Taking Hydrocodone For Depression (Page 19) (Top voted first)

I am wondering if anybody else out there has taken Hydrocodone and noticed that symptoms of depression are alleviated? I find that many of today's anti-anxiety and antidepressant drugs come with unpleasant side effects, whereas while taking Hydrocodone they aren't there. The caveat to all of this is that yes, I know that Hydrocodone and opiates in general can be addictive. So long term use would result in withdrawal symptoms. I'm just wondering who else might agree with me on this?

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It depends on the person.

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I have taken suboxone for over 6 years. I never developed a tolerance, so same dose for 6 years. I noticed immediately that it helps with my depression. I do not feel high. I started taking it from a heroin addiction. I haven’t touched anything since. I’m not interested in getting off the medication. I’ve had every psych med with horrible side effects and horrible withdrawals. Yes, I am dependent on suboxone - big difference from addiction, believe me I know. I consider suboxone my antidepressant and it curbs my appetite for drugs or alcohol. That’s my experience with it.

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Hi Kay,@Kay,

I have been working on the website but am having a hard time using the website editor. I want to get it up as soon as possible. So much is happening all over the news concerning opiates that I feel the website would be noticed now. I don't want people to suffer like I did. The address is going to be opiates4depression.com. I hope to have it up by 10/3/11 or 10/4/11. I am working with GoDaddy and I think I need to use an less sophisticated editor .

I had the same success that you did when I started using hydrocodone as an antidepressant. I had been using xanax and didn't need to take that anymore. My mood became much better when I didn't need to take it. Hydrocodone should be used as off-label antidepressant again. We are proof that it works.

I'm so glad that you posted here again. I was getting frustrated with the website editor and really needed to read your post. I'm going to work hard on it this weekend and get it done. It is timely and will get noticed. As soon as I publish it I will post here.

Thanks again for sending me the post. I wasn't giving up (I spent an hour on the phone with GoDaddy last nightl) but I didn't work on it today and I was losing some momentum. I really think that somehow you were meant to write that post so I didn't give up. I know that sounds goofy but I really believe that. And I'm glad that I'm not alone. Thank you and you'll hear from me soon.

Halfshellie

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Always tell your Dr. amd lawyer EVERYTHING. That's the best policy, and let the chips fall where they may.

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I found this discussion thread while searching for any information on Vicodin as a treatment for depression. I was diagnosed with depression 10 years ago and take Effexor and Welbutrin daily. I was recently prescribed Vicodin after knee surgery and noticed a profound remission of my depression symptoms. I don't feel 'high', but I feel an optimism about my life - my job, future, relationships, that I've not felt in over a decade. Believe me, I would much prefer to avoid ANY medication, and the last thing I wast to do is create an addiction to Vicodin. But I'd like to understand if any science is behind this or if it's just my interpretation. Maybe there is a different antidepressant that operates on the same chemical principles?

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I agree whole heartedly with this statement. I usually use dance as a way of producing endorphins in my brain and keeping myself in shape, more free from emotional pain, and my confidence up. Lately though, I Havnt had the money to go to classes and have slowly been falling into a more depressed state. It's somewhat off and on but I've become very self critical, jealous, and almost hopeless at times. Hydro helps me feel relief from this but I still realize that its a horrible habit and addiction to pick up. I know how "anything that helps" feels and I am fighting to avoid it myself but its not a good thing to pick up, get into, and simply accept.

Happiness is earned. For some of us its a harder task than others but I believe that there are much better alternatives out there. Be strong you guys. I'm with you.

Ps: I also need to be careful of its effects on the liver because of a pre existing liver condition so I guess I have extra motivation.

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I was agreeing with Tony if the site does not show that...

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I read what you said Tony. I'm not mad or anything but I'm curious about something. Are you now or have you ever been diagnosed with depression

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yes, it defenitly helps me, which is why I came to this page! I have been on antidepressants for quite a long time. I have alwasy been self medicating myself and without getting high, I have found that hydrocodine makes me actually feel normal. no anxiety, No wanting to stay in bed. My depression is not the suicidal type but I have no energy, mental energy, really, and I tend to fade away from the public. I take a vicodine> tow at most in the morning and I'm good to go. This is only something I have found that works for me and I am trying to find out more about it. Anybody dealing with depression, I DO NOT advise you to self medicate like I do. It can be dangerous and and there are different types of depression. I am trying to get more info so I can talk with my doc. and stop treating this myself.

