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Newbie Intro & questions about hydrocodone
by Coquina, Jun 29, 2007 12:00AM
Hi everyone - I'm a 58 year old widow living in the Tidewater Va area - I work in a marina office. I've had chronic back problems all my life and had surgery in Nov 2005. I thought I was progressing well, then things got worse and I had a lot of sciatica and my lower back pain got worse as well. I was eventually referred to a pain mgt doctor who told me my problem was due to scar tissue that has trapped the sciatic nerve - apparantly another disc went south since the surgery as well.
I have been taking hydrocodone since April 2006. I average taking 3 per day, sometimes 2, rarely 4 if I've been overly physically active.
There's a lot more to it than that, but, the main thing I want to ask right now is about a problem I'm having with my employer.
He keeps telling me he wants me to get off my pain meds (we have drug tests at work so he knows I take them). He can't fire me since my work performance is excellent and I have never showed any trace of anything that hasn't been prescribed for me. He has a "zero tolerance" policy, and while he was fine with me having meds after surgery, he doesn't seem to understand that the pain from the trapped nerve is not something that can be cured by "tincture of time".
I certainly can't say that I'm addicted to hydracodone, because although there are times (ie on the weekends when I'm relaxing) that I may go an entire day with no pain meds, when I take the next one, it's for pain. I do know what having an addition feels like, because in my 20's I took amphetamines (legally prescribed) for weight control. I certainly know what it is like to "crash and burn" - however, I have not been without any hydrocodone in my system for several months, so I really don't know if I am "addicted" or if I should seriously try to get off this stuff and suffer. Any help will be much appreciated.
Thanks.
I have been taking hydrocodone since April 2006. I average taking 3 per day, sometimes 2, rarely 4 if I've been overly physically active.
There's a lot more to it than that, but, the main thing I want to ask right now is about a problem I'm having with my employer.
He keeps telling me he wants me to get off my pain meds (we have drug tests at work so he knows I take them). He can't fire me since my work performance is excellent and I have never showed any trace of anything that hasn't been prescribed for me. He has a "zero tolerance" policy, and while he was fine with me having meds after surgery, he doesn't seem to understand that the pain from the trapped nerve is not something that can be cured by "tincture of time".
I certainly can't say that I'm addicted to hydracodone, because although there are times (ie on the weekends when I'm relaxing) that I may go an entire day with no pain meds, when I take the next one, it's for pain. I do know what having an addition feels like, because in my 20's I took amphetamines (legally prescribed) for weight control. I certainly know what it is like to "crash and burn" - however, I have not been without any hydrocodone in my system for several months, so I really don't know if I am "addicted" or if I should seriously try to get off this stuff and suffer. Any help will be much appreciated.
Thanks.
I am sorry to hear about your back problem. I want to tell you something about my mother, who is also going through something like you. She is 56 years old, and has had major sciatic nerve problems in her lower back and in her hip. She has gotten several epordial shots to help control her pain, this has worked for her s (somewhat) but the Doctor also gave her percocets for the pain, she is not one who likes to take meds, but she has been taking them on and off for about 2 years or so now. Up until about a month or so ago, she quit taking them, she did not like being on them, and definately didn't want to get addicted. She also was only taking them just for the pain, and the pain alone. She would take only 1 sometimes 2 a day. Well she quit taking like i said about a month ago, and she has had NO reaction what-so-ever.
I think you will know if you are addicted, when addicted - your body will tell you that you need that pill like every 4 -6 hours (even when you are not in pain)!
I feel that if you decide to stop taking these Hydros you will be just fine. When you actually only take them just for the "REAL PAIN" your body knows this.
See i am addicted to percocets/Hydros. have been for 4 years, i would take up to 10 or so a day. I quit cold turkey on June 3rd. Still going through alot right now, but making it. My body would tell me "take that pill" although i did not have any pain. When we are addicted "our brains will create pain of some sort" Just so we will pop that pill. When actually we don't have NO pain at all. We just tell ourselves we do.
