Aa
Ok, I just don't get it.
Some of you out there are, or once were abusers. For the rest, they seem to be legitimate cases of a needed substance to detour pain.
For those of you that are in legitimate pain, and have a prescription: I'm not sure why it is that you want to quit. I've seen herbal remedies for pain. I've used some myself, and currently use it for chronic pain. This information is just accessible to you as it has been for me. Considering even that, by all means, I should be on pain pills.
But all of that being said, I'm not sure that I understand people when they say they have legitimate pain issues yet want to stop using prescription pain killers. Some of them have denounced the term "junkie." I just don't get it. If you realize yourself that the pain pills have become a problem, then why not pronounce yourself as a junkie? Sure, it doesn't make you proud. I'm not at all. But I'd gladly take a script right now. I could actually use one right now from the pain in my neck and back.
??
Sure, I went to great lengths to keep this from my medical record. But why? I just don't get it.
I don' know. I guess I'm dumfounded to hear of these legitimate users who do not abuse their medication, yet they want to be off of it. Google can do more than land you in this forum. So, again, I'm perplexed.
For those of you that are in legitimate pain, and have a prescription: I'm not sure why it is that you want to quit. I've seen herbal remedies for pain. I've used some myself, and currently use it for chronic pain. This information is just accessible to you as it has been for me. Considering even that, by all means, I should be on pain pills.
But all of that being said, I'm not sure that I understand people when they say they have legitimate pain issues yet want to stop using prescription pain killers. Some of them have denounced the term "junkie." I just don't get it. If you realize yourself that the pain pills have become a problem, then why not pronounce yourself as a junkie? Sure, it doesn't make you proud. I'm not at all. But I'd gladly take a script right now. I could actually use one right now from the pain in my neck and back.
??
Sure, I went to great lengths to keep this from my medical record. But why? I just don't get it.
I don' know. I guess I'm dumfounded to hear of these legitimate users who do not abuse their medication, yet they want to be off of it. Google can do more than land you in this forum. So, again, I'm perplexed.
as u distance from the drugs january...btw..i love that name...my month of birth...u will feel more alert and confident to join in on conversations that occur in everyday life..when i used i fet kinda dub and kept my mouth shut when possible...dulled like u saidl
Ya know-I never considered that the 'senior moments' I have been having for--oh--the past 7 years might be partially caused by the opiate therapy.
I used to be a quick whit, funny in a group, a fast thinker etc. I just have been contributing it to aging and not being so active in groups.
Be interesting to see what happens as I lower the dosage of the methadone.
january43
I used to be a quick whit, funny in a group, a fast thinker etc. I just have been contributing it to aging and not being so active in groups.
Be interesting to see what happens as I lower the dosage of the methadone.
january43
Interesting post...and was just discussing this with a friend/fellow chronic pain patient...it is so true that u can not rely on your present doctor or source forever....been there and done that....the doctor gets investigated and boom! and now they dont even have to do anything wrong...routine investigations all the time....then the doctor becomes paranoid...and u r in a rat race again...it is extremely tiring...i guess some just find doctors that will prescribe and prescribe...more and more..then stronger and stronger....i am not quite sure how people find these doctors unless they are dying or something but they do...once it happens to u and ur doctor is talking to u about mind over pain and the dead end street that narcotics provide...u become afraid...cos if u do not have ur pills u can not go to work...and u stress..and u go broke...and u never can feel safe that that supply will always be there....some people have a comfy doctor with a comfy connection....for now...dont ever count on it long term
There are some really good points and questions raised in this thread ----- Please allow me to share why it is that many people (including myself) have discovered about being 'clean' ------ Here are a few --- Even if you don't think it is there people on opiates are in a fog - a shroud, every emotion or genuine feeling is masked by the drugs ---- If you don't think so, just ask someone on opiates when the last time they felt really sad or even cried?? Most cannot even remember ------ Now, lets see how I can word the next one --- oh well, might as well come out with it --- Sex is sooooo much better when not on opiates --- will anyone who has come off of the dope disagree with that ???? I no longer have to live every minute wondering about my next Rx refill or where my little bottle is - - I can fly or drive where I want and not worry about going through customs in another country that may confiscate my dope ---- I don't have to lie to my doctor any more ----- I don't snap at my spouse or children just because I am needing a 'fix' from my little bottle -- I guess I could go on and on and on --- Most of the folks on this site who have successfully quit will agree and think of many more reasons why we choose to deal with our chronic pain issues without opiates --- Oh yeah, one more good one --- The underlying pain that started us on our addiction can be dealt with in ways that do not cause the above mentioned problems. Anyway, just my two cents worth. All the best.
