I never thought I would be a drug addict

**xs400** · 05-05-2010, 06:09 PM

I never thought I would be a drug addict, but now I can say I was one.

Back in September, I was in an accident that put me in the hospital for a week with 10 rib fractures, a shattered scapula, broken collar bone, and nerve damage in my back. (For images of my broken bones see https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/politics-religion-etc/78203-3d-ct-scans-m...g-graphic.html )While in the hospital, I was on Vicodin and morphine for pain. So I could sleep at night I was also put on Ambien. When released from the hospital, I was still in pretty bad shape. In addition to the broken bones, I had lost muscle control on the left side of my back due to the nerve damage. My broken left scapula had been pulled up on to my shoulder and was out of place – the muscles that would normally pull the scapula back down to the correct location on my back didn’t work any more. The displaced scapula gave me a lot of pain and I was on Vicodin for over 4 months until the nerves started working again and the scapula got pulled back into place. The pain I had in my shoulder made it very difficult to sleep, so in addition to the Vicodin, I was still on Ambien to help me sleep at night.

My doctor told me early on that she was worried I might get addicted to the Vicodin, but the Vicodin was for the pain and I needed it. There was never any mention of the Ambien being an addiction problem. After 4 or 5 months, the pain in my shoulder was not a serious problem and I was able to decrease the amount of Vicodin I was taking and eventually I stopped taking the Vicodin all together. I never had any problems with withdrawal symptoms from the Vicodin. Actually, I never got any kind of a buzz from the Vicodin or the morphine. They did help stop the pain, but that was all.

After I got off the Vicodin, I still had problems sleeping, so I continued with the Ambien at night. Sometimes I would try to go to bed at night without taking an Ambien, but I’d lay there for a while and finally get up and take 5mg of Ambien. After over 7 months of taking Ambien nightly, I decided I needed to stop taking it. This is when I found out I was a drug addict. I had become addicted to Ambien.

While I was being treated after the accident I had also been given Temazepam as a sleep aid, but I had never really used it. I had always taken the Ambien. When I came to realize that I could not go to sleep at night without taking Ambien I took one of the Temazepam to help me sleep. The next day I would feel nervous and agitated, I couldn’t focus, so I went back to taking Ambien at night thinking that the Temazepam was my problem. I was wrong.

Finally last week I decided I had to get off the Ambien. The first night I decided to stop taking Ambien, I took one more Temazepam. The next night I took nothing. I was quitting cold turkey. For about a week now, I have been off the Ambien. I have been fighting withdrawal symptoms ever since. I’ve had problems with insomnia, nervousness, anxiety, trembling in my hands, and difficulty focusing at work. The worse withdrawal symptoms were headaches. The headaches were really bad the first few days. Like a clamp on my temples, and both Tylenol and Alleve did little to ease the pain. Luckily the headaches are mostly gone now. After a week, the withdrawal symptoms have finally started to decrease. Ambien is a sedative and now that I am going through withdrawal, I have the physical feeling like I’m hopped up on too much caffeine all the time. It is an uncomfortable feeling. I’m hoping the side effects will go away soon, but only time will tell.

I have googled ‘Ambien withdrawal’ and I’ve found it to be a common problem. I have suffered many of the withdrawal problems I found listed. Ambient is advertised on TV as a sleep aid. They say ask for a sample from your doctor. That’s just what the maker of Ambien wants – you get a sample and after a while you are hooked, I was. It’s just what a drug company wants, you get addicted to a prescription drug, take it for the rest of your life, and they make a lot of money.

I still have some Ambien in my medicine cabinet at home. Every time I look at it, I am tempted to take one. But I tell myself, ‘You don’t need that.’ Wish me luck in getting through this. (If this post is written with poor grammar, blame it on the Ambien withdrawal.)

The moral of this is simple, be careful what medicines you take, you might get addicted. That's what happened to me.

One side note, my withdrawal symptoms were at their worst on Monday morning. I felt uncomfortable and couldn't sit still. I couldn’t go to work like that; instead I went for a ride on my motorcycle. While I was riding, I didn’t notice the withdrawal symptoms, my mind and body were focused on riding. Soon after I got home from my ride, the symptoms all came back. I guess I need to ride my motorcycle more - it would be a kind of therapy!!

gokenin · 05-05-2010, 06:38 PM

I wish you the best of luck with your struggle and you are correct that they don't mention this risk very much in their commercials. I have to admit that I got a chuckle out of this comment "(If this post is written with poor grammar, blame it on the Ambien withdrawal)" you say this and I have to say your post is better written and grammatically better than what I normally write.

