endometriosis causing pain....making me want my pain meds...

[hope08]

so i have been thinking....and wondering what to do. if you do not know, i have 'legitiment' health problems, to where i was perscribed my pain meds to begin with. they helped me to get up and go to work, function, etc. i do not have cancer, or any life threatening disease (just to clear that up) i have endometriosis (which causes pain a lot) and on top of that many stomach problems. i have been told that taking pain meds is bad for my stomach, but it was the only thing that seemed to help the endo pain. i had tried everything else to no avail, and went for the pain meds. i know that my problem was also, if i had some pain i would take them, but not neccessarily very severe pain. a lot of it was that i was so afraid to be in that much pain again (had to go to the ER twice before they finally did surgery) that i would take my pain meds the first sign of pain. and then of course that led to dependency. the last time i got my RX filled was in the beginning of november, and i am due back this month. i want to go, yet i don't want to go. i don't want to live with pain every day, but i don't want to be on pain meds every day either.

it is wearing me out and i am not quite sure what to do. as far as talking to my doctor, well he is a greedy %^&$# and i am looking for a new one, so i can't really go to him and expect good results. he is the one that told me changing my diet wouldn't even help my situation!!

any advice, greatly appreciated!

[lil' plum]

I also had endometriosis years ago that led to major infertility problems although thankfully I was able to conceive and carry my son to 7 1/2 months.  He now is 6 ft. 5 inches tall and healthy as a horse.  Then we adopted......she has been an "adventure" to say the least, then when I remarried I ended up raising my step son so I have been a mother 3 times, but all in different ways.  With that out of the way, I'd like to give you a little information about the words "addicted" and "dependent"  When a patient is addicted to pain medication it is usually because they are not taking the pain meds in the way they are meant to be taken.  If they are looking for that "buzz" they can't find it unless they take more meds than their pain requires.  Being "dependent" is a whole other story.  After becoming 100% disabled due to 7 back surgeries (long story) my body has become dependent on pain meds in order to get out of bed.  There is no "high" but these meds do help stop pain "messages" from getting to the brain.  I'm with a pain specialist who monitors the level of pain.  They can tell the difference in people who are addicted and those who are dependent.  If I was to stop taking my meds, my body would probably go into shell shock for about 3 days, however psychologically I wouldn't be freaking out trying to find my next "fix."  But if I was addicted, then not only would my body have to go thru withdrawals but my brain would need reprograming or be washed clean of the drugs.  The habit of taking medication would have to be stopped, and these very strong drugs are extremely difficult to stop cold turkey if you are taking them for the wrong reason.  Most addicts are looking for the "buzz"......but chronic pain patients are looking to have their pain lessened.  It's a whole other game.  Addiction vs. dependency are totally different.  I was on one of the stronges opiates there is and due to some "difficult" side effects I just quit taking them (of course under a dr's supervision.  Even though someone is not trying to get high, their body stills expects that medication.  So that's the reason for being weaned off of it under a doctor's supervision.  So I wouldn't worry about becoming addicted to a drug if you are taking it with the sole purpose of helping your pain.  But if one is taking a mind altering medication the same way alcoholics drink alcohol......to get high, then that's when it becomes a problem.  I would say to keep the lines of communication with your doctor open.  Explain your fear of becoming addicted.  But in my opinion (and I'm not a doctor but I do have a lot of experience with chronic pain) just the fact that you are worried you might become addicted is a sign of someone who isn't interested in getting that "addict's high."  I hope this helped.  And YES, endometriosis is extremely painful.  It can be debilitating, and it's one of the reasons women are in such pain during their cycles.  Sincerely, Lil plum

[avisg]

are you near dayton ? or columbus

[hope08]

ohio, why?

i believe the closest doctor that i have searched online with semi good results about endo, it in PA. That is too far :( If i had the money i would go wherever i needed to!

[avisg]

where are you from ?

[hope08]

no i have not had children. talk of a hysterectomy was up (just because that is the only thing they can do to 'cure' it, even though its not %100) but i am so young, and making a decision on whether or not i want kids ever can't be done right now. who knows if i will?! the big problem with finding a new doctor, is finding one that has knowledge on the disease. there is no cure for it and so little is known about it that a lot of docs don't know where to begin as far as treatment goes...

[LIZZIE LOU]

please excuse this reply if you have already posted this in the past.

i was just wondering, since you are so young, if you have already had any children.