Vicodin Addiction Withdrawal, How Long? Does It Ever End?

[BenMyer]

Hi all, I would just like to say that I have been lurking on this site for awhile now before finally deciding to kick my habit. I have been addicted to Vicodin on and off for around 2 1/2 years. I recently decided it was time to stop after having taken it for 3 months straight. I just did not like what I was becoming, and what this drug was doing to my life in general. I always told myself that the habit I had (I never called it an addiction even though it was) was under control, and I could stop at any time, well I was wrong for 2 years. No reason existed for me to take it other than the relaxation the drug gave me. My dosage would be roughly around 2 to 3 pills in the evening just to relax, and help me sleep. I never went over 2 to 3 pills thankfully.

I decided to stop cold turkey 6 days ago due to the fact that it was having an impact on my work, my social life, and my time with my child. It is something I am not proud of having done, so I had to stop. I have stopped before as I stated, but this time I was determined. The withdrawals were miserable, something I never expected, but only heard about. It started with a very very strong craving for the drug the first 2 days, and constant muscle aches, along with sleepless nights. All along this time the urge to swallow some pills was always on my mind. I was dizzy sometimes, had hot flashes, and was cold all the time. To try to combat the sleepless nights, I used Advil, which didn't help. The mental said of the withdrawal is much worse than the physical pains. After 6 days now, I think I am starting to return back to my normal self. I feel more alert, sharper, and overall a different person. Today I have only thought about the drug maybe a few times, but without the horrible cravings I had during the mid-week. I know that this is just the tip of the iceberg on what to expect on my long road to being clean.

The questions I have are, how long will the urge to take a pill or two last? Does it ever really go away?

Thank you,
Ben

[Mis Take]

Glad u decided to post.  I too mostly lurk but I just wanted to tell u congrats.  6 days c/t is GREAT b/c now youve turned the physical corner and really have to deal mainly with the mental.  I don't know if the URGE ever really goes away but you can keep it under control by keeping yourself busy (busier than usual) and occupying your mind with new thoughts, activities, and goals.  I have found, and I am no expert by any stretch, that if I set goals for my day and stay active, that the thoughts and cravings come around less and less.  I am on day 26 (but am on Suboxone, so a little different) and have found the mental challange is less this week than it ever has been.  I have tried to find new interests and started walking - both really have helped me.  I have two children and am a stay at home mom, so it was and is important for me to find things to do for myself and reward myself for success.  Hope this helps some.  Have a great day and Your doing so Fantastic - keep it up.

[BenMyer]

Hi, thank you for your kind words, and support. It is nice to have people that are sharing the same experience as you. Your 26 days should be something to be proud of, I wish you the best of luck in the next 26 days, and beyond.

I never realized how hard doing something like this would be. I would generally like to call myself a strong willed person, but having to do something like this in my life has really changed me. My outlook is very different as to what type of person I used to be. I have grown, and am much stronger than I ever was. I do try to keep as busy as possible to get my mind off my carvings. I think I can get through this, better yet, I KNOW I can.

[Mis Take]

Since all of this started, I have said that people who overcome addiction are the strongest people.  I would have never thought that unless I had been through it.  Man, it takes some willpower, hu?  
The self talk thing is very important to.  Believe it - and achieve it, ya know?  I don't know if others would agree but I find comfort in learning about addiction.  I have reseached, read here, and been to a counselor with the hope of learning what I can so that I don't repeat the mistake.  Funny that word comes up a lot for me these days.  I was a teacher before I had my children and I guess once a teacher................. so knowledge is power - at least for me.  
I wish you the best of luck, Ben, but it doesn't sound like u need it.  You've got this thing beaten, just keep doing what your doing.  

[BenMyer]

I agree with you 100% on the being a much stronger person overall from an addiction experience. I really never thought that I would ever have been addicted to anything, but here I am. The fact that I was able to admit it to myself was one of the hardest steps forward for me.

My biggest motivation in doing this was of course my family, and secondly my well being. I didn't enjoy being tired during the day, or craving a pill. The constant cloud over my head had to go. I want to enjoy watching my very young kids grow up with a father that has clear thoughts, and is not influenced by something artificial.

