Help please - addiction v pain? Not sure?

Question

Hi everyone. I'm a newbie here. Glad to have found a place that hopefully I can get some answers and some support. 2 years ago I slipped and fell and crushed my L-4 L-5. It ended up swelling and pressed on the nerves. I ended up with severe back pain and even leg pain. I had my surgery July 2010 and have been taking Lortab 10 ever since. I had taken stronger meds right after the surgery but ended up with the Lortab rx ever since Nov 2010. I am still using the meds due to pain. According to my surgeon I will probably always need something for the pain whether it be in pill form or even epidurals. I do not have insurance to cover epidurals. My surgeon has now informed me to go and seek a Pain Management Center. This has become a huge problem because I don't have the money to go to these doctors. My surgeon had been giving me my meds on a monthly basis. I have tried to come off of the Lortab but end up in severe pain in my back. I tried this to see if maybe I have an addiction. I am sure that at this point that I probably do. But it's like a two headed snake now - an addiction to the meds plus still having constant pain in my spine that doesn't go away with just over the counter meds. I also take neurotin (spelling is not correct, sorry). It doesn't really help - only makes me feel so tired. Not sure what to do. I really want to find out if I should try to go off the lortab and just deal with it but I'm not sure how. I am so ashamed of this I can't talk with anyone about it. Whenever I try to approach my husband about the issue (what if it's an addiction) he always says it's all legit because of the back injury. I am really afraid because both my parents were alcoholics and even dabbled in some pain meds off and on. Both have passed away so I can't talk with them about it. My only sister died 2 years ago - she also had severe pain from gout and other things. I'm pretty sure she had a problem as well but never talked about it. Just wondering what should I do? I am almost out of Lortab. Gotta either call my surgeon and ask for more tomorrow, or find the funds to seek a pain mgt spealist - or maybe try to go off the meds???????????? I'm just not sure. I found a method of detoxing with .L-Tyrosine, B-6, Imodium, Valium, hot baths???? So I'm not sure what my real question is. See how confused I am. I need advise as to if I should come off the Lortab, and what method to use? Anyone have any experience with detoxing? Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I feel abandoned by my surgeon. He has told me he can't just provide pain mgt for me now that I have had my surgery. I do understand this and why but still it's hard when you don't have the proper insurance to get the help you need and my surgeon knows this. Any advice on the meds, the pain or addiction, please respond. I've gotta figure out what to do and make the right decision. I honestly don't want to have to take Lortab for another year or two but I honestly don't think I can deal with the pain from the surgery. The surgery was a success but I have a steel cage in my back, plus I already had arthritiis and stenosis in my spine.

bigbedford33 · Answer

To be honest i dont know much about the drug you have been prescribed but i do know alot about adiction. Your pain may be due to withdrawl. You will never know if the pain is due to injury until you are completely clean off the drug. My advice is take some time off of work and lay in bed about a week and let your body withdraw. It will be painful but also benificial. Hope you get better! ;)

ipamela · Answer

I try to stick to using them as the doctor prescribed.   But still I feel that need to have them.   I know that as long as I have taken them I have to have some sort of addiction.   There is no way around it.   I try to tell my family that but they all think I'm wrong because of my back surgery and that I have a legit reason to take them.   But now I'm not so sure.   I'm just so tired of having to keep in mind when I will run out and worry about if the doctor will refill them.   I know I am dependent on them.   But I also know I have pain - pain that just doesn't go away.   It's just a really bad situation.

avisg · Answer

here is the link for the paim mangment just incase u want to check that out http://www.medhelp.org/forums/Pain-Management/show/53

avisg · Answer

ok here are some questions. Do you ever take more the prescribed ? Do you take them for emotional pain as well as physical.Do you run out early ? These would be signs of addiction .
If you are taking them as prescribed not abusing them then you are most likely dependent.
 
Lots of us ended up where we are because of physical pain but with time when we have been off them for a while we feel better without them then we did on them .
  In the end you are the only one that knows for sure .The one thing is will say if you are going to detox I would stay away from any type of Valium xanax ect ect benzos in general they are highly addicting you do want to end up with a problem there . good luck  ..
avis