Does anyone know about kidney pain?

[bahamamama13165]

I have been battling addictions to various things for years. In Nov. I spent 28 days in rehab for alcohol and Ativan.  I had been taking huge dosages that I bought online, from over seas.  I didn't go to detox first so I had to do it cold turkey.  It was horrible and I haven't had the desire to take either thing again. I found out I had a huge kidney stone while I was there.  I had it broken up in Dec. With a surgical procedure.  Then starting in March I started abusing cough medicine (DMX).  I don't know why other than because I'm an addict because I get NO high off it anymore.  But I feel compelled to take it.  About an hour after I take it I get pain on my right side(which is where the kidney stone was). I think it's too soon for a kidney stone to reform.  Does my kidney just hurt because I'm taking a big dose of OTC cough medicine.  It also has the active ingredient Guafesin.  Can you really feel kidney pain from that or could this be in my head? How do you get over a psychological addiction like this.  I am totally baffled why I keep doing this.

[SoberBlessed103]

And here is a passage from Al-Anon that may help you to understand why it is so difficult to stop on our own:
"Alcoholism (& Addiction) is a three-fold disease: Physical, Mental, and Spiritual. What we fail to realize or accept is that Alcoholism (& Addiction) is a disease. An uncontrollable desire to drink or use is only one symptom of that disease. Taking care of one symptom, even a major symptom, does not cure the whole disease."  

What always amazes me is that this program is as potent today, if not more so, than it was over 70 years ago when it was first presented in the 1940's.  And that you used almost the exact same words as a book that was written over 8 decades ago.  Blows me away.  

I am an extremely grateful member of this incredible fellowship which has given me freedom from the need to be dependent on ANY mood or mind-altering substances for almost 2 decades now.  It is truly a miracle and there's absolutely no way I could have done it myself.  And with the amazing people I've met along the way, how wonderful my life is because of it, and the support system I've made here, I would never want to do it myself.  I urge you to treat yourself to at least 10 meetings, once a day, for 10 days in a row & see how you feel.  There are meetings morning, noon & night, daily.

Bless you in your journey & I will keep you in my prayers.      

[SoberBlessed103]

Here is the entire 2 paragraphs from that part of the Book, which may help answer your question & explain a little more about not only the psychological part of the addiction that we suffer from, but also the physical component of addiction as well.  I would just substitute the word "narcotics" for 'alcohol', "addiction" for 'alcoholism', and "using" for 'drinking' so you can identify with the similarities and not the differences:  

Again, from pg. 34 of the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous:  
"As we look back, we feel we had gone on drinking many years beyond the point where we could quit on our will power. If anyone questions whether he has entered this dangerous area, let him try leaving liquor alone for one year. If he is a real alcoholic and very far advanced, there is scant chance of success. In the early days of our drinking we occasionally remained sober for a year or more, becoming serious drinkers again later. Though you may be able to stop for a considerable period, you may yet be a potential alcoholic. We think few, to whom this book will appeal, can stay dry anything like a year. Some will be drunk the day after making their resolutions; most of them within a few weeks.

For those who are unable to drink moderately the question is how to stop altogether. We are assuming, of course, that the reader desires to stop. Whether such a person can quit upon a nonspiritual basis depends upon the extent to which he has already lost the power to choose whether he will drink or not. Many of us felt that we had plenty of character. There was a tremendous urge to cease forever. Yet we found it impossible. This is the baffling feature of alcoholism as we know it - this utter inability to leave it alone, no matter how great the necessity or the wish."

[SoberBlessed103]

This reply will come in a couple of parts, because the forum only allows a certain number of characters per post:

As a sober member of Alcoholics Anonymous for over 17 years, I completely understand your confusion and pain surrounding your situation.  I am asking that you please consider going to a 12 Step Program such as AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) or NA (Narcotics Anonymous).  

The thing that really struck me with your post is the part at the end when you asked, "How do you get over a psychological addiction" & why you continue to go back to doing something that you know is hurting you.  I was particularly struck with your statement of "I am totally baffled why I keep doing this."  That statement is almost literally word for word from the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, pg. 34, which was written over 70 years ago, but is still profoundly & completely accurate today: "This is the baffling feature of alcoholism as we know it - this utter inability to leave it alone, no matter how great the necessity or the wish."

[marycarmel]

I can't speak to most of this but as far as the kidney stone, you could have developed another one, though if it's only when you're taking the cough medicine, maybe it's not.  Kidney stone pain is pretty severe and doesn't usually let up until it's passed, broken up or stops moving.  My daughter had one and was in horrific pain.  THe pain stopped while we were in the ER and they said they couldn't be certain it passed and that it could have just stopped moving.  Sure enough, a couple of days later, it started up again.  That time it must have passed because the pain didn't come back.