You sound like a very strong person Mis Take, I thank you for your words of wisdom and experience again.

[Mis Take]

take care, ben!  you'll be in my thoughts,
check back in from time to time to keep us up to date.

[athena-8]

Congrats, I'm at Day #6, too. I think we're over some sort of hump, b/c  like you, I feel  a lot better.

Does it ever go away? Not sure I'm much of an expert on that, but I imagine that it never really does.
I think it just sort-of lies dormant within us, waiting to hop onto some other potential addictive quality that might present itself in our lives (food, gambling, rage, sex, love, alcohol, exercise, danger, spending, etc.). As long as we are diligent in our recovery and watch for signs of other potential abuse (and seek help long b4 it's a full-blown problem) we can probably lead fairly productive and happy lives anyway. That's what I'm hoping anyway!

That's my 2 cents. Best of luck to you, and kept us current with your progress.

--Athena

[construction]

im glad your here and taking the right steps towards your recovery, i was taking 25-35 lorcet and soma a day for a long time. i tried suboxone and was abusing them, Ive been here for support since march 1st and met so many friends that have truly helped me. i had 28 days and slipped, and was honest and posted it and got alot of help, i dont know if the mental ever completly goes away but the longer clean time you get you find more ways to keep those thoughts from comming back. Im glad to know you now. your friend Clay TX

[EJ100]

You are almost over the worst part, so hang in there!  Just remember, if you go back you have to do this all over again.  You asked when the urge would go away, and you were right-it never does.  It will lessen over time until you hardly ever think about it, but then you let your guard down and if you are not prepared bad things can happen.  A few months from now, when pills seem so far behind you, you might think that just one will be ok.  One is too many and a thousand is never enough.  Ever.  The best thing you can do is go to a Narcotics Anonymous or Pills Anonymous meeting.  Even if you don't think you're an addict, you can get support there from people who have been through it.  There is only one requirement to go to these meetings:  the desire to stop using drugs (or pills).  Good luck.

[soul_searching]

I am on my first day without a vic. I just recently admitted to myself that I was addicted. The hard thing about my addiction is that I don't look for them. they just kinda fall into my lap. So that makes it 10 times harder to say no. I had 2 days without any so I went searching for them. The minute I spent money on them I knew I was an addict. I just took the last one of those yesterday morning and boy! do I feel like ****! I have 2 small children and the worst part of it all is that I feel like they know something is wrong with mommy. I know I need help but I have no insurance. So I guess it's cold turkey for me. Even worse still is I know more will be coming soon...oh god give me the strength.  I give my congrats to those who are kicking the habit and pray that I will have the same will power. Good Luck to all!

[brandieb1978]

I am new on here, and I'm not sure how much I will be able to post for awhile.  I'm on hour 52 of kicking my vicodin addiction cold turkey.  I decided to count hours and try to play a mind trick on myself, trying to make it sound like more than what it is and to tell myself that it will be over soon.  The way I'm feeling right now, I don't think it's ever going to end.  I'm not sure really what made me decide to write about it.  I guess it's because on here I know someone else is going through it or has already and that gives me strength to keep pushing on.  I try to talk to my bf about it, but he don't know what I'm really going through, and I'm not in the best of moods and it just turns into a fight.  I can't help myself.  Sorry for the ramblings, I guess I'm just trying to keep myself busy.  Good luck to everyone that is kicking this with me.  I feel for all of you.

[helios17]

I've posted elsewhere but seem not to be getting any answer.

I am 6 days mow. crawlies are gone, insomnia is persistant and my body aches like the dickens.  Especially my legs...not only ache but real weakness.  I am eating the best I can and supplimenting it with ensure.

Is this normal?  When can I expect this body pain and lack of motivation to end.

Thanks

[leeisgettingclean]

lack of motovation takes a while to end, just make yourself do as much as you can...push yourself, thats the only way you are gona get anything done! pains, you just gotta take otc pain relivers and deal with it. The pain depends, if you are in real pain then you have to find another way to deal, if you are in w/d pain they should get better in 5-7 days

[helios17]

Thank you very much.  I believe I am in day 6...the real blessing is the creepies are gone...those were friggin' brutal.  Clonidine saved my life I think.  The pain isn't "bad"...it's just constant and nagging and mostly in my legs.  I can suck it up...it's just the motivation to even go shower that takes a re-alignment of the planets it seems.