Im beginning to wonder this myself, being a true legit pain patient!! I've been off hydros for 11 days now and my back pain is unbearable! My reason for wanting off of them is this scenario: when my doc decides that enough is enough and stops prescribing them to me... how far "in" will I be by then and how much harder will it be to stop??? On the other hand, I have had probably the most miserable 11 days of my life, fighting this pain! I teeter totter on the verge of taking the hydro EVERY day because I DO have a legit script and easy access (at this point)... So, I can see both sides of the coin...
I guess its a personal choice of what is worse to deal with the pain issues or always worrying about pills. At this point in my life I would rather deal with the pain. Another big part of my wanting to stop taking pills was also because Im going to have pain for the rest of my life whats going to happen in 10 years from now? Norco wasnt working anymore what was the next step? I didnt want to be addicted to even higher doses of meds than I already was.
Tell me more about the TEETH issue...... Because i was on Hydro's for 5 yrs & now Ive noticed my teeth have a few problems....... chipped one or 2 in the back.. NOTHING too Too bad Or Noticable, But I know it's there....... I NEVER put 2 & 2 together..... So Please share.....
Well-I can tell you why *I* want to get off the Rx'd pain meds----they are eating my skeletal system, destroying my teeth and make the absorption of nutrients impossible so that I test anemic every blood test.
I was a strong woman. I did a very physical job for 25 years then was in an auto accident, injured my back and ended up on OC.
I knew butkies about it when it was prescribed. I knew nothing about it being a drug that was abused in the drug using population and was not told any of that. 4 years later, when the OC abuse stuff hit the media my doc decided to pull me off OC and onto methadone.
I'd heard of methadone, that it was used as a heroin substitute but was assured by my doc that I wasn't taking the same thing and that I needed it for pain control.
I was naive and uneducated about the drug using populace.
OK-8 years later I go for a bone scan (I'm 65, my last bone scan was 7 years ago and was great).
Now my skeletal structure is that of an 80 year old, I've lost 3 teeth and had 3 root canals this year all due to methadone.
If I happen to fall, I might end up in a wheelchair. for the rest of my life.
So-on one hand I have pain control. On the other hand I have a quickly deteriorating body. On the 3rd hand (G) I have no idea what my pain level is today....
IF I find out after going off methadone that I have unmanagable pain, I can reassess what I want to do about it then.
When I was put on the meds-there was no google, the internet was shiny and new and not really helpful in researching stuff unless you knew a lot more than I did.
OK? Questions answered?
Feel free to ask me more.
january43
I was a strong woman. I did a very physical job for 25 years then was in an auto accident, injured my back and ended up on OC.
I knew butkies about it when it was prescribed. I knew nothing about it being a drug that was abused in the drug using population and was not told any of that. 4 years later, when the OC abuse stuff hit the media my doc decided to pull me off OC and onto methadone.
I'd heard of methadone, that it was used as a heroin substitute but was assured by my doc that I wasn't taking the same thing and that I needed it for pain control.
I was naive and uneducated about the drug using populace.
OK-8 years later I go for a bone scan (I'm 65, my last bone scan was 7 years ago and was great).
Now my skeletal structure is that of an 80 year old, I've lost 3 teeth and had 3 root canals this year all due to methadone.
