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Vicodin Withdrawal Symptoms + Duration

Vicodin is a drug that was developed to include a combination of hydrocodone and paracetamol (acetaminophen). It is utilized primarily to provide pain relief for those with moderate to severe pain. It is considered a “Schedule II” controlled substance in the United States, meaning that it has a high potential for abuse and both psychological and physical dependence.

In addition to using this drug for pain, many people use it recreationally to “get high.” Vicodin can provide a significant initial boost in mood and powerful anxiolytic effects. This can lead many to use it on an illicit basis to provide stress relief. Unfortunately, tolerance to this drug is easily established and eventually the initial positive psychological effects will wear off.

Looking at its composition, it theoretically should be easier to withdraw from compared to pure hydrocodone. However, it is an opiate and once a person has built up a tolerance, withdrawal symptoms are generally regarded as being severe. If you are going through withdrawal or plan on withdrawing, read below so that you know what to expect.

Factors that influence Vicodin withdrawal

When it comes to withdrawal from any medication, there are factors that play a role in influencing symptoms experienced upon withdrawal. These factors include things like: how long a person was on the drug, their dosage, whether they developed a tolerance, whether they are addicted, how quickly they tapered, and other individual factors such as physiology and environment.

1. Time Span

How long did you take Vicodin? Those that took it for an extended period of time are thought to have a more difficult withdrawal process. When you take it for a long period of time, your nervous system becomes accustomed to receiving the drug to function. If you took Vicodin just for a short term, you shouldn’t have as much difficulty transitioning back to sober functioning following discontinuation.

2. Dosage + Tolerance

What dosage did you take? Those that were on higher dosages are likely going to have increased tolerance as well as a tougher time dealing with withdrawal effects. The lower the dosage and less frequently you take it, the easier it should be to withdraw. The drug comes in a few different formats listed below.

  • Vicodin 5 mg / 300 mg Acetaminophen – On average, people take 1 to 2 tablets of this dose every 4 to 6 hours for pain. Maximum daily dosage is 8 tablets.
  • Vicodin ES 7.5 mg / 300 mg Acetaminophen – Most people take 1 tablet every 4 to 6 hours. Maximum daily dosage is 6 tablets.
  • Vicodin HP 10 mg / 300 mg Acetaminophen – Standard dosage is 1 tablet every 4 to 6 hours. Maximum daily dosage is 6 tablets.

If you have developed a tolerance, your body’s natural endorphin supply may be abnormally low. Those with a high tolerance to the drug tend to have lower levels of endorphins and altered neurotransmitter functioning. Although endorphins and neurotransmitters can transition back to how they were pre-Vicodin, it is going to take a longer period of time if you have a high tolerance.

3. Addiction

Some people become addicted to taking Vicodin. Whether you initially took it for pain and became addicted to the effects of the drug, or whether you are addicted to the opioid high that this drug provides, addiction can make withdrawal more difficult. Those who are addicted may want to seek some sort of psychological and/or psychiatric help so that they can get through withdrawals.

Among people that are addicted, it is easy to build a very high tolerance quickly. These individuals may need additional psychological support so that they can successfully withdraw from this medication. Additionally it is thought that “opioid replacement therapy” may be another valid option for those that are addicted.

4. Cold Turkey vs. Tapering

Quitting cold turkey usually isn’t too bad if a person is at a relatively low dosage and hasn’t established tolerance. However, if a person has a high tolerance to the drug and they quit cold turkey, withdrawal effects may be extremely severe. In order to avoid experiencing the most extreme withdrawal symptoms, you may want to consider conducting a gradual taper off of the medication.

A gradual taper will allow your nervous system to gradually adjust to functioning without the drug. If done slowly enough, most of the withdrawal symptoms should be minimized. The quicker a person tapers or discontinues, the greater the chance it is that they’ll experience severe symptoms.

5. Individual Factors

Two people may take the exact same dose of the drug for the same length of time and one person may have more severe withdrawal symptoms. Many individual factors such as genetics, sensitivity to drug withdrawal, and habits can influence recovery. Those who eat healthy diets, get mild exercise, and have good social support are thought to have a quicker recovery period than others.

