Taking Hydrocodone For Depression (Page 6) (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 have been on over 40 diff meds since I was 14, and I am 30, for bipolar and PTSD and can tell you from experience that I honestly have had the worstside effects from many meds and was perscribed every benzo their was toward the end which are horribly addictive and caused me to just sleep, made me irritable and angry, some meds made me suicidal, others I had severe reactions to. None worked. I was put on hydrocodone for swimmers ear and realized that I was able to function like a normal human being, like not only get out of bed and shower but be an active part of my kid's lives, very active. I also take care of my mother full time whom has stage 4 cancer. I only take one 10/325 in the morning. I have never up'd my dose. I disagree that it is any different then any other crazy med that I have been put on and it is the only one that has EVER worked. I have never been able to be a happy, normal, productive person so exuse me if I don't give a s*** about whether it is addictive cause I have been on tons of meds that were either addictive or had horrible side effects. Hydrocodone is no worse and the only thing that has worked so I take it as I would any other psych med.

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That would be so great, as I know it is the only thing that has ever helped me feel normal. I had 2 kidney surgeries and hydrocodone was given to me. I had quite a lot left over several yrs. ago and have only used 1/2 pill every other day. It has made such a difference in my life. But now I am almost out and I know that no dr. will ever prescribe this for me even though the antidepressant drugs do not help me. So, I am very happy for you that this is helping you and you feel better - my question is this: how do you get the medication? What do you do if you run out?

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I have fibromyalgia, hashimoto's disease and depression. I took methadone for pain for 2 years. The entire time my pain and my depression was 100% better. I never abused the drug or felt it had stopped working. It also never made me high like Vicodin did. It just helped me incredibly. I stopped taking it with mild withdrawals. I was afraid it would hurt my body with longterm use, but my depression and pain have been severe since I stopped. It has been about 3 years since I stopped. I have been thinking about the side effects and some of the anti-depressants have terrible side effects and don't seem to work. So I am hoping that some pharmaceutical company somewhere will come up with a study of opiates to treat depression. I think it is a good thing, but with all of the abuse and controversy over these medication I doubt it will ever happen.

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I agree with you 100%. It resolves depression completely for me however nobody will prescribe it.

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I have suffered incredibly from depression for 40 years and hard work will not get you out of it. I have been on every anti-depressant on the market and some that are not. I have had Deep Brain Stimulation and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and both failed. Luvox is the only med that has worked for me and it was miraculous. It only lasted a few years. When I fractured my hip I went on Vicodin. It made a amazing difference in my depression and anxiety. My Psychiatrist did not want me to stop it but, it is an opiate. What can you do?

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Hydrocodone and oxycodone are made from Thebaine--it is the only NONNARCOTIC part of the poppy plant and it actually a stimulant though doctors refuse to acknowledge that.

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Absolutely,yes! After 2 surgeries,I began to notice after I took my dose for pain the heavy cloud of depression was lifted. I have been treated for depression for 30 years...taken all the meds, cognitive therapy...everything. the only bad part is I know it will never be prescribed for an " off label" It would be so wonderful to live life like everyone else but I have a feeling it won't be prescribed for help with depression.

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I took Hydrocodone 10/325 for years before my doctor switched me to Oxycodone but I did notice it greatly helped my depression symptoms. Although it was prescribed for pain, I did notice it significantly reduced my depression so long as I was able to take regular doses every 6 hours or so. Only thing is I dont believe doctors would ever prescribe Hydrocodone for that particular symptom and would instead elect to prescribe a medication specifically designed for that :>/

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You are so right
This is the bottom line:)

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I completely agree but once you stop the hydrocodone...you will fall into a great depression and it is so hard....even friends I have went through it as well. It's really better that I would have chosen something else for pain. Kicking this addiction was extremely hard for me. I've been clean for a little over a year now but still fighting the depression. I'm reading a book...Better Brain, Younger Life. This is a big help. It will let you know that the only way to a better life is treating your brain right. Daniel Amen is the author. You should read it. I love this book and I've started to proceed in what this Dr. recommends after I've stopped the Hydro. over a year ago.
Life is too short and if you love it.....protect it before you loose it to a stupid opiate.

