Surgery and terrified

I am a recovering opiate addict.  I have been off meds for 6 months after taking them for over 15 years - sometimes 30-40 pills a day.

I have just been told that I need back surgery within the next month.  This will be a big surgery from L3-S1, 3 levels of fusion.  Obviously, following the immediate recovery, there will be pain meds involved.  How do I make sure that I don't become addicted again?  I worked so hard to detox and stay of the meds and I don't want to have to go through that again.

My insurance plan is through a large HMO and they are not too concerend about pain management, etc.  The surgeon seems to be very non-chalant about the whole "addiction" problem.

Thanks for any input.

[mimi1313]

That is a difficult situation. You will obviously need them for the surgery. Can someone hold them for you and give them to you on a schedule? Also what about Naltrexone? I believe that inhibits the high you would get from opiods.

[worried878]

I had a fusion done in my neck..actually i went home that day...most stay overnight and go home the next day...at the time I did not have a narcotic problem but the pain was not intense believe it or not...it was more like weakness to the muscles and tightness...I took very few pain pills...I would get someone to hold them for you and give them to you as needed only..Also, ask for a narcotic that was not your DOC if you can

[GoldieBoomer]

Thank you for your input - I will have to just not take them.  I currently take notriptyline which is a wonderful "neuropathic pain releiver" - non adicting, non narcotic.  It takes care of my back pain just fine.  So I guess I will take whatever they give me immediately after the surgery and refuse anything else.
Thank you

[worried878]

How many mgs of the nortryptilline do you take?   I have been looking at some of those type drugs myself for pain and sleep as they do help with that as well....my brother takes that drug for migraines...i have amitryptilline but notice grogginess in the am from it so I am not compliant with it..

[GoldieBoomer]

I take 70 mg every night at bedtime.  I started on 10 mg and tapered it up until I reached the right dose.  This seems to be a good dose for me.  It really, really works.  I sleep okay, and the shooting pain down both legs has dissipated tremendously.  I recommend it to anyone - again, non-addictive and non-narcotic.

I was a little bit drowsy the first couple of weeks, but okay now.  I have been on it for 3 months.

[worried878]

K...I know amitryptilline is very similar...perhaps I just need to stay on it and get used to it...drowsy in the am

[cathy5841]

hi, i feel you on the surgery issue.  i just had a disc replaced in my jaw and while in surgery they found a bone infectiona had to have it all scraped from the bone...just crazy stuff lol...i was 90 days clean the day before my surgery....i really struggled with what i would do.  in the hospital they gave me something i v .  i didnt ask, i didnt wanna know.  to come home they gave me 10mg hydros.  my hubby held them, and gave them as prescribed.  he left me the days dose in the morning.  if i had taken them all i knew by evening i would be hurtin,,, i didnt.  after 5 days i flushed the remainder.  i took ibuprofen from there on out.  my surgery was march 7.  it still hurts and i could probably still get pain meds from the dr.  i go back on thursday.  but i do not want them.  you can do it too

[troubleinohio]

you said the med you are currently on "controls the pain just fine and works really really well"...so my question is, are you sure you want to go through the surgery? Ive heard so many mixed results from people having back and neck surgery. some people wish they had never had it done, that it made them worse etc. So my question is, if your pain is being well controlled with a non narcotic right now, why risk it? Im sure there must be more to your story- are your bad discs in danger of causing major damage if left alone or something? and btw, im not trying to be negative or anything, Im just thinkiing what i would do in that situation. I do have bad discs in my back and neck as well but not bad enough to require surgery, and Im quite sure I wouldnt let myself go through a surgery for them unless it got to the point where i was in excrutiating pain all the time out of fear that they would just make it worse by messing around in there.  Again, not trying to scare you, dissuade you or anything like that, just asking questions  =)   Good luck to you and keep us posted.  

[avisg]

I  have been dealing with the same issue I have an infected gallbladder ,i have taken pain meds when it has gotten really bad .I have been very carful.I will take something the first few days if i need to .

[bmc1976]

When I had my back surgery I was prescribed darvocet. It is not a very strong pain medication and they only gave me enough for 5 days. I didn't need anymore after about the 3rd day. I was a little sore but not bad at all. Just do your best to take only as needed. I would tell the doctor your concerns and maybe you can try a non narcotic pain med. There are many different ones out there.