Additionally some people are on other drugs that may help mitigate withdrawal symptoms. Always keep in mind that some people may have a tougher time coping with this than others.

Vicodin Withdrawal Symptoms: List of Possibilities

Below is a list of possible withdrawal symptoms that you may experience when discontinuing Vicodin. Keep in mind that not everyone will experience every symptom listed below. Also understand that the severity and duration of symptoms will largely be based on the individual.

  • Abdominal cramps: When people come off of Vicodin, they may notice cramping throughout their body. Most people notice a particularly painful cramping sensation in their abdominal region. Although the stomach pain may be pretty uncomfortable for awhile, it will eventually fade.
  • Anxiety: Since this drug can reduce anxiety, when a person stops taking it, they may go through a phase of rebound anxiety. This may range from being pretty mild to fairly severe depending on the individual. Do your best to stay relaxed and focus on practicing relaxation if the anxiety is unbearable.
  • Appetite changes: Some people lose their appetite within the first few days of stopping this drug. Your appetite may not be very strong during withdrawal and you may feel sick. Do your best to eat healthy and get your body the nutrients that it needs to recover.
  • Body aches: Many people report feeling achy throughout their body. You may notice that your joints ache and/or you feel muscle pain. This can be very uncomfortable to deal with, but as your nervous system restores itself, these will subside.
  • Chills: This is a symptom that makes withdrawal feel reminiscent of the flu. You may have body chills for a week or two following your last dose. No one wants to feel chilled, but eventually it too will pass.
  • Confusion: Many people report feelings of general confusion during withdrawal. It is thought that cognition is impaired while a person readjusts to normative functioning. The brain had been receiving the drug which stimulated endorphin production and influenced neurotransmitters. Taking away the drug can result in clouded thinking and feeling confused.
  • Cravings: Some people experience intense cravings for the Vicodin after they’ve quit. These cravings are usually most prevalent within the first couple weeks after quitting, but can last for months following the last dose. Usually they tend to get less intense over time.
  • Depersonalization: If you feel unlike your normal self, this could mean that you are “depersonalized.” This state is characterized by feeling emotionally numb and almost as if you are observing yourself from a third person perspective. Usually this is influenced by brain chemicals and is thought to be exacerbated by anxiety.
  • Depression: Some people can feel very depressed when they’ve come off of Vicodin. This is a drug that can act in some ways as an antidepressant. Unfortunately, when a person becomes tolerant to the drug, the antidepressant effect wears off. If a person stops taking the drug, they may feel more depressed than they’ve ever felt. Fortunately most people will experience full recovery from this symptom.
  • Diarrhea: If you notice that you have a bad case of the runs, it’s likely a result of withdrawal. It is recommended to consider buying some over-the-counter Imodium to help. Since most people are constipated as a result of Vicodin, this is how the body reacts when the drug is stopped.
  • Dizziness: You may feel very dizzy and/or as if you are experiencing vertigo once you’ve quit taking the drug. The dizziness can last anywhere from days to weeks after your last dose. It is rare to experience this symptom for longer than a month.
  • Fatigue: It may feel as though getting out of bed in the morning is an impossible task. You may be so fatigued that you have a difficult time preparing meals, going to work, and/or doing normal household chores. Realize that your energy levels will eventually recover with enough time.
  • Flu-like: Many people report that opiate withdrawal symptoms can feel just like the flu. The combination of chills, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, etc. makes people feel “flu-like.” Fortunately most of these symptoms are acute.
  • Headaches: You may notice that once you stop this drug, you have a pounding headache. The headache is a normal part of withdrawal, and should gradually get better with time. Make sure that you are staying hydrated, getting plenty of rest, and engaging in relaxation when you feel overly stressed to minimize headaches.
  • Insomnia: Certain individuals really struggle with falling asleep at night when they quit this drug. Although some people become very fatigued, others may have become accustomed to using this drug to help themselves drift off to sleep. In any regard, insomnia can be tough when you discontinue. Consider taking melatonin to help minimize this symptom.
  • Itching: Do you feel itchy now that you’ve stopped this drug? Many people report feeling tingling in the skin and/or as if they cannot resist the urge to scratch their body. This may be caused by hypersensitive nerve endings as a result of withdrawal.
  • Mood swings: Initially it may feel as if your moods are going through a rollercoaster. Sometimes you may feel depressed, other times you may feel as if you are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Moods will inevitably stabilize over time.
  • Nausea: Some people may become highly-nauseated during the first week of withdrawal. The nausea should get better once a person has made it through the acute phase. If the nausea gets bad enough, it could lead to vomiting.
  • Palpitations: Does your heart rate feel as if it is beating especially loud or rapidly? You may be experiencing palpitations. These can lead some people to panic or feel as if they are having a heart attack. This is a physical withdrawal reaction that your body is having; do your best to accept it and not panic.
  • Panic attacks: Some people have very debilitating anxiety when they come off of this drug. If the anxiety reaches an all-time-high, it may lead to a panic attack. During one of these attacks, the heart races, a person freezes up, and essentially “panics.” If you feel as if your anxiety is overwhelming, some relaxation exercises are recommended to lower arousal.
  • Pupil dilation: While on Vicodin, you may have noticed that your pupils constrict, or become smaller. When you stop taking it, your pupils may appear especially large and dilated. This is another natural reaction that your body has to withdrawal.
  • Sleep problems: In addition to experiencing insomnia, a person may have trouble staying asleep or may be sleeping too much. Additionally some individuals may feel disoriented and have crazy dreams (possibly nightmares) during withdrawal. Your sleep pattern should correct itself over time.
  • Suicidal thinking: If depression gets bad enough during withdrawal, it may lead a person to feel suicidal. If you are feeling suicidal, be sure to seek some sort of professional help. It is unfortunate that this is part of withdrawal, but until your neurotransmitters and endorphins correct themselves, you may feel really down.
  • Sweating: If you are sweating profusely throughout the day and wake up from night sweats, this is normal. Keep in mind that it’s merely your body reacting to not having the drug. The sweating will get better as time passes.
  • Vomiting: Many people that are coming off of high doses and/or quit cold turkey may vomit during the first week of withdrawal. This is a result of feeling really sick, nauseous, and dizzy. You should notice significant improvement after the first week.
  • Yawning: Find yourself yawning when you aren’t even tired? This is something that people withdrawing from Vicodin may experience. If you cannot seem to kick the yawns, put up with them until they go away.

