How to Kick an Excedrin Addiction
Note telltale signs., Try to wean yourself., Ask family members for help., Avoid Excedrin in the future.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Note telltale signs.
Most people start taking Excedrin to control headaches.
But you can develop a dependency very quickly.
What happens is that Excedrin shuts off pain receptors in your brain, and these receptors become more sensitive the more you use the drug.
This means that you get “rebound” headaches without the drug.You can develop a dependence on Excedrin by using it as little as 15 days a month.Excedrin also contains about as much caffeine as a cup of coffee.
So, with regular use you can develop an addiction to caffeine, as well.You may therefore have two addictions: one to Excedrin as a pain reliever and another to caffeine.
Do you get headaches most days and often in the morning? Do these headaches go away with medicine but return once the medicine wears off? These are common signs of dependence to a pain reliever.
Listlessness, nausea, memory or concentration problems, and irritability are also symptoms. -
Step 2: Try to wean yourself.
Nip your habit in the bud if you notice that you are becoming dependent on Excedrin.
There are different ways to go about this.
You do not have to stop taking the drug entirely, as your body will need to adjust, and can slowly wean yourself.
There is also the harder “cold turkey” method.
To go cold turkey, just stop taking the drug.
You’ll be able to kick the habit quickly this way and will see just how much your body craves Excedrin.
The cold turkey method is very hard, though.
Prepare for severe withdrawal headaches lasting days or even weeks.
You may experience a loss of productivity because of them.
Many people give up under these circumstances.To wean yourself slowly, reduce the dosage of Excedrin you take each day.
The idea is to do this gradually so that your body becomes used to less and less until you are no longer taking the medication.
While the process will last longer than cold turkey, your withdrawal will not be as bad.
Expect your rebound headaches to improve 6 to 12 weeks after you’ve stopped taking medication entirely., Ask family, friends, or your partner for help if you are having trouble reducing your dosage of Excedrin.
Their help might be for moral encouragement or more practical, like if you are in withdrawal.
They will be more than happy to do so.
For example, you might have a family member or friend be your “pharmacist.” They can hide the pills and only allow you a set amount for that day.
Kind words and encouragement from family and loved ones is a great boost.
It also helps that they know what you’re experiencing, and why you might be irritable or not your usual self.
Loved ones can also help you with the weaning process.
You may be in bad shape for a few days with withdrawal.
Ask family or friends if they can provide food, for example, or pitch in with your errands.People who take prescription headache medicines like Imitrex often receive just 10 pills for the whole month, so you might consider having a family member "dispense" Excedrin to you in this way or limit yourself to 10 per month. , To prevent a relapse, stay away from the drug in the future once you’ve successfully detoxed and weaned yourself.
There are alternative over-the-counter medications that are less likely to cause addiction, such as Ibuprofen.
Talk to your doctor about other possible painkillers if you continue to have headaches or migraines.
She should be able to suggest an alternative.
Read drug labels in the future to see if they have addictive qualities, as well. -
Step 3: Ask family members for help.
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Step 4: Avoid Excedrin in the future.
Detailed Guide
Most people start taking Excedrin to control headaches.
But you can develop a dependency very quickly.
What happens is that Excedrin shuts off pain receptors in your brain, and these receptors become more sensitive the more you use the drug.
This means that you get “rebound” headaches without the drug.You can develop a dependence on Excedrin by using it as little as 15 days a month.Excedrin also contains about as much caffeine as a cup of coffee.
So, with regular use you can develop an addiction to caffeine, as well.You may therefore have two addictions: one to Excedrin as a pain reliever and another to caffeine.
Do you get headaches most days and often in the morning? Do these headaches go away with medicine but return once the medicine wears off? These are common signs of dependence to a pain reliever.
Listlessness, nausea, memory or concentration problems, and irritability are also symptoms.
Nip your habit in the bud if you notice that you are becoming dependent on Excedrin.
There are different ways to go about this.
You do not have to stop taking the drug entirely, as your body will need to adjust, and can slowly wean yourself.
There is also the harder “cold turkey” method.
To go cold turkey, just stop taking the drug.
You’ll be able to kick the habit quickly this way and will see just how much your body craves Excedrin.
The cold turkey method is very hard, though.
Prepare for severe withdrawal headaches lasting days or even weeks.
You may experience a loss of productivity because of them.
Many people give up under these circumstances.To wean yourself slowly, reduce the dosage of Excedrin you take each day.
The idea is to do this gradually so that your body becomes used to less and less until you are no longer taking the medication.
While the process will last longer than cold turkey, your withdrawal will not be as bad.
Expect your rebound headaches to improve 6 to 12 weeks after you’ve stopped taking medication entirely., Ask family, friends, or your partner for help if you are having trouble reducing your dosage of Excedrin.
Their help might be for moral encouragement or more practical, like if you are in withdrawal.
They will be more than happy to do so.
For example, you might have a family member or friend be your “pharmacist.” They can hide the pills and only allow you a set amount for that day.
Kind words and encouragement from family and loved ones is a great boost.
It also helps that they know what you’re experiencing, and why you might be irritable or not your usual self.
Loved ones can also help you with the weaning process.
You may be in bad shape for a few days with withdrawal.
Ask family or friends if they can provide food, for example, or pitch in with your errands.People who take prescription headache medicines like Imitrex often receive just 10 pills for the whole month, so you might consider having a family member "dispense" Excedrin to you in this way or limit yourself to 10 per month. , To prevent a relapse, stay away from the drug in the future once you’ve successfully detoxed and weaned yourself.
There are alternative over-the-counter medications that are less likely to cause addiction, such as Ibuprofen.
Talk to your doctor about other possible painkillers if you continue to have headaches or migraines.
She should be able to suggest an alternative.
Read drug labels in the future to see if they have addictive qualities, as well.
About the Author
Timothy Fisher
Experienced content creator specializing in creative arts guides and tutorials.
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