Stopping Vicodin after a month and a half?
For the past month and a half I have been taking Vicodin 5/500 about 6 times a day for extreme pain for a 5 MM kidney stone that was lodged in my left ureter. I had surgery last week to have it taken out, and am having the stent removed today. My question is this: After taking narcotics for roughly 6 weeks, what kind of withdrawal effects can I expect? How should I plan for this? Should I take the next week or so to slowly taper off? My doc warned me I would be in pain after the stent removal… I’m really nervous about this.
This is definitely a doctor question. I recommend asking the doctor because he’s obviously had to deal with this issue with other patients as well. He’ll have the best advice for you.
October 26th, 2009 at 8:15 am
This is definitely a doctor question. I recommend asking the doctor because he’s obviously had to deal with this issue with other patients as well. He’ll have the best advice for you.
References :
October 26th, 2009 at 8:45 am
Hello friend,
If you have not had previous narcotic dependence, withdrawals (abstinence syndrome) should be minor (mild flu like symptoms) to non existent. Our society is currently "Narcotic Phobic" and most people will give you feedback based on anecdotal experiences with drug addicts. You body processes narcotics VERY differently in the presence of pain.
If you need more detailed info. e-mail me and I’ll be happy to go into the dependence vs addiction issue.
References :
pharmacy education, personal experience, current literature
October 26th, 2009 at 8:55 am
Your best bet is to ask our doctor about how to get off of the pain meds. After the amount that you have been taking , a week won’t do it as far as getting off of the medication. You should expect it to take a lot longer than a week. You will have to taper off slower than that. But, like I said before, talk to your doctor about how to get off of them.I have had to do this and some people will say that you may not feel much pain while withdrawing, but you will. It will be hard and sometimes painful, but,remember that slower is better. I am wishing you well in this project of yours. My prayers will be with you.
References :
October 26th, 2009 at 9:23 am
So that’s 30 mg’s a day. If you never were physically dependent on opiates the withdrawal should not last more than 5 days and it should be minor. If you have the resources to wean down by all means do it, reducing the dose every three days or two.
What you will experience is cold/flu like symptoms, fatigue and bowl problems. If you never been through this before it can be rough. But I have all the faith in the world in you. It will not be that bad.
I am sharing my experience for a perspective on this. Sometimes after a week of use (After prescribed for a back spasm) I would only get extremely tired and the runs. And it was gone in two days. Best to start getting off them ASAP. When it ends it will be like a switch was pulled. It just stops.
Also being you have your Doctor, by all means ask him what he suggests. You can even break those things in half.
References :
Weaned off 200mg’s a day prescribed to me for pain. I was prescribed Hydrocodone for over 10 years. Years of pharmaceutical research on opiates.