Surgery

[Italy331]

Hey gang, I have a question for everyone. I'm having surgery next week, and I'm sure it will be a painful one. My question is this: After surgery, I'm sure they will want to give me some narcotic pain meds....what do I do? Take the shots, and no pill or neither? Thought I would ask around, since you all have helped me in the past. Thanks, Italy

[Gooch]

Surgery is a challenge for us. Especially when those uninformed docs want to hand it out like candy. This was a big help for me.

http://www.markelliot.com/naillness.html

my sponsor just went through a motorcycle accident. He has 15 years clean and it still took some major vigilance for him to get through the painkiller dilemma.

[mackat]

yeah- vigilance big time. around here we have a good hard core group of ex pill junkies who really are there for anybody who does hospital time. When i had surgery, a clean friend was there to dispense the meds thru the first few days- even afterwards, my sponsor made sure i called him regularly...he reminded me that prayer could get me thru a lot of pain and that my disease could be counted on to magnify my discomfort.
Turned out he was right about that too
mackat

[godsonmyside]

I too after 7 years with a back surery went through this. I didn't explain to my doctors about my addiction and didn't take full responsability for my recovery. 6 months ago went through detox to get off the pain killers and have 6 months clean. What has helped to redefine the doctor thing, I read chapter 10 " More Will Be Revealed" in the Basic Text and it does help to put myself into perspective. It talks in great lengths about taking meds for pain.

[namommy]

Italy,

I am glad you posted this. I am having surgery next week too. In my case, I have had surgery twice in recovery, and I am fortunate that my husband is in recovery as well, and he helps me alot. I have also talked to my sponsor, read the "Illness in recovery" pamphlet, and most important, made my doctors aware of my addiction and recovery. It is a good thing to worry about this. It reminds us that no matter how long we have been clean, we know that we are all just one bad decision away from picking up. It reminds us that sometimes we need to depend on the strenght of others to get us through.

Please keep us posted about your surgery.