Originally Posted by
clheithoff 
Not sure if this is where I should post. My husband was dx 15 months ago with Stage IV rectal cancer. To make a long story short he has had 5 surgeries, chemoradiation & 9 months of chemo. He has been on dilaudid since the very first surgery in May 2008. He has taken it everyday since then 2mg pills He takes 5-6 a day about every four hours. It has now dawned on all his doctors that he had a dependency. I saw he could not stop without going through withdrawal and he liked the feeling too much. I believe the pain he says he has is manifested by his body needing the drug. Now good news is he is in remission for now..bad news he is a zombie and 139 lbs. He is trim at 175. THey are sending him to see a Dr. Colemn of the Coleman Institute to get off the drug.
My questions are.......Is this a dependency or addiction?
How difficult will it be to get off the dilaudid. He thinks because they are only 2mg but takes a total of 10-12 it will not be a big deal. He has been on them every day for 15 months. I do not know what to expect? He will have to be hospitalized as the withdrawal side effects could kill him in his current condition. I am sure his oncologist/surgeon will demand it. Any info on what to expect? It is hurting our family as he just wants to sleep take the drugs. He does manage to work a night/desk job for 7-8 hours. THANKS
Chris
I WAS PUT ON PAIN PILLS FOR SEVERE PAIN IN MY NECK AND THE NIGHTMARE BEGAN. I NEVER IN MY LIFE USED DRUGS OR ALOCHOL. I DID NOT ABUSE THEM UNTIL ABOUT 6 MONTHS OF BEING ON THEM. MY BODY STARTED NEEDING MORE AND MORE TO FEEL NORMAL AS THE DAYS WENT ON. I EVENTUALLY WENT ON TO USING ROXICODONE AND OXICODONE FOR 2 YEARS STRAIGHT. MY BODY IS SO PHYSICALLY DEPENDANT ON THEM. I HAVE TRIED AND TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO GET OFF OF THEM AND MENTALLY I AM SO DEPENDANT ON THEM. I HAVE TRIED SUBOXONE AND STILL STRUGGLE TO THIS DAY. I AM KIND OF IN A BIND BECAUSE I AM IN SO MUCH PAIN EVERY DAY BUT MY LIFE WAS UNMANAGEABLE. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN THAT DESPERATLEY NEED THERE MOM. PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT YOU STAND BEHIND YOUR HUSBAND 1000% BECAUSE IT IS THE HARDEST THING TO DO IN LIFE. (STOP USING) MAKE SURE YOU LISTEN AND SUPPORT HIM AT EVERY APPOINTMENT. HE NEEDS YOU EVEN IF HE SAYS HE DOESNT. sO SORRY TO HEAR THAT HE HAS CANCER BUT AS A THYROID CANCER SURVIVOR I KNOW IT IS POSSIBLE TO WIN THE BATTLE!!!!