Vicodin Withdrawal Duration: How long will it last?

There’s no exact timeline that can be followed for withdrawal from Vicodin. Your withdrawal experience will likely be fairly individualized. People who have taken the drug at higher dosages for a longer period of time are thought to have longer withdrawals, while those who have been on lower doses for shorter durations are thought to have shorter withdrawals. Additionally some people are more sensitive than others to drug withdrawals, meaning their nervous system takes longer to adapt to sober functioning.

The acute symptoms associated with Vicodin withdrawal tend to last approximately 7 to 10 days following the last dose of the drug. In general, it is thought that the first few days following your last dose is when symptoms tend to be most severe. Acute symptoms are typically powerful and can include an array of debilitating physical and psychological symptoms. Following the first week or two into withdrawal, many people note feeling significantly better.

Although some people feel as if they are almost recovered following the acute phase of withdrawal, others experience what is known as “PAWS” (post-acute withdrawal syndrome). This is characterized as difficult withdrawal symptoms that can last from weeks to months following the acute withdrawals. While not everyone experiences post-acute withdrawals, many have a difficult time coping with continuous symptoms.

Keep in mind that Vicodin itself has a half life of approximately 4 hours, meaning the drug is fully cleared from the body in about 8 hours. Even though the drug is cleared from the body, the nervous system is initially expecting to receive the drug. When the drug is no longer ingested, the nervous system tries to adapt and people experience withdrawals for as long as it takes for homeostatic functioning to resume.

