Aa
I forgot to mention this...
I have chronipain (Fibro. ..my sister has it along with my aunt) I asked the doctor to tapped me off bc I knew the road I was heading down. We medically did the tapper off and the pain came back. So I've tried, honestly, but my body feels like hell without some relief. My doc even said I'd probably need these bc of my pain and swelling gets all consuming. He said he wished the still had Darvocet around bc that was what I truly needed. Tramadol isn't strong enough to alleviate the pain and there is nothing else. LORD HELP ME! I'm better than this stupid drug and my life Is worth more. The thing is my two a day isn't working anymore, bc I've grown a tolerance, so I got through my rx of 60 in about 2wks. Then I'm out looking. PLEASE HELP ME
Sorry for the mutiple threads. I'll just stick with my first initial post. Thank you all!
Hi there and welcome to the forum-
As a fellow chronic pain patient and proud owner of 3 chronic autoimmune illnesses (Crohn's, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Interstitial Cystitis) as well as severe Stage 4 endometriosis, I sympathize. I got started on the opiates back in 2006 and slowly realized that they were not a good option for chronic pain. You will always build tolerance, and need more to get relief. You also develop what is called opiate induced hyperalgesia. Meaning that the opiates create more pain receptors so you are actually in MORE pain on the opiates than off them. Many chronic pain sufferers find they have better pain management by taking 'drug vacations' in order to let their bodies regulate and find their true base level for pain.
I went cold turkey twice. Once in '08 but my pain was so intense and I needed surgery for my endo so I went back on. Then in 2010 I had my second and successful excision surgery which included total pelvic reconstructive surgery. It took me a year of tapering before I realized that the drugs were causing more problems than they solved. I also realized I was using them to numb emotions from trauma associated to my medical crisis and the abusive marriage I was in.
So I left my marriage and got off the drugs. It wasn't easy but within a month of being pill free I found I was in 90% less pain than I was on the opiates.
Because I do have chronic illness, trauma, and had become addicted I involved myself in a rigorous aftercare program that included group support and CBT and EMDR for post traumatic stress. I learned to manage my autoimmune issues holistically with diet and exercise and a good vitamin/supplement regime. I did awesome and was happier and healthier than I'd EVER been in my life. I had spent 6 years in bed. By July of 2012 I was out on my own in a new home and I started my own successful business. I had flares, but I managed them without drugs using the tools I learned in recovery.
I remained this way until Oct 2013 when my endo returned. I lived in denial and desperately tried to make it through without pain meds until Feb of this year when I realized I could not function without some pain relief. I tried medicinal marijuana but it was not effective and made me feel high. After my surgeon examined me and determined my endo was back full force and I needed surgery I succumbed to using opiates to treat my pain until I can have surgery in Oct. After this I will taper as fast as I can comfortably and hope to go back to living a pill free life.
I'm not telling you what to do but it seems like what you're doing is not working. Also, tramadol is a synthetic opiate with an anti-depressant kicker which makes it difficult to come off in many ways. I suggest talking to your doc about tapering off and seeing where your pain levels are at without it. I suggest doing some research on alternative pain management such as yoga, meditation, anti-inflammatory diets, and counselling to help with the struggles of living in chronic pain.
Living on opiates is not living as you've come to realize.
There are other options. They take more work and research than popping pills, but ultimately your quality of life will be much higher. It is empowering to learn to manage your illness instead of letting your illness manage your life.
We can all support you and suggest tools to help with this.
Ultimately the choice is yours.
Keep posting.
Sending support...
Lu
As a fellow chronic pain patient and proud owner of 3 chronic autoimmune illnesses (Crohn's, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Interstitial Cystitis) as well as severe Stage 4 endometriosis, I sympathize. I got started on the opiates back in 2006 and slowly realized that they were not a good option for chronic pain. You will always build tolerance, and need more to get relief. You also develop what is called opiate induced hyperalgesia. Meaning that the opiates create more pain receptors so you are actually in MORE pain on the opiates than off them. Many chronic pain sufferers find they have better pain management by taking 'drug vacations' in order to let their bodies regulate and find their true base level for pain.
I went cold turkey twice. Once in '08 but my pain was so intense and I needed surgery for my endo so I went back on. Then in 2010 I had my second and successful excision surgery which included total pelvic reconstructive surgery. It took me a year of tapering before I realized that the drugs were causing more problems than they solved. I also realized I was using them to numb emotions from trauma associated to my medical crisis and the abusive marriage I was in.
So I left my marriage and got off the drugs. It wasn't easy but within a month of being pill free I found I was in 90% less pain than I was on the opiates.
Because I do have chronic illness, trauma, and had become addicted I involved myself in a rigorous aftercare program that included group support and CBT and EMDR for post traumatic stress. I learned to manage my autoimmune issues holistically with diet and exercise and a good vitamin/supplement regime. I did awesome and was happier and healthier than I'd EVER been in my life. I had spent 6 years in bed. By July of 2012 I was out on my own in a new home and I started my own successful business. I had flares, but I managed them without drugs using the tools I learned in recovery.
I remained this way until Oct 2013 when my endo returned. I lived in denial and desperately tried to make it through without pain meds until Feb of this year when I realized I could not function without some pain relief. I tried medicinal marijuana but it was not effective and made me feel high. After my surgeon examined me and determined my endo was back full force and I needed surgery I succumbed to using opiates to treat my pain until I can have surgery in Oct. After this I will taper as fast as I can comfortably and hope to go back to living a pill free life.
I'm not telling you what to do but it seems like what you're doing is not working. Also, tramadol is a synthetic opiate with an anti-depressant kicker which makes it difficult to come off in many ways. I suggest talking to your doc about tapering off and seeing where your pain levels are at without it. I suggest doing some research on alternative pain management such as yoga, meditation, anti-inflammatory diets, and counselling to help with the struggles of living in chronic pain.
Living on opiates is not living as you've come to realize.
There are other options. They take more work and research than popping pills, but ultimately your quality of life will be much higher. It is empowering to learn to manage your illness instead of letting your illness manage your life.
We can all support you and suggest tools to help with this.
Ultimately the choice is yours.
Keep posting.
Sending support...
Lu
Also, stick with one thread. You can reply here and we'll see your response. More than one thread going is hard to keep up with and gets confusing...okay?
Hi there- I think you're being hard on yourself. You know you're an addict yet you have pain issues. I think the best thing to do is speak with the doctor again about some options. Maybe an increase in mgs will help and keep you at two tablets per day. Where do you get the other pills for the rest of the month? Do you think you're abusing the pills or do you honestly need them everyday?
Think about sharing this with your husband so you have some support. Tell him what you told us...you don't want to take them but the pain is too much.
Just be honest with yourself about this...and decide if you really need them. If you can get by with ibuprofen then stop the Vicodin. Remember, when stopping the pills, pain will increase briefly.
You've got some thinking to do...let us know what you come up with and how we can help-
Think about sharing this with your husband so you have some support. Tell him what you told us...you don't want to take them but the pain is too much.
Just be honest with yourself about this...and decide if you really need them. If you can get by with ibuprofen then stop the Vicodin. Remember, when stopping the pills, pain will increase briefly.
You've got some thinking to do...let us know what you come up with and how we can help-
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Addiction: Substance Abuse Community
Is treating glaucoma with marijuana all hype, or can hemp actually help?
If you think marijuana has no ill effects on your health, this article from Missouri Medicine may make you think again.
Julia Aharonov, DO, reveals the quickest way to beat drug withdrawal.
Tricks to help you quit for good.
A list of national and international resources and hotlines to help connect you to needed health and medical services.
Herpes sores blister, then burst, scab and heal.
