[dharma]

I have been on vicodan for about a year and a half due to a neck and shoulder injury. I have noticed on days when i dont have pain and dont take any pills that i get sweats and chills and very bad intestinal problems, so for the past few months i have been just taking the pills throughout the day to avoid the digestive problems. On a typical day now, i take 2 in the am, then 3 in the afternoon, then 2 or 3 more before supper - usually because the 3 i have already taken havent taken away the pain completely - or because i just want to take more. i recently quit smoking and have never had any other addiction problems - so i think i am taking extra pills instead of giving in to a craving for cigarettes. On some days i have taken up to 12 pills. today i have taken 8. My gut instinct tells me to just stop and deal with whatever withdrawal comes and get on with my life - i quit smoking cold turkey and was never very good at anything gradual - i am an all or nothing kind of person. i dont like the fact that i am foggy-headed and not doing as much as i used to. i dont know if its because of the injury or my susupected addiction to the pain meds. i still have legitimate daily pain - there is a nerve injury causing referred pain down my neck and shoulder and into my hand. i dont know what to expect and i dont know what to do. someone, please help.