Recovery and Surgeries
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Georgia
Posts: 242
Recovery and Surgeries
Although I hit my one year off opiates recently, I broke my ankle on November 2nd, had surgery on Nov. 14th and my doctor insisted a take a few Percodan post-surgery which I did and then threw out the rest. I did well all through November. I did not even feel any "high effects" of the few Percodan I took post sugery.
All was well until about 2 weeks ago. I don't know if it is the weather, the fact that I have been unable to walk since the surgery and thus cannot take walks for exercise - or what, but the addict brain is rearing its ugly head again. I have been mostly housebound as well which does not help. In the past year, when I would hear the rumblings of the "voice", I would take a brisk walk and it worked miracles.
I seem to be experiencing a bit of depression; could not really shop this year, go to all church events, etc. I am trying to follow my doctor's instructions to keep weight off that foot until early January to ensure quality results.
For those of you who have had surgeries in the middle of recovery and could not get exercise and/or loss your mobility, what actions (other than NA/AA meetings or SR activity)did you take to rise above the "voice"?
All was well until about 2 weeks ago. I don't know if it is the weather, the fact that I have been unable to walk since the surgery and thus cannot take walks for exercise - or what, but the addict brain is rearing its ugly head again. I have been mostly housebound as well which does not help. In the past year, when I would hear the rumblings of the "voice", I would take a brisk walk and it worked miracles.
I seem to be experiencing a bit of depression; could not really shop this year, go to all church events, etc. I am trying to follow my doctor's instructions to keep weight off that foot until early January to ensure quality results.
For those of you who have had surgeries in the middle of recovery and could not get exercise and/or loss your mobility, what actions (other than NA/AA meetings or SR activity)did you take to rise above the "voice"?
Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 3,677
This is a huge fear of mine.
My husband would be devastated if I became addicted again, so would my kids. There is something inside of those of us who have had a taste of addiction that remembers the "good" part of addiction, and it calls to us periodically when our sometimes feeble attempts to over come a "bad day", or worse, a surgery or real pain of some kind, fall short of what we know (or believe anyway) would "fix" everything -- our good old drug or alcohol.
That line of thinking is pure "addict brain", of course. We even recognize it as such. But it is tantalizing just the same.
I still have periods of severe pain. Of course I do. I have severe osteoarthritis that is not going to go away, in fact will get a lot worse over the next few years. I have to recognize that my "addict brain" was alive and well just a year ago, and it would be foolish to believe it wouldn't take the wheel all over again, given the chance.
I am trying to think ahead on this. For me, I really don't think going to meetings would help me stop myself from using inappropriately, even with legitimate reasons to take opiates. Good thing there ARE no "legitimate" reasons to use alcohol, or I'd be thinking that through, too. But opiates are a necessary part of postoperative pain management for most people. Although, I have to remind myself that after my first arthroscopic surgery back in 2002, it was thought I could not tolerate opiates when Vicodin made me violently ill, before it was discovered I could take Percocet just fine. After that first surgery, I toughed it out on NSAID's, and I did just fine.
These days, when confronted with an "opiate thought", I only need to remind myself I am no longer an opiate user. That may sound ridiculously simple, but it works for me. Severe arthritis pain? What would a non-opiate-user take for that? Oh, okay, well then I'll try some Motrin or Advil, or even some of the stronger NSAID's I have been prescribed that have NO opiates in them.
If that doesn't work, well, what the hell -- I've learned to live with an "acceptable" pain level, which ALL non-opiate-user arthritics have to do. I am not at ALL unique. MOST arthritics, even severe ones, are not opiate-users. MOST rheumatologists, the best ones in the field (who happen to inhabit the university I attend) avoid giving opiates to their arthritic patients, because they know that opiates only make the pain syndrome worse.
Enough yapping. I will be interested to hear what helps others. You might want to check out IvanKatz's threads -- he's got a good head about this.
FT
My husband would be devastated if I became addicted again, so would my kids. There is something inside of those of us who have had a taste of addiction that remembers the "good" part of addiction, and it calls to us periodically when our sometimes feeble attempts to over come a "bad day", or worse, a surgery or real pain of some kind, fall short of what we know (or believe anyway) would "fix" everything -- our good old drug or alcohol.
That line of thinking is pure "addict brain", of course. We even recognize it as such. But it is tantalizing just the same.
I still have periods of severe pain. Of course I do. I have severe osteoarthritis that is not going to go away, in fact will get a lot worse over the next few years. I have to recognize that my "addict brain" was alive and well just a year ago, and it would be foolish to believe it wouldn't take the wheel all over again, given the chance.
I am trying to think ahead on this. For me, I really don't think going to meetings would help me stop myself from using inappropriately, even with legitimate reasons to take opiates. Good thing there ARE no "legitimate" reasons to use alcohol, or I'd be thinking that through, too. But opiates are a necessary part of postoperative pain management for most people. Although, I have to remind myself that after my first arthroscopic surgery back in 2002, it was thought I could not tolerate opiates when Vicodin made me violently ill, before it was discovered I could take Percocet just fine. After that first surgery, I toughed it out on NSAID's, and I did just fine.
These days, when confronted with an "opiate thought", I only need to remind myself I am no longer an opiate user. That may sound ridiculously simple, but it works for me. Severe arthritis pain? What would a non-opiate-user take for that? Oh, okay, well then I'll try some Motrin or Advil, or even some of the stronger NSAID's I have been prescribed that have NO opiates in them.