Thanks for answering and understanding.

./

[leeisgettingclean]

but you know it is kinda wierd, i think you can mentally convince yourself that yopu cant do anything, i think half the battle is just getting up and doing it

[helios17]

You know...I won't argue that...have even put the theory to test this morning.  It's just that after maybe 10 minutes of activity, I am so physically fatigued that I just sit where ever I can...in essence, I guess I just wanted to know how long this lasts...I got stuff to do. ;-)  Trying to do it this morning didn't work out so well.

./

[jessicakay]

i am on day 1 of kicking the habit!! I have been taking about 40 to 45 mg of Vik now for about 8 months straight. Wondering if ne one knows how long the crappy feeling will last?

[usuai]

Hey all, glad to see that I'm not alone in dealing with these problem. This is my second go 'round with addiction to hydrocodone. I got into a bunch of trouble stealing to support my habit about 2 years ago, I got cleaned up for about a year and was feeling great, I was still occasionally smoking pot and drinking and eventually I thought I could handle taking just one or two hydrocodone pills when they again became available to me. Well this escalalted to me taking anywhere from 4 to 10 hydrocodone a day, depending on availability. I'm not really able to substain the cost of the addiction any longer so I'm once again on the road to recovery. Last time I quit I moved to a whole new area to remove myself from tempation, but it seems to always have a way to catch up to you. Yesterday I had 2  7.5mg pills early in the morning, and nothing else for that day. Today I woke up feeling absolutely awful, nervous, sweaty, achey, etc. I managed to fight off the craving for most of the day, but it caught up to me in the evening and I ended up taking 3 of them in about 4 hours. I have 2 more for tomorrow and I plan on trying to only take 1 in the morning, and then the other one the following morning. Hopefully tapering off like this is going to help, but I know it can be done so I'm trying to remain optimistic. I'm glad to see all these success stories, there is no harder battle to be fought in life than against ones own self, and you're all incredibly strong for being able to do so. Good luck to us all.

[Panch1959]

Dearest Ben
I too am going through what you are.
I didnt realize how much I had changed since taking this drug Vicodin
The money that I spent on this **** is crazy
I am slowly getting back to who I once was,the person and family member that everyone loves
There are too many VICO-VAMPIRES eager to sell you these for 3-5dollars per pill.
I love who I am and had wondered who I was had gone
I shut out everyone and was just Happy being in my bedroom.
I lost my Supervisor position that I had for 4 years making 40,000.00 per year.
I used just up and leave without thinking.
I learened my lesson the Hard way-
My only SALVATION and I kid you NOT the BEST REHAB in THE WORLD is THR GOD OF ABRAHAM,THE GOD OF JACOB <THE GOD OF ISAAC.  I am not a Religios Freak
I only speak it as truth.
I now have a WONDERFUL job making close to what I was making.
MY GOD gave this to me in return for giving my life to him
Good Luck
Panch in DC

[ld29]

this ***** day one no vics or precs been takeing them for 3 years i get 90 percs per month there gone in 2 days then take 4 to 8 vics per day after that i had a majour back operation and i liked drugs anyway so thats leads me to where im at now i need to get through the next week i have 3 kids they dont desreve this im home all day so bordom is a problem i guess we will see what will happen need to get through withdrall

[kphowe]

