... I was really sick last summer and was hospitalized for over a month on a morphine pump and then sent home on Vicodin. I fairly well maintained it until about 2-3 months ago. Now I found a place online and have been taking up from 16-20 Vicodin 10mg a day. I want my life back but I am terrified of the withdraws systems and of my job finding out. What can I do to get thru the withdraws without my family and job finding out. I need a way to not feel the horror of w/d. If I go to my doctor, will he tell my other specialist doctors for my other medical condition? HELP!! I run out in 4 days
Responses (5)
LaurieShay
2 Jun 2011
Hey patti,
You need to make a decision. You can go cold turkey and be sick for a week to 10 days thus needing to take some time off from work. You could get more Vicodin and taper off the med over time and not have to deal with near as much withdrawals. Or you could investigate a medicine called Suboxone for opiate detox. You would have to find a doctor who prescribes this medicine and go through a program of detox. It can be a bit pricey but is worth considering. You can check out the following website to help you make a decision:
for cold turkey help there is the Thomas recipe: http://www.vicodinwithdrawal.org/alternative-medicine/thomas-recipe-opiate-detox/
sherri huff
3 Jun 2011
dear patti, I feel for your addiction to vicoden. The easiest way is to slowly with draw from the drug, cut down on your dosage immediatly, I mean start limiting yourself to two vicodin at a time every 6 hours for two days and the next three days limit your self to one vicodn every 4 hours , keep that dosage until they are gone and if you fear that you are going to feel withdrawl symptoms go to a methadone clinic. I don't know where you live but most large cities have the methadone clinics, and don't abuse your methadone or what ever drug that they give you, and and don't take it as they tell you to, take only one every 6 hours and you will slowly start to feel better and not have any withdraw symptoms, but you really have to apply yourself and take the drugs like I told you , or you won't succeed. good luck
Inactive
5 Jun 2011
Sherri, First let me thank you for your response and support. Secondly, through no choice really, I am using your method of cutting down, however, I took your advice too late, meaning that I have less than 30 to start the step down process and no real access to any more. Yesterday, I went totally overboard and used 20 in a day. (Long story) So today, I am trying to cut them as you suggested. I just don't think I have enough to get through. Also, you can look at my comment back to Laurie to see what else is going on. I'm not sure that people can see the back and forth because I am new here. I have no access to things like Valium or Xanax, unless I go on-line and I have spent over $4500.00 in the last 2 months or so on Vicodin there so I am quite broke. Any other help would be much appreciated and received. Again, Thank you for your support.
Inactive
5 Jun 2011
Most doctors who are licensed to write an rx for suboxone will not file insurance, but most insurance will pay for the medication. If you will go to suboxone.com and use the doctor locator service, you can obtain a list of all the doctors who are licensed to give it out in your area. Call as many as you need to to find out which one you can afford. Unless you work at a hospital, a pain management clinic, have a DOT or trucking job, most employers don't screen for suboxone and it will NOT come up positive as an opiate, it was designed specifically not to, so the doctor can check your progress. That is one of many perks for being on suboxone.
Inactive
5 Jun 2011
Inactive
5 Jun 2011
Thank you so much. It is so complicated with trying to keep it from my job and family. I need to come up with an excuse to take more time of work. I have the time to use but haven't had time to give them notice, so it will be spur of the moment. Hope I can get away with it without them finding out. I was thinking of getting ahold of benzo's to try to do it on my own at home. to basically sleep thru the worst of the withdraws. What do you all think???
Inactive
5 Jun 2011
you are on so much, If it were me I would find a doc to help me. I don't want anything to happen to you. I know you don't want you family or job to know. But the job doesn't need to know, but if it comes down to it and your family knows will they help you and support you? Seeing how bad you want this, you can do it, just do it the right way.
myprvthell
26 Dec 2011
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Laurie, I looked up both of those things you so lovingly sent me. I read up on both and even called my insurance company to see what is covered. I am running into some obstacles there. The two places I have talked to in my area who handle opiate w/d want me to do it in-patient, which I cannot do because of my job and family. They can't seem to understand that. I wanted you to know, first, that I appreciate the time you have taken to talk to me and secondly, that you were just "There for me". I am still struggling and quickly running out of my vicodin, which is terrifying for me. (the w/d's scare the hell out of me). I Thomas recipe calls for you to be on Valium or anything like it and I don't have access to it. (unless I find the $ and get it on-line). Yesterday, I actually used 20 10mg Vicodin in a single day, using the excuse that I was at a family thing and it makes me more social.
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Then I spent a scary night of not sleeping, wondering if I had OD'd or if my family knew I was stoned. On and On it goes. I have to find a way. So tomorrow, I will be calling the other few dr's on my list that I got from my insurance co. and if I can't find anything, then I will be calling my primary Doctor. That one is scary bc he and my boss have known each other since High School. Simply, Thank you! And Pray for me, please.
Hey patti,
I pray that you can find a doctor willing to work with you outpatient and that will take your insurance. Otherwise, I am very willing to help you get off the vicodin without Subxone, but you have to be determined and will need to go to some kind of addiction's counseling. We can work out a taper plan if we have to so to avoid most of the withdrawals. The Thomas recipe does recommend a benzodiazepine such as valium, but it isn't a neccesity. The other ingredients will still be helpful.
Let me know what you find out from the other doctors you have yet to call and what you ultimately decide to do. I'm here to support you anyway I can.
Laurie
Laurie, Do you know whether regular family practioners will work with opiate addicts on a QUIET out patient basis? What's their usual answer? If you know.
By law, the doctor can not discuss your case with anyone other than you. So I wouldn't worry about the doctor telling your boss. As far as the doctor working with addiction, I can't answer that. If you want Suboxone treatment though, the doctor has to be certified specifically for that so not all doctors can prescribe it.