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Cronic Pain Vs Pain meds
After two back surgerys and one spinal fusion and 7 years on pain killers I quit taking the narcotic type.
I went through what some experenced, But for me I live by the saying time heals all wounds, And especially a self inflicted wound like takeing narcotic meds.
The crappy feeling will last based on how long you took them, and how much you abused them.
If you took the prescribed amount all the time it wont last long.
2-4 weeks, getting better every day.Then 100%
If you took way over the prescribed amount then it's much longer, 1-6 months. Until you feel 100% yourself again.
Everyone is different and stop for there own reasons.
I haven't touched a narcotic pain pill in over a year, because I made a decision to stop and I am stronger than the substance not weaker.
I still have a full bottle in the med cabinet as a reminder.
This is a personal thing you all need to deal with, but don't let it win.
You remember how great you felt when you dident take them for many years. And the good memories back then? That's what got me to stop, I keep reminding myself of the great times without the drug, The drug was a fake feeling. That's how I did it, You all can to. Found this site wile searching for another med issue.
I went through what some experenced, But for me I live by the saying time heals all wounds, And especially a self inflicted wound like takeing narcotic meds.
The crappy feeling will last based on how long you took them, and how much you abused them.
If you took the prescribed amount all the time it wont last long.
2-4 weeks, getting better every day.Then 100%
If you took way over the prescribed amount then it's much longer, 1-6 months. Until you feel 100% yourself again.
Everyone is different and stop for there own reasons.
I haven't touched a narcotic pain pill in over a year, because I made a decision to stop and I am stronger than the substance not weaker.
I still have a full bottle in the med cabinet as a reminder.
This is a personal thing you all need to deal with, but don't let it win.
You remember how great you felt when you dident take them for many years. And the good memories back then? That's what got me to stop, I keep reminding myself of the great times without the drug, The drug was a fake feeling. That's how I did it, You all can to. Found this site wile searching for another med issue.
Funny how no one ever mentions physical therapy. Pool therapy may be temporary but you take what you can get,,gl all
I wanna know what hardworking is taking for his pain. I have yet to hear anyone who is in chronic pain talk about what these "alternative" meds are. I am just curious cause In two years I've gotten not one example, that I can remember. If there is a cure for CP with these "non-narcotic' drugs........all I can say is.......
Please share !!
Luv,
nauty.............
Please share !!
Luv,
nauty.............
There is life with pain, and without medication. I had a traumatic spinal injury 25 years ago, have experienced paralysis 3 times, triple laminectomy/double discetomy L4, L5, L6, with 6 more herniated and ruptured discs from lower back to neck. Sometimes the pain is unbearable, but with faith in not just myself but in God I am making it through every day.
I too am a professional woman, I run a company, am working on my masters, volunteer, travel, and work hard to maintain friendships; each day with the constant "reminder". I was totally off all meds 3 days after my last surgery and I do have a script for Tylenol 3 which is my mental backup. I refuse to take anything stronger and may take a pill twice a year. Drugs are not an option if you want to keep all the plates spinning.
The best help I found in how to deal with the pain was to start seeing a counselor, not a pain management person, but a psychologist. She has helped me to discover different ways to manage the pain, taking up art to shift the brain concentration to another area, taking up gentle yoga and walking, setting up a plate smashing area where I can visualize the pain smashing against the wall. I acknowledge the pain but I don't give my life over and let it "win". Another thing that helped was reading "Full Catastrophy Living" which taught me breathing exercises and meditation.
Every day is a new day, every step is a gift, every feeling is justified, it is strength and from what you have written you are a strong woman.
I too am a professional woman, I run a company, am working on my masters, volunteer, travel, and work hard to maintain friendships; each day with the constant "reminder". I was totally off all meds 3 days after my last surgery and I do have a script for Tylenol 3 which is my mental backup. I refuse to take anything stronger and may take a pill twice a year. Drugs are not an option if you want to keep all the plates spinning.
The best help I found in how to deal with the pain was to start seeing a counselor, not a pain management person, but a psychologist. She has helped me to discover different ways to manage the pain, taking up art to shift the brain concentration to another area, taking up gentle yoga and walking, setting up a plate smashing area where I can visualize the pain smashing against the wall. I acknowledge the pain but I don't give my life over and let it "win". Another thing that helped was reading "Full Catastrophy Living" which taught me breathing exercises and meditation.
Every day is a new day, every step is a gift, every feeling is justified, it is strength and from what you have written you are a strong woman.
