Vicodin-How quickily can one become addicted? Trying to avoid pain meds

[Cycler]

well, we shouldn't quibble over controlled substances and I admit that Vicodin ( Hydrocodone) has led many a Hollywood star down the path to ruination but addiction/ abuse studies do exist that support my contention for the reasons mentioned.

Let me put it this way - Percocet and oxycodone, same drug, is now the most sought after and abused prescription drug in the US due to it's euphoric inducing properties that trigger the addiction response. You may have noticed the news that the feds have begun and some states, inculding Ohio, have already changed theri prescribig laws in an effort to shut down prescription pill mills. These mill Dr.s are not writing Vicodin to any great number as they have far less strett value and desirability that the Schedule II's. Vicodin or hydrocodone induces a far less or none euphoric effect and so is not often associated with addiction behaviors but certainly may lead one astray and into deeper waters.

And don't believe those tylenol values mean it's safe below some arbitrary cutoff. They refer to liver damage.

I am speaking of something entirely different, a harm that was extensively studied in Boston some years ago, published in a highly reputable medical journal and then evidently quashed. THe study demonstrated that daily low dose acetaminophen in middle aged women caused hypertension in 98 % of the volunteers which prompted the institution to halt the study two full years before planned on the fear that irreversible KIDNEY failure would result.

Acetaminophen is fairly worthless as far as therapeutic benefit when combined with a schedule III opiate given the analgesic effect of both. Better to view it the limiting factor in dosing since opiates alone have no ceiling, i.e the Acetaminophen and aspirin in Vicodin, percocet, percodan etc is included to limit the amount that can be taken before harm.

(05-24-2011 10:33 AM)freebird Wrote:  

(05-23-2011 10:13 PM)Cycler Wrote:  Allison;
Vicodin is not particularly addicting, as it is a a weak opiate with minimal euphoric inducing properties - why people get addicted. but rather is extremely harmful to the liver, kidneys and heart because of the acetominophen content, low dose maybe but not day in and day out for years on end. the long term use of low does acetaminophen has been demonstrated to induce hypertension in healthy middle aged women in a study at Brigham Women's Hospital some years ago.

Not true. Hydrocode (Vicodin) is extremely addicting over long term use. It is a strong drug that will one day be classified as a sch. 2 drug per my PM Doctor.

IMO 10 mg of Hydrocodone works as well for me as 10 mg of Oxycodone. I have taken both and the Percocet's made me sweat bigtime with no better pain relief than Hydrocodone.
I wake up every morning "needing" my 10 mg of Hydrocodone to feel not shaky and everything else that comes with dependency. I have 5+ years of taking Hydrocodone 10/500 5x a day. I now take Morphine ER along with ....... Drug dependency SUCKS but Chronic pain sucks bigtime!

http://www.vicodin-addiction.com/

4000 MG of tylenol is the max. allowed daily. that would be 8 10/500 Hydrocodones.

http://www.drugs.com/tylenol.html

[freebird]

But there are studies that contradict your googled studies. Hydrocodone also called Blue is a big time street drug.

I do not want to argue but I think it is wrong to say Hydrocodone is not particularly addicting when it is big time addicting. That was my thrust in the conversation.

[Cycler]

Point out a contradiction to my statement Not that hydrocodone is not an abused and desired substance but that it does not pose as great a problem as oxycodone in communities . Put another way, does vicodin drive crime to the degree oxycodone does? I say no.

[freebird]

(05-29-2011 04:12 PM)Cycler Wrote:  Point out a contradiction to my statement Not that hydrocodone is not an abused and desired substance but that it does not pose as great a problem as oxycodone in communities . Put another way, does vicodin drive crime to the degree oxycodone does? I say no.

YOU say no and that is my point; Hydrocodone is very addictive.
The Community I live around has had Major problems with Hydrocodone.
If I offended you, Please forgive me or smack talk me. I have really thick skin.

http://www.drug-addiction.com/hydrocodone_addiction.htm

[bronco54501]

The major populated areas are full of oxxy junkies.. So I can see how this study is posible. I have been on both and the real adiction is not vicodin. But I'm not saying it is not adicting, in my personal preference oxxy is what I would want..

[freebird]

For one to say that Hydrocodone is not particularly addicting is misleading IMO. That I stick to. Oxy is also extremely addicting and both are big time street drugs.

Hydrocodone is currently a sch 3 drug making it easier to get because Doctors are more likely to prescribe this than Oxy for acute pain. Hydrocodone is also very cheap BUT VERY ADDICTIVE.