If that doesn't work, well, what the hell -- I've learned to live with an "acceptable" pain level, which ALL non-opiate-user arthritics have to do. I am not at ALL unique. MOST arthritics, even severe ones, are not opiate-users. MOST rheumatologists, the best ones in the field (who happen to inhabit the university I attend) avoid giving opiates to their arthritic patients, because they know that opiates only make the pain syndrome worse.
Enough yapping. I will be interested to hear what helps others. You might want to check out IvanKatz's threads -- he's got a good head about this.
FT
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Georgia
Posts: 242
Thanks, FT. I always benefit from your posts. You are right: We are no longer opiate users.
I don't really want to start up again and don't think I will, but the voice has been more difficult to control these past few weeks and I don't like it at all. I really think it has to do with my lack of mobility, being able to get out quickly and take a walk, do something, etc. I find a lot of pleasure in helping others, and this has been limited as well.
Boredom or lack of mobility can affect the mind in strange ways. I don't really have pain I need to treat as there is no physical pain anymore.
It is just I have lost that pep, fun, clarity we all talked about gaining this year after we reached our 3 to 6 months point. I need to get that back.
However, the more I think on this, there are other issues worse than a broken ankle to "let the voice back in" such as a loss of a loved one, major life event like job loss, homelessness, etc. I need to focus on being grateful for all I have accomplished, that my healing is going well, that I have a good job, a home, a family, friends, etc.
I don't really want to start up again and don't think I will, but the voice has been more difficult to control these past few weeks and I don't like it at all. I really think it has to do with my lack of mobility, being able to get out quickly and take a walk, do something, etc. I find a lot of pleasure in helping others, and this has been limited as well.
Boredom or lack of mobility can affect the mind in strange ways. I don't really have pain I need to treat as there is no physical pain anymore.
It is just I have lost that pep, fun, clarity we all talked about gaining this year after we reached our 3 to 6 months point. I need to get that back.
However, the more I think on this, there are other issues worse than a broken ankle to "let the voice back in" such as a loss of a loved one, major life event like job loss, homelessness, etc. I need to focus on being grateful for all I have accomplished, that my healing is going well, that I have a good job, a home, a family, friends, etc.
Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Baton Rouge, La.
Posts: 15,238
2009 I had hip replacement. 2010 I
took my first long trip with my husband
on our Road King to the Grand Canyon.
2010 to Daytona and Sturgis.
I was sooo worried after my trip to Daytona
that i had done some damage to my hip riding
on the back of the bike for the long trip, that
I went to get xrayed and talk to the doctor.
He told me the xrays looked perfect and that
eased my mind. All i needed to do was do
stretching exercises and allow time to completely
heal. Sure enough, when we took our Sturgis
trip i didnt have any pain in my thigh. Only my
tush...lol
I followed instruction by the doctor, took non
narcotic medicine at the beginning then let them
go. And the pay off 2 yrs down the road at 53yrs
old is no pain.
My husband just had major back surgery in October,
and is back to work and off all meds as well. He does
wear his back brace religiously for protection and is
due for a follow up visit next week. Like I, he just
celebrated another birthday and is 60ish, strong and
sober.
As we get older, whatever we put our bodies thru,
eventually take it's toll on us, so it's important to
take care of what you have today. Exercise, nutrition,
and stay away from poisons that slowly kill our
mind, body and soul.
I have to say that riding on a motorcycle long distance
to different destinations can be fun, but also we are
expose to all types of outside elimintes. Rain, cold, heat,
wind, sun....and we've been thru them all. We love the
experience of riding out in the open because its such a
freeing experience.
With my past surgery and my husbands recent surgery
we are both looking forward to our next trip this coming
year to Yellowstone, with guidance and protection from
Above. Riding healthy and sober.
took my first long trip with my husband
on our Road King to the Grand Canyon.
2010 to Daytona and Sturgis.
I was sooo worried after my trip to Daytona
that i had done some damage to my hip riding
on the back of the bike for the long trip, that
I went to get xrayed and talk to the doctor.
He told me the xrays looked perfect and that
eased my mind. All i needed to do was do
stretching exercises and allow time to completely
heal. Sure enough, when we took our Sturgis
trip i didnt have any pain in my thigh. Only my
tush...lol
I followed instruction by the doctor, took non
narcotic medicine at the beginning then let them
go. And the pay off 2 yrs down the road at 53yrs
old is no pain.
My husband just had major back surgery in October,
and is back to work and off all meds as well. He does
wear his back brace religiously for protection and is
due for a follow up visit next week. Like I, he just
celebrated another birthday and is 60ish, strong and
sober.
As we get older, whatever we put our bodies thru,
eventually take it's toll on us, so it's important to
take care of what you have today. Exercise, nutrition,
and stay away from poisons that slowly kill our
mind, body and soul.
I have to say that riding on a motorcycle long distance
to different destinations can be fun, but also we are
expose to all types of outside elimintes. Rain, cold, heat,
wind, sun....and we've been thru them all. We love the
experience of riding out in the open because its such a
freeing experience.
With my past surgery and my husbands recent surgery
we are both looking forward to our next trip this coming
year to Yellowstone, with guidance and protection from
Above. Riding healthy and sober.
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