I completely understand and relate to your confusion/anxiety about back surgery/pain meds/conservative treatment. The options are endless but one mistake could lead you down a long road of recovery/possible addiction/emotion that can tear you apart. To answer you, yes, i wish I could turn back time and not have the surgery. I actually had 2 and regret them both. However, the meds worked well for me and I worked well with them for about 3 years. In July, after my 2nd child was born, I kinda lost it in postpardum depression and exhaustion. That's when I began abusing my meds and like a good wife, got my husband involved as well. With my new daughter and her unexplainable illness/no desire to sleep - I needed a new plan. We she returned from the NICU, I didn't know how to survive on no sleep and another child to care for. I lost it. I began taking my meds by the handfuls to "stay awake through the night" and just get dinner made. Soon, the handfuls were not enough, so I learned how to snort them (oxycontin). I had never put anything in my nose before (not even nose spray). Anyway, That did it. I was supermommy - for a while. a short while. When I crashed, 4 months later, it was hard. I realized that I was not helping anyone in my house and in fact, I was spending all of our money on more and more pills and my personality became that of the devil. We moved back home and in with family to get back on track. My daughter has gotten somewhat better and now even sleeps a few hours at a time so I needed to clean up. Quickly!!! I have, kinda. I am on Suboxone which is replacement therapy for opiate addiction. It has helped with the terrible w/d and curbed the pain somewhat. I will begin to wean next week and am still scared to death.
I tell you all of that to tell you this - Pain meds can be the right thing. They, for 3+ years gave me the quality of life I would not have had without them. If you do not abuse them - then use them. They do work and can bring joy back into a lot of people's life. I wish you all the best, and I hope you make the decision that is right for you and you alone. good luck and God bless.
I tell you all of that to tell you this - Pain meds can be the right thing. They, for 3+ years gave me the quality of life I would not have had without them. If you do not abuse them - then use them. They do work and can bring joy back into a lot of people's life. I wish you all the best, and I hope you make the decision that is right for you and you alone. good luck and God bless.
OMG! Your a back surgery patient too?? Do you ever just wish you could turn back the hands of time and not had the surgery? I have researched the success rates of spinal surgeries and they are very discouraging. Then there are the charlatans out there trying to sell you meds to get rid of back pain forvever and the new "old" procedure of stretching your spine on the new DRX 9000. I even tried that at $190.00 a visit (x4) out of pocket.
I am having a tough time making it on 4 Norcos a day. I have been reading this forum for about 2 weeks. I have learned so much about trying to control what I take for pain and to try like hell to get off these bastards. It is 4:30 now in Seattle and I have managed to only take 2 Norcos today. Well, I didn't manage it totally on purpose - I only have 4 left until Monday (hopefully my docs office will call in my refill) otherwise I will be in a forced C/T. I almost think that that would be what it would take to get me off this stuff. The shooting pains are making me want to scream but I just took more Advil.
I am in such a pickle! I have justifiable pain, a few pain meds, and a fear of addiction. I feel like no matter which way I turn I am going to suffer!
Thanks for listening.
dak
I am having a tough time making it on 4 Norcos a day. I have been reading this forum for about 2 weeks. I have learned so much about trying to control what I take for pain and to try like hell to get off these bastards. It is 4:30 now in Seattle and I have managed to only take 2 Norcos today. Well, I didn't manage it totally on purpose - I only have 4 left until Monday (hopefully my docs office will call in my refill) otherwise I will be in a forced C/T. I almost think that that would be what it would take to get me off this stuff. The shooting pains are making me want to scream but I just took more Advil.
I am in such a pickle! I have justifiable pain, a few pain meds, and a fear of addiction. I feel like no matter which way I turn I am going to suffer!
Thanks for listening.
dak
I hope my reply gets posted. I replied to two people yesterday and it never appeared. I wonder where they ended up?
Anyway, Hardworkingguy I almost cried after reading your post. I have wanted to hear those words from a back surgery patient for a long time. I want to know that there is life after this awful adventure I have been on. I am 8 weeks out from a L5/S1 laminectomy (without fusion). After a year of trying ALL the conservative therapies (and receiving a vicodin prescription from my doctor) I finally gave in and had the surgery. I still have the awful shooting pains down my legs and am still taking a prescribed painkiller (Norco 4 per day) from my ortho surgeon. I have also been taking Advil Liqui Gels.
I am scared to death that:
1. That my surgery has resulted in what they call Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS).
2. That I will need to take these mind bending narcotics the rest of my life in order to function (although in a mental haze).
I am a professional woman (52) with a graduate degree in business/healthcare, imagine that! I CANNOT talk to people at work about any of this.
I wonder if you would be willing to share your back surgery experience with me and most importantly what OTC meds you use to handle the pain? My e-mail address set up specifically for addition/pain management responses is ***@****.
