chronic pain

[danib]

hello, i am here because i have chronic pain issues & may need to take something so that i can live my life. i cherish my 9 years of sobriety & it is a great source of pride & esteem for me. i know i am not losing it if i take meds as prescribed by a doctor who is fully aware of my situation, still, i want to be fully aware. i love my life, i even like myself. i do not want to lose any of that, i have struggled hard to attain it. so i'm asking for opinions, i think the subject of chronic pain in sobriety is often misunderstood, & support is sometimes hard to come by.
thanks.

[tanyapmc]

I do not have any experience with your subject. But I want to welcome you to SR.

[Sugah]

Do you mind sharing your chronic pain condition?

Peace & Love,
Sugah

[windysan]

i can't answer that question cuz i've never had chronic pain. someone should be along soon though.

[kelsh]

Hi Dan,

I do have chronic pain from arthritis..RA, Osteo..and Fibromyalgia. I can't tolerate pain medications....they make me mean and onery and the last time I had surgery I was given Morphine and stopped breathing in the middle of the night....lucky someone found me in time...I woke up in ICU and was very paranoid. I had a delusion that I had to go to alcohol treatment again and all of the hospital workers were walking through my room playing musical instruments and singing to me. Then I told them I had to see someone from the Emotional Health Unit right away because someone was going to kidnap me from the loading dock.

Needless to say, they got a doctor there and changed my pain med to Vicodin and it did the same thing to me..couldn't even feed myself.

So I just take anti-inflamatories and Ibuprofin if my pain is more than I can stand.

I do hope someone comes along with some advice. I always make sure the doc knows that I am an alcoholic in recovery and now I have a big note on the outside of my file about narcotics and pain meds. I still don't trust a hospital to take precautions regarding my need so doubt if I will ever have surgery again.

kelsh

[ccgirl]

I don't have chronic pain issues but I have a very strong opinion about this.

Quality of life is the most important thing you have. If the pain is impinging on your health and happiness, if your doctor knows about your past addiction and is OK with it, if you have someone around to police your behaviour, then I IMO believe it doesn't inerfere with your sobriety.

But wait, because I'm sure you'll get lots of different opinions.

[Jane63]

danib? You still around?
First..welcome!! I suffer from chronic TMJ pain and have found that several types of OTC pain meds {Aleve, Ibuprofen, Excedrene Tension} do work for me, but I am in total agreeance that if your pain is so strong that you need something stronger, and it is affecting your quality of life then it is justified!

My DOC was Vicoden and so I had to fess up to my DR that I was abusing it. I am also on a prescribed daily dose of Xanax for anxiety and currently taking prescribed Darvocet for a pain condition {not chronic} which are both being prescribed by this DR who is fully aware of my history.
IMO, total honesty...both to your DR and yourself are the most important tool you can use when these sort of situations arrise.
Talk to your DR, be honest and see what sort of a "plan" you can come up with. It may take several tries and "testing" several meds to see what works, but hopefully you will find something that works for you and that you and your DR are comfortable with.
Good luck!!!
Jane

[danib]

thank you all so much for all your responses! i can't tell you what it means to me to find people who are willing to discuss the issue.
let me see if i can respond to all your lovely posts... my pain condition is a neck & upper back injury from a car wreck i had when i was 16. i drank for 15 or so years after that, & upon sobering up realized i really was in more pain than "normal" people. i've had physical therapy (very helpful), sugery (not helpful for me), etc. i still do yoga & meditate for stress & try to enforce my boundaries as best i can. i have tried massage, acupuncture, etc. my osteopath is the person who has been the most helpful & i trust him with prescribing my meds. i have endured many procedures while completely refusing meds. i put a sign up on my hospital bed when i have to go in that i am not to be given meds because i dont' trust the nurses to look at my chart when there is a shift change. i am VERY serious about my recovery, to the point that i may have let myself suffer more than i should have.
i appreciate Jane's suggestion of Excedrin, i may try it. i cannot tolerate what worked best for me anymore, which was the Aleve - because it messed up my tummy. i am in the "testing" phase right now & so far have only tried Durabac or Flextra (muscle relaxants that are bascially only antihistimines) & Lyrica - a nerve pain med. the Lyrica made me spacier than i am comfortable with. the others seem to be working ok.
thank you CCGirl, this is very reassuring to me.

[Jane63]

danib...sounds like you are very in tune with your healthcare and trying to do the right thing! Bless your heart!!!

The "Excedrene Tension" works pretty well and also "Bayer Back And Body" has worked for me in the past. I was also told by my DR that I could take four 200-mg of Ibuprofen equaling the 800-mg kind you get in perscription form {just cheaper!}.
I can relate to the "Aleve" messing with your tummy...lots of stuff does that to me too!

Yoga is awesome for so many things that ail us!!! I am looking into starting a class myself {for menopausal woes! LOL!} as soon as I get some current health issues out of the way!!

