Dependence on Vicodin

[manda]

Hello. My name is Manda. I have "a flamingo" who needs some help. "My flamingo" has a question for you all, and I was wondering if anyone who can really help me could pm to Manda some help.
"My flamingo" has been taking narcos (1000 miligram vicodin) for a couple months now, and drinking whiskey along with it. Last night she took 4, more than she has taken of 1000's in her whole life. She is developing an addiction, I think.
HOW ADDICTIVE IS VICODIN????? Is it physically as well as mentally addicting? Alfa, if you see this, I would love some info on this subject.
Thanks to all, please pm Manda if you know anything important on the subject.
"My flamingo" has a good job and a life, and this is changing who she is, slowly, but I feel it is.

[raven3davis]

SWIM thinks this would be better suited for recovery and addiction or opiates section. SWIM also thinks SWIY should identify their self as such.

Read up on opiate addiction. Nacros SWIM thinks have 10mg of hydrocodone, an opiod which can be very addictive. Out of all the drugs swim has done, oxycodone, heroin, morphine, and hydrocodone have been the most addictive, mentally and physically. SWIM can tell you first hand that opiates can be very addictive, especially if used for a long period of time. Luckily, hydrocodone is probably the least addictive of the opiates SWIM mentioned but that will vary from person to person. If SWIY thinks she is changing then SWIY probably wants to stop. SWIY did not ask for advise on how to quit but SWIM figures he will let you know a few tips encase this is what you were looking for.

1. Quit cold Turkey. This is the most obvious way of quitting but it can be the hardest. The next few days of your life might be a living hell if your addiction is bad enough. If you aren't strongly physically addictive you might not experience many symptoms. If this doesn't work you might want to try something else.

2. Tapering. If you are taking 4 pills a day, start taking 2 pills a day for a few days, then one pill a day for a week or so, the go down to half a pill a day until you can completely quit. SWIM and his friends have used this method with heroin addiction. When you stop doing smack, you can avoid hell on earth by taking ~30mg of hydrocodone a day for a while, and slowly lower it until you can quit completely. It is probably best to taper with hydrocodone but SWIM and his friends have done it with oxycodone also. The bad thing is that oxycodone is probably more addictive, especially because it can be shot or snorted, so the mental addiction of those two administrative techniques might hold you back. If you have been using for a couple of months you might need to use a taper technique.

3. Quit the opiates and take some other substance for a short period of time until you can quit everything and go on with your life. In a hypothetical situation, SWIMs friend was addicted to heroin. He quit taking heroin but he felt withdraws badly. He took 10mg diazepam a day or 1-2mg of alprazolam a day, even klonopin and GHB have worked for him. The effects of the benzo or ghb can cover up the withdraws and make it easier to go about you day. The good thing about this method is that you can quit cold turkey and put your opiate use in the past. The bad thing, is that you might replace one addiction with another. Trust SWIM, opiate addiction can be fucking harsh, but SWIM has seen people addicted to benzos and heard stories that make benzo addiction seem even worse. The physical pains might not be as bad but you will be in more physical danger because of the risk of seuzires. Opiate withdraws are bad but not usually life threatening.

4. Seek professional help. SWIM is no professional so take his post with a grain of salt. Going to rehab is probably the last thing you want to do but some people cannot quit on their own. This might be some peoples first option but others last option. It just depends who you are and how your body works. A rehab clinic will be able to detox you with other medications to ease the process. SWIM has never been to rehab so he can't comment on the techniques used there but there will be other people like you there who you will be able to relate to. Rehab just is not for some people though. The rates of relapse are usually high so you will just be wasting your time and throwing away your money if you don't come out sober.

5. Ibogaine. SWIM does not know much about ibogaine and opiate addiction so hopefully someone else can elaborate on the effectiveness of ibogane use for quitting opiates. From what swim knows about the drug, it is psychedelic and will make you look back on your life and your addiction. The point is, in retrospect, you will look back on your addiction and see how it has effected your life. Ibogaine is however illegal in some places (SWIM isnt sure of the ibogaine laws everywhere he is not a lawyer) and hard to find for your average joe so this might be out of the question for SWIY

This is all SWIm can think of for now. You need to quit alcohol too if you are addicted. SWIM doesn't have any first hand experience with alcohol addiction so he cannot help you with that. He is willing to bet others here are more knowledgeable on the topic of alcoholism. The choice is really yours. you do not have to quit, but if you are concerned for your physical, mental and social well being then you need to make the appropriate changes in your life so you will be healthy and successful.

Please do not hesitate to ask SWIm more questions. SWIM is proud of this post so please take the time to read it and listen to SWIM. SWIM loves opiates but they just aren't meant to be used every day. Heroin really isn't that bad if you can chip, but if you are using daily you will be fucked eventually ,even if you are superman. No one is immune to opiate addiction. It's just the nature of the chemical compounds, they are extremely physically addictive under the proper circumstances.

Stay safe. Take care of your shit and everything will work out in the end. You will come out of this situation a stronger person. Just live and learn, that's all you can do. Good luck my friend...........peace out

Reputation Comments on this post:

	Wise advice (as always)
	Great Post!

[raven3davis]

BTW the following techniques might be useful for other addictions. Tapering is definitely the way to go for benzo addiction. Doctors will tell you to not stop taking your meds all of the sudden. You must taper down to lower dosages before you are completely off.

happy swimming

[Jatelka]

Moved to Recovery and Addiction

[manda]

Thanks to you all who replied! Later. Will keep you posted.

[nuckinfutz]

Your flamingo should try the taper method. But remember, if your flamingo has an easy time stopping this way, don't let it be a reason to keep using. Once your flamingo stops, keep it that way.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Good point