To help speed up withdrawal, it is recommended to make sure you are eating a healthy diet, getting mild exercise, staying productive, socializing, and getting plenty of rest. People who get adequate nutrition and engage in healthy activities during the withdrawal process are thought to experience quicker healing. Have you gone through Vicodin withdrawal and had to deal with symptoms? If so, feel free to share your experience in the comments section below; you may help someone who is going through a similar situation.

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29 thoughts on “Vicodin Withdrawal Symptoms + Duration”

  1. I was taking 6 10/300 mg daily for the past 4 years. It is the only drug that takes away my neck pain from 2 herniated discs that I have had since an injury almost 20 years ago. I didn’t want to stop taking them but now the manufacturer that I have been using all these years has now decided to stop making them.

    Now, I can’t take the ones that are out there now they make me so sick and don’t relieve my pain the way the other ones did. Thus, I have had to abruptly cut way down and am going through the worst withdrawals that are mostly mental. Extreme depression, sadness and crying every single day.

    Along with this, some days I don’t want to get out of bed due to depression. Never had any kind of depression in my entire life – I am 60 years old – this drug caused me to have depression. Yes, it feels wonderful mentally when you are on it, but beware, once you try and get off the depression will hit.

    It’s been a little over 2 weeks now that I had to taper way down and it’s not getting that much better mentally. Have real bad days to so so days. I just don’t feel normal the way I did on them and I must say, I prefer to be the person I was while taking them than the way I am now without them.

    I know very sad, but wanted to be totally honest. It is hard not having my regular pills but finding out that Big Pharma can take away your medication just like that and there’s nothing you can do about it. To be thrown into withdrawals is just cruel. I hope it gets better.

    Reply
  2. I had been taking anything to take the pain away from shoulder surgery to back pain to my ulcerative colitis pain. For about 8 or so years I was taking vicodin, percocet, oxycontin and just about any dosage I could get a hold of. When I quit cold turkey 4 weeks ago, my last day I took 4/30-mg vikes and 5/10-mg percs. I’ve been taking this amount for about 3 years. The first two weeks of quitting were horrible with all the acute pain and symptoms.

    At the end of 3 weeks, the main symptoms seem to subside and much of the withdrawal pain had gone. At 4 weeks, I’m finding that everyday activities are becoming easier and more focused. The mental need or wanting is still strong. I think that I can make it through this. Hoping that I can continue on the road to recovery. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

    Reply
  3. I have been taking Vicodin for about 10 years now and decided to quit cold turkey. It has been hellish for the past 10 days. I feel like my whole body is being weighed down with weights. It’s been 10 days now and I hope this ends soon. Good luck to all trying to kick this garbage.

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  4. Hello, I’ve been taking two to 3 10’s per day for about seven months now. As soon as I noticed I was building a tolerance, I began to taper myself off. One big thing I got was restless leg syndrome and not being able to sleep at all. I’m day three now. Had to leave work early yesterday and called in today due to absolutely no sleep.

    Got some NyQuil today, just woke up after four hours of sleeping, finally! This is a horrible drug! Won’t catch me taking it again. I’d rather deal with just the pain alone then this crap. During the taper period, sweats, nightmares, and broken sleep. Good luck to everyone. Quitting is just a hurdle, you’ll get over it soon enough and will be feeling normal again

    Reply
  5. I took Vicodin for only 3 days but I am having bad withdraws. I get extremely tired, suicidal, and lightheaded and dizziness. When will this go away? It is a living hell.

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  6. I’m concerned I may be addicted to the UK version of Vicodin (cocodamol). I started taking it about 2 years ago for back pain following childbirth and now I just take them because they make the stress of raising 2 young children and a husband that works away less to cope with. I like how they make me feel chilled and happy (a bit like as if I’d had a joint during my uni days) my husband makes the odd remark about ‘popping pills’ and I laugh it off but I think I might have a problem.