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I am 65. Over the last 30 years,have been diagnosed with dysthymia, fibromyalgia, Cushing's Syndrome, osteoarthritis, bi-polar disorder, and PTSD.

I, too, was prescribed myriad drugs with varying degrees of success.... Until one fine Saturday afternoon while working in the yard, and an errant branch scratched my cornea. The ER doc prescribed Vicodin... and PRESTO!!! My GP let me stay on it because "Studies show it is not so addictive in people over 50," and "As long as you do not start coming to me asking for more... offering excuses..." That was nearly EIGHT YEARS ago, and I, too, thought I'd found a Godsend. But on April 4, 2013, I saw my doctor again and told him I'd figured out I have to get off the drug.

It seemed a miracle cure -- and for me, it was -- for quite a while. But what I'd finally figured out was that it had probably stopped working about two years earlier, I'd developed a new set of symptoms (besides the incessant constipation), and what I thought was the old pains coming back was actually a combination of hydrocodone side effects and withdrawal. And I still had bouts of depression and pain towards the end!

The addiction was slow and insidious. Withdrawal was shocking. And I was usually staying one, on good days, two, pills below my prescription level! I am now battling sleeplessness, which I understand can last for months after total withdrawal, but I have no plans to ever take that drug again. (And I think I burned the bridge by telling my doctor I needed to quit, anyway).

My advice: Do NOT use hydrocodone long term, no matter how great a cure it seems to be, and even if you can stay within the original prescription level -- unless you only plan on living another six or seven years. Otherwise, I suspect the joy WILL eventually end, and you'll be worse off than when you started.

On an encouraging note, although I've been mostly vegetarian for many years, I also went vegan about a week before tapering off the hydro. I now strongly suspect that food, particularly poultry and dairy products, was a major source of my pain. At least TRYa vegan diet for a month or two first!

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A long time ago, I used to think along those lines also. But Vicodin will "backfire" on you and leave you so sad and depressed again. It's a very deceiving drug. Extremely helpful in so many cases, but it will mess you up if you are seriously, clinically depressed. If not right away, then in a few years. It just happens. You need to recognize the difference in real happiness and artifical effects of fake happiness. It is sooo very hard, I know. I've been there. You've asked a very good question that I'm sure many folks have wanted to ask!

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Three years later! Thats wonderful. You are a great example of how this stuff is supposed to work.

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I was diagnosed in 2006 with depression,and severe anxiety. Immediately my Doc put me on paxil,and Ativan. Ativan does help when I start having an attack. However,the paxil just makes me feel worse,like a zombie. No emotion, Don't care about anything usually.aa No help with depression at all from it. Recently I had diverticulitis. My doc gave me hydrocodone #10 for pain before finally being admitted into hospital. While taking 10mg once a day,my anxiety left. No panic attacks and trying to breath. I felt better than I had in years without a "High" This was my 2nd round of diverticulitis,and 2nd time to use Hydrocodone However,he would not let me try it as an alternative for my severe depression saying he could get into trouble
prescribing it to me on a long term basis. Now,he is looking at changing me from Paxil to something else. I tried to just quit the paxil, but immediately starting experiencing withdrawals, mini seizures. Stuck between a rock and a hard place

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Hydrocodone is only good for a stop gap. People with high chemical resistance such as my self can only take it short term. The drug works great for a short time and is highly addictive. So its good if your severely suffering to get a one or two day break from symptoms. I found thc (cannabis) to be better. Its effects are residual so one session of it can last me nearly two weeks before needing it again. So we are talking 1/2 a joint every two weeks. Since I am only using it for medicine its all I need.

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hope you are doing well. See my Doc tomorrow for changing out my paxil for something else. I have it so bad,I have been put out of work for the 1st time in 30 years. something has to give.

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You're wrong about the etiology of depression. And saying yourself you've suffered with it for years just goes to show you really don't know how best to treat it either. I agree that you must keep a great attitude as much as you can, and many other factors play into it also. However, depression (and anxiety too) do have a basis in our chemical/neurological/nervous systems, making the condition largely out of our control much of the time. That's why we're all on here even having this conversation. I agree hydrocodone does produce a feeling of well-being, which is why my brother became an addict and eventually died from his addictions, but it was not hydrocodone that was involved at that time. I have safely used lortab for an extended period of pain, and no longer take it. Fortunately, Effexor does work for me, but I can't disagree with anybody that it makes you feel as though things are better in this world. The funny thing is that I've heard people - and I want to say especially doctors - use the term "euphoric" when describing the pleasurable feelings it invokes, but I've never enjoyed "euphoria", just a general sense of well-being, and never felt "high". I can't speak for other opiods, but this one in particular is probably the safest of them all.

