Bellamiaa

I've seen a lot of people saying they're on pain meds but not drinking. I've never been addicted to pain meds, only alcohol, but it seems to me that it's giving up one addiction for another... I don't know. Thoughts?
xo

Dee74

Hi Bellamiaa
I try very hard not to judge other folks

Take me as an example - I have cerebral palsy and a few other things wrong with me that spring from that which bring me chronic pain.

I take pain relief sometimes when the pain is too much for me to function normally or if the pain is affecting my quality of life.

I've never taken anywhere near the recommended dose, I only take them when nothing else (exercise or whatever) works....and it never gets me high.

Others may say I'm not sober - and you're free to say that too if you like.... doesn't bother me

I know I'm using these meds in a different way to the way I used to.

My drinking and drugging was all about running away and escape. It diminished me and my life.

Now I take pain relief to keep me here and alert and active in the life I love - it adds to my life, it doesn't subtract

D

Bellamiaa

I'm not at all judging! And if you need them then absolutely take them. I am genuinely wondering. I have a bad back and have been told that it's either pain meds or surgery. It's not bad enough yet but I know when it hits that point I will want the pain to stop. So again I am truly curious. No judgment or implications here!!

Dee74

No worries at all Bellamiaa - like I said , it's all good

I'm in pretty constant communication with my Dr. too - we go the non medication route where ever possible

D

SoberInOhio

I can only speak for my own experience here regarding pain meds. I have two vertebrae with compression fractures between my shoulders and another one that's been crushed to half it's normal size and is fusing to the vertebrae below it in my lumbar region. I think the main concern with pain meds, (I'm assuming we're talking about opioids here) is how slippery that slope can be when you're an addict. I remember just 4 years ago, I had a couple Vicodin that were in my desk for 8 months and I never thought about them. Flash-forward to a month ago (the last time I used) and I would think nothing of throwing down 60mg of Roxicet a day and then go drink. Or mixing Roxys with Xanax and booze. That's a REALLY dangerous combination. My last hangover on that combination involved me standing in the rain, thinking I was going to puke or die. My hands were tingling intensely, I'd go so far as to call it a stinging feeling in my extremities. The problem with those drugs is that your tolerance builds QUICKLY and suddenly you realize you're chasing the high and not relieving your pain. My back is manageable if I eat well, keep my weight down and swim often. When I neglect those things and it starts to hurt, I would do almost anything to make it go away because it severely impacts my life. So I have to keep on top of those things as well as my sobriety and therein lies the problem. It's just SO easy to find yourself addicted to opiates and the withdrawal from them is one of the worst things I've ever felt.

ElleDee

"On pain meds" doesn't mean they're addicted. People can take their pain meds as prescribed by their physician and there's nothing wrong with that.

bookmaven

I don't believe it's as simple as switching one addiction for another. Some people don't drink but still smoke cigarettes. Some people say "A drug is a drug is a drug" and those smokers are still addicts. Are they not sober because they choose to continue to use nicotine? I drink coffee every day. If I don't I get a headache. I love my coffee. I'm addicted to caffeine. Am I not sober?

Some people say that I'm not sober because I take psychotropic medications.

I say I'm sober because I don't take those meds to get high, I take them because without them my quality of life would be so poor I'd probably be drunk or dead. I cannot function without them.

Although not the same as pain meds they are considered "mind and mood altering" substances.

Do you believe using Rx drugs therapeutically with medical supervision is a form of addiction?

Bellamiaa

No, I don't. I've never been on any type of pain medication I've just heard some bad stories about them... Mostly the opiates. I guess maybe it starts to be a problem if you "chase the high" instead of trying to get rid of the pain?

leviathan

I taught myself how to escape hangovers with opiates and benzos. Bad move.

Now, firmly sober, I realize that someday I may need pain meds for injury, surgery or chronic condition. I will just have to carefully cross that bridge when I get there. I will have to be honest, and work it like Dee, as I developed a taste for the little buggers.

zerothehero

I was less than a year sober when I was prescribed celebrex, oxycodone, hydrocodone, tramadol, prednisone... let's see... what else...? Anyway, for awhile I couldn't walk and then had surgery.

Before surgery I tried NOT to take the pills, and after surgery I HAD to take them for about a week before I stopped.

Then they started talking to me from the cabinet in the bathroom: "You're not in pain, but wouldn't it be nice to just fuzz out on the couch with some oxy...?"

I caved a few times. Did it feel like a relapse? Yup. I tossed a lot of meds and kept just a few emergency doses that I've promised myself I'm not gonna take unless something goes wrong...

Then I needed another surgery...

So here's my deal: I've experienced pain that made me want to blow my head off or jump in front of a speeding truck. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do and sometimes that means drugs. The key is mindfulness. I'm taking this pill because ________ and not because _________...

I'm wired to be a buzzhound and I'm trying to change that wiring. Month by month I'm working on it. So far so good.

Take care of yourself.