Opiate Dependance Due To Chronic Pain

[TheEnglishMan]

Hello ! I have never abused street drugs or alcohol but ... I am posting here because I am now unfortunately dependent on prescribed narcotics for chronic neck pain management.

I am prescribed 360 mg of Dihydrocodeine Tartrate MR per day (for more than two years now).

Sadly the attempts at physio / ultrasound / acupuncture have not helped at all.

Wonder if there any one else with a similar situation ?

Kind Regards & wish you all well.

[MROBI]

THERE are some people here like that. where i live the laws for pain management are that the pain has to originate from an ankle a hip or back, and thats it. and its not to easy to get into even with legit clinical need, backed up with mri's and x=ray. but they are more than willing to cut right into you and operate, even when the medical community disagrees with what operation is the best. disc replacement versus fusion with titanium cage to hold disc's off nerve root.
they really hold onto the lid of the cooky jar here if you know what i mean. i guess thier main fear is addiction.
i think there is a distinct difference between addiction and physical dependence and sometimes both exist concurrently.
i know you said that you r dependant(i am too), but do you think you are addicted also?
i often think of this analogy: do you think that humans are addicted or physically dependant on the substance water?
i believe that we are dependant on water not addicted.

[iljchia]

I injured my back about 8 years ago and have been in and out of pain clinics - for me it started out as dependencey but quickly shifted to addiction.

Do you know what type of pain it is? Nerve? Muscle? Tendon? Bone?

Each has it's own unique alternatives to pain meds. For Nerve I'm experimenting now with a spinal cord stimulator that over rides the pain signals with an electric current. It doesnt fix anything, it's not pain free but it makes it managable as science evolves - i hope one day they will have a science break through in nerve pain.

[Latte]

I don't know about where you live but here we have pain clinics. While some are just pill pushers, there are many that aren't. Pain clinics treat pain. They have more options than a regular physician.

I hope you can find relief.

[MROBI]

ya its tough when u are addicted and physically dependant. some dr.s dont know that there is a difference, but an addictionologist does, and if u can find one who also treats pain your golden. my pain mngnt. dr. refered me to a pyschiatrist after i was physically dependant and hes treating me for pain and addiction and its really working out well, i hope all you people can find something great that works for u like i have . dont stop trying or looking it took quit a while for me to find the right gruop of dr.s who could really help me. its not easy out there and the healthcare system works against people in our situation alot of times. u often get shunned or looked down on. it sucks but dont give up the next dr. might be the right one for you. it took me 3 years.

is that electrical stimulator the kind where the electrodes are implanted under the skin? i have heard good stuff about that type.

[iljchia]

I started with a TENS unit --- which has electrode patches that are on the exterrior. That helped, so I agreed a few years later to try a stimulator that is a wire that runs up the spinal cord and into the nerve bundle. There is a rechargable battery in my lower back that runs the system. It's completely internal and helps with nerve pain --- so it only helps with part of the problem as there is pain caused by muscle, tendon, and bone. However it helps a lot.

[NeedingHelp7]

iljchia,

I'm glad the stimulator works for you!!

few years later to try a stimulator that is a wire that runs up the spinal cord and into the nerve bundle. There is a rechargable battery in my lower back that runs the system. It's completely internal and helps with nerve pain --- so it only helps with part of the problem as there is pain caused by muscle, tendon, and bone. However it helps a lot.

My AH had this attached to his back for 2 wks before implantation decided. He pulled it off after a week or so, w/o telling me. I was hoping so much he would have kept it. He said it didn't work for his back. The real reason...I think he didn't want to part with the pills.

Hoping the best for you,
NH7

[memphischick27]

I was addicted to Lortabs a few years ago but was clean for 2 years. I had to have a hysterectomy tues so I got on percocet so now my doctor is weening me off the percocet which is going to take about 2 months to get me completely off them.

[Freedom1990]

Originally Posted by memphischick27

I was addicted to Lortabs a few years ago but was clean for 2 years. I had to have a hysterectomy tues so I got on percocet so now my doctor is weening me off the percocet which is going to take about 2 months to get me completely off them.

Why 2 months to wean you off the percocet if you've been clean two years prior to the surgery?