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Well.. I am not sure how much help I may be for you on this subject but, I definitly know what your going through.. If people could see and FEEL the affects of what pain killers can do to you if not taken properly. I bet the
hydrocodone comany would fo out of bussiness.. Anyhow, I am a married 32yr old mother of 3.. I worked full time at a local hopital and was severely addicted to Vicodon.. I have been taking hydrocodone meds for approx. 8 years and was taking up to 40-50 ES pills a day.. I know longer was getting a high from them, I was just taking the sickness away.. My whole life revolved around these pills and my financial cituation has been another issue.. I spent thousands of dollars on these pills (this year alone, $15,000 approx.) You may wonder how so much in just a few months. (I have been pill free since June 2004)I had many ways of getting them but if all else failed, I took to the streets to buy them.. Sometimes I payed $10.00 a pill x 40 a day. Not only was I hurting my health by taking them, who knows where they were coming from or who had handled them.. Needless to say, I had a wake up call when I had to have a minor emergency surgery and the was nothing they could give me for the pain. The ER DR. had gave me Demoral, 5 shots of
Morphine and I was still screaming of the pain.. My blood pressure was so low that he could not give me anymore pain meds.. Working at a hospital(None of the pills I ever had came from my job) in Radiology, I have seen people who are in such pain after they have a intervenus morphine pump and still screaming because of the pain.. I said to myself, either I am going to continue revolving my life (every, minute, hour etc) over these pills or I am going to do something about it. I was very suicidle at this point and it WAS the HARDEST thing I have ever gone through, I don't wish this addication on my worst enemy but I was not going to let my kids see me this way another day.. I was starting to get into other drugs at this point and I knew that this had to stop.. I went to see a counsilor and I hadn't had any pills in two days at this point. I was vomitting and my vital signs were showing it.. (Blood Pressure, Temp.etc.. ) I would not have made it to my appt. at this point if it weren't for my kids looking me in my eye saying mom please get help.. When I went there, I was very honest and open with him and when asked if I was using any other street drugs etc at this time, I said yes.
Methamphetamines and Vics..That is heart attack poison etc.. My husband knew nothing about this particular drug at the time but here was my one chance to clean my life up..So, I layed it all on the line and admitted I had a severe problem. I had quit my job over this, lost a good physician and had been "red flagged" by every pharmacy in my city..I was reconized as a Narcotic Abuser or AKA Drug user. That's pretty embarrising alone and to top it off, my father was a Detective Sgt. for the County and uncle chief of police for a nearby town, I come from a long line of family memebers in law enforcement including my brother and step father.. This was not something I have grown up around so that made it even tougher.. But, I knew I had to do something before it was to late.. I was addmitted into a Detox Facility (I went 45 miles away from home town) and when being admitted they dropped a bombed on me and told me know contact with hubby or kids for like 7 days.. I freaked because this was my support and without them I didn't think I could do it. I was treated with meds for the vicodon addiction becasue that is more of a physical addication(withdraws are physicaly bad) and was treated for meth AKA. Speed, Crystal meth. ) Also.. That addiction was easier to treat because a couple days of sleep usually helps but that is more of a mind addiction.. Either way, It was bad. They gave me meds so I wasn't sick and I slept for 4 nights/days while I was there and I signed myself out on the sixth day (not recommended) due to a issue I had with them but I followed up with a outpt. counsilor.. 3 x week and I have been DRUG free for almost six months.. I kept this treatment and other things from alot of my family because it was my problem and I felt that some family members didn't have to know.. You have to be strong and willing to go through a couple tough days but it does get better and I do recommend that if at all possible admit yourself to a center because between the meds and just getting away from the atmosphere your in.. Your treatment will go alot smoother.. Otherwise, if the addiction is really bad and you treat it on your own. (only you know if that is possible) Plan on being pretty much bed ridden and probably sick for at least a couple of weeks.. I am not even close to being a Dr. This is just my opinion and either route is going to be hard but be determined and strong and you can do it.. Trust me you will feel so much better when you don't revolve your life anymore around that pill.. Think of your health and what if there ever came a time when you really needed pain meds.. And there was nothing they could do.. Because, your pain tolerence was so high that there wasn't strong enough meds to treat it.. I thought in my situation that there was something else they could give me but found out the hard way.. Anyhow, I hope that I may have helped in some way and if nothing else this was my story and I am proud of myself for doing it.. (It's not over yet but it's getting better everyday) Good luck.. And please remember that you don't have to explain to anyone that you don't want about what's going on. You are doing this to better your life and that is all that needs to be said.. I know that if I can do it.. You can to.. If you would like to chat sometime, feel free to e-mail me..
Good luck...
32, Muskegon, Michigan
Jenn
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Jenn