MassCasualty

Well, I am not sure if this would really count as a relapse? I woke up in the middle of the night with throbbing tooth pain, by morning my face was swollen, and I knew it was abscessed. Got into my dentist first things and he said it was too infected for him to touch right now, and put me on a weeks worth of antibiotics, and of course, Vicodin. now I haven't taken any, but am in a good amount of pain at the moment. I could either (A) take them for 2 days till the antibiotics take away the pain. Or (B) suffer until the antibiotics work..I haven't decided which one I want to do yet..I know 2 days of my whole face hurting is better than withdrawals..I have only been clean for just over a month. and I know that this is playing with fire right now. luckily there are only 20 of the 5/500's..even when I was on them daily, I only took 2 at a time for a torn up shoulder that is inoperable. I just wanted to stop taking them for a better quality of life. I am not planning on taking any until bed time tonight anyways, as I need to get sleep since I have to be alert at my job. I am just not sure if this counts as a relapse or not. I consider a relapse giving into the temptation and taking them just for fun..not sure about taking them for a medically legit reason for a few days.

Not sure what to do with this one. Maybe I can tough it out for a few days.

Tool311

This is a toughie MC.

You are right, the pain of going through w/ds is alot worse than the physical pain you are going through right now. I was put in a similar situation when I got my wisdom teeth out last year, but I gave in.

If I were you, I would tear up the script. Sure there is a chance that you would be able to use your script with responsibility and be fine, but as addicts, we are wired differently. There is a chance that taking these vicodin will put you right back where you started again.

Good luck!

suki44883

The wost pain in the world, IMO, is toothache pain. I see absolutely nothing wrong with taking medication, as directed, for pain. My thoughts are that it would NOT be a relapse unless you took them to get high. There is no reason for you to suffer that kind of pain. Is there someone who can hold the meds for you and give them to you as directed, or do you trust yourself enough to do so on your own? Probably a couple of days on the vicodin along with the anti-biotics should get the pain to a manageable level with just Advil or Tylenol or some OTC pain reliever.

OXYCLEAN78

I would try some aleve first and throw away those vicodin. Its not worth it....

Sugah

The antibiotics will get rid of the pain in 48 hours or less. I had five separate infections before I was able to get a tooth root canaled (it was in a bridge and required a specialist), and even after the antibiotics became less effective (the 4th & 5th infection), my pain was gone by the third day.

So, to thine own self be true.

Peace & Love,
Sugah

Lizrox

I think you are much to early in your recovery. If you were later in recovery I would say maybe.

Wait until the antibiotics kick in and take tylenol, aleve; etc..

Good Luck

blackstrat6

Wow tough spot.. You know most pharmacies will fill any amount of your rx for you, you dont have to get all 20. Did you discuss pain options with your doctor or does he know about your addiction?
Prob best as others said to try alieve and tough it out. I sure feel for you.

Live

my throw-away opinion

I would rather (much rather!) give birth than have a swollen face, infected, abcessed tooth.

My antibiotics didn't work that fast either.

MassCasualty

yeah, I am not going to last much longer. I had already got the prescription when I went and got my antibiotic.My face is swollen, my gums are red, and I think my head is going to explode if I don't do something.. I am going to hold off till the last possible second. The point where I completely can't take it anymore. The pain is honestly excruciating, and this is only the beginning of this ordeal, after a week and the infection subsides, then the REAL pain starts...Hopefully I can control myself..Famous last words.

Dee74

I've had abcessed teeth - one in particular I looked like the elephant man.
I managed quite nicely on ibuprofen.

We are all different tho - I'm just saying it's possible.

Like Sugah said, be true to yourself - examine your motives, and if you do decide to go the vics, continue to brutally honest with yourself, MC.

D

suki44883

Surely there is someone who can hold your meds and give them to you as directed so you won't be tempted.

windysan

Suki's right. Find somebody to hold your meds. I shattered a leg, had major dental work, had an angiogram. I took meds and did fine. I let my better half dole em out.

MassCasualty

Quantity isn't the problem. I always took them as prescribed when I was on them, either 1 10-325 or 2 of the 5-500's..I just took them every 3-4 hours instead of 6, causing me to run out early, and go into WD. Which is why I quit that stupid game. I know I wont take more than 2 of them at bed time. I have had them all day and I have no desire to take them until I need to catch some sleep.

Freedom1990

Um, no, that is not taking them as prescribed. You were taking them more often than was prescribed.

I had to have an impacted wisdom tooth removed about 60 days after I got clean/sober.

The first thing I did was to let my dentist know I was a recovering addict, and there were certain medications I knew better than to take.

I had my sponsor hold the pain medication that was prescribed.

MassCasualty

well I had to take them..I don't even care about the calm happy feeling right now. Just the fact that my face isn't throbbing right now is great. hopefully tomorrow will be better and I won't need them..For now, I am going to get some much needed sleep.

windysan

Ibuprofen worked great for my dental pain. I took them a couple hours after the pain meds. Helped a lot.

MassCasualty

I have been taking ibuprofen pretty faithfully for the past few weeks. It works pretty well for the most part. Slept till 6am and then had to get up for work. For awhile I thought it was a dream that I had taken vicodin. Then I rolled over and saw the bottle on my stand and was disappointed. Then the throbbing pain reminded me why I had to do it. The pain isn't as bad tonight, and I think I can do without them now. I will try some tylenol PM first and hopefully sleep all night again. Then the antibiotics should be doing there job.

OXYCLEAN78

That sucks MassCasualty...... Sorry to read about your Relapse.

Hope you get thru this toothache with out the need for more opiates.

Ben

smacked

In recovery I have found how much pain I can actually tolerate without taking opiates/narcotics. When I ever go to a doctor, dentist, etc.. I tell them that I need non-narcotic pain relief options as I am an addict.

MassCasualty

Well I only needed them for the first 2 nights. Now my sister is holding on to them for me in case something like this comes up again in the middle of the night.