I Need advice

[Hoosierguy46615]

Hi all I have an issue...ug  ok first im not your typical pain med junkee...i was in a bad car accident June of 07 and severely hurt my spine. Anyway I wont go into the boring details of that....I stated off with simple vicodin and flexeril for pain....fast forward......now 15 month later im on a Fentanyl Patch and taking 3 norco 10/325's at a time just to have any relief...............I have tried to stop....After removing the patch and not taking a pill 1 night it was Terrible....I literally felt like a lil gremlin was inside me kicking and screaming......what can I do? I know these meds have turned me into someone I dont wanna be..im withdrawn from family, literally dont have any friends anymore, but im also still in pain......any advice or been there stories would be appreciated Thanks

[crispie]

ONE DAY AT A TIME.... AND SOMETIMES EVEN BABY STEPS... i know, i am 76 days clean now. i have been threw it all...car accidents, cancer, among other surgery...but enough of my sad stories... i did it went threw them god awful withdrawals...and I NEVER WANT TO GO THREW THAT AGAIN, i don't even wish it on an enemy...well good luck to you on your quest for sobreity...know that you can do it

[january43]

First-there is a chronic pain forum for people like us to get support...
Now---for the issue of wanting to get off pain meds whilst dealing with the pain.  
I hear your panic guy.
According to all the wise people here, you can't do this cold turkey without going thru what you did.
It's is tough to decide which way to go--do we take the pain meds we are Rx'ed and become zombies or do we try to deal with the pain someway (whatever way that is-I don't know the answer), and detox from the pain meds.
I've chosen to try (Yes Yoda-there is no try, I know that) and come off the meds and I'm doing it slowly to avoid the withdrawal as much as I can.
Read, research, talk to your pain doctor and see if she can help you,explain why you want to come off the meds.
Chronic Pain people frequently have depression also--if you have been isolating, it is a sign of depression.  Sometimes you literally have to MAKE yourself get up and out and go to a support group.  Find a depression support group-try local hospitals.
Connect with someone there and make a contract to check in daily with someone.
I had to do this last year when I was depressed so bad I didn't go anywhere for 3 months.  
It isn't fun but you have to watch out for #1-you.
Take care and check out that Chronic Pain group here on medhelp.  Also there is a depression group.
january43

[mtgoat911]

it is very common for pain patients like yourself to turn into junkies, i can promise you that
infact i see atleast 200 detox patients a month, and 40% are pain patients from an injury or illness
you are not alone in your struggle, all pain meds, even taken as prescribed are addicting
you are not responsible for this addiction, only responsible for getting treatment
i started taking pain pills after i wrecked my car on the way to college, so my first year of college i was taking major pain meds, i also had a history of doing other drugs
so my story is a bit different, i choose to seek help through NA
and i have been clean 4 yrs, if you need help finding a meeting, or a taper plan, let me know
xo

[usarmymedic1]

most people on here with pain med addictions started out like you did using it for real pain and cronic pain. you really won't know your true pain level until you get off the meds for 2-3 weeks I was surpised at how much of my pain was caused by my addiction/dependecy to this meds. I do understand about tramatic back injuries just read my journal if you want my story on how I injuried my back. It does not help to know that there will always be pain but to have your life back with some pain is better ( to me anyways) than being a slave to the medication. and yes after about 3 weeks I knew I could handle the pain with out the meds I am still at 5 pain level constant and it can and has spiked to a 7-8 but still rather be clean than be on the meds and I think you are at that point of wanting to change your behaivor of the pills to useing activity modification to control your pain it does help also there are some exercises pictured in my photos that help me with my lower back pain they strengthen the core stomach muscles to help relive the strain of the back muscles to stabalize the spine. I have benn dealling with this since 2003. message me if you have any questions

Medic1 stay army strong

[jollyman069]

i am one who  chose to  use the meds, i have been going through this for15 yrs now and 3 yrs ago started seeing a pain spec. he put me on percs then and now i take a time released pill and percs for breakthrough pain, i came here in may worried about addiction and for 5 weeks stopped the meds went through w/d and stayed off them, i found i was in severe pain mpost of the day and after meeting with my dr made the informed decision to back on meds i know i am physically addicted i dint abuse and i have resigned myself to the fact that i need meds to be able to have any kind of active life.. so it is a very hard decision to make good luck if i can help plz feel free and pm me...

