possible you will be ok, if not. ..that's why we are all here to help and support!
You are not in too deep, but if it has been a while, there will be some mental and physical effects. I would suggest cutting it in half each day for a while and seeing how you do before dropping to 0. (NOTE: I am NOT a doctor, so take any advice like this as a possible tip and nothing else.)
Plus get off it! I got caught in Vics, then percs, then next thing I know I had a full-on oc addiction! (a 5 mg Perc is EXACTLY like a 5 mg oc...it's been months since I quit but thinking about one of those makes my mouth water...that should show you the danger.)
Withdrawal from serious dosages will DEFINITELY cause depression even to those not prone to it.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you are borderline enough that it is possible you will be ok, if not. ..that's why we are all here to help and support!
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