Addicted, a little addicted, keep it up and you will be?

[mk1964]

2000 was injured in an accident. Doc gives me 5/500mg Vic.. Been taking it on and off until about 2 years ago, pain got worse after a procedure.Dosage is 3-4 a day as needed for pain. Normally, that is what I stick to but I have found there are times because of the pain and "high" I may go as many as 8-9 a day. I do not do this every day and am gnerally back at my regular dose. Sometimes, I go a day or two taking none. In my job though I see a lot of prescription abuse. I see how bad it can be. So, I went off it a few times over the year and within a few days had cravings for it, leg pain, irritable and took some again. I thought I took so little I could easily stop. I know I have seen people taking 30-40...I can't imagine, but as I said, the most ever at one time and that was once in a blue moon was 8-9 in a day. I want off this stuff, I'll deal with the back pain. The thought of becoming addicted scares me more with my life.
So, AM I addicted....is it safe to keep using, drop the bottle and run, what EXACTLY do I do to get off. I don't think I need a ************** center and ca make sense of it myself...and I have to thank my doc who never told me 3-9 pills may get me hooked. My fault ultimately, but a little hint would have been nice. Right now I'm 2 days into an off period and it's pretty rough. Everything above is the true facts.

PS- I did take Tramadol at my request when I read about it being non-narcotic and it worked but has some side effects. Is this a safe alternate to the pain....or again, addictive?

[GA Guy]

I believe that I would be remiss if I don't mention aftercare. I was like you. I thought I could stop and I was smart enough to not start back. Big mistake. I hope you rethink the thoughts about going this alone after the withdrawals have past. It's ALWAYS when we feel the strongest, the most under control, that we relapse. Find a counselor, aa/na, or a support group. AAftercare is much more inportant than the detox.

[mk1964]

The worst I have been with scripts is running out, but have been able to wait the few days until allowed a refill. That has only happened a couple times. I get the feeling I am in the beginners group to something worse? If so, I'll take that wisdom and just keep going. I know enough about the body that God heals it, and hopefully this will be no different. I'll drop the Tramadol.....why is all the docs so big on this as an alternative? at least 4 docs at my office have said it's "Like Vic's without the addiction". REALLY? Not from what I've read here...they should Schedule it. I have to admit even the low dosgae really helps me through things with pain that Tylenol absolutely will not. I'd be lying if I said the buzz didn't help thing as well. But the way I look at it here in my 40's is....what am I going to be like when(if) I hit 60...still on this stuff?
I wanted to ask....once the hurt stuff stops (is that called the withdrawl part?), tiredness, depression.....what is the next phase of this thing. I heard it's that mind game it plays saying you need it. Does that ever go away? I'm a strong person but I'd rather leave it behind me. Is it possible with what I was taking that may not be as strong?

[Ms_Punky_Doodle]

I have been addicted my whole life, I use to work in personal injury law as a legal asst. but I use to see so many people become stone cold addicts in the name of pain. I was then injured by my doctor and the pain can cause some bad choices, I have made many. I learned that some people will be addicts and some won't no matter how great the pain. I believe some ppl are more likely to become addicted should they be exposed to the chance. I was one of them. First time I drank it was the feeling or loss of feelings I enjoyed, I wasnt guilty or ashamed anymore. When I found narcotics, I was in heaven. But I kept getting on and off the stuff thinking I could take just enough to control whatever it was I was trying to control, but doing the same thing expecting different results is rather insane. The shame, guilt and fears all returned eventually. But you have to be the one to say "I am an Addict" I just know that alot of has to do with how far you will go to get your drug, if lying, cheating, or stealing at any level is involved then you might look in the mirror. I wish you all the luck always talk to people dont stay in the closet get help if you need it.

[troubleinohio]

please drop them and run like helll. I never thought Id be severely addicted either. I used to be able to take them occasionally like after a dental procedure (Im talking 20+ years ago here, okay?) and i did like the high back then even but once the Rx was gone, that was it, i never tried to get more. Guess I thuoght it was just a nice little party but the party's over and went on with life. Fastforward a few more years and I remember watching a talk show on TV about addicted housewives. I remember a lady on there saying she took 12 vicodin a day and i was absolutely shocked! I couldnt BELIEEEEEEVE anyone could take that many and said to myself HAH I would NEVER do that!!!!! (at the time i was taking about 2 tylenol 3's or 1 darvocet a day). Then FF a few more years, i was running out of my script WEEKS early, suffering WD's, calling everyone under the sun trying to get some pills to hold me over til Dr would refill me. I ended up taking about 10 Vicodin ES' a day on average (which is wayyyyy over the limit for tylenol on your liver). It was then that i finally ended the madness  and now clean over 200 days. Trust me you dont want to fall into the same pit. You can easily go from where you are right now to popping 10, 20 or more pills a day and find yourself on a seedy part of town forking over outrageous amounts of money just to get yourself a few more pills to hold you over.  So please, stop it now while you still can. And also dont do the Tramadol. STick around here and read the stories about that nasty little drug!

[Jambo62]

Once again I find myselfm saying this sounds like me I started taking a few always leagl then I add one here and theere then I am taking the max my script allows...I am sure you are somewhat addicted....but at your dose it would seem the ideal time to quit....Do it foryourself as t will only get harder....

my best guess would be you will have some wd's for a week or so but after that you'll be free from these pills.....From ,my personal experianve i can tell you it can be don you should do it......it will be one of the best gifts you can ever give yourself....

Jambo

[allaboutmary]

My advise is to get off them now !  Your addiction will only get worse.  The way you are taking them sounds just like how I started. Trust me it will get worse. You will end up taking them everyday and many more than you are.
Your already a few days into cold turkey, so hang in there and get it done. The real hard part is staying clean.  Your addiction will tell you it's o.k., and that you can handle taking a few every now and then. WRONG. Keep reading on this forum. Being well informed will help a lot. Good luck and keep us posted.

[struggling_college_student]

I agree I would not switch to tramadol, just look at the other post of people needing help to get off that poison!  Anyways you are lucky that you are not taking too many yet....my advice would be to keep going with this off period and ask your dr for a rx NSAID like relafen.  I started the same as you...went from the correct dose of my rx for 5mg vics all the way up to 10-12 10mg norcos a day.  I am now 5 days clean and thank god i stopped when I did.  Please stop poisoning yourself(its actually the live that the tylenol damages).  We are here to support you all the way.........best of luck!!

Jeff

[Diana641]

I can only comment from personal experience with this drug. I am sorry to hear about your accident . Living with chronic pain is not fun by any means and I am no stranger to it. I took Vicodin many years ago but still remember it well. I took it for migraines that were incapacitating so they didn't do much to help with the pain, except take the edge off a little and gave me enough energy to get up and going to raise two very active children singlehandedly in a strange State where I knew no one.How's that for support? back to this Vicodin that you are using, first off it has a huge amount of tylenol (acetomenophen) in it and that is not good at all for your kidneys(someone please correct me if I am wrong) that could make a back condition feel worse. I f you really want off of these, what I did was taper over many weeks and it wasn't painless but it was not horrible either!! I felt a little tired when all was done and glad to be rid of them. Personally, I don't think Tramadol is your answer either, trading one drug for another. I really think you can do this---take good care of yourself. You will feel better in the end.