Thanks for your reply. My prescription says not to exceed 6 per day, which is what I've been taking. I've been having my liver checked every 6 months and it's fine, (blood test)...but the pain thing has got to be fixed. I can tell that something has recently changed for the worse. Meaning, there is more pain when I wake up than there was say, 6 months ago.
Yes, my tolerance has been lowered I'm sure but I was in pain for 20 yrs, and it was so nice to be pain free for a while. The operation made my neck and shoulder hurt more after than before the surgery. So now I'm stuck with this new "is it real" pain or not. I'll be working on this. I'll speak to the doc, who hasn't helped much so far so I'll probably go to my old doc. I think this surgeon, though he's tried many prescriptions on me, lost his oomph for this after he got the surgery money. Just my perception of it anyway. I doubt he'll be wanting to refill my prescription anyway after this next refill, because it's the last one. I have a huge event coming up in 3 weeks and cannot be in withdrawal during that, but immediately following that, I'll be all over this advice. Thank you guys.
Just wanted to clarify your math, you are taking 4500mg of tylenol a day at that dose and strength. you shouldn't exceed 4000mg in a day. If you could wean yourself off and stay off for a month, you would be so surprised at how your pain changes. I don't know if its our perceptions that are whacked, or the pain tolerance that is lowered to almost nothing? It really is a drastic change though once the opiates are out of the picture. If you can't live without the pain medication, you should get on something that's long acting for better relief, and not as much tylenol.
Welcome and I hope you're feeling okay and motivated to be totally chemical free. Have you considered going to an NA or AA meeting and discussing your concern about dependence and withdrawal? No one is going to think you're a horrible person, or get you mixed up with a street drug user -- not that I don't totally relate to any addict in any walk of life now -- street drug, alcohol, or prescription drugs -- we are all brothers and sisters in recovery. I only say that in case you might shy away from giving it a try, if you thought "drug user" carries any kind of stigma. When the chief justice of the US supreme court gets hooked on vicodin and has to go into rehab to overcome his addiction, you can pretty much figure that over-prescribing this drug is common place. I'm an alcoholic but my best friend is a former vicodin addict -- it's really all the same. If you go to a "closed" meeting, everyone at the meeting will be someone who wants freedom from using drugs or alcohol, and thinks they might need help. Best of luck and I'll be praying for you....
Thanks for the welcome! I can tell this is the right place to be.
Thanks for explaining.....this is the first explanation I've heard, so I sure appreciate it. I'm collecting all of this into a word document.....
I suppose I do need a pain doc. Trouble is I pay $704 a month for health insurance with a 5,000 deductible, and it doesn't cover office visits till the deductible is met. Of course prescriptions though are 5 bucks! So it's been financially better to stay hooked. Oh my. I just realized why they might do this.
Anyway I'm saving the info and will put it to good use. I promise:-)
Hello and welcome to the forum. You're in the right place! I dont really have any answers for you, but I wanted to welcome you and say Hi....someone will come along shortly that can help...
Hi there,
I hope I can answer your questions. First let me say that I was
hooked on 10/325 hydrocodones for years. I started taking them for
chronic back/neck pain.
1. Your restlegs will happen when you detox (w/d), but you can help them along in a
couple of ways. They say that it is caused by lack of iron in the body. I took a
non narcotic drug called "REQUIP" that helped a great deal. ALso on the bottom
right side of the computer there is THE THOMAS RECEIPE it helps with w/d's also
hot baths help and bananas.
2. I am a chronic pain patient and no one told me about the body pain I would feel
during and after w/d's. By taking all of those drugs I lowered by body's tolerance
for pain. My body would exagerate the pain I felt. It took about a month for my
body to adjust to the pain. I also believe that it was my body/mind playing tricks on
me so I would take the Drugs.
3 Give your bodysome time to adjust to the pain and it will go away or losen.
Hang in there it is well worth it. And I found a good Doctor that treats my pain without
narcotics. Heat/massage and things.
You can do this
cocobean