Taking Hydrocodone For Depression (Page 20) (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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I think it is a Miracle drug. I have been on it for close the 3 years and the most I have had in one day would be 4 10mg. When I don't have it my social anxiety and my IB syndrome comes back full force, but when I do take it my bowel movements are normal, my social anxiety goes away and it actually makes me think faster. Also no depression at all. I feel like I want to accomplish things which I do. I Wish they would make them over the counter just so I could see a hope for my present and my future.

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Yes hydrocodone Works great for depression I want to figure out how to get it for depression to

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Hello Everyone,

I have read many of your posts and appreciate your input.

To get right to the point, I currently take Hydrocodone for chronic pain. I have tried nearly every type of medication available and none has worked like Hydrocodone. No brainer! With that said, Hydrocodone does, indeed, elevate my mood and decrease my depression levels, too. However, I know I could never rely on Hydrocodone as an anti-depressant because I know it starts to wear off within hours and it results in terrible withdraws that make me feel even more depressed! As much as I would love to rely on it as an anti-depressant, I know I could never due to its withdraw symptoms (even one day).

My question is how do those of you avoid building a tolerance to Hydrocodone? How do you cope with withdraw symptoms if you run out (for even one day)? How do you avoid becoming addicted?

Kudos to you that you can rely on Hydrocodone as an anti-depressant. I wish I could, but I know what the repercussions could be for me . . .

Your input is much appreciated!!

Jasmine

Hydrocodone acts as an opiate by binding to specific receptors (neurotransmitters) in the brain that control mood. The opiates cause the neurotransmitters to fire at a high rate, thus producing more dopamine than your brain is used to. This results in an elevated mood and a decrease in depression for many of us. However, the effect wears off very quickly, resulting in the need to increase the dose quite often.

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I feel exactly the same. I am productive and get all sorts of things accomplished. Help my daughter with homework and get excited about life. But running out of meds is no joke the withdraw is terrible. I never take more than three a day but everyone convinces me to get off of the hydro. When I do I start sinking....FYI for those that say just go exercise....I pay a personal trainner for top care and excercise six days a week..

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Did you ever find any research that explains or promotes the understanding of hydro and depression positive benefits?

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Hi Hydrorelief,

There is a wealth of information that supports the science that Hydrocodone (opiate) elevates mood! While Hydrocodone is a magical medication that elevates mood, it is not typically prescribed for depression or anxiety. Most medical doctors know that Hydrocodone (opioids) wear off quite quickly, thus resulting in the need for an individual to take more in order to maintain the same effect. Over time, the individual inevitably builds up a tolerance to Hydrocodone, thus resulting in the need to increase the overall dosage. At one point, the individual will need to take more and more in order to achieve the same effect which is not only dangerous, but also can lead to the inevitable and dreadful withdraw effects, should the individual choose to decrease his or her dosage or stop all together. Many times individuals "run out" of their prescriptions and are forced to endure horrible withdraw effects. In short, this is why medical doctors do not prescribe Hydrocodone as an anti-depressant. It is highly addictive and will cause more depression via withdraws. It becomes a vicious cycle.

This is what I have been told by several doctors. This is what I have experienced. And, this is what I have learned from extensive research.

Please, feel free to share any other information you find on this subject. I am always open to hear other opinions:)

Sincerely,
Jasmine

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Oxycodone relieves my depression. I have treatment resistant depression, and no medication I have ever been on for depression, no shock therapy and the Vagus Nerve Stimulator didn't help my depression. This does. As long as I take it as prescribed, I am going to consider it a gift that I get relief. When/If I don't need it for pain anymore, I will go back to laying in bed doing nothing like I used to.

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I've noticed the same thing. Was on vicodin for 1.5 years, back injury. Lost insurance, went off of it. Withdrawls weren't bad. Then i lost my job, cared for my mom while she died of cancer, and afterwards a severe v depression with anxiety set in. Shrink tried multiple ssri's, ssni's, etc that have eased the anxiety but not the depression. Iv recently regained insurance and am restarting back treatment. Started back on vicodin and immediately noted a lift of my mood, more energy, clearer thinking. All of the the things the anti depressants were supposed to do. I was not high, I just felt like me again. I do not get the same results from other opiates. So I'm wondering if there's some science to it... that whatever is triggering the imbalance in my brain is balanced by the vicodin but not the other standard depression meds. Yes it is habit forming, you become dependent on it( there's a huge divergence between dependency and addiction) but guess what? You also become dependent on anti depressants, and the withdrawl from those are often worse than withdrawal from opiates. Or perhaps from being on vicodin for so long, that IT altered my brain chemistry permanently, which fed into the onset of my depression even though I'd been off of the vicodin for months... and now only the vicodin works to relieve it.

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Hi Cat,

I completely understand where you are coming from. My Hydrocodone helped elevate my mood better than any type of anti-depressant! Even though I am in no position to tell someone what medication they should or should not take, I would take an Opiate type of medication, too, if I were resistant to the positive effects of anti-depressants. No joke.

However, my point was that doctors do not typically prescribe Opiate type medications for depression because they are not only highly addictive, but they also have such a short-term effect which requires the individual to take them more often than say, an anti-depressant.