Anyway, Hardworkingguy I almost cried after reading your post. I have wanted to hear those words from a back surgery patient for a long time. I want to know that there is life after this awful adventure I have been on. I am 8 weeks out from a L5/S1 laminectomy (without fusion). After a year of trying ALL the conservative therapies (and receiving a vicodin prescription from my doctor) I finally gave in and had the surgery. I still have the awful shooting pains down my legs and am still taking a prescribed painkiller (Norco 4 per day) from my ortho surgeon. I have also been taking Advil Liqui Gels.
I am scared to death that:
1. That my surgery has resulted in what they call Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS).
2. That I will need to take these mind bending narcotics the rest of my life in order to function (although in a mental haze).
I am a professional woman (52) with a graduate degree in business/healthcare, imagine that! I CANNOT talk to people at work about any of this.
I wonder if you would be willing to share your back surgery experience with me and most importantly what OTC meds you use to handle the pain? My e-mail address set up specifically for addition/pain management responses is ***@****.
I hope my reply gets posted. I replied to two people yesterday and it never appeared. I wonder where they ended up?
Anyway, Hardworkingguy I almost cried after reading your post. I have wanted to hear those words from a back surgery patient for a long time. I want to know that there is life after this awful adventure I have been on. I am 8 weeks out from a L5/S1 laminectomy (without fusion). After a year of trying ALL the conservative therapies (and receiving a vicodin prescription from my doctor) I finally gave in and had the surgery. I still have the awful shooting pains down my legs and am still taking a prescribed painkiller (Norco 4 per day) from my ortho surgeon. I have also been taking Advil Liqui Gels.
I am scared to death that:
1. That my surgery has resulted in what they call Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS).
2. That I will need to take these mind bending narcotics the rest of my life in order to function (although in a mental haze).
I am a professional woman (52) with a graduate degree in business/healthcare, imagine that! I CANNOT talk to people at work about any of this.
I wonder if you would be willing to share your back surgery experience with me and most importantly what OTC meds you use to handle the pain? My e-mail address set up specifically for addition/pain management responses is ***@****.
Anyway, Hardworkingguy I almost cried after reading your post. I have wanted to hear those words from a back surgery patient for a long time. I want to know that there is life after this awful adventure I have been on. I am 8 weeks out from a L5/S1 laminectomy (without fusion). After a year of trying ALL the conservative therapies (and receiving a vicodin prescription from my doctor) I finally gave in and had the surgery. I still have the awful shooting pains down my legs and am still taking a prescribed painkiller (Norco 4 per day) from my ortho surgeon. I have also been taking Advil Liqui Gels.
I am scared to death that:
1. That my surgery has resulted in what they call Failed Back Surgery Syndrome (FBSS).
2. That I will need to take these mind bending narcotics the rest of my life in order to function (although in a mental haze).
I am a professional woman (52) with a graduate degree in business/healthcare, imagine that! I CANNOT talk to people at work about any of this.
I wonder if you would be willing to share your back surgery experience with me and most importantly what OTC meds you use to handle the pain? My e-mail address set up specifically for addition/pain management responses is ***@****.
You really need to talk with your Dr about your options to control pain.
If narcotics is out of the question for you, then tell your Dr.
Don't stay hooked when there are other pain meds that can work without being addictive.
I don't belive in these other meds that help get you off narcotis, I think it's the drug companys way to make more $. Not to help, those other meds are just as addictive then you will have a new problem.
Let time heal, It will get better and better and better, then it will be a bad thing in the past. It won't take long. Stay busy, keep moving even if it hurts. If you stay in one place too long you will get run over.
Oh, another good thing is you will loose weight as time goes on.
My system is working normal again, and I feel great.
So remember that for motivation.
If narcotics is out of the question for you, then tell your Dr.
Don't stay hooked when there are other pain meds that can work without being addictive.
I don't belive in these other meds that help get you off narcotis, I think it's the drug companys way to make more $. Not to help, those other meds are just as addictive then you will have a new problem.
Let time heal, It will get better and better and better, then it will be a bad thing in the past. It won't take long. Stay busy, keep moving even if it hurts. If you stay in one place too long you will get run over.
Oh, another good thing is you will loose weight as time goes on.
My system is working normal again, and I feel great.
So remember that for motivation.
you are exactly right, hardworker. I wish I had the strength you obviously do but I do waver from time to time. Not back to the meds, just in my mind. I also had a few back surgeries and a fusion in 2003 but mine did not work and I have a halo effect with the bone. I would appreciate any advice you have on dealing with the pain after meds. I am off 6 days now and looking for alternatives. thanks
Good luck with your continued fight
Good luck with your continued fight
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