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Wow. I'm just stunned at finding this thread! I had no idea this was a possible treatment until I just googled 'hydrocodone for depression' an hour ago. And the reason being...I've been in & out of a deep depression for weeks. Struggling with it all my life since childhood. All the similar stories - unable to find help. Various diagnoses. SO many trials of different drugs - sometimes a little help, sometimes none. Bad side effects. Good effects wore off. Diet. Research. Pleas for help. Last night after hours of sobbing, my mind crazed with hallucinations and dark spinning, truly in agony...and no one who has never experienced it has no idea..as I think most of you know. Fighting wishes of death to end the pain, I thought 'I've got to get sleep'. The only thing I had was a bottle of Hydrocodone that I'd gotten after surgery & not used. I thought - 'Maybe it'll help me sleep." & took one. I felt peace. And slept. This morning the nausea & pain began to harden in me again, & I took one more to go back to sleep. And in a few minutes I realized my mind had calmed again. For the first time in hours I was not sobbing, my body could move, I could think. Holy Toledo! I've been researching, reading, tring to find answers for 50 years! And yes, tried the 'recreational drug' route. But I had never heard of the chemical reaction of opiates. I will be careful. I know what drugs can do. But this has at least given me hope.
What those who post saying - get some exercise. Do happy things! don't understand is how weak and paralyzed you are when this slams you. It doesn't make any difference how many methods you know that will help - you can barely breathe. I can breathe this morning. i can see the sun shining. I can feel joy. Amazing. I will be studying and working with this. Thank you all.

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HalfShellie - I want to thank you so much for your posts on here. If you are still active here, you can read mine from today - 1/2/14. I would love to know how you are doing now. Thanks again.

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A few years back I fell into a slump. My entire world collapsed around me. I lost my job. Discovered my wife was having an affair and was diagnosed with cancer all within 2 months. To make matters worse it was right around the holidays which has always been a difficult time for me. I have always suffered with moderate to light depression but was always able to maintain to a certain degree. I got to where I didn't even feel like myself anymore. Didn't want to work. Didn't want to do chores. Didn't even want to play with my kids. The walls were literally closing in on me from every direction. I couldn't breathe anymore. All I could think about was how things got so bad so quick. Finally through some help from some close friends I went to get help. I started on Paxil. That was the most awful drug I've ever taken. Made me feel like a zombie. Them on to Zoloft. Wellbutrin. Effexor. None of it worked. In fact it seemed to do the exact opposite. After having surgery to remove a malignant tumor my doctor prescribed me loritab 10's. The pain was rough for awhile but I began to notice that I felt like my old self again. Was able to get out more and do the things I needed and wanted to do. Had 10X more energy and ambition. Like most of you I too feel that hydrocodone is the only thing that helps severe depression and is the only reason I'm still here today. My only advise is to maintain a high level of caution while using this drug and use extreme discipline because one is never enough. If you're not careful you will find yourself taking more than is needed for depression. I've heard stories of people taking as many as 15-20 a day. If used properly this mediation is worth it's weight in gold. If abused the effects can be catastrophic. I am now a 2&1/2 year cancer survivor that is happily divorced and climbing the ranks of a new job. My best advice to anyone whose experiencing any of what I went through is to never give up hope. Never quit. There's always a way out you just have to find it and work toward it.

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I take Oxycodone, but it's really ROXYcodone No Tylenol. I mentioned earlier that I can only that since I have liver damage (which was from taking Simvastatin for cholesterol and the enzymes were up to 723!). I could have died. Now they are at 143. I have gotten so that if I take that and it helps me or Modafinil (please all with Major Depression, I urge you to check that out. I get it overseas w/ out a prescription, but my Doctor knows about it) or whatever, I don't even care what the long term effects are. With the Major Depression in full force for me, I WASN'T LIVING, I WAS EXISTING! Good luck to everyone on what you take. Please be careful of the addiction of some of these medications. Thanks for reading.

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