    I’m a bit scared to go to my doctor and discuss it incase they stop prescribing the meds and I’m not quite ready to stop as my life it quite stressful at present and I take low dose Sertraline for mild depression brought on postnatally. Do I have a problem? Am I really addicted? I notice that if I go a day without at least 2 tablets I get diarrhea!! Not nice. ?

    Reply
  7. I accidentally went cold turkey with Vicodin by not refilling a prescription before a long holiday. I had not been on them more than a year, but the feeling I got was I felt I was crawling out of my skin along with restless leg syndrome. Sleep was impossible, I would toss and turn all night, no interest in anything like work, recreation, social stuff, preferring to isolate and stay in bed and not do chores or get the mail and all the usual daily chores.

    The worse was at 2 days. Frequent spasms, but mostly you cannot get comfortable. Forget about working, forget about movies or going out. It is truly an awful feeling. I did not experience diarrhea or nausea.

    Reply
  8. First I want to thank each and every one of you who shared your experience strength and hope about your struggles with pain meds, for I was going bonkers here wondering if I was the only one going through this. I’ve been taking vics/percs for two years – not for a specific issue (though I did get Rxs for broken ribs and a surgery (hemorrhoid), but because I am in my 60s with age related aches and pains and taking a vic or two makes the physical part of my job not so punishing.

    For the first year I’d only take one or two on my work days and not any on days off. Then I noticed when I woke up in the mornings I felt kind of punky and a vic with the coffee set it right for the day… I get my pills off the street (since I’m 66 I know lots of peeps my age on meds) and always have a steady supply. For the past couple of months been getting vic 10s which I average about 2 a day.

    Now I noticed lethargy, confusion, fatigue, extreme depression, suicidal thoughts, no interest in anything like work, recreation, social stuff, preferring to isolate, stay in bed and not do chores or get the mail and all the usual daily chore type stuff. This is scaring me. I’m afraid of the withdrawals that I’ve read about but I got to get off this stuff and get my life back.

    I have enough pills I think to do a gradual taper and detox and I don’t want to get any more so I hope I’m not climbing the walls when all my pills, which Ive cut in two and will cut some of them again. So thanks for your attention to this and wish me luck. I think I should maybe do a daily log of my tapering down to day zero – it might help me or someone else, I dunno.

    I sure don’t envy anyone who gets these sudden and intense attacks of depression – they almost bring me to tears and it’s impossible to be around anyone when feeling like this.

    Reply
  9. I have been taking Vicodin for a few years now. I took 6 7.5/200 tabs a day. With all the media hype surrounding Prince’s death Minnesota wants to tighten up on laws regarding opiates. My doctor is reluctant not to write any more scripts for me, so I voluntarily cut down to one tab a day for a few weeks. I really didn’t feel much different.

    Last Wednesday was my last dose. I feel sick, lightheaded, having major issues of sleeping. Pain in my fingers is intense. While on the drug I had major constipation, now my bowels are more normal to loose. The drug was prescribed to help pain in my fingers due to s broken neck 6 years ago.

    Reply
  10. I’ve been on 10 mg vicodin for 11 years for degenerative disk disease. My neurosurgeon was giving me 120 per month. I usually cut them in half and took the equivalent of 4 and 1/2 per day. On Friday I went in to pick up my refill and he told me he was taking me off the pills completely. He said I had been taking them too long. I asked if he could let me taper and he said no.

    I had enough pills for a day or so. Anyway I took my last pill last night before bed, It is now 2:30 in the afternoon and feeling really crappy. My concern is that I’m 62 years old and have high blood pressure and take 3 heart pills, and had a heart attack in 2009. I feel my heart pounding. Is this normal for withdrawals?

    Reply
    • I am sorry that your doc would not cut down gradually on your doses. I think way too many people abuse them so doctors are becoming weary and conservative. There are meds out there that he might be able to give you to help with the withdrawal symptoms. I am going to try GABA supplements. Some say it helps with opiate withdrawal. I would talk to your doc first about taking any supplements because of your heart. I hope you feel better soon!