JeffJS · 05-05-2010, 06:56 PM

I'm no doctor but I know enough about drug research, especially opiates (I don't know that ambien is one), to suggest this.. It Sounds like you are detoxing. This is the way a lot of people, who never thought they would, get started. The best way to cold turkey something is to get rid of it. Take it to the pharmacist and turn it over for disposal. As long as it is staring back at you in the medicine cabinet, you will always be tempted by it. If it isn't there, and you don't do anything stupid (like searching for a replacement), it cannot tempt you, and you'll kick it.

Best of luck to you..

seacapt · 05-05-2010, 07:57 PM

Hey Frank , is there a good (I mean traditional Chinese) accupunturist near you? It can be helpful . That aside be tough and stay committed.

SpecialK · 05-05-2010, 08:05 PM

Good luck! I had only one broken rib, and that was enough...

johnmflores · 05-05-2010, 09:36 PM

I'm fractured on single rib on 2 separate occasions. It hurt to laugh. I can't imagine 10. Thanks for sharing. Whenever I hear stories of side effects or withdrawal from prescription drugs, I wonder if the pharma companies have any real idea what they are doing, or if they are just poking at the human body with a stick and watching what happens.

Get well...

Class A · 05-05-2010, 09:51 PM

Frank, best of luck for a speedy recovery.

From the sound of your post you'll be off the wicked stuff very soon.

lithos · 05-06-2010, 03:29 AM

Originally posted by xs400

I have googled ‘Ambien withdrawal’ and I’ve found it to be a common problem. I have suffered many of the withdrawal problems I found listed. Ambient is advertised on TV as a sleep aid. They say ask for a sample from your doctor. That’s just what the maker of Ambien wants – you get a sample and after a while you are hooked, I was. It’s just what a drug company wants, you get addicted to a prescription drug, take it for the rest of your life, and they make a lot of money.

That's how smack dealers work. First hit's free. After that, you'll have a customer for life. Though probably not for very long. Shit like advertising drugs you don't know you even need is illegal down here, thank god. All they can do is run an ad describing the symptoms or the condition, and say Ask Your Doctor/Pharmacist (and the doc or chemist'll probably just say, look, let's exhaust every other possibility before we turn to drugs.)

But "ask for a sample"? Like asking the guy at the ice cream parlour if you can have a taste of the double-choc chip? Jeez.

Quote:

I still have some Ambien in my medicine cabinet at home. Every time I look at it, I am tempted to take one. But I tell myself, ‘You don’t need that.’ Wish me luck in getting through this. (If this post is written with poor grammar, blame it on the Ambien withdrawal.)

You're in the Bay Area? San Fran? Metallica Country? Then deep-six that stockpile you've got, and you won't need us to wish you luck

.

sterretje · 05-06-2010, 03:38 AM

I agree with JeffJS, get rid of that bottle in the cupboard. If the temptation isn't there, it's easier not to fall back into the addiction.

Good luck, I admire you for this. Not many (including me) are able to fight an addiction.

Arpe · 05-06-2010, 03:58 AM

Surely the doctors warned you?
No wonder your handle on here starts with XS!!!

Good luck, and good on you for seeing the signs and having the courage to do something about it.

forensicscientist · 05-06-2010, 04:48 AM

It takes a big man to admit there's a problem....my hats off to you for that. I wish you all the best.

mark

ghillindy1 · 05-06-2010, 05:16 AM

Ambien is similiar in structure to benzodiaepines. Just tell your doc that you are having major wd symptoms and they can help you with it. It's nothing to be ashamed of, just like the many brands and models of cameras out there, each of us have unique nueral nets in our brains. While we all have the same receptor sites and neurochemical/transmitters, the antagonistic properties are completely individual. This is why someone might take a Vicodin and say that it makes them feel weird, and somebody else might try one and think, so this is what it feels like to be normal. The main message being stay away from benzodiazipines for the rest of your life. You have a natural tendancy for their antagonistic binding.

