Posted: 6/24/2013 6:03:25 PM EDT
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A difficult subject for me, but I really hope I can reach someone out there. For post 25,000 - I want to encourage those who have gone down the same path that I did to make a change - you can do it -> I did it. The last pain pill I took was on April 11th. I had/have legitimate issues clearly verified by multiple MRIs and X-Rays that caused me to see a pain management doc over 5 years ago. I've also been bitten by a rattlesnake many years ago which I feel changed my brain/pain chemistry. I started off just asking for a couple a day - no problem at all. I could function again. Each year my tolerance built up such that I required more to achieve "relief". One day you wake up and face the fact that you either go to a whole new level - or get off the program. I recently chose to get off - a very difficult and final decision. I would wake up feeling horrible, and the meds only made me feel "normal" for a very brief time. I was now taking meds not for pain, but because I was taking meds. The meds hurt more than the pain, so I chose to fight pain, because I was losing the battle with meds. My pain management doc (a very legit practice, not a mill) has been very accommodating throughout the last 5 years, and now through this. Pretty much whatever I wanted (within reason). However, what started to be the answer to a problem - became a bigger problem and made me feel sick more than healthy. The PM doc gives me the impression that I am an exception to his regular patients who seek any reason to use more and more. It was really just a change in my attitude of realizing the meds had stopped helping. So, to make a long story short, I built up the courage to tell the doc I wanted off. I worked out a "detox" type deal which was fairly simple - but it required will power and maybe about $600. My doc says I'm "strong willed" - I suppose that's because it's so easy when you have a credible slot at a PM office to keep upping and upping. These openings are limited, the drugs are often cheap and easy to take - but there is a point where they can be a bigger problem than the pain. So now I exist on a lot of Ibuprofen, but actually less than before - it's the narcotics part I have stopped. I've even reduced the Ibuprofen to a large degree. If you are in a position where tolerance has exceeded the benefit, get off. It's not worth feeling horrible between doses. It's not worth worrying about some disaster preventing you from getting your scripts filled. It wasn't worth counting pills, counting days, calculating refill or office visit dates. It just wasn't worth it anymore - and I refuse to go to a level which I feel is just deeper. I really felt like I was cutting my remaining life in half. I've stayed away here from what I'm diagnosed with, and the various meds which I was prescribed - because I don't think my history is important. I could go right back on meds if I wanted - but that's going to have to wait until I'm terminal someday. Until then, I'm going to live narcotic free. The way I was, was not living - I was either coming down from a pill or going up on a pill. There are many who don't have the choice I do - and I make no judgment on others pain issues because I've been there and I know others have much worse levels and issues than I for a variety of legitimate reasons. Best wishes for a comfortable life, I know it sucks. A close family friend took 5 AK rounds in his legs and torso in Nam - he has no choice, and still has frequent surgeries. I understand. Many systems in my body have drastically improved in the last couple of months. I feel better, even though I still have pain issues the med issues were worse. The narcotics were not the long term answer. My wife and children supported and encouraged my decision but never once said I had any kind of drug problem. For a few weeks it was a bit of a battle, but I had resources and the support to do what I felt was right for me. I just wanted to stop feeling horrible between pills. If you too take meds, and now feel that you must take the meds basically because of the meds - and have been wishing it would end... it can. There are painless ways to end the cycle. All you have to do is decide that enough is enough. You need not check into some addition/detox place and spend $10K+ - that is bullshit. You just have to want it to stop, and discuss those options with your doc. There have to be some out there who are in the same boat I was, and I am talking directly to you. I am telling you what you already know. If the human body didn't build a tolerance to narcotics they would be a wonderful tool - but that's not the way it works. I really don't want to discuss this further, it's a personal thing. Just know that I did it, and so can you. I will not be posting further in this topic, and don't care if no one replies - I just hope I encourage the right person to think. Yay for me.... I survived 25,000 posts here on Arfcom!!  |
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This post is worth a bump. I see far too many people addicted to narcotics.
Only thing I would add to it is that as you build a tolerance to opiods you actually lose tolerance to pain and I see many people that have absolutely no pain tolerance because of many many years of addiction. Chronic narcotics are not the answer. The answer is exercise. |
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Quoted:
This post is worth a bump. I see far too many people addicted to narcotics. Only thing I would add to it is that as you build a tolerance to opiods you actually lose tolerance to pain and I see many people that have absolutely no pain tolerance because of many many years of addiction. Chronic narcotics are not the answer. The answer is exercise. |
Good for you. 
Narcotics have almost NO effect on me at all. That's a very bad thing when you want pain relief. I've taken as many as four vicodin and lots of vodka just to get some pain relief. The good thing is that there's no dependence, because it doesn't have much of an effect. A blessing in disguise I guess. My doc and I found a different drug (and simple arthritis/antiinflammatory) that treats my pain a billion times better than narcotics ever did, so I don't take narcotic pain meds any more. |
| Thanks for your post. I am recovering from rotator cuff repair and being as judicious as I can with the Lortabs. I had to hit them hard for several days and then pulled back. I have no doubts that with virtually unlimited access, I could get used to having them around. |