      Reply
  11. Please help me. For 15 years I have been on vicodin 7.5 then last year 10mg, twice a day because of spinal disease. I decided to take myself off & weaned down over 2 week period. New Year’s Day was the first day drug free, I have coped with the withdrawals but the feeling of total despair I face every day is extremely hard.

    I don’t know whether it’s because I am in pain every day or the withdrawals, I just know that I can’t function normally & just want to feel myself again. It’s been 3 months, is this normal? Can anyone please help me?

    Reply
    • Chris, I had a SCI in 2010, and was on Vicodin to help with finger pain from my broken neck. Sometimes people with spinal issues can feel bad on their own without any withdrawal symptoms. I have spent hours and hours studying the internet about withdraw and most of what I have read say a few months tops, however some people can feel symptoms for years or a lifetime. I hope for you that is not true. Keep in touch with your doc and maybe he can help advise you. Good Luck!

      Reply
    • Please get help. Medical doctor or psychiatrists can help treat withdrawal. Go to a legitimate pain clinic. They find methods other than narcotics to control chronic pain. There’s a procedure where they can burn the nerve endings. It is not surgery, it is laser and you are kept comfortable through the procedure. Pain relief lasts til they grow back which is different for people.

      Reply
  12. Have been taking 750, one per day; sometimes more for 5 years. On day 3 of nothing. Can’t take it anymore. Feel like I’ll die. Tired of numb feeling, looking high to family. Feel real sick. Took week off. Hope it will be enough. Have lost a sister to overdose and a sister in law shot herself because she couldn’t stand it anymore. We have to get out of the Devil’s grip.

    Reply
  13. I was on vicodin for 3 years. The maximum number I take was 4 a day, 10 MG/325mg a day. On my days off work I took less because I could stop and rest or stretch. After doing this for years all of a sudden if I didn’t take one in 4-6 hours I had abdominal cramping and diarrhea. I called pain clinic crying and they told me to take more, I did but my body wanted more and more.

    I finally had to take 2 weeks off of work to withdraw. Pain clinic wasn’t helpful but pharmacist was, he recommended Imodium, it saved me from be admitted to hospital for dehydration. I thought first 24 hours would be the worst but it was 36 hours that the aches and pain, fatigue, insomnia, nausea, weakness and profound helplessness set in. My husband pushed fluids and stayed close by. Everyone is different but this is how it was for me.

    The pain is still there,there is days I want a pain med, but the fear that I will go back to feeling that bad again makes me stay away and try natural remedies and healthy stretching. There are no really good pain med, the ones we have just make you don’t care, false sense of euphoria, or make you sleep. Also acetaminophen can cause serious liver damage. Let’s hope that there are new methods for pain control developed. Quitting was worth it for me!

    Reply
    • I’ve been taking vicodin for 2 Years. Got up to 10 a day. I started tapering myself off 8 months ago. Lol. Wasn’t ready to really get off of them but now I am. I got down to half a day. Took my last dose 44 hours ago. I don’t feel too terribly bad but I don’t feel good. I have diarrhea and I’m super nauseous. My body is aching a little bit but not as bad as I expected. I was wondering if I’m at my peak of withdrawal or is it gonna get way worse?

      Reply
      • Ruby, probably a little late here but if you tapered for a length of time to 1/2 a day, it shouldn’t get much worse. If you were though, expect sleeplessness, some crying, body feels blech… I find myself just going to sleep for a few minutes, yawning a lot. After 3 or 4 days, you will start to prep up. Drink lots of water, eat even when you don’t want to. The Imodium is a great idea as stated above, but not too much. I say start with half a pill. That stuff is powerful.

        Reply
  14. I was taking vicodin for 2 weeks and accidentally overdosed, this was 4 days ago and I haven’t had any vicodin sense. Every time I try to sleep I get a banging feeling in the front of my head and it’s driving me crazy. I’ve been having a lot of other symptoms, but that’s the most difficult.