If I happen to fall, I might end up in a wheelchair. for the rest of my life.
So-on one hand I have pain control. On the other hand I have a quickly deteriorating body. On the 3rd hand (G) I have no idea what my pain level is today....
IF I find out after going off methadone that I have unmanagable pain, I can reassess what I want to do about it then.
When I was put on the meds-there was no google, the internet was shiny and new and not really helpful in researching stuff unless you knew a lot more than I did.
OK? Questions answered?
Feel free to ask me more.
january43
when ur narcotic problem becomes more emergent than ur pain issue...people stop and analyze where we are heading..that is when a chronic pain patient/like myself/will throw in the towel...addiction is a different type of pain..perhaps u have not experienced this...it was stress to me...stress is the worst aggravater of pain for many...so then u have a chronic pain probem with an addiction to boot.....u analyze this and figure out that u r going absolutely nowhere in the scheme of things....cept down....if i ever reach tthe point where i cant function without narcotics/which i may....i will worry then...worrying now gets me nowhere
you have a great point. those who take their meds as directed for legitimate reasons are fortunate enough to have access to these meds. i have spoken with a few patients that are just so uncomfortable being so dependant on a substance that they would rather find an alternative to narcotic pain mngt. This isnt usually brought to light untill the person, for a legitimate reason, ends up going without meds for a day or two. Until this tine I think they may be naieve to the fact that so many aspects of their lives depend on whether or not they have their pills. This is typically when the obsession (pill counting, fear of running out, losing them, going on a trip and forgetting them...and so on.) sets in. many confuse this for addiction, others simply feel so uncomfortable by these feelings that they would rather find an alternative to this lifestyle. Another seems to be the social stigma that the pills carry(which i find ridiculous) once they've made the decision to come off the pills, they realize its not as easy as the may have thought. this, in turn brings them to site like this and after reading horror stories of coming the meds a vicious cycle of fear and withdrawl begins. This is the best explaination of the points you bring up. bottom line, in my opinion, the human psyche is a powerfull thing. Throw in chronic pain, drug compay sponsored pain clinics and the non_existence of true doc/patient relationships (not to mention highly addictive substances to those succeptable) and youve got a whole can of worms containg unfornate pain patients, drug wars, and lots of money....just my 2, well 3 cents.
regards,
Howie
regards,
Howie
Hey brother..how ya been?
I here what your saying. I also agree.
If a person needs a medication, and takes it for medical puposes, and it works....and they dont abuse it...then that is fine (in my eyes anyway)
I still take a anti-anxiety medication, legit...even after quitting 20 hydro's a day over a month ago. But I do not abuse the anti-anxiety medication whatsoever...and it works very well for what is was perscibed for.
Now hydros, I used to take them at 3-4 a day for about a good 6 months for LEGIT pain. Then I noticed, somehow my count was at 8-9 hydros a day....So then I backed them back down to 4 a day again....
Well after 6 months of taking 4 hydro's a day...well over the past year.....I let started to increase my dose of hydros for the wrong reason....and started to use them for energy, and to get a hydro buzz after work etc...
Anyway, long story short...my (Leigit) 3-4 hydro's a day for pain....ended up at 18-20 hydro's a day. Now matter how hard I tried to go back to 4 a day...I just couldn't anymore, I was fully addicted to these hydro's to the point that I had to rely on them just to function....
So, that is why I c/t my 18-20 hydro's a day 35 days ago, because I was NOT taking them for leigit pain anymore.
Like I said, I still take a scrip for legit medical reasons, which works, and I have never abused it in over a year now.
So...to answer your question, I would take a scrip for legit pain...but now it cant be opiates, because I got myself way overboard in them, and am addicted to them.
....But if someone can hold a scrip for for pain, and not abuse it...like I said, I dont see anything wrong with it...as long as it works, and they never abuse the medication.
God Bless,
Todd
I here what your saying. I also agree.
