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Pain medications following surgery/addiction
by JDC, Feb 10, 2001 12:00AM
I recently underwent a radical nephrectomy ( kidney removal).During the time in the hospital I was first given a shot of morphine every 90 minutes ( the epidural was not functioning properly and remained that way the first day in ICU) which continued for 3 days, then after the epidural was removed ( it had started to work on the second day) I was given morphine, then tablets of Percocet. After release ( 5th day) I was on the Percocet every 4 hours as needed. For about 10 days. Then Vicodin 7.5 the same way. I took the Vicodin for another three weeks. My Urologist, who also did the surgery, is wise and took me off of it. The first two days off controlled substance pain killers, after 6 weeks of constant use, I experienced extreme body aches, much like the flu, but I don't have the flu.
I also greatly missed the time of day when I would get relief from the incision pain and back pain associated with the recovery from this surgery. Am I experiencing some sort of low level withdrawl? I have no other explanation for the way I feel.
I realize this is not even close to the level that many others have reached on this forum, and I empathize and salute those people who are struggling with great courage. Yet I suspect that this is how it begins. Thanks for a reply.
JDC
I also greatly missed the time of day when I would get relief from the incision pain and back pain associated with the recovery from this surgery. Am I experiencing some sort of low level withdrawl? I have no other explanation for the way I feel.
I realize this is not even close to the level that many others have reached on this forum, and I empathize and salute those people who are struggling with great courage. Yet I suspect that this is how it begins. Thanks for a reply.
JDC
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You do not seem that interested in Opioid euphoria?.Opioids are not universally addictive,I am not too bad either,I like the euphoria but get sick(bored) of the feeling and end up going straught,many times I have done this,even when I am using Opioids and physically and psychologically dependent on them,I do not feel addicted or out of control.I choose when to start and when to stop and never complain!.So it is a complex issue,we are all very different in our psychological response to Opioids and Life for that matter,some peoples NEEDS seem to be greater than others,due to Genetic,social,adaptive,responsive mechanisms of coping with fear,stress,arousal,etc,etc,their requirements for god,wives,husbands,mothers,friends,fathers,children,OPIOIDS,etc, far exceed others and yet some bravely do it alone without any such LUXURIES.
The Doctors are doing a VERY good Job,on one hand the patients demands an Opioid because of pain and the Doctor feels compelled to relieve their patients pain,on the other hand they have a hoard of patients whom they know are not in much pain anymore but keep coming back for more.Then they have to read about how the Opioid wrecked the persons life(on forums like this) and that they cannot get off it,etc,etc.Do we blame the Doctor,Opioid or Patient or society OR all,maybe combinations of the above,in my humble opinion the patient is responsible for the escalation of dosage and the refusal to go through the Withdrawals and feel good again,so they spend their lives trapped.Some even blame the addictive nature of the drug,as opposed to their own addictive personality.It is getting to the point that Doctors are relucant to prescribe Opioids to anybody even those in obvious severe pain because so many people simply `refuse` to stop using them once prescribed,they say they have an illness called addiction and that the Opioid gave it to them,but in the end it boils down to going through the pain of Withdrawal and reclaiming your life.My advice to people is stop complaining,get off the Opioids if you do not "NEED" them,and get on with your life,because people who are in actual REAL PHYSICAL PAIN are now having problems getting pain relief,because of your ACTIONS.Their are therapies, antidepressants,neuroleptics,antianxiety agents and a host of more appropriate medications and treatments for people with addictive personalities ie borderline personality disorders or Neurotic/Psychotic disorders who are self medicating with Opioids.
annie