This does not sound like you, I honestly think if you just stopped taking them, you willbe just fine. All i can tell you - is just to stop taking and if you begin to feel a little sick with the flu-like symptoms, then you will know that you have become addicted to them.
Let me know if i can be of any more help to you - I hope what i have told you that it will help you.
Best Wishes
Hopeless
By all means, i am not telling you to quit taking and suffer. If you need them for the pain, then you should take them. If you feel you don't want to be on them anymore, maybe ask you doctor to give you something NON-NARCOTIC. Be honest with him, tell him that you have pain and still need to take something to control it, but that you are scared because you do not want to become addicted. Maybe this way, he can let you know what sould be the best thing to do. I am going to tell you though - they are very addictive. If you ever become addicted to them and then at one point in your life you decide to quit, The withdrawals are terrible - i can honestly say to you that, i wish SO BAD i would have never taken any in my life.
Just something for you to think about...Hope this helps!
Hopeless
It seems your question is 2-fold. As far as the addiction/non-addiction - only you know or not if you are addicted. It would seem to me if you can go without them at times, and not crave them, then you may not be. But again - only YOU know, and if you are questioning it, perhaps there's a chance you are...
I also believe only you can decide what your pain threshold is (whether you "need" them, or not.)
As for your boss wanting you off of them - strictly from a legal standpoint - I don't believe he has ANY RIGHT WHATSOEVER to tell you what to take or not take, if it in no way effects your performance, and you are being legally prescribed this for pain. It's pretty lousy, if you ask me...
I don't know if any of this answered your question(s) or not.. I hope so!!!
-mj
As far as being an addict... there is a difference is being addicted to pills or dependent on them... Dependent people still have WDs when they stop taking them... Addicts "crave" the pills and take them for other reasons than pain. usually taking over the prescribed amount and running out early b4 their refill is due.. some addicts even "doctor shop" and go to several docs to get meds so they don't run out.. this is illegal. Dependent people take their meds as prescribed.. they see their docs and are honest with them about their pain and thier needs.. Dependent people generally don't take the pills if they are not in pain... in some cases though there is a fine line between a dependent person and a addict... they can go hand in hand for some people... alot of us here starting out on meds for a legitamate reason...
I wish you luck and hope if you need anything you will post here again..
This was my second back surgery. My first was in 1989 and it was a breeze. I had herniated a disc and I woke up in the recovery room and my pain was gone. I think I expected to get similar relief this time and it was an entirely different situation. My back has a lot of degenerative arthritis and spinal stenosis (holes too narrow for the nerves to pass through). My surgeon tried to fix the most obvious areas but apparently something else was going on.
The 2nd opinion I got, the doc suggested a dynamic myelogram - a test that shows how the spine and nerves are interacting as one is moving about. I know that I have certain spots that "catch" when I bend or twist a particular way. I'll have that done in the fall, after the busy season is over. If anyone suggests surgery, he said the more that is done to pin-point the problem, the more likely the operation is to be a success, but there may be a very long recovery.
Anyway - FWIW, pass along my best wishes to your mom. I sincerely hope she can find a non-invasive remedy, because my scar-tissue issue is almost worse than what I started out with. Re, the sciatica - my pain med doc has helped me a lot with a couple of other meds that treat nerve pain and are non-narcotic, she might inquire about those options. I think I would be taking a lot more vicodin if it weren't for the other meds.
Thanks so much for writing. I don't think I'm addicted, as a day, I'm trying hard to keep the meds to a mimimum.
I hope if you decide to have the surgery - it is successful!
You sound like a very smart lady, and i wish you all the best... Please keep posting here, with any questions you might have - or if you just want to talk about your problems. There are alot of very wise people on this forum, who have helped me so very much to get me where i am today.
When you decide to have the surgery, or whatever you decide please let me know. I will be interested to know how it turns out for you...Maybe i can learn a few things as well to let my mother know. I know how bad the pain can be - I listen to her and i know it can be very awful at times!
Like i said, i wish you all the best. Please keep me informed.
All my best to you
Hopeless