I don't think I'm addicted, but what do you think

[jenniferk86]

I have chiari maLformation and pressure from my brain impacts my spine and causes severe pain, I've been taking percocet for 5 months, have not increased my dose or the amount I take,i take 7.5 three times a day or as needed for severe pain.it doesn't relieve the pain completely but makes it manageable. I do not usually feel a high effect, and I function very well on it,i couldn't function without it, its been that way before I started taking it.  I don't like the feeling if I take too much, so I def.do not take it just for fun, only for pain relief.


My question is does this mean I'm addicted to it? If I go more than 4 hours I can hardly move because I'm in so much pain, but it was this way before I stated taking then also...is this perc withdrawal our just my chronic pain and am I addicted?

[Jimmy1975]

Hi and welcome ! I would say at that low dose and amount of time  that you have stayed on that dose  you're not addicted . 22.5 mil. of hydrocodone is not that much to stop now . I was taking 30 and sometimes 40 mils of Vicodin and withdrawals were pretty light compared to a heavy user . You no doubt will have a little discomfort when you stop to the effect of a lite flu . In two or three days no doubt you will be feeling pretty dang good . Might take weeks if there are any mental issues involved like anxiety and depression if any . I had anxiety pretty bad for a month but again I was also taking a little more then you . talk to your doctor if you plan on stopping and I am sure she or he will gladly help you with your concerns ..Jimmy

[Eebb26]

I think you ate dependent on it but not addicted maybe. If u r generally in pain four hours later, then it may be time ur dr increases it. As long as u r not doing it for the high. I agree you should wait till after surgery. Best of luck. I wish I only took 4 a day. I got so out of control that I don't even recognize myself anymore

[Ashelen]

Well eventually you will have to up your dose. that's just how narcotics work. but if you're comfortable with that, then that's something you have to decide.

From what I understand, in order to determine where your pain level is *Really* at...it takes months of abstaining, which is what I'm about to do.

if your pain is coming after 4 hours it's probably genuine pain, but pain medicine changes the way we perceive pain - it may be amplifying it. it's SO hard to say with pain medicine.

No matter what, I wouldn't do anything until well after the surgery if I were you, but I would go ahead and discuss it with my doctor.

[Ashelen]

sorry I should clarify - I would personally stop taking the medicine after the post-op recovery is done.

[jenniferk86]

Oh, and I feel ok taking them, I have to pay a dollar a month, I am getting them prescribed, and I havent upped my dosage, I dont feel like I am dependent functionally, just pain wise. So I can definitely live taking 3 a day the rest of my life, it doesnt really bother me unless I start having to up the dose, but I just dont know how to tell if the pain is from my condition or from withdrawals, like how long do you have to obstain from taking percs, in order to feel actual withdrawal effects, is 4 hours even enough, or is that from my real pain?

[Ashelen]

Well....I don't know sweetie you're in a tough position. I would wait until the surgery is done and go from there. I would, personally, try stopping the medicine after the surgery and evaluate from there. Have you spoken to your doctor about your concerns? He can help you figure out what to do. Make it clear that you're concerned about physical dependence and ask him if you have any options - you may simply have to continue to take the pain meds. But I would certainly open the dialogue if I were you!

[jenniferk86]

How do I get past the physical dependence then because I have tried to go a whole day without them, and I cry literally and I have had 2 children naturally no epidurals, so I know what pain is, I literally would just end up going to the er... I will be getting surgery soon, and maybe that will help, but in the mean time, I don't know whats my pain and whats the pain from not taking perc. and how long I could even wait to see which is which because my pain is so bad.  

[Ashelen]

Ok...I can't tell you if you are "addicted" or not...but I can give you a little insight into my story. I'm a pain patient as well, I take 5mg norco (hydrocodone), three times a day...and have taken this and several other medications on and off almost continuously for the past 5 years, with breaks here and there. I never take more than I'm supposed to, and like you I don't like the side effects so I prefer to only take them when I have to.

Recently it occurred to me that I take the meds in order not to feel sick as much as I do to treat the pain I have, which is intense. Not that I'm craving them, but that I simply feel sick when I don't take them - which is a result of physical dependence.

If you have taken the percocets for 5 months daily you are certainly physically dependent.

The question is...do you want to continue to live this way, or are you ready to try something else? I personally am stopping my medicine. yes, I'm in a lot of pain, but I don't want to have the dependence looking over my shoulder any more. I'm sick of relying on the medicine to treat the pain.

With that being said...a Chiari malformation is a fairly serious pain-causing problem. You may well need to treat your pain. But I came to the conclusion that the narcotics were only masking the pain and not getting rid of it anyway, so what's the point in putting up everything that comes along with the pain medicine (- dependence, withdrawal, side effects), if I'm going to hurt anyway?

All I can do is tell you thatI chose to try to live with the pain for awhile. I've learned that often when you're taking pain medicine, your pain is not as bad as you think it is and that often a few months free of the painkillers you will find that your pain level is a lot lower and more manageable than you think. that's what I"m doing now- giving myself some time to see if that's the case. If later this year I discover that my pain is too high and I can't live without treating it, I'll re-evaluate and go from there...but I'm giving myself a chance to try it another way.

I won't tell you what to do...but to answer your question in a short way, you are physically dependent. addicted? not necessarily, it doesn't sound like it, but addiction isn't the only reason to stop taking the pills.

hope you have a great day!