mybook01
 

Need some advice. I have been sober for 5 years. I now have reinjuried by back and may need surgery. Unfortunately then can for another 3 wks. They want me to take Norco until then for the pain. My sponsor does not want me to take. She is a new sponsor for me so I dont know what to do. Any suggestions

Hi mybook :)
Welcome!

I'm assuming you've been open and up front with your Doctors about your past, MyBook...I'm not in AA or NA but I speak to my Dr about medical matters, not laypeople.

I think the real question here is how do *you* feel about Norcos?

D

Hi mybook,

I have 30 years, no relapses. I've had spinal surgery since quitting alcohol. I had my right foot amputated at 2 years. I had spinal surgery, at let's see 1994-95 I'm thinking, so at 14 years. I had demerol and morphine for both surgeries in hospital. Of course, lol.

Those narcotics had absolutely no effect on my 'sobriety'. I took the demerol on discharge to manage the pain, and that worked well. When the management of my pain no longer required demerol, I simply didn't need the narcotics so I just stopped taking them of course. There was no high with the demerol because I was using it to manage the surgical pain. It all balanced out for me no problems. There have been other times i had to use short durations of demerol for other times as well, again no problem. The last time I required demerol for help in managing my chronic pain was let's see, more then 5 or 6 years ago. I don't routinely use pain medications as I prefer to deal directly with what is what. It works so why take the narcs unneeded. I have an extremely high pain threshhold, fwiw. However, if that didn't work I would happily use whatever to manage my physical pains. Pain management is more an art then a science for me.

I have more surgery coming up in 2012, and I'll not hesitant to use narcotics for pain management as required. I have a long and complicated medical history all the way back into early childhood. I speak from direct experiences. When I was using, before my sobriety, absolutely I abused alcohol and drugs. That was then and this is now. :)

You talk with your doctors and be upfront. I was clear and upfront and they knew all about my past alcohol and drug addictions. We had no problems with working out a proper pain management plan tailored for ME.

Best wishes, mybook. Look after yourself, and just deal with what is happening in YOUR life. Be true and honest with yourself and you'll be good to go :)

Well I think you just got the best advice you could. :)

And awesome time Robby, and prayers are sent for your surgeries to come.

And definatly its you and your doctor. As the BB states doctors are for medical. AA is for spiritual. :)

Good luck and prayers are for you also.

What Dee said.

Your sponsor is not a doctor.

Tell your doctor about your addiction(s) and let them take it from there.

My sponsor had neck surgery and shares over and over about how she did not take pain meds. That is great for her, but if I am in severe pain as a result of surgery and the doctor knows I am an alcoholic and prescribes pain meds, I am going to take them IF I need to. Not for a buzz.

If I was worried, I would put them in the hands of a friend to administer to me.

(((Mybook))) - My addiction history involves abusing alcohol, abusing pain meds, getting totally addicted to crack.

I ruptured a disc in my back, years ago, and every now and then it flares up. When I met my dr., first visit, I said "okay, I'm an RA, this is what I've abused and been addicted to. I do NOT want to go down that path again, however I do have legit pain where OTC meds, PT exercises do not work. I want us to work out a plan, right now, for when that happens".

We did. I get a very limited Rx, no refills. That dr. left the practice, I have a new one, but told her the same thing. She will NOT give me pain meds unless I see her..I was an RN, I know she wants to hear that..yes, I'm still trying to work but can't because of the pain, yes, I'm still doing good in school, no, yes, I've tried everything and no, I cannot function without some pain relief.

I do not feel this changes my clean date, which is coming up on 5 years. I don't abuse it, I cling to SR and f2f support while I have to take them, because I don't want to go down the road of "oooh, numb, me LIKE" again. Some people don't get it. They think ANY mood-altering drugs are huge red flags. IMO, my recovery is mine. If I need something to function, I don't abuse it, and I've been totally honest with my dr? I'm still in recovery.

I also know some people have a higher pain threshold. I'm tough, but not that tough. Keep you're recovery first and foremost, be honest with your dr. and I think you'll be just fine.

Hugs and prayers,

Amy

I would 'do what I have to do for me'.
Pain management is a quality of life issue.
Do what your Doctor instructs.

I agree - pain has to be manageable so just be honest with your doctor.

I'm not an AA person, but I firmly believe that any pain issues are between you and your dr. In my opinion, there is no reason to suffer in pain because you have an addiction.

A sponsor's role is to guide you through the steps, not to manage pain or to judge your sobriety. That is up to you and your Higher Power. As long as you aren't abusing the prescriptions and taking them as directed, you are doing what your body needs. You hadn't mentioned what program you are in, but it's still between you and your doctor, the medical professional.

I wish you fast healing!