more questions, getting nervous - Addiction & Recovery Message Board

froggirl · 08-09-2005, 12:54 AM

Hi all, here's the short story...been a vicoden addict for 7years, taking atleast 60 mg, sometimes as much as 100mg a day. I was just reading on somebody else's post about it being day 6 and the person is still having the mental hell. I think they had been using for just under a year. Somebody wrote back saying that 6 days isn't all that long for the amount of time they were using, and the mental part would take longer. (Although, at this stage I'm at, I gotta pat anyone on the back who had maid it that long...) Ok, here's my question, if almost a week of cold turkey wasn't that long for someone who used for less than a year, how (approximate) long is it gonna take me, someone who used EVERYDAY for 7 years? Is it even possible??? A few weeks ago, I was so ready to do this, it was like I had energy and a "high" just from deciding to get off the pills. But my doc says since I've been using so long, I can't go cold turkey, I have to taper. (he had lovely stories of seizures and heart arethmeas and such). And now, even though I am still ingesting a small amount a day (doc's orders, I'm not slipping) I am feeling exhausted all the time, depressed, and just generally like everything is falling apart. And I even have a great support group in my folks and my hubby and doc, but I STILL feel this way. I guess I would equate it to the worst case of PMS of my life times 10. So, will I ever be normal after using for that long?

If I feel this way now and am still tapering, what will happen when I am really off.

THanks, everyone have a great day/night

CarGuy232 · 08-09-2005, 01:05 AM

As far as how long it may take to begin feeling mentally better, its different for everyone.

From my own personal experience, i am at the end of Day 6 from my oxycodone cold turkey. I was doing around 300mg a day for the last 3 or 4 months, and at least 100mg a day for a little over a year.

I have to say that here at day 6 i am feeling SO ALIVE. Thats the only way i can describe it. The mental part is not over, but it is so much better than the first three days that its definately manageable. I'm getting my energy back, my appetite is coming back.

It definately is not an easy thing to do by any means, and you realistically cant go into it have huge expectations. But i will PROMISE you this, you WILL be happy again off the pills. there is life on the other side.

Good luck let me know if you have any more questions!

Constant · 08-09-2005, 06:53 AM

This is basically a crap shoot and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason when it comes to length of withdrawl and severity. The amount used during a day and not the length of time used seems to have more to do with severity of withdraw but even that is not always true.

Basically we know this, most people will experience some level of the following no matter how long they used:

Restlessness
Watery eyes
Yawning
Dilated pupils
Runny nose
Sniffing
Sneezing
Sweating
Flushing
Very rapid heart beat
Elevated blood pressure
Fever
feeling of going insane
weepy
fearful
unable to sleep
Muscle cramps
Abdominal cramps
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea

Some of these symptoms may be worse then others. Some may last longer then others.

I apparently had fairly mild withdraw from opiates HOWEVER when I went through detox from Benzos I had horrific withdraws. I had only been using benzos, as prescribed, for less then five months. Low doses, short term use but horrendous withdraw.

What I do know is that the longer you use the more permanent physical damage to your liver, kidneys and other vital organs. Death, at high doses, is always a real possibility.

Many people put a detox program into place before going off the medication. This helps not only with the severity of withdraw but also gives the person detoxing some control over the detox.

Again, everyone is different.

anxietymom · 08-09-2005, 07:25 AM

Thank you for your message.I am glad to hear that detox in a safe hospital is what is important when on such a large dose. I am off vicodin for 19 days today. After a car crash,I was taking an average of 75mg a day for 10 months.The withdraw was and still is bad .I took 7 hot hot baths a day in this heat with no air in the house. Took five days to get over the throwing up and a week for the other stuff. I still have anxiety all day,cant sleep,depression is lifting though.Now I am getting the flue in my glands ,ears and head .My immune sysyem is down so I am gonna load up on vitamins today.This addiction to vic's was a nightmare -never want it in my body again.
anxietymom

Constant · 08-09-2005, 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anxietymom

Thank you for your message.I am glad to hear that detox in a safe hospital is what is important when on such a large dose. I am off vicodin for 19 days today. After a car crash,I was taking an average of 75mg a day for 10 months.The withdraw was and still is bad .I took 7 hot hot baths a day in this heat with no air in the house. Took five days to get over the throwing up and a week for the other stuff. I still have anxiety all day,cant sleep,depression is lifting though.Now I am getting the flue in my glands ,ears and head .My immune sysyem is down so I am gonna load up on vitamins today.This addiction to vic's was a nightmare -never want it in my body again.
anxietymom

You are doing great. I remember those hot baths............awww man!

That flu feeling is most likely your lympathic system purging. That is where all the toxins go.

If you can get someone to give you a massage it will help move that stuff out of your system. Also, lots and lots of water right now.

The anxiety, lack of sleep and depression should start to alleviate shortly.