Help! Spinal cord injury/opiate addiction.
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Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Los Angeles
Posts: 1
Help! Spinal cord injury/opiate addiction.
I hurt my neck more than two decades ago. For two months my neck was paralyzed (acute torticollis) and since then I've been in pain, 24/7, 365 days a year.
I have a cervical spinal stenosis, which is compressing nerves that radiate into my head, causing migraines once a week or so -- but it's the unending, constant moderate pain that is the worst. I've tried every conventional and unconventional treatment you can imagine, spent tens of thousands of dollars - but only drugs have proven effective in reducing pain. Currently, I take 3 Norco 10/325's per day, usually taking 1/2 a pill every 3-4 hours. That's 30 mg of hydrocodone per day, which gradually tends to creep up when my tolerance increases. I've tried to quit opiates (and gone through the hell most of you know about), but have always relapsed because my will to fight the pain eventually erodes in weeks or a few months. I really wish I could be drug free -- I feel like the pills make me foggy and undermine every aspect of my life -- is there anyone on this forum who suffers from chronic pain that has found a way to endure it without painkillers?
I have a cervical spinal stenosis, which is compressing nerves that radiate into my head, causing migraines once a week or so -- but it's the unending, constant moderate pain that is the worst. I've tried every conventional and unconventional treatment you can imagine, spent tens of thousands of dollars - but only drugs have proven effective in reducing pain. Currently, I take 3 Norco 10/325's per day, usually taking 1/2 a pill every 3-4 hours. That's 30 mg of hydrocodone per day, which gradually tends to creep up when my tolerance increases. I've tried to quit opiates (and gone through the hell most of you know about), but have always relapsed because my will to fight the pain eventually erodes in weeks or a few months. I really wish I could be drug free -- I feel like the pills make me foggy and undermine every aspect of my life -- is there anyone on this forum who suffers from chronic pain that has found a way to endure it without painkillers?
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Australia
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Hi lightlife
You may also like to visit our recovery and pain management forum
Recovery and Pain Management - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information
My pains obviously different in that I was born with it (nerve and joint issues due to cerebral palsy) and so I've never known any different really.
I went through 20 years of self medicating my pain - today, right now I use a light exercise plan I devised with my doctor, and some relaxation/meditation techniques rather than any painkillers beyond the occasional ibuprofen.
I encourage you to always keep looking at whatever might work - I try to keep an open mind
D
You may also like to visit our recovery and pain management forum
Recovery and Pain Management - SoberRecovery : Alcoholism Drug Addiction Help and Information
My pains obviously different in that I was born with it (nerve and joint issues due to cerebral palsy) and so I've never known any different really.
I went through 20 years of self medicating my pain - today, right now I use a light exercise plan I devised with my doctor, and some relaxation/meditation techniques rather than any painkillers beyond the occasional ibuprofen.
I encourage you to always keep looking at whatever might work - I try to keep an open mind
D
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