**rparmar** · 05-06-2010, 06:10 AM

After reading your horrible story I was going to suggest exactly the same thing as seacapt.

I had a chronic pain problem for a long time -- actually I still do, but it's under control. Rather than take meds continuously for years on end, I got into acupuncture in a big way. I am Mr. Skeptical and had to be dragged to the clinic the first time by a friend. But it worked and helped save my life.

It can work for you too, hopefully. First, for the addiction, second for the sleep and third with any residual pain.

daacon · 05-06-2010, 09:11 AM

Frank - best of luck , the first sign is admitting you have a problem and wow you did that in a big way. I agree with your assesment , the bottom line is $$ for almost all companies - I suppose that is why now most drug commercials have to list the possible side effects (which if you really listen some include death , which I suppose does alleviate whatever it was you were taking the pill(s) for).

Anyway I wish you well , glad you have your bike as a distraction. Good luck my friend.

Ratmagiclady · 05-06-2010, 10:15 AM - **1 Like**

Good luck with the detoxing and all, XS.

You can at least be glad you it wasn't the painkillers or anything. I'm really careful about stuff like that. Having spent so much of my life in some kind of discomfort or another, I really don't want to chance it around things like opiates especially.

I really don't know about these fancy sleep aids: they seem to have come along after my times of running into many folks with addictions like that, ...but be sure to get your b-vitamins and plenty of water during this process, ...that pretty much goes for anything. Exercise will also help, and changes of scenery. Letting your brain be active with new and different things will, as I think you've found, give a lot of relief. Part of the bad experience of withdrawal will actually be your own brain chemistry's feedback about the symptoms. If you give it something else to do, like orienting to changing surroundings, it'll help you clear out.

05-05-2010, 06:09 PM	#1
xs400 Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: San Francisco Bay Area Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,929	I never thought I would be a drug addict I never thought I would be a drug addict, but now I can say I was one. Back in September, I was in an accident that put me in the hospital for a week with 10 rib fractures, a shattered scapula, broken collar bone, and nerve damage in my back. (For images of my broken bones see https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/politics-religion-etc/78203-3d-ct-scans-m...g-graphic.html )While in the hospital, I was on Vicodin and morphine for pain. So I could sleep at night I was also put on Ambien. When released from the hospital, I was still in pretty bad shape. In addition to the broken bones, I had lost muscle control on the left side of my back due to the nerve damage. My broken left scapula had been pulled up on to my shoulder and was out of place – the muscles that would normally pull the scapula back down to the correct location on my back didn’t work any more. The displaced scapula gave me a lot of pain and I was on Vicodin for over 4 months until the nerves started working again and the scapula got pulled back into place. The pain I had in my shoulder made it very difficult to sleep, so in addition to the Vicodin, I was still on Ambien to help me sleep at night. My doctor told me early on that she was worried I might get addicted to the Vicodin, but the Vicodin was for the pain and I needed it. There was never any mention of the Ambien being an addiction problem. After 4 or 5 months, the pain in my shoulder was not a serious problem and I was able to decrease the amount of Vicodin I was taking and eventually I stopped taking the Vicodin all together. I never had any problems with withdrawal symptoms from the Vicodin. Actually, I never got any kind of a buzz from the Vicodin or the morphine. They did help stop the pain, but that was all. After I got off the Vicodin, I still had problems sleeping, so I continued with the Ambien at night. Sometimes I would try to go to bed at night without taking an Ambien, but I’d lay there for a while and finally get up and take 5mg of Ambien. After over 7 months of taking Ambien nightly, I decided I needed to stop taking it. This is when I found out I was a drug addict. I had become addicted to Ambien. While I was being treated after the accident I had also been given Temazepam as a sleep aid, but I had never really used it. I had always taken the Ambien. When I came to realize that I could not go to sleep at night without taking Ambien I took one of the Temazepam to help me sleep. The next day I would feel nervous and agitated, I couldn’t focus, so I went back to taking Ambien at night thinking that the Temazepam was my problem. I was wrong. Finally last week I decided I had to get off the Ambien. The first night I decided to stop taking Ambien, I took one more Temazepam. The next night I took nothing. I was quitting cold turkey. For about a week now, I have been off the Ambien. I have been fighting withdrawal symptoms ever since. I’ve had problems with insomnia, nervousness, anxiety, trembling in my hands, and difficulty focusing at work. The worse withdrawal symptoms were headaches. The headaches were really bad the first few days. Like a clamp on my temples, and both Tylenol and Alleve did little to ease the pain. Luckily the headaches are mostly gone now. After a week, the withdrawal symptoms have finally started to decrease. Ambien is a sedative and now that I am going through withdrawal, I have the physical feeling like I’m hopped up on too much caffeine all the time. It is an uncomfortable feeling. I’m hoping the side effects will go away soon, but only time will tell. I have googled ‘Ambien withdrawal’ and I’ve found it to be a common problem. I have suffered many of the withdrawal problems I found listed. Ambient is advertised on TV as a sleep aid. They say ask for a sample from your doctor. That’s just what the maker of Ambien wants – you get a sample and after a while you are hooked, I was. It’s just what a drug company wants, you get addicted to a prescription drug, take it for the rest of your life, and they make a lot of money. I still have some Ambien in my medicine cabinet at home. Every time I look at it, I am tempted to take one. But I tell myself, ‘You don’t need that.’ Wish me luck in getting through this. (If this post is written with poor grammar, blame it on the Ambien withdrawal.) The moral of this is simple, be careful what medicines you take, you might get addicted. That's what happened to me. One side note, my withdrawal symptoms were at their worst on Monday morning. I felt uncomfortable and couldn't sit still. I couldn’t go to work like that; instead I went for a ride on my motorcycle. While I was riding, I didn’t notice the withdrawal symptoms, my mind and body were focused on riding. Soon after I got home from my ride, the symptoms all came back. I guess I need to ride my motorcycle more - it would be a kind of therapy!!

