Withdrawal Symptoms???!
Question:
Withdrawal Symptoms???
After taking Vicodin and the Duragesic Patches for a couple of months, my grandmother seems to be having horrable withdrawal symptoms. Is there anything to help stop/prevent these symptoms? She pretty much went cold turkey. Is this seriously bad?
Answers:
Depending on her age and overall health, removing one's self from opiate pain relievers can have a few risks. You don't mention how long she's been off of them or the reason she was taking them in the first place, but weaning off them is a better idea, especially if her health is poor or if she has heart or lung problems.
Coming off of them cold turkey can cause cardiac palpitations, breathing problems, panic attacks, and quite possibly seizures and elevated blood pressure.
Encourage her to speak with the physician who prescribed these medications for her and seek an alternative way to stop using them. Although when used for pain management, addiction is not likely; however dependency is common and needs (or should be) medically supervised.
Peace and good luck to you (and your Grandmother),
Beki