Best of luck to you and please keep us posted how you are doing!
Jane

[danib]

hi, thanks again! yeah i can't take Ibuprofin either, it is also an NSAID - that is what messed with the tummy. i really messed mine up, being a good addict i paid no attention to what the over the counter meds dosages were & took about 8 Aleve a day for about 8 years. so now, yeah, i can't take an anti-inflammatory at all. i'm very careful with Acedimenophen (sp?) too of course because it can damage your liver. so over the counters are just not doing it for me right now, tho i will happily try your recommendations if i think they are safe for me.

[ccgirl]

danib, check back a couple of pages. There's a whole thread on non addictive pain relief meds. It may be helpful!

[danib]

ok, i will look for it! thanks!

[Sugah]

I'm in your shoes, danib. And kelsh's, too. I have the rheumatic diseases listed above with a good dose of back problems (scoliosis & deteriorating discs due to osteoporosis) and neurological issues (RSD) thrown in. Daily pain isn't fun, but that doesn't mean that life can't be. I can't take NSAIDs either -- bleeding issues, and Tylenol, even ignoring the liver issues, doesn't do a whole lot. So, for the most part, I try to roll with it, except when I can't, and then I take to bed, take to the bathtub, take to a book or anything that can distract me, but what you are already doing, the yoga & meditation, is what I've found to be the best solution to living with chronic pain.

You sound as though you've got a very good attitude. That's also in your favor. Me? I try to think of my pain as a gift. It teaches me compassion and empathy for others. It helps me to slow down so that I notice things I might miss if I could move faster. When I let others help me, I'm giving them the opportunity to be of service to others. It's not all bad. As a matter of fact, beyond my tendency to get irritated by it, it's not that bad at all. Perspective.

Peace & Love,
Sugah

[danib]

i have realized what a gift having to take things slow really is for many years now, other people move so fast & pay so little attention it seems. that's ok, if that works for them, but for me - i really like that i am able to just think, be there for people, take care of my husband & home & pets ... to me it's really nice to enjoy these things on what i sometimes think is a different level than others, or at least i get to enjoy it more often!
so while i know i am missing out on some things too, i sometimes think the people who get around more than i can are missing out a bit themselves.
& i agree about Tylenol, it does almost nothing for the pain & it seems it is almost not worth the risks. hopefully with the help of Nexium i will be able to take NSAIDs again someday. until then, some mild muscle relaxers are a must if i want to have any kind of life at all i'm afraid to say.

[humming bird]

Hi Danib-

I live with chronic pain but I also lived (notice past tense) with a pain pill and alcoholic. I have learn to live with the pain because of his addictions. However there are solutions!!! Trust me!!!

The last problem I had was that I fell 16 feet off of my house roof trying to repair it while my husband and his buddies were drunk and watched me try to fix it, I broke my ankle and herinated 2 discs in my lower back. My husband and his buddies where so drunk they did not even notice me. Thank goodness the neighbor heard me crying. I am in my late fifties and am old!!!

To make a long story short. He was a beast while I was recovering. My goodness, he actually had to mow the lawn, do the laundry, feed his dogs, and was trapped in my house with me. He could hardly wait to esacape and take my pain medicine.

So you know what worked for me!!! I knew the pain pills were not an option becasue I would never see one because of my husband. He would take them and then get very angry and/ or hit me!!! I went to physical therapy and then after that a therapy pool. The therapy pool was the first time in about five months that I acutally felt no pain and I mean no pain! The therapy pool is the best!!

If I do the therapy pool I do not need and pain pills!!I have had some pain but nothing I can't tolerate. I an riding and training young horses! One year ago I could not walk and the doctors told me surgery. Well, I said not for now. I luckily found a therapy pool which I get up a go to everyday at 5:30 AM everyday, for two hours of exercises and soaking!!!!

So get to a therapy pool and soak your pains away!!! Give it a try!!!


Best wishes!!!

[danib]

thank you for sharing your story & recommendations. i have had physical therapy & still do yoga daily but i have not tried the therapy pool - is that different than just soaking in a hot tub?

[emmer]

The problem i have with pain meds is this...
The body builds up tolerance to pain meds quickly ... that is to say (opiates)
and there cousins.
Then what? an increased dose?
But on the other hand what does a person do with unbearable pain?
I don't know quite honestly.

If you do chose the opiate route be very careful around them and be cautious concerning doctors who write scrips freely, without sitting down with you and talking about the risks ect.

...Joe

[2ala2]

Hi Danib,
I also value my sobriety immensely, however, if I was in pain disrupting my life and making me miserable, I would take pain meds. under doctor supervision of course.
No one should ever have to suffer in pain.
I hope you feel better.

[exjunky]

One of the big myths about using painkillers to control chronic pain is that it actually works.

True, for short-term pain management, painkillers (opiates) work great. If somebody has a tooth pulled, give them some morphine or oxycodone, and that tooth will be the last thing on their mind. I hate to see people suffer needlessly, and if there is a chemical to take suffering away, why not use it?

