Notices

Addicted to everything

Old 12-19-2011, 08:48 PM
  # 1 (permalink)  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Knoxvillt, TN
Posts: 7
Addicted to everything

My story: I used to like the very occasional pain pill when one was available. Then I got married and forgot about it. No big deal. Then, about 9 years ago, at age 32, I started having back problems. They prescribed Hydros. The back pain became more and more frequent, and so did the Hydros. Soon I started liking them, and of course abusing them. My 30 day scrip lasted 3 weeks, with 1 week of he'll and scrounging. Then 2 weeks, and then 1 week, with 3 weeks of he'll and scrounging. Tolerance hit and soon it was Percs. Same process with them. Fast forward to now, age 41. Monthly scrips for MS Contin, Percs, Hydros, and Lyrica (which I abuse the **** out of). Of course, abuse em all, run out early, and then suffer and scrounge. Met Roxys in 2008 and loved them WAY too much. When they did nothin for me, I was spending $600 a day to just not dry out. Got introduced to snorting them to get around tolerance. When I came off them, I wanted to be dead. If I didnt have a wife and children that I love dearly, I'm sure I would be. I now abuse ambien bc I couldn't sleep. I am slipping further down the slope and I am scared. I'm still on my pain meds and I simply can't control myself. I can't control myself with any of it. And then when I use mine up, I'm out scrounging and really suffering. And I still have the chronic back pain, so I can't just quit. HELP please!
Hangin is offline  
Old 12-19-2011, 08:55 PM
  # 2 (permalink)  
Guest
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 328
You need to go to your Dr. He/she will set you up on a plan to stop tappering off. It took a LONG time for me to get off all my pills, but when you are taking that many, it is very important not to just stop taking them. It must be monitered by your doctor, and it is a slow process. If you are getting them illegally, you need to let your Dr know about those too, and how much. I wish you the best of luck. I know how hard it is.
bozboz is offline  
Old 12-20-2011, 06:50 AM
  # 3 (permalink)  
FT
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 3,677
Hi Hangin,

Beware of convincing yourself about the chronic pain. I know, I know, me, too. I have severe osteoarthritis in all my joints, and I had both knees replaced a couple of years ago. That's what bought me my ticket on the oxy hell ride.

Besides fearing I might die from withdrawals, I feared pain off oxys the most. Yes, severe pain brought me here. Chronic pain I suffered with for years before AND after the fake knees. I didn't know about something called "hyperalgesia" when I was started on this crap.

When you quit opiates, your pain only SEEMS worse, and in fact IS worse -- for awhile. Opiates actually lower your pain threshold, making you feel pain more easily and more acutely than if you were not on them. The lowered pain threshold does reset back to normal levels after you give your pain receptors a chance to adjust.

You may be convincing yourself to continue to be an opiate user. Be careful of that.

FT
FT is offline  
Old 12-20-2011, 12:14 PM
  # 4 (permalink)  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Knoxvillt, TN
Posts: 7
I have read that before and actually have experienced that before during w/d. However, I wasn't aware of the lowered pain threshold. Only that it would make it more intense. How well do u do with your pain now? I, like you have that 2nd worst fear about the chronic pain that remains. Thank you so much for your helpful reply
Hangin is offline  
Old 12-20-2011, 12:32 PM
  # 5 (permalink)  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Knoxvillt, TN
Posts: 7
Prior message was to FT
Hangin is offline  
Old 12-20-2011, 01:35 PM
  # 6 (permalink)  
FT
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 3,677
Hi Hangin,

The way I deal with my pain now is with very limited use of anti-inflammatories, because they don't help me much with bone on bone arthritis. I do use heat, sometimes ice.

What I have found the MOST useful is to continue to MOVE. I try to do range of motion exercises, stretching, walking, and I ride a mountain bike because I can't over tax the fake knees.

I found I have LESS pain without opiates than I did ON opiates. The opiates made me retain fluid in my joints, which made my pain worse. I've also lost a bunch of weight, which the oxys made me gain, and that has helped a lot.

