Confessions of an ADDICT

Hey Mike, I'm praying for you often!!  Take care.  Bob.

Michael, Many here have helpful info and many more offer you our prayers. Anytime you need a shoulder or ear. We’re here. Best Wishes- Dx

I just wanted to take a minute and say thank you to all of the great guys that read and or responded to this post. It really means a lot to me to have all you guys supporting me on this. The advice is greatly appreciated to. What I am taking away from all of these great responses is that I need to give myself more credit for how far I have already come in taking back my life and the pro-active approach I am taking to conquer this particular hurdle.  I know it is going to be tough for a few days or weeks but as long as the new regimen provides adequate pain relief I think I will be able to kick this thing. So for after one day, I'm fine - no withdrawals at all yet.

Hey Mike, Sorry to hear about your chronic back pain.  It is a bee-yatch!  I know this not so much from personal experience, but from my wife, whose had it for over 12 years (vertebrae and disk degeneration). Along the way she's had the epidural injections, blocks, the TENS, and God knows what else.  Didn't help.  Back pain is tenacious - kinda like belly fat! Anyway, about 2 years she finally got hooked up with a pain management specialist.  This guy knows about treating pain as a primary problem, rather than an annoying side effect like so many doctors. Unfortunately, the pain meds are still the only thing that helps my wife.  But not all meds are created equal.  My wife's experiences:  (Of course, YMMV) Ultram - Tried it, no effect.  (So it wasn't narcotic-like ENOUGH.) Baclofen - No experience with this one. Neurontin - Terrible side effects.  Her kidneys almost shut down.  Caused facial twitching. Methodone - Kee-riminey, man!!!  Don't start.  Bizzare stuff.  Psychotic effects.  In a word:  BAD.

Something which has helped my wife:  Kadian.  A big gun.  It's a time-release morphine, so you get a more constant level of pain relief through the day.  Very helpful.  You will probably still need some kind of hydrocodone or similar for what is called 'breakthrough pain', but you'll need lots less of it than if you were relying on it alone. You might want to ask your pain doctor about the Kadian.  Good luck. 

 

BTW, your pain doc is right.  You're using narcotic pain meds to treat the syptoms because that's what works - just like anybody ELSE taking meds to treat disease symptoms.  Maybe you're dependent, but that's NOT the same as ADDICTED. If anyone thinks you're addicted, then I suggest they go around for a week with a knife stuck in their back, and see if it changes their perception... Grrrrr....