But when the pain is chronic (i.e. it doesn't go away) that's a horse of another color. The solution of painkillers fails to the law of diminishing returns. It seems to work great at first, but as time progresses the patient requires ever increasing dosages and the painkilling properties get smaller and smaller. In the end, the person is not only still in pain from their medical condition, but they also have to cope with the very real pain of opiate addiction.

So in short, I don't really have an answer to your problem, but I admire you for having the wisdom to realize that opiates are a poor solution.

[Jane63]

That has been a huge concern for me over the years since my own addiction problems with opiates and I have discussed it many times with my DR at our consults. He seemed to understand it was a fear of mine that I would be left to suffer in pain so I think that is why he didn't hesitate to go ahead and perscribe something for my current health issues. {not chronic}

I do remember researching different methods for chronic pain control awhile back when my TMJ was at its worst and finding several options such as pain pumps and a kind of injection that can be given monthly. {can't remember the name tho, sorry}
That might be something worth checking into with your DR.

~Jane

[danib]

yes, building tolerance is a problem i do not want to deal with as far as narcotics - i believe that the very mild muscle relaxer that i am taking very few of right now (that is no more than an antihistimine) will only be short term. i believe that with the help of the Nexium/Prilosec my stomach will return to normal eventually & i will again be able to take anti-inflams (but only as directed this time! i have learned my lesson about over the counter meds!) along with the Tylenol this should once again get me thru' without having to take anything more.
i have researched the pain pumps, they are usually filled with morphine. i was unable to find a doctor that was willing to do what i was hoping for which was fill it with anit-inflams (bypassing the stomach & going directly to the source with them.)
as for the shots i have had 2 kinds - steriod shots directly into the area in the spine that they thought was causing the problem. this was a full surgery, & made me very sick for many days afterwards. recently my osteopath has administered trigger point injections, these are probably the monthly kind you refer to. they are steriods also that go into the muscles, & this worked. just a 15 minute procedure in his office, not a big deal. problem is it worked only for about a week. i am not opposed to getting more but this was only a couple of weeks ago. the bills are mounting of course, & at about $150 for the shots i'm not sure how often i can afford them - as well as the $80 office visits & manipulations (that i've been having every few days).
again, as always, thanks so much for suggestions. they are very appreciated.

oh & yes, i would not take a thing if i didn't have a doc i trust. my family are actually quite surprised that i like my current doc enough to even consider it. i'm very pleased to have found him, he's the first person i have ever trusted enough to let him administer meds to me.
thanks again for all your kind words, i'm so glad to find that you all understand my dillema.

[humming bird]

Hi Danib-

Yes, a therapy pool is a ton different than a hot tub. A therapy pool is usually about half the size of a public pool. The water temperature I believe but I may be wrong is about 83 degrees. My has bromide as a water treatment. It seems to make you very boyant.

My therapist was the best. He told me that every excerise I do in the pool is equal to 12 on land. This is due to the water resistance.

In the therapy pool I do a bunch of different excerises. However, the thing that gave me no pain and relief was when they put the weight on my ankles and gave me a huge pool noodle. I can honestly tell you the pain shut off with that. I would soak that way at first for a half an hour. I went home I did not feel pain for about three hours and it would then come back.

I now soak and do the evercises for about an hour and a half and I have no pain until about 10:00 at night. I am a farmer and I can now thanks to the therapy pool and etc. unload hay wagons, drive tractors, clean and shovel manure. I am actually riding two race horses and foxhunting again!!!! Plus, I am a woman am over 55 years old.

So find a therapy pool and a good therapist, your health insurace will cover it for a while and then you will probably have to join the club like I did. I took tramadol and all I did was sleep thru the pain. After two weeks of that I said I can not sleep my life away. I went to the doctor and told him this was insane!!! He said I guess you could try the therapy pool. I wish he had said that first!!!!

Best wishes!!! Try it you just might like it!!! I have made many new friends at the pool as we all are hurting and understand the pain!!!

[danib]

that's really cool, i'm so glad that you found a solution! maybe i will give it a shot. i have bad insurance right now - but my husband makes plenty so we have no reason to complain, so, it's sort of a balancing act right now between what we can afford & can't. the ankle weight & pool noodle sounds like traction, in hot water - what a good idea! i loved physical therapy & think phys therapists are wonderul people.
i have the same outcome from seeing my osteopath, the pain is gone for about a day or 2 & then i need to go again. at $80 a pop right now (or sometimes more) we just cant' keep that up for the rest of my life.

[humming bird]

Hi

The traction idea is on track. I was black and blue from traction and was in so much pain I refused it after two times.

The therapy pool costs me fifty dollars a month just to let you know. That is cheaper than all the pills my doctor had me on. Pain pills and anti-inflatory (sp?) pills. My gut was so sore from all the pills.

I know this may not work for you but it did for me and I am so pleased. Just know I have felt some of you pain and I really hope my posts help you. It really sucks dealing with chronic pain. Hugs!!!!