If you take Vicodin for back pains (or other types of pains) for a long period of time (>1 year) and you want to give up using it after taking it for such long time, you should consider the Vicodin withdrawal side-effect.

The Vicodin withdrawal side-effect happens if you stop using it abruptly after a prolonged use, which manifests differently for everyone varying in intensity on the degree of the Vicodin addiction you had. As an example, symptoms of Vicodin withdrawal may grow stronger for 24-72 hours but gradually decline after a period of 7-14 days.

The best way to handle a possible Vicodin withdrawal symptom would be to discuss it first with your doctor, as they may have better advices for you given that he/she knows your health history better. However, one advice would be to slowly cut back using a little at a time, decreasing the amount of Vicodin you take each day by 50% every 4-5 days. Another advice would be to try taking 1 Vicodin pill every 2 days for a week, then 1/2 of a pill every 2 days of a week (in the next week) and so on until you gradually decrease the amount enough to simply quit using Vicodin.

However, as scary as withdrawal seems to be, it doesn’t pose any life risks just some inconveniences. Some possible side-effects during withdrawal might be: Runny nose, profuse sweating, excessive tears, shivering, nausea, sleeplessness, restlessness, tremors, abdominal cramping, bone pains, craving for Vicodin – you might feel some of these symptoms or none.

Another advice would be to have someone there for you to help you go through this (a friend) and help when craving is the strongest will.