I had been taking the Vics for about 5 years. I would get 200 per month from my Dr. and have to buy more after a couple of weeks.  I was not myself the whole time.  I couldnt do anything without having the drug, like going to a movie or a relatives house or anything I felt I needed the pills to make me happy.  I could never have a drink without taking a few pills.  If I went to the casino to play poker it was on!!  Drinking and pills and gambling and womanizing wow what a life.  Then one day I looked in the mirror and had these great big bags under my eyes my skin was all pasty and pale my eyes tired and bloodshot not to mention how I just let my weight balloon from a gym fit 190lbs to an out of shape 220lbs.  But when I tried to face reality I did not like what I saw so I would have a few pills and a few shots and Shyt I was lost in my fantasy worl again knowing it was just temporary and I would quit and get fit again.  Well I wasted a good portion of my life with that philosyphy and I finally got a wake up call when I found out my liver was enlarged from the booze and the pills.  I have been of the Vics for 15 days now and I can promie every one of you that you will feel better and look back and think what was I thinking.  I have tons of energy I want to see people now instead of avoiding them.  I am back at the gym taking it slow at first but it feels awsome to know I am on the right path again.  I am eating a healthy diet and stopped drinikng hard booze and sticking to beer.  I am still having a few problems with sleeping thru the night but I will get thru it.  I just want everyone to know I swear its worth it all the pain you are going through be the person who you were and are meant to be not the one the drug controls.  I am here to answer any questions or to help with symptoms. So feel free to email me at ***@**** or just post here.  Your family and friends want you back and I know you can do it  : )

[shelley2703]

I have been on norco 10 325 for almost 4 years I decided to stop cold turkey I am on my 5th day and I never felt so sick in my entire life..i got chills..sweats..headache..diarheaa..nauseas..extreme fatigue..i never felt like this in my life? Does it go away? I can't imagine to take even one pilss because I would contue the dosage throughout the day it affected all aspects of my life and I'm worried I caused damaged ti my body..someone please tell me these symptoms go away and I will feel normal again.

[719spiral]

sorry- just wondering how the hell you managed to get that much from your doc!  i'd move to CA to get that.  

i know everyone's ******** lines- but i have serious, legitimate back pain and V is the only thing that helps.  i have ulcers from trying to self treat with IB, spent over $3K on back procedures i can't afford, ended up at a neurologist because i was given muscle relaxers by the back doctor- the side effects where so dreadful, they thought I had parkinsons  keeping in mind, i am in my thirties, raising too little girls, finishing a divorce, and a full-time student.  i can't even work with my school/children's' schedule so we are living off cc....

but i have also realized it it a dangerous game.  the pills help my back but i want them just as much as i need them.  i'm on hour 33 without.  waiting til my script is ready sunday....definitely realizing i need to taper as i am dying from cold turkey,  my usual pain + this pain is killing me.  i think a reason that will make we quit is my girlfriend.  she loves me very much but she can't ever be involved with an addict again and i don't want to lose her....



btw- i take about 3-6 (8 on a bad day) of hydrodone 5s.  ive been given tons of other stuff- every benzo known to man, soma, name it- i have no craving for those....problem is, script is for 60/mo

[hollygolighty]

Please help me!  i took my last pill wed or thurs morn and decided to tell my finace what has been going on.  I had shingles a couple of years ago and started takin percocet and i have been on them ever since. I can take 5-15 pills...anykind i can get my hands on a day.  Im so sick and i dont want to go anywhere because my fiance says the woest is over. I wqas in a terrible accident ysterday and I wont go to the hospital cause Im scared to ever take a pill again.....I can do this again.  I really want this but I dont know if Im gonna make it!  Please help.....

[Vicosick]

My use was recreational, and light compared to some I've read.  I've used off and on for a couple of years.  occasional evening use.  Only in the last 6 months did I use more because of some back pain and a few scripts.  Then I got from a friend after that.  But usually 1, sometimes 2 in the evening was all I took.  The one day I felt like crap at work in the day and took one.  I soon felt just great.  That was the moment I realized these buggers are a problem.  I was able to go a year with occasional use and no withdrawal when I didn't have it so it surprised me.  I'm 72 hours this minute and things have been okay. The first 24 hours were the worst for me since I'd been having at least one at night just to get in my system and sleep okay it seemed. Foggy brain, head ache, diarhea.  I can only imagine the withdrawal for some that I've read and admire your strength!  I figure I'm though the worst, but thought I would already feel better.  The mental part is okay.  I just want the physical to go away. I split all my last ones in half and took half at night for a few days.  I have one half left, but I got home and paced until I hit 24 hours, so decided not to take the last one.  I figured I would just be delaying the crap another half day if I did.  Good luck and thanks for sharing everyone.  Even small use can cause withdrawals.  Remind this to any casual users that you know.  One day you wake up and it's not casual anymore.  It happens so fast... Take Care