Vicodin Withdrawal

I took Vicodin for pain for a couple of weeks each in June and July and then daily between July 29th and last Tuesday. I was taking 12 tablets a day in early August and came down over time to 4 half-tablets on Tuesday. I thought it was time to get off the Vicodin not because I was completely pain free, but because I wanted to get back to a more normal life that included driving the car which I was not supposed to do while on Vicodin. Beginning on Wednesday, I have only taken acetaminophen. I may have come off the Vicodin a little too quickly at the end because Wednesday and Thursday especially, I suffered what appear to be mild withdrawal symptoms. Readers might like to know a little about what it was like.

The most prominent symptom was feeling unwell. When I was taking a couple of Vicodin six times a day, I would experience a mild but pleasurable sense of well being about 35-40 minutes after taking a dose. That feeling decreased with time, partly I imagine because of a developing tolerance to the drug and partly from the decreased dosage, but it certainly helped get me through the pain with a positive outlook. I had just the opposite feeling when I stopped the drug. I suffered from that generalized feeling of being unwell that you get with the flu or other infections, but it was milder—not debilitating, but enough to make me not want to do much of anything. There was also a certain amount of depression thrown in as well. It is now Saturday morning, and that feeling seems to have passed.

I also had a periodic runny nose, and strange sneezing attacks. I may have had a rebound in my levels of pain, but then I didn’t take much acetaminophen either, so it’s hard to know why my pain increased. I am trying to keep my acetaminophen intake down because it can cause liver damage. Except for their addictive nature, opiates in small quantities might be less dangerous than acetaminophen. Opiates slow down the movement of the intestinal tract, so constipation is a problem; consequently, I spent more time that usual in the bathroom the last couple of days and lost several pounds as my bowels cleared out. I imagine this last part goes beyond what you wanted to know, but it makes the accounting complete.

I feel much better today, so it looks like the symptoms were of a really short duration.

As always, thanks for reading the blog. Tomorrow I will begin on a post of a political/economic nature that I hope you will watch for. I don’t think everyone will agree with my view, so I hope it sparks some give and take discussion.

David