If a person needs a medication, and takes it for medical puposes, and it works....and they dont abuse it...then that is fine (in my eyes anyway)
I still take a anti-anxiety medication, legit...even after quitting 20 hydro's a day over a month ago. But I do not abuse the anti-anxiety medication whatsoever...and it works very well for what is was perscibed for.
Now hydros, I used to take them at 3-4 a day for about a good 6 months for LEGIT pain. Then I noticed, somehow my count was at 8-9 hydros a day....So then I backed them back down to 4 a day again....
Well after 6 months of taking 4 hydro's a day...well over the past year.....I let started to increase my dose of hydros for the wrong reason....and started to use them for energy, and to get a hydro buzz after work etc...
Anyway, long story short...my (Leigit) 3-4 hydro's a day for pain....ended up at 18-20 hydro's a day. Now matter how hard I tried to go back to 4 a day...I just couldn't anymore, I was fully addicted to these hydro's to the point that I had to rely on them just to function....
So, that is why I c/t my 18-20 hydro's a day 35 days ago, because I was NOT taking them for leigit pain anymore.
Like I said, I still take a scrip for legit medical reasons, which works, and I have never abused it in over a year now.
So...to answer your question, I would take a scrip for legit pain...but now it cant be opiates, because I got myself way overboard in them, and am addicted to them.
....But if someone can hold a scrip for for pain, and not abuse it...like I said, I dont see anything wrong with it...as long as it works, and they never abuse the medication.
God Bless,
Todd
***I don' know. I guess I'm dumfounded to hear of these legitimate users who do not abuse their medication, yet they want to be off of it.***
Even without "abusing" narcotics...long term, chronic use of them is still leading most down a road of misery.....even without "addiction", there is still physical dependence and tolerance, and a lot of people who have researched the meds they have been prescribed realize that they really don't want to add another problem to their laundry list, ya know? I actually find it very admirable.
Truth is...in MY opinion...opiates should NEVER be prescribed other than for SHORT TERM use, or for situations when maybe someone has a terminal illness and needs palliative care. I know that is easy to say...I don't live with daily chronic pain, and I couldn't even imagine what that would be like. Again, just my opinion.
I just don't think that the "label" matters. Whether it be someone taking an opiate Rx-ed by their doc for pain, or someone getting them off the street for pleasure....they both end up in the same place....fighting painful w/d's. The only real difference in my eyes is the type and amt of aftercare a person will need after detoxing.
I just guess I don't understand what befuddles you. I just don't think it is helpful for anyone to differentiate WHY or HOW they got to their dark place with an opiate addiction/dependence. They all need help in one way or another.
Hope that helps a little!!
Even without "abusing" narcotics...long term, chronic use of them is still leading most down a road of misery.....even without "addiction", there is still physical dependence and tolerance, and a lot of people who have researched the meds they have been prescribed realize that they really don't want to add another problem to their laundry list, ya know? I actually find it very admirable.
Truth is...in MY opinion...opiates should NEVER be prescribed other than for SHORT TERM use, or for situations when maybe someone has a terminal illness and needs palliative care. I know that is easy to say...I don't live with daily chronic pain, and I couldn't even imagine what that would be like. Again, just my opinion.
I just don't think that the "label" matters. Whether it be someone taking an opiate Rx-ed by their doc for pain, or someone getting them off the street for pleasure....they both end up in the same place....fighting painful w/d's. The only real difference in my eyes is the type and amt of aftercare a person will need after detoxing.
I just guess I don't understand what befuddles you. I just don't think it is helpful for anyone to differentiate WHY or HOW they got to their dark place with an opiate addiction/dependence. They all need help in one way or another.
Hope that helps a little!!
Read my proflie, it explains why I quit. I have extreme pain but the pills where controlling my life, Aleve is my new best friend :)
Everyone is different, if it works for you than fine but we are not all the same I would guess.
Everyone is different, if it works for you than fine but we are not all the same I would guess.
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