Are you not supposed to be on Vicodin for very long?

Question

My doctor only gave me a prescription of 24 tablets of Vicodin with 3 refills allowed. You are allowed to take 6 tablets a day (one tablet every four hours), so "technically" my doctor only prescribed me enough Vicodin to last me 16 days. I do not take all the Vicodin that I'm allowed to take, but I do take a lot of it. I'm not so sure how well the Vicodin helps with my pain, but the Vicodin does help me sleep and "escape" my predicament for awhile. I can't afford $200 to go back to the doctor who prescribed me the Vicodin. I might run out of Vicodin before I am able to get an appointment at UCLA (and "hopefully" finally find out what is wrong with me). Am I going to have withdrawal symtoms from not taking my Vicodin? Do you think that the new doctors I see at the low cost/free UCLA clinic will prescribe me more Vicodin when I tell the doctors that I have been taking Vicodin for a month?

Answer 1

If it doesn't help you with your pain but it helps you "escape" then you are taking it for the wrong reason.  The fact that you are worried about running out and obsessing about getting a refill shows addictive thinking.

You should stop taking this drug asap and take something non-narcotic.  Stop taking it gradually or you will go through some mildly unpleasant withdrawal.

Answer 2

It sounds like you're well on your way to getting addicted.  I myself was borderline addicted to those pills, always taking them for the smallest amount of pain and helping me sleep.

The best thing to do is to lower the amount you're taking and ween yourself off before you start really going through hardcore withdrawal symptoms.  Cutting yourself off completely can either work in a good way or a bad way.  The doctors from the lower budget clinic will have to make a decision to whether you actually need the pills.

Answer 3

Vicodin should not be used for escaping predicaments and sleeping. Using it this way puts you on the slippery slope to addiction.