[hobbity]

umm  I don't know that many pain med junkies that started on this road except by accident.  What a perception.  Take a long hard look at your issues.

[hobbity]

Now after you have stopped to judge the rest of us.  And I have gained a sense of not wanting to be anything but helpful -- You can make a choice as you have to cut back or get off these meds and these people here are wonderful and will support you to the end.   They've all walked in your shoes at one point.  You can do this and beat this.

[january43]

I have to say----I really resent being called a junkie--In 55 years I didn't have any issue with abusing alcohol or drugs..ok some fun and games during the 60s but when I grew up a bit more, it didn't continue.
It's easy to lump everyone into the category of **you take opiates IE: you are a junkie** but I never even knew that the oxycontin I was first Rx'd was something people abused.  I got my rx from a pain doctor.  I took what was rx'd and thats it.  Same with methadone...I actually take less than what was rx'd and dump what I don't take in the trash...not the toilet-don't want it in the watershed.
I was told to go to NA to get off methadone and was not comfortable there....and in fact some pond scum guy wanted to take advantage of me.  However I may be old but I'm not dumb and said "No Way Dude!"  I really dislike the attitude that if you deny you are a junkie ergo you are one.  That is not logical or my reality.
Each to his/her own opinion I say and I'm thankful for the knowledge in this group-however even though the group name is Substance Abuse...not all here are abusers.  Some of us just are wanting help and knowledge on how to detox from the drugs.
I've been on opiates for over 8 years and I have no real idea what my actual pain level is now..the only way to find out is to go off the meds so I am, due to terrible side effects of methadone.  Side effects I wasn't told about when I was prescribed them and that was only 5 years ago.  There was no Informed Consent.....I was assured that they were what I needed to control pain, after the oxycontin media blitz.
So please hobity, try and understand, we are not all the same nor in the same state other than that of chemical dependence
january43

[howie77]

Many of us(like me) started the same way. Dealing wih chronic pain is much easier than dealing with addiction. Unfortunately, many of of realize this a bit too late. And by the sounds of it, in youre case, its a bit too late. Sometimes it takes the voices of those in the same boat to give you a very, very hard thing to hear; the truth. im not trying to sound like a jerk, just telling you what I got out of your post. so you know, this forum is filled with some of the most knowlagable, unselfish, helpfull, caring,honest and sympathetic people ive never met, when you are ready for help, we are all here for you. No one will judge you, assuming you offer the same respect in return.     blessings and love,
Howie

[hobbity]

I hope you don't think I would call anybody on this forum a junkie. I was rather indignant about the original poster calling us junkies as if we chose to wake up like this.  As if not just about everyone bar a few got on this stuff accidently thru pain managment.  I don't even judge the people that wanted to relax and escape something in their life.

I just have a problem with a person that comes to a help forum of people desperately trying to get off this stuff and making some interesting assumptions on how we all arrived here as if they indeed themselves arrived here maybe the same way.

In no way am I calling out any person on this site as a junkie.  I think we are all in different states of recovery and in need.  I have forgiven the original poster.