[Cycler]

Free,

Vicodin is simply not in the same league as oxycodone when it comes to driving the SOCIAL behaviors that define the term addiction. Pill Mill Physicians are righting for far more oxy than hydro and in my state for the first time EVER Percocet scripts outnumber Vicodin scripts.

WHy is that? Do you think it could it be because users DON"T WANT hydro, only oxy ? WEll if you can believe the testimony of the physicians convicted and jailed for offense the answer is yes, exactly that. Also, it's not because of of the crime waves and thousands of accidental overdose deaths related to hydrocodone that the feds are moving towards and some states have already enacted sweeping changes in laws governing the prescribing and dispensation of controlled substances ( Ohio just two weeks ago ). These changes are targeting oxy.

Treatment facilities are crammed and long waiting lists the norm not becasue of hydrocodone but because of heroin which has enjoyed a popularity not seen since the viet nam era. Why is that ? Simple. The users, who may well have been introduced first to hydrocoone, who knows, became addicted to oxycodone int he form of Percs and ormore likely Oxycontin, affectionately known as hillbilly heroin. Once the Oxy addict runs of out money by stealing from friends and family ( a fact NOT seen with hydrocodone abusers ) the high cost of oxy relative to heroin leads to the inevitable.

Certainly hydrocodone is a sought after drug on the streets and crimes are committed by it's users. Certainly there ahve been well publizied accounts of Hollywood stars battles with Vicodin etc etc. I'm not arguing or disputing that at all. But what is " very addictive" and why the hell do you care that I think 9 and know vis-a-vis my line of work ) oxycodone is a far bigger social problem that hydrocodone other than your ox is being gored here.

Bottom line; poorly educated ( anesthesiologists masquerading as pain physicians with real clinical skills) unethical and criminal physicians, driven by greed, are killing thousand of young people and adults every year through the injudicious or deliberate prescribing of narcotics whether that be a hydrocodone, OxyContin, methadone, fentanyl, etc etc. prescriptions. That' I'm sure we can agree on.

The great experiment of treating non-cancer pain with narcotics has been a medical failure and international embarrassment.

[freebird]

I never disputed anything about Oxy. I disagree with your assessment of how addictive Hydrocodone is.

I am very "dependent" of my 4-5 10/500 Hydrocodone's a day. I wake up with a mild headache every morning. Guess what relieves this? YES A Blue pill. 3O min. after consumption, All is well for approx 5-6 hours....

For me, Hydrocodone is more of a dependency than the Fentanyl patch. I have been using both for over 5+ years. I have also taken Oxycontin and Oxycodone in the past. I love my Hydro Blue Boys.... I will have to detox one day to get off them IMO but they work well for break through pain as well as 10mg of Percocet did. Percocet's made me sweat really bad...

[Cycler]

YOU are not addicted. YOU are physically dependent. You should at least understand the difference.

(05-30-2011 04:09 PM)freebird Wrote:  I never disputed anything about Oxy. I disagree with your assessment of how addictive Hydrocodone is.

I am very "dependent" of my 4-5 10/500 Hydrocodone's a day. I wake up with a mild headache every morning. Guess what relieves this? YES A Blue pill. 3O min. after consumption, All is well for approx 5-6 hours....

For me, Hydrocodone is more of a dependency than the Fentanyl patch. I have been using both for over 5+ years. I have also taken Oxycontin and Oxycodone in the past. I love my Hydro Blue Boys.... I will have to detox one day to get off them IMO but they work well for break through pain as well as 10mg of Percocet did. Percocet's made me sweat really bad...

[freebird]

(05-30-2011 11:26 PM)Cycler Wrote:  YOU are not addicted. YOU are physically dependent. You should at least understand the difference.

(05-30-2011 04:09 PM)freebird Wrote:  I never disputed anything about Oxy. I disagree with your assessment of how addictive Hydrocodone is.

I am very "dependent" of my 4-5 10/500 Hydrocodone's a day. I wake up with a mild headache every morning. Guess what relieves this? YES A Blue pill. 3O min. after consumption, All is well for approx 5-6 hours....

For me, Hydrocodone is more of a dependency than the Fentanyl patch. I have been using both for over 5+ years. I have also taken Oxycontin and Oxycodone in the past. I love my Hydro Blue Boys.... I will have to detox one day to get off them IMO but they work well for break through pain as well as 10mg of Percocet did. Percocet's made me sweat really bad...

I totally understand. It is "words" that have a lot in common. It like tomato, or pecan....... how it is said between states or where one is raised... Not my 1st Rodeo......
Hydrocodone is extremely addicting; That is my message. Moving on........