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While it's unfortunate that someone became depressed after stopping Hydrocodone, this doesn't mean NO ONE should ever take it for pain. I've taken it several times over the decades for pain (for weeks, not months or years) and have never had any difficulty discontinuing it or experienced any post-Vicodin (hydrocodone) depression. (Oddly, it never reduced my pain in the least!) It's unfair to assume that one's experience with a medication will be the experience of everyone who takes it. This assumption could potentially leave someone in pain because they're told that these negative effects will extend to ALL who take it, which is not true. It's similar to those people who think Oxycontin shouldn't be manufactured because someone they know abused it and/or overdosed on it. We have friends whose teenaged daughter overdosed on Tylenol and died. So should we push to eliminate the production of Tylenol? Here's another side of the story--Oxycontin has saved my life, has given me a life.. It's enabled me to live beyond sitting huddled in my recliner under heating pads, praying for death because the agony is so great. It's enabled me to be active, travel, visit and play with my grandkids--in other words, to HAVE a life other than simply living in horrific pain 24/7. That's because I'm a pain patient, not a drug abuser and treat opioids as medication to be taken as legally prescribed, not as a "fun" drug. (BTW - I've NEVER experienced any kind of "high" from these!) It's unfortunate that some people have negative experiences with certain medications. It's unfortunate that some people are abusers who obtain and take these medications illegally and inappropriately. These are the people who make it hard on those of us who suffer daily with terrible, incurable pain that is otherwise untreatable and who have been saved by such medications. We need to stop punishing the victims of such pain by operating under the assumption that there is no difference between pain sufferers and drug abusers. Right now in our country, opioids are being regulated as though pain patients and drug abusers/dealers are all the same, written to supposedly decrease the amount of illegal drug use. The truth is that making the laws continually more restrictive only hurts the true pain patient who is struggling to do things "by the book" to control their pain; drug abusers seem to always find a way to get what they want. And the reality is that, in spite of continually tightening existing laws and making new ones that make it more difficult for pain patients to control their suffering, the "drug problem" is not one tiny fraction better. These actions are simply something the FDA/DEA/CDC are doing to make it appear they're doing something about all the illegal drug use in this country, to make themselves look good. And they don't seem to care who they hurt in that process. They and others who call for ceasing the production of what are "miracle drugs" to those of us in pain are the people of whom Samuel Johnson, an 18th century writer/philosopher spoke when he said, "THOSE WHO DO NOT FEEL PAIN SELDOM THINK THAT IT IS FELT." So true.

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I got an email from this site recently about a post I made back in December 2015 asking if fentanyl really was 80 times stronger than morphine for cancer pain. I never got a reply so I forgot about it. Then after getting the recent email, I clicked the link and it took me to a string of posts about people who wonder if they should be taking hydrocodone/lortab/vicodin for depression/anxiety.

Back in the 1950's, hydrocodone was prescribed for depression/anxiety on a regular basis by doctors. It did a wonderful job making patients feel better. Then, people eventually started abusing it and so doctors became wary of prescribing it for anything other than short term bad pain (like after surgery) or long term chronic pain from disease. I have been on it off and on for over 20 years and nothing has ever worked as well to alleviate my awful depression. The problem I had with anti depressants and anti anxiety meds was (1) it takes a very long time for them to work and (2) when they do work, they don't work all that well and (3) the side effects are horrendous. When I take a lortab for depression, it works very well, works immediately, and there are no side effects at all except for some constipation that I can control with lots of water and OTC stool softeners. I think it's a crying shame that people can't get what obviously works so well.

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Yes! I am a certified pharmacy tech and in pain management. Once my pain was addressed all symptoms of depression or inability to do anything went away and it is true...........antidepressants will cause actual drug withdrawal. Been there done that!

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Now the cdc just came out with guidelines for prescribing opioid for chronic pain. They are so worried about over prescribing, this is going to have a very negative impact on those that truly need them.

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This whole war against pain medication is ridiculous. The result is going to be,people turning to the black market. People will do whatever they believe necessary,to find relief from pain.

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I have to lay down on heating pad now that my medications have been taken away by Gov. Scott in FL. Gained 50 lbs. Can't have any social life i'm in so much god forsaken pain just typing this. What happened to torture being illegal in America? Oh that's right, I'm not a terrorist, just disabled from previous denial of medical care from lying thieving medicaid program. Now my hope has been taken away. So yes less pain, less depression, and lower blood pressure.

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Hi, I also get that relief with vicodin......my psychiatrist asked me if I ever did coke? Yes in my late high schools days early 20s....his reply was when first discovered it was used for a antidepressant until people started dying and over dosing from it.....I thought that was really interesting to be told.... I too have tried all antidepressants, combinations of things, etc...I started vicodin in 09 for osteoarthritis and neck injury.... haven't been very depressed either...

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Extended release opiates gave me hypothyroidism and now with regular Oxycodone (which increases T levels and gives energy) gone...I pinned to couch like a frkkn invalid...I hate it!!

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I totally agree with you. There has been concerted effort to remove opiates from the formulary. Definitely no one wants addicts but there is some pain that is not taken care of with 2 aspirins . My hip and knee are bone on bone. Sometimes I just can't function..
I can promise you this is government /big pharma related.

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Jesus and God bless all on this page always in Prayer for everyone go to Jesus and God for everything Jesus and God bless everyone goodnight

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