Oh, I am prescribed neurontin for neurogenic pain, but it doesn't seem to do much. But then, I take very little of it because I don't want the side effects, which are also fluid retention and weight gain. Can't win with drugs, so I go around them.

FT
FT is offline  
Old 12-20-2011, 02:57 PM
  # 7 (permalink)  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Knoxvillt, TN
Posts: 7
FT, thank you for the advice. I don't move around a ton, so that could be alot of my problem. I used to be rather pain tolerant. Hadn't been to a Dr in probably 10 years before this stuff hits almost 9 years ago now. Now, if I feel the slightest twinge back there, I run for my scrip bottles, where I promptly take about 4 times what I am supposed to of each med. sometimes it's eight times as much of each. Real safe, I kno. I feel like such an idiot after, bc I kno at the end of the month I'm gonna be out and absolutely dyin in every way possible. Thanks so much for the input. Having someone to talk to about it seems to help
Hangin is offline  
Old 12-20-2011, 05:01 PM
  # 8 (permalink)  
Member
 
keepstrong's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: NJ
Posts: 66
Look into Rolfing. Myofascial Release. Trigger Point Therapy. Go to Barnes and Noble, read The Trigger Point Therapy workbook . Find someone who specializes.

Consider you may have knotted muscles, pinched nerves, and now compressed joints and that its throwing off your body much like a car might drive strange after an accident.

Consider that pills cannot remove the actual physical issue of pain, just the symptom of pain temporarily. Consider that the issue is treatable without surgery, or pills.

Consider there's an incredible amount of factual proven working science behind all this that most doctors don't know about, and simple old recovering alkie Keepstrong knows a tremendous amount about, but most people don't believe or even try.

It is starting to gain traction a bit in the medical industry, including hospitals like the one near me (Overlook), but has a long way to go.

I am a certified CMT. I was exclusively trained in something called Connective Tissue Therapy and not massage despite the title. Not trying to sell you anything, its just something that worked for my Repetitive Strain Injury, and I decided to learn it. It may or may not work for you depending on your own history, but its worth looking into. In fact, with that book I mentioned above, it will show you how to treat issues on yourself, although some spots are hard to reach. Feel free to ask me as many questions as your brain can think up, and ill be happy to answer them factually, honestly, and to the best of my ability.
keepstrong is offline  
Old 12-20-2011, 05:32 PM
  # 9 (permalink)  
Member
 
keepstrong's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: NJ
Posts: 66
By the way, the lowered pain threshold is very real and happens with alcohol too. The pain relief I got temporarily from alcohol was nothing compared to the sober pain that followed. The substance is making the sensation worse despite temporary relief, it throws off your threshold.
keepstrong is offline  
Old 12-20-2011, 06:51 PM
  # 10 (permalink)  
Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Knoxvillt, TN
Posts: 7
Keepstrong, t/y so-so much for the reply. The info I have gotten from you and FT already gives me mOre hope than I have had in years that I might be able to have a life without drugs AND without at least debilitating pain. I guess if I could get that, the rest is up to me, huh? Keepstrong, I really appreciate the invite for the questions and I will certainly take yOu up on it. Thanks again
Hangin is offline  
Old 12-20-2011, 08:35 PM
  # 11 (permalink)  
Member
 
keepstrong's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: NJ
Posts: 66
No problem. I'm not a magician, but the work is like magic if it applies to your situation. Biggest key is reading the book, looking everywhere on your body for problem spots, doing it consistently, and if you need a person to do it, find a pro in one of the modalities I listed. Key word pro. A pro has a sense where to look and how to apply. But don't be afraid to do of yourself, it hurts while youre doing it because you're pressing on nerves while you clear out the gunk, but there are nearly zero residual downsides except a little soreness, if you press too hard or for too long. Again, feel free to ask, I'm an open book
keepstrong is offline  

Currently Active Users Viewing this Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off




All times are GMT -7. The time now is 03:13 PM.