[usarmymedic1]

most people on here after talking to them were not addicts persay but more of the dependent on them there bodies were dependent on them. dependency and addiction are two defferant things the main defferance is that in addiction the addict has a malidaptive Behavior to wanting the drug and starts to get it any way they can. Yes some have gone that route after there Dr.'s cut them off but most start with the pain and the Rx then to dependancy. So if your offend by the word Junkie in refferance to you becomeing dependent on a medication then think, most people even with the pain med dependency think of them selves that way becouse they are not aware of any thing else.
so please take it with a grain of salt this person prob. thinks it about him self if he didn't he would not be here

[january43]

Reconsider your "most people" perhaps.  There is a chronic pain board, which, sadly, does not deal with detoxing off opiates,  I greatly doubt a person there considers themseves a junkie.  There is, in fact, a report available on the list that differentiates a substance abuser from the chemically dependent who takes a RX as written and does not seek further drugs.
The basic horse of a different color.
I have a bit of experience with chemical dep. as my son went thru rehab twice in the 80s.
Of course no one told me then either that rehab in Oregon has less than a 20% success rate.  I was called a junkie at NA and could not explain how I was different than the others-like we are looking at the situation from two different angles.  Sort of like the blind men and the elephant story.
I apologize if I mis-wrote here but it's become a sore spot with me.  I'll try not to take things personally.
january43

[hobbity]

I give up.

[howie77]

If you look, it was the original poster, hoosierguy, the used the term "pain med junkies" I think Hobbity wasjust expreesing a little (valid) defensivness to this remark. I didnt like it either. I never had an opiate unil I sustained a serious injury resulting in 2 failed surgeries and now severe chronic pain. Began abusing my meds and am now looking for an alternative to solve my addiction AND pain issues. not an easy spot to be in and i know for a fact that many folks on this forum are in the same boat. So thanks, hobbity for actually saying what I (and probably quite a few others) were thinking ( :      hope everyone has a good night and thanks for letting me share
Blessings,
Howie

[extrmeski]

Yikes.. I had a similar experience and was put on the patches, 100mcgs every two days and up to 8 percocet 7.5/325s a day.  I had no idea what a high dose I was on.  The dosages I was on would kill someone if they weren't used to the narcotics.  I feel so sorry for you, getting off those @#$!@# patches is nothing short of horrible!!  I wasn't abusing the drugs at all, I was using them as prescribed or even less put never more.  I personally do not think that the doctors should be even allowed to dispense the patches unless the person is terminal.  My suggestion would be to get rid of the patches all together and just use the pills, then wean yourself down slowly from the pills.

[nursegirl6572]

No matter HOW people get here...they all struggle with the same thing....how the he** to get OFF these opiates without wanting to gouge your own eyes out.  Yes, there is a lot of difference between "addiction" and "dependancy".....and there are also a lot of similarities.

Bottom line...IMO...labels don't help a whole lot.  The main thing I see might be different is the amount and type of aftercare a person will need.

Oh, and to comment on the statement above that people Rxed these meds becoming addicted or dependant not being their fault...I couldn't disagree more.  Sure, there are docs who hand opiates out like candy on Halloween night (and that is certainly not right), but the overall responsibility is ALWAYS going to lie with the patient.  This is why a medication educational monograph outlining every possible risk associated with any medication is provided with each and every Rx that is filled.  Even if it is your 300.001st refill, you will still get the educational material.  People need to educate themselves about what they are being prescribed and why...and have the duty to question the doc or pharmacist if they have questions about it.  

Now, when you talk about something like Tramadol, that was described as being "non-addicting" for quite a long time after it was released...totally different scenario there.  The proper info was NOT being offered to the patients so that they could make an informed decision on whether or not they wanted to take it...quite the opposite actually.  They were told it was not addicting....and a LOT of people found themselves in a baaaad bad way when they decided to stop taking them.  :0(

It's all about proper disclosure and informed consent.

[hobbity]

You can take the meds as directed on the label.  After about one week of pain, the meds no longer work.  So human nature tells you to double your dose.  You just don't even have any inkling you are going to have withdrawl or a problem with these things until you actually stop taking them and wow what a surprise.

I think a great many people can hand a boat load of responsibililty to their doctors and trust them to take care of them not imagining this horror around the corner.  Have you personally walked this walk?