18 days off of pain medication

[Sissy2337]

Been off of hydro now for 18 days. Best decision I made. Still I wonder if from now on I will not be able to take any kind of prescribe pain medication. Because it did not take long for me to get hooked on the pain med after I fractured my knee. I have told my doctors that I was in a 30 day rehad for oxy and xannix. But gave me the hydro any way. What to do?? I have no pain now but for future reference.

[selfinduced]

I know these Dr. want to help and you very well may have needed the hydro to pull thru, but I sometime secretly wish each Dr.'s had experience a w/d once in there life to reevaluate and reeducate themselves on the darkness of these pills. Not in a malicious way, just to better identify. You kicked oxys? THATS impressive. You are very aware and will do fine. Just keep your radar up and shut the mind off if it starts talking crap to you. Very proud!

[Sissy2337]

Self-induced, I total agree with you. When I fractured my knee 8 weeks ago I told the dr. I went to a 30 day rehab to get off of oxyicodone after a rear end accident in 2008 where I was put on this pain management that lasted over 2 years, so I didn't want to get in that situation again!!!!  But he tells me that the hydro is not as strong and well I won't be able to manage the pain with over the counter pain meds. So here I thought AGAIN he's the doctor he knows what is best for me. So without any hesitation I took them. I know now I will struggle with this for the rest of my life. Even with all the education about pain meds. Sometimes the anxiety about this just eats away at me. But gotta move on every day is better and looking forward to all good things to comes. Thanks again.  Sissy

[Dixiechick72]

Hi there congrats on being clean. It is hard to think of not using again if u really had to. But I guess depending on the situation it can also be mind over matter. I do worry for the same thing  as I am a chronic kidney stone person. Always passing stones!!! But there are natural remedies as well as REAL non narcotic pain relievers that can help.  So we did so much planning and adjusting for our WD why not do it for the rest of our lives??? We just got to learn to say NO to the scripts and find other means to help us. That's how I'm looking at it anyways!! Congrats again and keep up the good job!!!!!

[selfinduced]

SISSY! 19 days....wonderful! I too was hoping to rely on my ugly w/d experience to keep me clean for the rest of my life, but I just read on here yesterday from "darvocetescape" , that the pleasure part of our brain will always want to trick us into using once we have activated that sensory part. He also went on to say that same part of our brain won't recall the detox hell we went thru. Because of this I will use ANY other method of pain control in the future to keep that from triggering a full blown addiction. Just my 2 cents. Another thing that I'm sure you have experienced is our pain seems to dissipate after we stop the pills??? CRAZY! Much luck to you.

[Sissy2337]

Thanks for the advice. I find that the pain pills do more harm than good. For the 6 weeks that I took them I could hardly sleep, not hungry, non emotional, and at times hard to get along with. Now I am sleeping better, eating, sometimes very emotional, and laughing and smiling!! But the first days of withdrawal were BAD! I just hope that  in the future I will remember how I felt during the withdrawals  and also taking the pain meds. That there must be other ways to deal with the pain, but as you said I will cross that bridge when I get there. Do not intend to live in fear!  Stay strong my friends, 19 days today and I feel great!!!!  It only gets better. Keep posting helps with the healing process, that we are not alone  in this. God bless.

[Bones216]

Sissy, congratulations on your 18 days, great job! As for your question it is something I have asked myself as well. I have chronic back pain that is usually manageable, but about once a year it goes out/locks up and usually requires physical therapy, and a trip to the family doc for med refills. I had a back specialist tell me that due to my condition (facet joint in lower back) that surgery wasn't a great option due to low success rate, and if I could handle the pain 11 out of 12 months, then that's how we would proceed. It honestly gave me a validated reason to keep taking norco, and lead to where I am here today.
I have discussed this with my wife about what if, it goes out again. She said basically the same thing as Sonrissa, we  will cross that bridge when we get to it. I am going to set up a preventative plan of going to chiropractor once a month, more exercise, lose some weight etc...
I sympathize with your fears, in fact even though I got rid of all the pills out of my house, I have yet to tell my DR, that I had a problem and to have him cut me off for good. FEAR! ANXIETY! STUPIDITY.
I plan on whole heartedly never going back to the pills for any reason, and I hope you will do the same.
I realize to validate my conviction of staying clean, I ultimately need to have the DR cut ties with me, and when I conquer that obstacle, I will be sure to share news with you.
Best wishes, but let's not live life thinking what if? But rather I shall overcome!!!!!
Bones

[Sonrissa]

Hi Sissy! Welcome and congratulations on your clean time! For me, I can never say never! But I would not worry too much about it now! Certainly take any other option for dealing with pain, than narcotic pain pills, but cross that bridge when and if you ever need too! 18 days is great! You should be proud! I'm now on day 8 and hoping for 18! Take care!