Regarding the science behind brain chemistry, many individuals, such as myself, are simply born with brain chemistry that lacks normal levels of Serotonin or Dopamine or maybe has too much or too little P Source. So, when people like me take an Opiate type of medication, the Opiate effect fulfills the reward system in the brain for "mood" by producing more Serotonin and Dopamine, thus resulting in the feeling of an elevated mood or even simply a "normal" mood, instead of depression.

Regarding Opiate withdraws, most people who take Opiate based medication would agree that Opiate withdraw is not easy. Sure, not everyone may feel the same physical or mental effects when decreasing it or stopping it all together, but for most of those who depend on Opiate based medication, they know that Opiate withdraw is notoriously dreaded.

Regarding anti-depressant withdraws, sure people will feel withdraws from them, too. However, the withdraws are not the same as Opiate withdraws because they are simply two different types of medications with different withdraw symptoms.

In short, kudos to you if you can take your medication responsibly and avoid becoming addicted. It is not easy for me!

Sincerely,

Jasmine

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Tony,
All due respect, but you are apparently unaware that depression is not a choice. It is a lack of dopamine production from the brain. If your brain doesn't produce enough there is no other way you can feel. This attitude is one we deal with constantly in our lives of judgment by the uninformed, which only serves to make a difficult situation tougher. Thats like telling a cancer patient to just choose not to have it and it'll all be better. As they say; its better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than to open your mouth and prove it.

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I have been addicted to hydrocdone for maybe 7-8 months. I took maybe 5 at the most a day. On feb 28th I decided to go cold turkey, 29th still none. March 1st I couldn't deal with how depressed I was. So I took one and a half, today march 2nd I just took my last one and a half. Is Tomo going to be worse? I am overthinking and really wished this feelin I have will go away! I feel like it will never end. What's in store for me? Will everything be okay?

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THIS IS TRUE. I've been Hydrocodone free since Oct. 2013. My company folded and I became unemployed for the 1st time in 30 years thereby losing my BCBS insurance.
I went from taking 1 or 2 a day to 4-5. A prescription for 30 would be gone in 5-6 days.
My withdrawals lasted about 3 weeks,but once they were gone and my doctor adjusted my paxil and ativan,I feel ok. Not great but ok. I gained employment and just stay busy which keeps me from really thinking about them anymore.

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I am so glad that I have found this thread!!! I suffer with depression with anxiety and soon to be dx and put on the right medications. I visited with my Dr yesterday and I have felt bad in the past for feeling "normal" when I have taken Loritab for pain. I explained this to the Dr and his reply was hmmm. I assured him that I was not seeking to get this medication. I was in hopes that it might help them to dx me and to get me on the right medications. I thought I was the only one that has felt this way..

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The only problem I see with using hydrocodone to help depression is that the opiates will eventually cause more or start depression in a person. I have been addicted to opiates for over 15 years. They have brought on depression for me.

Although I am now on methadone for 3 months now, my depression has gone away for the most part. I am not stating that hydrocodone will bring on depression but am just giving my experience and that it brings depression if I where to take it now.

I hope this keeps helping you but I'd be careful with it as a solution as it may backfire on you.

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Hello Cat,

Wow! The things we find out about ourselves can be astonishing!

Perhaps, learning that you were given Laudanum as an infant/child can help make some sense as to why your body responds the way it does to Opiates!

It appears that Opiate addiction is a genetic element that runs in my family. My grandmother and aunt were addicted to pain killers and my cousin who was only 27 years-old overdosed on H. It is unfortunate to have a predisposition for opiate addiction. Some experts say that individuals can increase their serotonin and dopamine levels through various means: anti-depressants (which don't always work), exercise (sounds too simple, but it's true), and eating certain foods (spicy), and last, find a "flow" in life that is a calming, rewarding hobby or work of some kind.

I am not sure what you meant by the "shredded" medication statement. Does it have to do with a slow acting medication that has a time release to it?

Sincerely,

Jasmine

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I have taken hydrocodone at a very low dose for a few months. It really does work wonders. Depression also involves our natural opioid levels etc. I probably take too low a dose and would like to get off a couple of other psych meds, so I will ask my psych next week if I can slightly increase the dose and lower other meds.
Thanks

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I totally agree. And, I just detoxed myself off oxycodone--30 mgs. 3 times a day. I cut 15 mgs out a day for one week, and continued to do that until I wasn't on any. It sure wasn't easy. I was jittery, I was sweating all the time, and I wanted it so bad when my back was hurting so bad. The oxycodone did help depression. Now that I stopped and am taking anti-depressants, I still feel depressed, but I had to choose if I wanted to be addicted to a substance which would probably lead me to wanting to do street drugs. NO WAY!

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yes it does seem that use of lortab makes depression go away. However when you stop the drug, the depression only gets worse.

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I was taking vicodine for pain from an ankle injury ...and started to notice when i took it at work ,things seemed more managable and my mood became more positive . I started noticing a pattern ...then i googled it and found that they have started to use this as therapy for depression. I dont consider My self as a depressed Person ,but the vicodine really made my day more positive. I was taking the lowest dose of vicodine.

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Hydrocodine is much better for depression than other drepression meds.Just take 2 per day and stick with that amount and you will have very little withdrawal if you decide to get off of it.Diasapam and other drugs for drepression tend to cause mood changes while taking them and cause panick attacks when stopping.

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