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05-05-2010, 06:38 PM	#2
gokenin Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: lowell,ma Posts: 1,899	I wish you the best of luck with your struggle and you are correct that they don't mention this risk very much in their commercials. I have to admit that I got a chuckle out of this comment "(If this post is written with poor grammar, blame it on the Ambien withdrawal)" you say this and I have to say your post is better written and grammatically better than what I normally write.

05-05-2010, 06:56 PM	#3
JeffJS Inactive Account Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Michigan, USA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 7,484	I'm no doctor but I know enough about drug research, especially opiates (I don't know that ambien is one), to suggest this.. It Sounds like you are detoxing. This is the way a lot of people, who never thought they would, get started. The best way to cold turkey something is to get rid of it. Take it to the pharmacist and turn it over for disposal. As long as it is staring back at you in the medicine cabinet, you will always be tempted by it. If it isn't there, and you don't do anything stupid (like searching for a replacement), it cannot tempt you, and you'll kick it. Best of luck to you..

05-05-2010, 07:57 PM	#4
seacapt Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: North Carolina , USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,271	Hey Frank , is there a good (I mean traditional Chinese) accupunturist near you? It can be helpful . That aside be tough and stay committed.

05-05-2010, 08:05 PM	#5
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,480	Good luck! I had only one broken rib, and that was enough...

05-05-2010, 09:36 PM	#6
johnmflores Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somerville, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,361	I'm fractured on single rib on 2 separate occasions. It hurt to laugh. I can't imagine 10. Thanks for sharing. Whenever I hear stories of side effects or withdrawal from prescription drugs, I wonder if the pharma companies have any real idea what they are doing, or if they are just poking at the human body with a stick and watching what happens. Get well...

05-05-2010, 09:51 PM	#7
Class A Pentaxian Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Wellington, New Zealand Posts: 11,251	Frank, best of luck for a speedy recovery. From the sound of your post you'll be off the wicked stuff very soon.

