4 Days Vic Free but Sick as a Dog

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MvingForwrd

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The good news-no GREAT news-is that I'm on day four of going CT from Vicodin. Just to explain the whole situation, I was the victim of a bad neurologist who treated my headaches with vic, and had me taking it daily. When I started to get rebound headaches, he just gave me more pills and said to treat the pain. The rebound headaches finally reached an unbearable pain level, at which point he blamed me for overusing, told me there was no treatment for rebound, and to go home an "white knuckle" it.

I tried for months to taper, but with every attempt the pain became too much to bear. I finally decided to try my primary care physician last week on the odd chance that she might be able to help. She's an internist, but also suffers from migraines, so it was worth a shot. She suggested that I try a 6-day course of steroiRAB (prednisone) as that has been known to break the rebound cycle. Sure enough, it worked! The pred knocked my headaches down to a manageable level, and I stopped the vic.

So here's my problem/question. I have never felt sicker in my life. I feel like I have a severe flu with extreme fatigue, diarrhea, dehydration, leg and foot pain. I feel like I'm dying. I'm trying to rest and drink lots of Gatorade. Not much else I can do.

I was not taking a lot of vic, only a few a day, but had taken it daily for two years straight. Am I experiencing typical WRAB? I'm not sure if the pred has anything to do with this, or if this is full on detox that I'm going through. If it's WRAB, it should pass soon, shouldn't it? This is the fourth day.
 
Ugh! Maybe it was a mistake to go CT. I just read on another board that quitting cold can cause central nervous system damage, and that you should always taper. Maybe I should take just 1/2 tab?
 
You did the right thing. Generally speaking, cold turkey from opiates is not dangerous. Obviously, it is very uncomfortable. Your symptoms should subside in another day or two, but the mental symptoms will linger, but they do gradually dissipate. Benzos ( Valium, xanax, Klonopin, etc) are really the most dangerous drug to cold turkey from and those you MUST taper from, but opiates are found to be not dangerous to cold turkey from, even though you feel like death.
 
Hi

Yes, you are in full withdrawal and I am sorry for your suffering. Don't worry about starting again with 1/2 a tab. If that is easing the withdrawals, then okay, so be it. Stay disciplined and don't start upping from here. let your body and brain level out for a bit... week to 10 days is fine.

When you feel ready, go down a tiny, tine bit from the 1/2 tab... shave a bit off a 1/2 tab and take that. Stay steady there for a few days again. Finish out the taper slowly this way and you should be able at the end to just walk off. Don't get antsy! Keep it slow and steady.

Best wishes
reach
 
Well, I gave in this morning and took 1/2 tab. I just can't handle this anymore. I am so fatigued, and so weak that I keep collapsing on the bed. I feel like I have the worst flu I've ever had in my life. The diarrhea is so bad that I'm dehydrated and losing a pound a day (not good on someone as skinny as I am).

Cold turkey isn't going to work for me. I sure hope that I don't cause myself a setback, but I think I need to taper. I won't go back to where I was before, but maybe 1/2 a day until I stabilize, then 1/4 after that. I honestly feel like I'm on death's door. This is HORRIBLE. I have pets to care for, work to do, so I have to be somewhat functional.

Gahhhhhh. I had NO idea it would be this bad.
 
Thanks so much, Reach. I think I'll try that. I've come this far so won't let myself go back up. There is NO WAY that I'm going to put myself through withdrawals a second time. I just need to feel somewhat stabilized so I can take care of my family and not have to spend the day in bed (like I did yesterday).

I'll tell you, I have the utmost respect for anyone who was a heavy user and managed to kick this junk. I was only taking two pills, and feel like I'm dying. I'm so angry that this neuro kept giving me refill after refill, and acted like it was totally okay. Awful.
 
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