    Reply
  15. After all the acute symptoms go away one gets to experience good goose bumps again from music, enjoy the wonderful smells and flavor from food and have the feeling of increased libido again. Soon you will see that life is way better without those numbing dirty devil pills. Ahhhh… passion will come back. YOU CAN DO IT! Love to all going through it. You will come out of it with a deeper understanding of life as well almost as if you entered through a portal into another dimension. Way cool! Remember, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!

    Reply
    • V, I love the descriptive text of life after Vico. I have been taking them for 20+ years. I go through withdrawals every month to some extent after I run out early.

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    • That’s awesome. I started taking them back in June and realized a couple weeks ago that I do not want to be this person anymore. There isn’t always going to be a majic pill to make me feel better. What you said is what’s I’ve been telling myself through this crazy unexpected process. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.

      It’s hard to believe when I’m so used to being non-stop, never taking a break active from 4-5am till bedtime and now still struggling to even perform half of my usual day. I swear I’m in so much pain everyday that I am starting to think I’m a hypochondriac. Even still and I quit two weeks ago!:( I think I would have gave in already if I didn’t dread going through all this all over again and what’s even worse is I actually have total access to it.

      So much so that it is shown to me daily for free by my family to see if I want it yet ? WTF, lol, I’m going to stick to this. I just needed to know that eventually it does get better and that my strength in recovering from this is worth it. Thank you.

      Reply
  16. Took only a half of a 10 today as I taper down. Been taking 8 10’s a day for a year. Really depressed and achy. My last half is tomorrow.

    Reply
  17. Been on 7.5 for 12 years, several surgery and injuries left me with chronic pain after my hop replacement last year I’ve decided to get myself off I tried to seek help but I wasn’t considered an addict because I only took 8 a day. I tapered down to 1/2 a pill instead of a whole one, down to 1 and 1/2 a day, now I’ve been off for 4 days the withdraws suck big time. But I can deal with them… DO NOT TRY COLD TURKEY, I did once wanted to kill myself. Taper off. I know I’m not “cured,” but I know I can do this. Good luck.

    Reply
    • I’m proud of you it does take a while and withdrawals last forever it seems like, this is my 4th day on my second go-around. I had quite a few surgeries on the back & shoulder left me disabled. Sometimes I can manage the pain but I think when depression kicks in I start taking more pain medS. Crazy when you’re up to 8 to 10 325s a day and then 80 mgs oxy.

      You never know which one to try to stop taking. I would love just to have a normal life without any pain meds, Im thinking about medical marijuana but I don’t know if a person would get addicted to that as well. But I’m getting my exercise now, sleeps off and on. but I definitely have the depression and it just kicks in whenever it wants to.

      Not so much of getting sick like throwing up Lazy Part is there every once in awhile. I learned you got to stay hydrated. I could go on and on I could talk forever about addiction withdrawals but I’m going to stop here for now.. good luck… I’m happy for you. Kick its butt to the curb.

      Reply
      • Hey, I just wanted to say that medical marijuana is not only the solution for chronic pain, but for lifting your mood and helping you get through the day. I, too, have had back surgery (fusion lower spine) and I also have 3 discs in my neck that are pushing on nerves that cause me pain and numbness down my left arm.

        But yeah, it’s changed my life and I am able to do 10x more on MM than any time I was on opioids+muscle relaxers. I highly recommend it, and it’ll help the withdrawals with getting off the pain meds too. With Imodium too, of course.

        Reply
  18. I use this prescription for chronic pain. After 4 years of daily use I go into withdrawal on my off days. 3 of the 5 mg pills is my dose. But I double it to 6, with one day off in between. Ugh! It’s the best I can do. So hard to get off of them.

    Reply
  19. I was taking Vicodin for knee pain for a couple of weeks, after my last dose a few days later i could not sleep then i became very tired, sleeping all the time with no energy and yawning constantly. I have been depressed and my appetite is not good. This is horrible! Makes me never want to take this drug again!

    Reply
    • How are you feeling now? I only took it for 3 weeks off and on for an injured back and I went cold turkey off of it two days ago. I have had severe panic attacks, chills, sleepy, diarrhea and dizziness. Hoping it passes soon. Very hard to manage as a mom :(

      Reply

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