Narcotic addiction

I'd like to talk to people that have found they've become addicted to their narcotic pain medication when taking it for fibromyalgia.
I will be discreet and will not talk about anything anyone says to me at any point.
Some questions are:
Do you take more than prescribed to get the euphoric feeling?
Do you end up running out of the medication before a refill and go through detox only to do the cycle again when getting a refill?
This is a very serious topic for me and would love to hear from those in PM that have this issue.
Be assured any information you give me will NOT be repeated.
Thanks,
Donna

Hi Donna,
How are you doing? I hope your having a pain freeish day
We are OK over here. We are waiting for the hubby to come home we have about 18 more days now I think. On to the topic at hand.......
I do not feel like I am addicted. But then again people probably never do huh. I feel as though I could not function without it but not because of addiction issues but because the pain would be unbearable! Would that be addiction issues or just pain issues? Sometimes I take more than prescribed, some days I only take what she tells me to. She always writes a few extras for the days I need more though so I do not run out. Now I have run out before of my morphine but I always have darvocet to back me up.
Do you run out and go through detox? What is it like? I don't think I have ever been through it? Can you not get your pain doc to prescribe more than you normally use that way you will have some backup? I do not think I have felt the euphoric feeling. I get really relaxed but not a happy or giddy feeling with it. I LOVE the relaxed nothing else in the world matters feelings where your body is actually numb and there is no pain. That's the part I LOVE about it.
You want or need someone to talk to I am here for you OK.......I will talk to you later on.
I am in a stall in my weight loss. It is horrible!!! I have not lost anything in 3 weeks!!

Your so lucky that you get the relaxed nothing else in the world feeling. I am never numb and always have pain. What does your pain specialist give you to take ? I was on methadone for about 2 years and that did nothing. He kept increasing the dosage all the time. Than we went with the Duragesic Patch and that does to seem to help alot better than the pill format. I was wondering if I was even absorbing it because I am a ERNY. I have have a 75 cm common channel and it seems that alot of pills don't absorb in me. At least with the patch you just put it on your arm and let it stay on for 3 days. Let me know what you take.

Thanks,

Dawn

I wish I could take the patch. I tried the fentanyl patch and LOVED it but was severely allergic to it and broke out in blisters all over. But the pain went away with it.
Right now I am taking Opana extended release 2X's a day 20mg (it works pretty good) Then for the break through pain I take 10mg of Opana instant and am allowed to take 2-3 at a time but normally only take 1.Then I have Darvocet-N®100 contains 100 mg (176.8 µmol) propoxyphene napsylate and 650 mg (4,300 µmol) acetaminophen. Which I can take 1 at a time with my opana or 2 by itself. They work really good together. Then I also have to take benedryl with them 25mg because I am slightly allergic to it and it makes me itch BAD. She also gives me phenergan (sp) to help me because when I take 2 opanas it is strong and makes me sick to my stomach. I have to deal with the itching and stomach issues though because this pill program is one that finally works. It has taken so long to find a program that works good and that I can get relief from.
To top all that off I am bi-polar and have to take 4 different anti crazy pills. So needless to say  when I take all my meds I am out of it.....LOL.....but I have not threatened to kill anyone recently.  I have a really bad temper. When I am off my meds it shows really bad.. I am just glad I can come over here let my hair down and be myself. You all over on the fibro board are so nice and caring!!  I appreciate all of you!!!!!
Gentle hugs

Hi Dawn, I see you on the Az board and I just found this board tonight. Id like to know who you use for pain Dr. as I live in Peoria also. My PCP handles all my meds. I wanted him to vs my rheumatologist since he oversees all my problems. I saw a pain Dr because I wanted to try epidurals to try to help the pain and did not like him, and between him and the surgi center where they did the epidurals they charged my then insurance almost $40,000 for 3 sets of epidurals. Im now on straight medicare as I had to finally give up my job in Nov, as I had not been able to work at all since Feb. Besides the fibro I also unfortunately had complications from WLS when I was 2 yrs out...and many other health issues. Anyway I am looking for another pain Dr for possible epidurals. I have talked to Banner Thunderbird pain clinic and also left a msg for 1 my Dr recommended a Dr Loes. Any input would be appreciated.  Thanks Janette

Hi Janette,

Sorry it has taken so long for me to get back with you. I will PM you my Pain Specialist doctors name. He is right by Boswell Hospital. He is a very strict and knows what he is doing. I have been going to him for years. He is a Board Certified Anesthesiologist. I had other pain doctors but I like him the best. He is in Sun City but I will PM you very shortly.

Dawn

My 2 cents worth on the subject is I think we are all physically addicted to our medications because we will have withdrawls if we quit. However I personally feel that as long as I didn't have pain and I was medically detoxed with using lower doses I wouldn't use the drugs for euphoric purposes. So I guess that is the crux of the whole addiction issue, if we use the drugs to feel "high" or to escape problems and we use more than is medically safe then yes there is a serious problem, and it needs to be addressed as soon as possible.

Donna,

Well I have to say I don't feel addicted but if you suddenly stop it you could go thru withdraw. There is already a drug abuse history in my family with my oldest sister. She loves to get high off prescription drugs. She doctor shops and that is how she does it. I could have the tendency I feel I could over medicate myself but I never did. I am never pain free. I never get a buzz or a goofy feeling at all. Sometimes I wish I did. When my pain gets really bad I can take up to 6 darvocets per day. I take 75 mcg's of the Duragesic Patch every 72 hours. Last month my pain specialist increased my pain patch to 100 mcg's and it made me sleep all day. I guess that was way to much for me so we backed it back down to 75 mcg's. I have never taken any extra patches or nothing. My pain specialist is very strict. I have to go in 1 time per month and sign for my prescription to get it filled. If I would want a increased dosage I must go in to see my pain specialist and get re checked by him and he will ask a ton of questions why you need more. I have never went thru detox. Some times the pain is so bad that I want to blow my leg off but I won't do that. I feel I have to have to live on.( a comment that I just made could be addictive, I don't know ) What do you think ? I hope I am not addicted but I have to function and have decent pain control or I can be a ***** on wheels. I have never went higher than 100 mcg's of the Duragesic Patch. But he also gives me the Darvocets for break thru pain but I am not suppose to take more than 6 per day. Sometimes I take more than that when my fibro is driving me insane. When that happens I am usually in bed all day and than sleepy from the extra darvocets. That is my 2 cents on my pain.

Dawn

Dawn I was just scanning thru your response and you were saying that your patches aren't lasting and I want to tell you what my pharmacy tech told me the other day when we were discussing options for pain relief. She said they are finding this is pretty common and some docs are now Rxing a change to every 48 hours for this very reason. Anyway maybe something you could discuss with your doc. Hope this will be a help for you.

Thanks for the good advice. I plan on bring this up to my pain specialist. I would not ever have thought of this. Thanks to everyone for there advice on this  Fibro site. It is so wonderful when no one is fighting and bickering back and forth. I find the Fibro site is very safe for me when I am talking about stress from the other sites. We all have enough stress to deal with Fibro. I hope everyone has a pain free day....


Dawn