Spinal Injection... I need a pill

[donnadb]

Ok.. Ive been clean from hydros for 20 days now..  Yesterday, I had 3 spinal injections (two nerve root blocks and an SI joint injection).  I could really use something stronger than tylenol and ibuprofen for pain.  If I just take 1 or 2 hydros will I be throwing myself under the train again??  Will it cause me to have WD's again?!  

[laurel453]

come on, don't dare you  to think you blew it and don't feel dissapointed of you either. This is a long, long run and as broknbck has told you, one pill won't set you back, ok?

i do admire you, all of you who are dealing with pain and being clean. Now, look at the good thing: you just know now that this pill doesn't work the same way for you and you know it for sure. You'll start feeling less drained without those mental thoughts about taking them. Try to be positive cause there just to be other options.

ask all of them for advices and their experiences  about their way of dealing with pain. And give them a try and find the best ones for you....but don't feel down , ok? tú puedes! ( YOU CAN do it, you're still 20 days on the run)

[broknbck]

now, now, it is going to be alright.

1 - i said "one" pill is not going to set you all the way back. if anything it made you realize that they just are not an alternative anymore. that is the problem-they just stop working for pain and leave us with the f ' ing withdrawl only.

so you are still at the same spot and you can finish this. just quit beating yourself up and know that you have done so much already and put your head back up. this is a very hard thing you are doing and we are all pulling for you.

[troubleinohio]

im sorry youre going thru this..i remember when i had the same spinal injections. OMG it made my pain so much worse. I dont know if it was a coincidental thing and my back just decided to go out on me again right after having the shots or if it was caused directly from the shots but my pain was SEVERE and i had to have opiates to get me through the post procedure/back attack pain. It took several days to get past the excruitiating pain as I recall, too.  Good luck to you and I hope you feel better soon. It ***** to be addicted to the pills, yet have severe chronic pain. I deal with it every day of my life!  

{{{hugs to you}}}}

[Sunnyd210]

Donna Im really sorry you feeling this way. U shouldnt be disappointed in urself you have come a long way and those pills make u believe you need them. Dont think of it as starting over think of it as a learning experience sometimes we need to find out these things for ourselves the hard way.

[donnadb]

well I guess I blew it again!  I bit the bullet and took a hydro after 21 days clean.. This back pain is killing me but to my dismay, it's not any better after the pain meds! Now, I guess I'm back at square 1 with the pills!  I'm so unbelievably depressed and disappointed in myself! Thanks for all of your replies. I made my choice and now I'll pay the price !!

[worried878]

the mental anguish of addiction to me was worse than my pain as well...but everyone is different and have their own opinion and feelings...

[broknbck]

well, it is a hard one to call. but you do know where 1 pill gets you and isn't that how you got into this mess? everyone knows that the pain killers can be addictive and think they will be careful.

sometimes people make the choice of being addicted over putting up with the pain. it is all your choice. but you must weigh the pain and torture you have to go through to get off of them.
to me it was worse than the back pain. but then i did find some solutions to my pain outside of drugs.

best wishes

[worried878]

i feel for u...believe me...i was recommended to have another fusion last month and have opted not to do it....different scenario and perhaps we should be posting on the pain forum!   but lots here have pain as well...some are just lucky enuf not to become addicts...most do not...we did tho...when this surgery happens..cross that bridge then..and let ur loved on hold ur pills...and u will make it...u have to believe u will.....
.I was talking to a very elderly woman/91/ the other day and i was expressing worries about the future/a bad habit of mine...she told me the one thing she regretted in her life was not living enuf "moments"..in that moment..instead living/worrying about things in the future that had not and may not ever even occur....life is so short...BTW: i am talking to myself as i write this as i think i need this reinforced today as well..i see how short life is everyday of my life...life can be gone tomorrow...tonight...it is so uncertain and that really made sense to me about staying in the moment more often that i do....not worrying at all about the future seems a bit irresponsible to me...but i think i may often over do it....be safe...things have a way of woking out

[DogLover723]

That's what I am worried about. This is going to be my 3rd surgery. I have steel rods in my spine and one of them has bent so they have to go in and replace it. I will be in a body cast for 3 months. I have abused the pills so bad in the past that I am terrified to have to take them again. I have only 6 days clean but it feels good and I don't want to mess with that, but they say I could end up hunchbacked and using a walker in a year or so if I don't have this surgery.   I am going to take as few as I possibly can but I am terrified about it.

[january43]

I'm also a chronic pain person, but haven't addressed the options involved in taking or not taking any further opiates.
I also get SI blocks and know exactly what you are going thru.
My usual MO is to take a 'breakthru' med such as vicodin and ice pack the area.
I tossed all my breakthru meds last week and, though I know I can easily get another script, think I'm going to do the next one on motrin or aleve and more ice packs.
I know that the pain will go away eventually and if it is a case of having to trigger that want for more drugs or not trigger it-I think I'll opt for not.
Easy to say that now though.
You are in my thoughts and please share your decision.
jjanuary43

[worried878]

chronic back pain is a bumber...as i sit typing with ice on my neck...and that is the best thing to do after injexctions as well for any pain...it will decrease the swelling and numb the pain...too much work to throw out the window...i wouldnt do it..have done it before after similar circumstances..used for 4 days...physically i was ok but mentally it was a big setback

[DogLover723]

I have to have another spinal surgery early next year. I know I will have to have opiate meds. My plan is to have somebody, like my husband or a friend keep them and only give them to me as directed. I think if I had control of them I would abuse them again. With my back issues, I will have chronic pain forever so I know I can't avoid them. I am still looking for alternative ways to deal with the pain so I hopefully wont have to take as many pain pills.
  One of the reasons I am going cold turkey right now is that I know I will need them for a while after my surgery and I am kind of trying to "cleanse" myself before my surgery so I wont have as much resistance and wont have to take as many.  I am hoping like crazy that I will be OK with them this time.
  I hope this helped. Good luck

[donnadb]

BUMP... more replys please... I need to make a decision soon....

[donnadb]

Yea.. I kinda think that its irrational to think that pain patients will NEVER be able or HAVE to take any kind of pain meds again... From my research, there are no really effective pain meds other than the opiates (which, in my opinion includes ultram!)...  It just puts us in such a bad, bad place!!!  Personally, I'm torn between living with the pain and living with the addiction..

[sdleo]

I think if you take it responsibly and understand your addiction then sometimes there are times we will have to take pain medicine but you will just have to take it responbibly. I only think it would be okig you were clean for a long time and not only a couple months. Good Luck. I have to have surgery and will alos have to take medicine and I will take it because I will not put myslef through that much pain but i will for sure do it the right way.

[DogLover723]

I am kind of going through the same thing as you. I am now 6 days off vicodin. I have steel rods in my spine and am needing a 3rd surgery. I am in constant pain due to my back. In my case I know that even 1 pill would put me right back where I was. I am looking for alternative ways to manage my pain. Good luck.

[Sunnyd210]

Hi Im sorry ur having pain but yes I think u would be throwing urself under the train again. 1 pill is too much and 1000 would never be enough.