am I addicted?

I fractured my lumbar spine back in '99 and had surgery immediately to fix the problem. Then as the years passed and my Degenerative Disc Disease progressed, the pain returned and my pain management physician put me on Norco, this in 2003. After numerous injections and procedures I finally had rods and screws inserted 2 years ago which helped the shooting pain down my legs but I continued on the Norco. It's now been over 6 years on Norco QID and the only real problem I've experienced is chronic constipation in the last couple of years. Even though I never take more than 4/day, could I be addicted to this medication? Also is there anything else I can take that would be effective for my daily pain, without this side effect? Now my DDD is also giving me pain to the cervical spine so I'm a little scared to discontinue the Norco. I turn 58 this month and am not looking forward to retirement. I am maybe 25 lbs overweight, don't exercise much but work full time as a nurse in an acute care setting. Please help...thanks for any help.

[J T Junig, MD PhD]

You are almost surely physically dependent, meaning that you will experience withdrawal if you stop them abruptly.  They also probably have little effect anymore;  if you were to stop them, go through withdrawal, and restart them, you would likely get much more pain relief from them.  But at this point, if you can keep a constant dose and are fairly functional, you are fine.  Addiction is not a 'moral' issue, but a disease;  unfortunately if you even raise the issue in your field you will be sent away for a 4 day 'evaluation', and because you would be in withdrawal, they would likely say you are addicted!  IF you keep using despite negative consequences, THAT would suggest more of an addictive relationship with the medication.

[ChronicPain1]

If you're taking it for pain and aren't craving the drug, chances are no. If your pain is gone or lessened and you continue taking it or taking more and more to get a good feeling or for compulsion, perhaps. Only you know though.