[bob-the-bidder316]

I know A 50 year old woman that has taken Vicodin for 5 Plus years, as many as 15 pills at a time. She can no longer get a buzz from them, But if she does not have them she gets sick flu like, puking, can't lift her head off the bed until she feed this habit. I would like to help her but I don't know how as I am drug free and alway have been, so I don't know what its like!

[lisab]

She can either go cold turkey and just stop. Of course she will be going thru withdrawl and that is a hard moster to beat.She can try an outpatient or inpatient treatment facility. Inpatient would be the best way to go. This addiction has been going on for a long time.You can check local hospitals for support groups. You might also want to find out where she is getting her drug supply from and why this doctor is still prescribing pills.You can also call a substance abuse hotline and they will be able to guide you better.

[lanek]

she needs professional help..this isn't something that she can do alone...and she has to want to stop...i have take vicodan but never got addicted to it...about all you can do is talk to her...if she goes for it...get her there now

[suedarn]

She needs what is called a medically supervised detox. (detoxification). It takes about 3 days. It will help with all those symptoms. It iwill keep her alive of course. It is not her fault. but she needs to go to an ER and start that process. If it exceeds 10% of her income it will get covered by state insurance Medi-Aid. Then she will get exposed to maintenance tharapy, too. She will always be an addict I am and I'm fine. It's no big deal. But she must get medical attention to ba safe and comfortable. She won't be alone in there!

[Mildred S]

about 1/2 of all people that are prescribed narcotics for long term use become addicted. there is a physical and mental side to addiction. this is complicated because she probably has a need for the medicine or she most likely would not have been prescribed this. most addicted people are also hurting/sick mentally too. both sides must be treated. if you really care about this person , you should see about getting her into a rehab center. a family member went through an addiction to alcohol and oxycotin (years ago before the company addmitted that it withheld information about the addiction rate from the medical community/public.) your situation is complicated , if soemone needs a pain relief pill they should not be denied this. The cause of the pain should be treated if at all possible so whatever it is doesn't hurt. Also should be addressed is if her use of pills is truly addiction . If nothing hurt, would she have to take that many ? perhaps, this is only a case , that she has built up a tolerance to the medicine and needs a stronger pain drug so she can use let. vicodin is very hard on the stomach which would explain her puking. i would ask her / discuss the matter with her DR if needed. she has to be ready but intervention if a true addiction might save her life.

[Winter Paws]

Withdrawal is different for every person, she can either face the monster head-on and quit cold turkey, wean herself off gradually, or go into rehab.If she's serious about quitting, she'll need to cut off her sources: hence, if she has a prescription from a doctor, she'll need to tell the doctor about her addiction and they will help her.The withdrawal will not be pretty.I've been there myself. It's HARD, it's painful, and it will test her resolve more then anything else. She has to be committed to quitting, and if she's not, the addiction will win her over. The fact that she's no longer getting high from the vicodin will help, the cravings may not be so bad, but that doesn't mean the physical withdrawal will be any easier.She's likely to experience sweats, hot/cold flashes, cold shivers, goosebumps, headaches, tension, anxiety, depression, anger, moodiness, mood swings, stomach aches, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, lightheadedness, watery eyes, involuntary leg/arm movements, panic, diahrrhea, loss of apatite, apathy, insomnia, and/or muscle and bone pain.This is where detox/rehab comes in. If she can get into a rehab center they can help her through these experiences: they may possibly last up to 3 weeks. My withdrawal lasted just under 2 weeks, although at one week she should be over the worst of it.I've, obviously, been addicted to vicodin. It's a hard habit to break, but if you stand by her, your support will be the greatest gift she could ask for during this time. Try and keep her comfortable, or if you're not in her life on a daily basis, help those who are to understand the pain she's going to go through.It's hard to understand without experiencing it first hand, but if you've ever had a nasty cold, imagine the relief you would feel if you knew that cold could be fixed by just one, little pill: that's the draw of the vicodin addiction. That's what she's going to have to beat.That's why she needs her friends and family.