Newbie Mark
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Buffalo
Posts: 3
Newbie Mark
Hi, after years and years of opiate addiction, and many years of being in denial I have finally decided to come clean. My story starts in high school where I was first introduced to drugs and alcohol. Basically from my freshman year to junior year I lived off of smoking weed, pretty much anywhere from one to five times a day. I grew up being a 3 sport athlete in high school ( football, baseball, and basketball, I only played one year of basketball because I wanted to focus on football and baseball). However, from hanging out with the wrong crowd I got into drugs. I never really worried about pain in playing sports yet but I always got my hands on opiates from this crowd in high school. I started with hydrocodone, codeine, and darvacet.
After high school I got recruited to play football. So I moved and thought I could start a new life drug free and focus on football and my education. Believe it or not I got a scholarship for education and not football because I played D3 where they cannot give scholarships. Also, i meet the love of my life (who is my fiancee now and put up with me to this point of my addiction)and thought everything would go in my favor and my college days would be great. Little did I know that opiates would be available to me more than every playing on a college football team. Throughout the years I've got hurt and got my hands on opiates from doctors, players, and drug dealers at my school. I got to the point in college where I couldn't go more than 12 hours without having an opiate in my system. I would always take extreme amounts of opiates as well and tell myself that I am an athlete, and athletes require more (dumb excuse for an addict).
Well after football I was still addicted and it caused me to put off grad school. For the next five years or so I would work a labor job and just get by to pay the bills and support my addiction. The past 2 years my addiction was at its worse. Between being prescribed an opiate for disk herniations from playing football, and drug dealers I was abusing opiates.
To give you an idea what I would use in a month
440 50mg tramadol pills
60 7.5mg hydrocodone pills
90 5mg hydrocodone pills
30-50 10mg hydrocodone pills depending on how much I could get from this guy
I'm sure some others can relate to an addiction like this and others can think that this many is impossible but it's the sad truth.
I was at the point were i could not get high off pills anymore but I was taking them just to function. So 3 months ago after several attempts to quit I finally put my foot down and decided I would taper down rather than quit cold turkey. I planned on taking my time to taper so I wouldn't give up and could function and my day to become clean is set for the new year. From all of those pills in a month I am down to just 4 50mg pills of tramadol a day and feeling better.
I really feel like I'm on the way to becoming a new and better person. I never thought in my dreams I would be able to make it to the point I am at now.
Thank you for reading
After high school I got recruited to play football. So I moved and thought I could start a new life drug free and focus on football and my education. Believe it or not I got a scholarship for education and not football because I played D3 where they cannot give scholarships. Also, i meet the love of my life (who is my fiancee now and put up with me to this point of my addiction)and thought everything would go in my favor and my college days would be great. Little did I know that opiates would be available to me more than every playing on a college football team. Throughout the years I've got hurt and got my hands on opiates from doctors, players, and drug dealers at my school. I got to the point in college where I couldn't go more than 12 hours without having an opiate in my system. I would always take extreme amounts of opiates as well and tell myself that I am an athlete, and athletes require more (dumb excuse for an addict).
Well after football I was still addicted and it caused me to put off grad school. For the next five years or so I would work a labor job and just get by to pay the bills and support my addiction. The past 2 years my addiction was at its worse. Between being prescribed an opiate for disk herniations from playing football, and drug dealers I was abusing opiates.
To give you an idea what I would use in a month
440 50mg tramadol pills
60 7.5mg hydrocodone pills
90 5mg hydrocodone pills
30-50 10mg hydrocodone pills depending on how much I could get from this guy
I'm sure some others can relate to an addiction like this and others can think that this many is impossible but it's the sad truth.
I was at the point were i could not get high off pills anymore but I was taking them just to function. So 3 months ago after several attempts to quit I finally put my foot down and decided I would taper down rather than quit cold turkey. I planned on taking my time to taper so I wouldn't give up and could function and my day to become clean is set for the new year. From all of those pills in a month I am down to just 4 50mg pills of tramadol a day and feeling better.
I really feel like I'm on the way to becoming a new and better person. I never thought in my dreams I would be able to make it to the point I am at now.
Thank you for reading
Its_me_jen
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Salina, Ks
Posts: 8,547
Welcome to SR Mark! I'm glad you found us.
You'll find a ton of support here.
Have you spoken with a doctor about your taper? I don't have any personal experience with it but it seems like something a doctor should be consulted about.
I'm glad you're here!
You'll find a ton of support here.
Have you spoken with a doctor about your taper? I don't have any personal experience with it but it seems like something a doctor should be consulted about.
I'm glad you're here!
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Buffalo
Posts: 3
Hey thanks for replying and your support.
I actually never talked about it with my doctor because I'm just ashamed about it and i know my doctor likes me on a personal level but my fiancee says I need to get over it because its a common addiction.
I actually never talked about it with my doctor because I'm just ashamed about it and i know my doctor likes me on a personal level but my fiancee says I need to get over it because its a common addiction.
Member
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Atlanta
Posts: 31,179
((Mark)) - Welcome to SR! I've read where doctors mention the "epidemic of opiate addiction" so I agree with your finacee'. Besides, coming off tramadol can be dangerous, so I do hope you see your dr.
Hugs and prayers,
Amy
Hugs and prayers,
Amy
Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: BC
Posts: 410
Welcome Mark, being embarrassed about admitting things to your doctor is a lot more common than you would think (especially if you have been with them long term). You just need to know that they aren't going to judge you about anything, they know it is hard for their patients to bring it out in the open and are encouraged because they know for you to do that means you are serious about addressing your problem.
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