opiate wd's vs. giving birth

[kk1303]

Which is worse? I haven't had a child yet, but I feel like if I can make it thru this week, I can accomplish anything. Was honestly curious if wd's are worse than labor pains/giving birth...

[Claire_MHModerator]

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[marycarmel]

Though I'm dependent vs. addicted, I've experienced withdrawals 3 to 4 times due to being unable to keep my medication down.  I also have 4 kids.  I'd take labor and delivery over withdrawals any day.  I do get physical pain with withdrawal ... terrible muscle pain and bone pain, along with constant vomiting and retching.  I always wind up dehydrated as well.  I'll admit that before having kids I was very afraid of childbirth but for me it was tolerable.  My first was a 16-hour labor, the second was 24 hours, the third was 10 hours and the 4th was 9 hours.  Not to say it didn't hurt.  It did but it wasn't anything like I had seen in movies or heard stories about.  

[theaddict]

my cousin went through WDs from adderal, and it wasn't that bad. a few years later, she started to take percocet and got addicted. besides that, she was on the pills for some time - off and on for about ten years, the last four years were everyday.

she gave birth with no medication or epideral and she said that she would give birth to twins over WDs any day.

[lynnalb15]

Giving birth is cake compared to the wds u have ahead of me. I'd do it again in a heart beat if I could bypass the wds

[ricart70]

I know that the mental pain is very hard on alot of people.It is something you just can't make go away.Time will make it go away on it's own.Afterward I find it very hard to remember how mentally traumatic it actually was though.I once read in an addiction book that the same biological mechanism that makes a mother forget the pain of childbirth(so she will not be so afraid that she will avoid gettiong pregnant again) is also the same mechanism that is hijacked to make us forgert our withdrawals and therefore make it easier to go back to using.Bottom line,we junkies just cannot trust our own thoughts sometimes lol

[hellc@mst]

  Ive never really thought withdrawals were particularly painful (not physically). Insomnia doesnt hurt, sneezing and a runny nose never hurt, diarhhea isnt especially painful, nor were the restless legs. The only real pain I ever felt was muscle cramps (stomach/calves) but these were more of an uncomfortable nuisance.  Thats not to say that withdrawals arent emotionally  and (to a lesser extent) physically traumatic. I just dont think they can be compared with childbirth.  My broken ankle hurt more than withdrawals ever did and I wouldnt compare a broken ankle with childbirth either.  

Sometimes I wonder if we dont exaggerate or embellish the pain of withdrawals to help us feel better about ourselves. As though it were a penance or flagellation of sorts. The greater the suffering the greater the  contrition and redemption.

I often hear people on the forum say withdrawals were the hardest most painful thing theyve  had to endure in their whole lives. Personally, overcoming my addiction was a proud achievement but it is far from the hardest/greatest thing I've ever had to overcome.

Anyways, I just asked my wife (a few minutes ago) if withdrawals were more painful than childbirth (we have 1 son). She's still laughing and I cant believe I asked her. I was right to feel embarrassed.

Regards Jeremy. (Recovered Addict)
4 years 4 months drugfree thanks to ME!!

[all_alone1]

thats a good one..lol

[kk1303]

I've never had a child...I was just wondering lol! Cuz I was in SO much pain...made me curious.

[overopiates]

I was n a hospital that didn't give pain meds either.I'm shocked at all of u saying w/d is worse.It's funny to me(not n a mean way).I've been through w/d many times off opiates
(100-150mg hydrocodone,soma,8mg of xanax a day too all at once except tapering xanax)the worst was3months everyday snorting5-6roxi30's a day.THAT FELT LIKE DEATH

[all_alone1]

I love the way compared the two.....and yes they both have sleep deprivation that is for sure.......congradulations on your new baby!!!!

[Kell2184]

After having three kids id rather give birth to all three children then to ever with drawl again. Grant it this was not my first time withdrawing I have been an addict since 2002 and withdrawn a bunch of times. So having three in a row it is! LOL

[DarkEyedCreature]

I've given birth many times, and for me, I'd give birth any day over going thrugh opiate withdrawals. In a way, it's kind of like the same thing -- you carry something around with you, go through pain, purge your body of what you were carrying, and then you have a new, beautiful life. Even though your body is no longer carrying something, you still don't sleep, you go through crying spells, and you sweat lol

Seriously though, of course natural child birth is extremely painful. I have done it many times. If someone could give me the option and said " I will make you 9 months pregnant, and you will have the worst childbirth experience ever, but when it's over, you will be free from opiates for life -- I would take it in a heartbeat.

I just gave birth 2 weeks ago.

To me, I'd rather endure short-term serious pain and instant beauty than having to deal with the detox and long-term mind games opiates cause.

That's just my view on it. I think for a woman who HAS detoxed from a high amount of opiates would make childbirth seem much easier. It did for me and my last child. I actually thought about opiate withdrawal while in labor, and it made it seem like nothing.

[all_alone1]

in california you don't get sent home with pain meds unless you have a c section...or at least a the the hospital I was at....Wds seem to last  way much longer than normal childbirth ...I also had all but one of mine natural one was induced for health reasond and I was put on an epedural so it would be less stressful for both of us..

I don't know if I hit the severity of the wds because I couldn haing and went back to tapering....but what I experienced was awful physicall wasn't as bad as mental and with childbirth there is no mental just the physical pain.

[overopiates]

If u giving birth felt like a bowel movement ur very lucky cause I HAVE NEVER heard any1say that.U got really lucky w/birth.Ur a rare one!!!

[overopiates]

Well I gave birth naturally too.R u kidding.W/d is a cake walk compared2child birth.I'm sry I find it insane that w/d off ANYTHING would compare2birth.I was n labor9hours,induced2weeks early(boy was9lb10oz)I had severe preclampsia etc.I was also n a hospital where they gave NO DRUGS.I got10stiches.U must have had easy child birth.In12minutes,4pushes+was excruciating but of course worth it a million times over but its the same w/ getting off drugs.STAY OFF VERY REWARDING n a different way

[pleasehelpme115]

Withdrawls are weigh worst then child birth and i went natural. child birth is so easy compared to withdrawls because after that last push and your bundle of joy is out it feel like u took the best bowl movement of your life. in ohio u dont even get sent home with pain meds after giving birth unless u had a c section.

[overopiates]

Giving birth is worse