Is it wrong to use pain meds to curb withdrwal between bouts of pain?

[Joe]

Since my chronic pain levels are not constant, I use the pain meds as needed.  However I noticed that when I have a "good" day (i.e. using less pain meds) I have withdrawal symptoms.  I typically take 1/2 a pill to curb the symptoms until the pain has me take a full dose.  My question is: should I just put up with the symptoms or is taking a small dose to curb it going to lead to an endless cycle of addiction.  I hate taking the meds when I don't need it for pain but since it looks like I'll be on them for life, I can't help but think why should I go through withdrawal several times a week, but feel "guilty" getting the withdrawal relief.

[to Kat]

Don't you have access to a car and $220.00?  If so, why won't you go to Dr. Gooberman, get buprenorphine and get off the drugs WITHOUT the horrible withdrawal?  Perhaps I'm missing something, please enlighten me.  Phil

[Lynn to Neena]

I'm not feeling too great, thats why I havent posted.  Still cant     come off these percs! I'm still at my old job but have until 12/23 to find a new one, and I cant detox and look for a new job at the same time! I dread looking for a new job (I'm in my 40's) and don't know how to do all that much, the percs ate most of the receptors in my brain. I'm so glad to hear you are clean. Except I see your having a little trouble with xanax. I eat one half of a blue every night because I toss and turn, so much on my mind. Was it "only" 4 days of pure hell to come off the codine?  God, I wish I had your strength.

[Patrice]

Hi guys  I too have been down the terrible road of addiction.  I wrote a note to Joe this morning and it still hasnt shown up.  Whats up with that???  I am a heroin addict who was clean for 12 years.  Well I got clean at 29 and now at 46 found myself dealing with many chronic pain issues.  Vicodins are so easy to get, esspecially if you are a patient at Kaiser,thank God I am not anymore.  To make a long story short, I will leave my hubby out of this letter because its his bussiness if he wants to share.  I started taking those pills as prescribed, and now 2 years ater I was eating 100mg of norco a day and shooting a gram of heroin.  This diease is truly cunning baffeling and powerful.  I had to make a desion before we lost our home and our cars and everthing else.  We are on a detox called Buprenephine/naloxon.  It has saved our lives!!!!!!  Yes I know that the time will come when I will need to take narcotics, but this time, I will have my sponser in NA hold them for me and she will give me one if and when I need it.  This is not a game, this is a life and death situation, beleive me I have OD'ed sold myself and stole for those drugs.  Thank God I didnt have to do that this time!!!  Im too old anyway LOL.  Joe PLEASE quit join NA and learn what recovery is all about.  I can tell you that methadone maintenence is BS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Everyone I know is shooting drugs on top of it.  This new treatment will hopefully one day get rid of methadone.  That is the most addicting drug in the world, see yuo will kick that habit for months.  My friend was in a bathrobe for 6 months kicking.  I will close now, hoping this one will be posted saying trust God and NA and God isnt religious in NA it is anything you want it to be.  My God looks like Harrison Ford.  

Love to all

***@****

[To sick and scared from Neena]

WHERE ARE YOU????  I am worried.  Please just check in, in between scores, even.  I'm still clean. Yeah.  Neena

[Patrice]

To Joe

Please stop taking those damn pills!!!!!!   My husband and I went through hell and now we are back, I started this whole thing about 3 years ago.  I was in recovery for many years, I am a heroin addict.  I got clean at 29.  When I got older or I should say we, my husband included, westarted having chronic pain conditions.  We THOUGT we COULD take them as presribed---------------WRONG.  We used all the online pharmacies, and 3 weeks ago I was taking 100mg of norco a day and my husband wasnt too far behind.  Then we ran into some old friends.  They are heroin addicts.  ANyway 3 weeks ago I was taking 100 mg of norco and shooting 1 gr of heroin everyday.  I was shooting it in my butt, because I have no veins left.  Please stop before this ruins your life!!!!!  We alsmost lost everything.  Lucky we are alive and still have our home our cars and our CC, but if we didnt stop, we would have lost it all, just like that.  Today we are on a new detox called buprenphine/naloxon.  We feel great are going to NA meeting everyday and have our lives back.  I know that the day will come when we do have to take narcotics, I have a surgury in Feb.  I will give them to someone I can trust to give them to me as I need them.  Good luck Joe,we caredont go where we did PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love Ya

Mike and Patrice

[To sick and scared from Neena]

You need not walk that horrible road.  A job is only a job.  Lot's of them out there.  Try a temp agency after your detox.  They usually have you a job with a day or so.  Be careful on the information that you take in.  Sometimes you need to suffer a little during the detox to make it stick, as I did.  Let yourself feel the poison leaving your body, as it's almost like an exorcism. He he.  At least, for me it was.  I looked like Linda Blair in the movie, The Exorcist.  Never again.  I'll make sure your guardian angel guides you in the correct way, but it is your choice in the end.  Best of luck.  Hang in. Neena