05-06-2010, 03:29 AM	#8
lithos Inactive Account Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Brisbane, QLD, AUS Posts: 3,261	Originally posted by xs400 I have googled ‘Ambien withdrawal’ and I’ve found it to be a common problem. I have suffered many of the withdrawal problems I found listed. Ambient is advertised on TV as a sleep aid. They say ask for a sample from your doctor. That’s just what the maker of Ambien wants – you get a sample and after a while you are hooked, I was. It’s just what a drug company wants, you get addicted to a prescription drug, take it for the rest of your life, and they make a lot of money. That's how smack dealers work. First hit's free. After that, you'll have a customer for life. Though probably not for very long. Shit like advertising drugs you don't know you even need is illegal down here, thank god. All they can do is run an ad describing the symptoms or the condition, and say Ask Your Doctor/Pharmacist (and the doc or chemist'll probably just say, look, let's exhaust every other possibility before we turn to drugs.) But "ask for a sample"? Like asking the guy at the ice cream parlour if you can have a taste of the double-choc chip? Jeez. Quote: I still have some Ambien in my medicine cabinet at home. Every time I look at it, I am tempted to take one. But I tell myself, ‘You don’t need that.’ Wish me luck in getting through this. (If this post is written with poor grammar, blame it on the Ambien withdrawal.) You're in the Bay Area? San Fran? Metallica Country? Then deep-six that stockpile you've got, and you won't need us to wish you luck .

05-06-2010, 03:38 AM	#9
sterretje Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Roodepoort, South Africa Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,561	I agree with JeffJS, get rid of that bottle in the cupboard. If the temptation isn't there, it's easier not to fall back into the addiction. Good luck, I admire you for this. Not many (including me) are able to fight an addiction.

05-06-2010, 03:58 AM	#10
Arpe Pentaxian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: New Zealand Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 4,452	Surely the doctors warned you? No wonder your handle on here starts with XS!!! Good luck, and good on you for seeing the signs and having the courage to do something about it.

05-06-2010, 04:48 AM	#11
forensicscientist Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: DFW Texas and Michigan - I commute :) Posts: 1,012	It takes a big man to admit there's a problem....my hats off to you for that. I wish you all the best. mark

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05-06-2010, 05:16 AM	#12
ghillindy1 Junior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Plainfield Indiana Photos: Albums Posts: 45	Ambien is similiar in structure to benzodiaepines. Just tell your doc that you are having major wd symptoms and they can help you with it. It's nothing to be ashamed of, just like the many brands and models of cameras out there, each of us have unique nueral nets in our brains. While we all have the same receptor sites and neurochemical/transmitters, the antagonistic properties are completely individual. This is why someone might take a Vicodin and say that it makes them feel weird, and somebody else might try one and think, so this is what it feels like to be normal. The main message being stay away from benzodiazipines for the rest of your life. You have a natural tendancy for their antagonistic binding.

05-06-2010, 06:10 AM	#13
rparmar Site Supporter Join Date: Jan 2008 Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,819	After reading your horrible story I was going to suggest exactly the same thing as seacapt. I had a chronic pain problem for a long time -- actually I still do, but it's under control. Rather than take meds continuously for years on end, I got into acupuncture in a big way. I am Mr. Skeptical and had to be dragged to the clinic the first time by a friend. But it worked and helped save my life. It can work for you too, hopefully. First, for the addiction, second for the sleep and third with any residual pain.

05-06-2010, 09:11 AM	#14
daacon Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Alberta,Canada Photos: Gallery Posts: 20,914	Frank - best of luck , the first sign is admitting you have a problem and wow you did that in a big way. I agree with your assesment , the bottom line is $$ for almost all companies - I suppose that is why now most drug commercials have to list the possible side effects (which if you really listen some include death , which I suppose does alleviate whatever it was you were taking the pill(s) for). Anyway I wish you well , glad you have your bike as a distraction. Good luck my friend.

05-06-2010, 10:15 AM - 1 Like	#15
Ratmagiclady Veteran Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: GA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 13,563	Good luck with the detoxing and all, XS. You can at least be glad you it wasn't the painkillers or anything. I'm really careful about stuff like that. Having spent so much of my life in some kind of discomfort or another, I really don't want to chance it around things like opiates especially. I really don't know about these fancy sleep aids: they seem to have come along after my times of running into many folks with addictions like that, ...but be sure to get your b-vitamins and plenty of water during this process, ...that pretty much goes for anything. Exercise will also help, and changes of scenery. Letting your brain be active with new and different things will, as I think you've found, give a lot of relief. Part of the bad experience of withdrawal will actually be your own brain chemistry's feedback about the symptoms. If you give it something else to do, like orienting to changing surroundings, it'll help you clear out.