Chronic Pain Syndrome on Percs

[sally8949]

I am new to this forum.  Any help anyone can offer would greatly be appreciated.  I have been dx'd w/ fibromyalgia, tmj, chronic pain syndrome, etc.  I had neck surgery on 06/13 but still have a lot of neck problems.  I also have a cyst on my lower spine that is pressing on my sciatic nerve.  With all of that being said the short version of my story is: about 3 years ago I was put on hydros 10mg and I would take 12-15 per day that would hardly touch the pain.  Most of those I was having to buy.  1 year ago I was changed to percs 10 mg.  I'm only allowed to take 4 per day but I take 8-10 and I always run out early.  The thing of it is, is that when I run out I don't go through w/d's, except that I want them but no physical withdrawals.  I not only take them when I'm in pain I also take them when I'm not in pain.  I feel like I'm in between a rock and a hard place because I can't handle the pain so I do need them for that, but I am worried about myself for when I take them and don't need them for the pain.  Can anyone offer any advise?

[OxyTired]

Sally I found that when I did not take my oxycodone as prescribed, but took more and more of them for reasons other than pain relief, they no longer worked properly at the prescribed dose. Result: no pain relief plus increased cravings. Between a rock and a hard place.
If you decide like I have the pills are not worth it, getting off them is very doable. This forum is full of posts about exactly what to expect day 1, day 2, etc.
I had two major pain episodes getting clean. The first I caved at two weeks clean and my wife doled out pills for 4 days. I started clean time over. The second time I outlasted the back pain. Took 6 (miserable) hours to subside. However, I won, and my actual pain has been decreasing over the last 60 days clean. The narcotic was enhancing my perceived pain-making it worse. This is called hyperalgesia. I did not believe it possible until I experienced it myself.
I agree with the others about Dr assistance.

[dominosarah]

It sounds like addiction has its grip on you both physically and mentally.  Your tolerance is already high.  Many of us have found that the longer we were off the pills our pain actually got better.  Our brain is a very powerful thing when dealing with addiction.  I would get honest with your doctor and come up with a plan.

[IBKleen]

Hi & Welcome,

I am not sure what your question is so bear with me. If you are taking the pills when you are not in pain, then that is an addiction issue. If you are taking more than prescribed, that is also an addiction issue. Have you ever tried to go without? Or have you tried alternative treatment? It is hard to assess your pain level while you are taking the pills. Some time off would give you a clearer picture.

Many of us here live with chronic pain and have convinced ourselves that we need more pills than most to touch the pain. After being clean a bit I found that it is not true, for me anyway.

This is not going to get any better for you hun. You will have to at some point do something different. Your tolerance will continue to build and they will stop working for you altogether.  

Have you talked with your doctor? Perhaps he/she can recommend something other than narcotics. Physical therapy and acupuncture just to name a few. I have had pretty good success with steroid injections.

[ROSYouralright]

Hello and WELCOME! It's good to see you here! We've ALL been there and that's why we are here. I have DDD and alot of sciatica issues. I KNOW The pain. It's very real for sure. I too took pills whether I needed them or not and spent money I didn't have to buy them. You can quit the pills and find alternate ways to deal with the pain or else take them exactly as prescribed. I quit them cold turkey almost a month ago and it was the best decision I made. The pills can cause chaos (long-term) to our bodies! You are here so that is the first step... Are u wanting to quit? If so, please KNOW that its completely Doable and we are here for you each step of the way❕

[OpenMind24hours]

Hi Sally, I just went over to your page and saw that you"re also into the other forums, like pain and fibromyalgia. You're doing well to also come on this forum with your concerns. My opinion based on my personal experiences with hydro is: Yes indeed you can easily get into opiate dependency with the drugs you're on. Nobody is immune to the side effects of opiates. I highly suggest you also talk to the prescribing doctor voicing the fact that you want pain relief with as little dependency as possible. Sometimes it can't be avoided, but as long as you go about it with both eyes wide open, like you've described in your above post, I don't think you'll get into too much trouble. You have quite a bit going on all at once. There are lots of pain management techniques out there and I hope your doctors can find the right one for you.

You should also get more feedback on this forum. Stick with us along with the other forums you've selected. Lots of good support on here.