Aa
I need advice regarding Soma addiction, Chronic back pain, long post sorry.
Hi! It's been a while since I've posted here.
I've taken Norco 10/325 and soma for serious lower back pain (nerve pain/muscle spasms). I've had xrays and a cat scan done that showed no spinal abnormalities, however spasms were noted as well as probable nerve pain.
I gave birth to my son 3 months ago, and was under pain mgmt care which had me on oxycodone during the end of my pregnancy under close supervision. I didn't deal with any dependancy issues to it and was able to sucessfully and easily titer doseage down and stop the medication, that was until they decided NOT to get new images before trying spinal injections. (xrays were 16mo old)
I went back to my primary and told him and he wanted to get new images and put me back on norco 10/325 1x4hrs and Soma 350mg 2x6hrs. This was in January. I had tried the other muscle relaxants first, Robaxin, Flexeril, etc. with no results. I gave the new meds 2 weeks each to work then went back to my dr each time to tell him they weren't working (which was the truth)
The norco and soma together have allowed me to function, However, here's the issue and it is something I could only admit recently.
I've been taking more and more soma and feel I've developed an addiction to them. I had a nasty wakeup call last week when I took 2 doses in 2 hours to try and control back pain, then took ambien (it was bedtime and I always have had insomnia since I was a young teen). Total was 4 soma, 4norco and 20-30mg of ambien plain (cant remember if it was 2 or 3..)
Up til about 15min after I took the ambien I remember everything fine. Then apparently
I stopped breathing and passed out according to my mother. 911 was called and because they considered it an overdose, protocol at the hospital requires them to report for a 51/50 or attempted suicide. Let me make it clear I'm NOT depressed, and was not trying to hurt myself. It was the belief of the dr's that it was the mix of meds that caused the problem.
We had agreed (me, hubby and mom) to lock up my meds and they would give them to me in an attempt to make sure I didn't go through them quickly. This was something I myself agreed to happily do. My mother and I have a toxic relationship to say the least (we share a house until the end of this month) and it was reported to the hospital that I took 90 soma and numerous norco that night. I didn't and blood tests showed my levels only slightly above normal (therefor matching up to my saying I took 4 and 4 total of each). Tylenol levels were slightly high and it had plenty of time to absorb since it was 2 hrs from the time of taking the meds til I was admitted to the ER and given charcoal.
it was a real wakeup call and during the 72hr observation period at inpatient care, through group meetings (required to attend multiple times per day) I admitted to myself AND my family that I've developed an addiction to soma in the last 2 months. it was hard to admit and talk to my husband honestly about but I did. I care too much for him and my two young children, but when I was taking soma I could end up easily taking up to 20 per day on a few occasions. The inpatient clinic did release me showing they found no problems (depression/suicide wise) relating to the 51/50 hold
Yes, I've taken it to handle the back pain, but I have also taken more than I needed on occasion. I feel I can handle the Norco and am still having hubby give them to me, he controls it and I never get more than 1 dose (for his peace of mind actually but also for a "just in case" situation.... We dumped the soma out the day that I was released and it's been a week since I last took one. I am not on any other muscle relaxer either.
I am still taking Norco and am spacing it out either 1x6hrs or 2x8 hrs (they don't make me high at all at that doseage however it can control my pain depending on my activity level). I made it 12 hrs over this morning/early afternoon without any then needed to take it before my pain level got too high. I've also added Neurontin 300mg (dr.'s orders) and aleve (naproxene) and lidoderm patches (numbing skin patches) and am handling my pain well with this. I've also begun to do more excercise to build up my muscles including "baby wearing" in a supportive carrier for up to 2 hrs at a time (the next day my muscles are sore but in a good way)
I've also contacted my Dr's office and asked them to put "soma" under my allergies section in my file so that they won't ever offer it to me. I've contacted my pharmacy to have them cancel out any refills as well.
I need advice.
#1 any other groups either online or in Socal I can join to continue my recovery process. I'm looking into NA meetings in my area.
#2, do you feel it's possible to overcome this problem with just outpatient care or meetings considering I'm not currently suffering any serious withdrawals?
and finally.....
Am I going about this the right way??
I want to build my family's trust in me, especially my husband. We are getting ourselves out of this stressful living situation by the end of the month, and I know it'll take time for him to feel comfortable with me. I want to get to a point where he doesn't worry about me taking the med, or any other med for that reason or accidentally OD'ing. (of course after this it's a HUGE ear of his)
I am currently not feeling any physical cravings/withdrawls for the medication and do not have any accessible to me either, nor do I want it available to me. However I have caught myself thinking about soma a few times and even had a few dreams about taking it but haven't acted on any of it and don't plan to.
This whole thing has of course upset me, my family and just my life in general. I have a good support system in the form of my Husband and MIL and even my siblings if I need it. my mom is there to support me but I'd rather her not be there, she tends to trash talk/gossip/etc and she delt with a soma addiction for a while (never got professional help but managed to stop on her own) and has the whole "holier than thou" mentality about me which is NOT Condusive to my recovery. I don't want my babies growing up seeing their mom messed up on medication, it would ruin them for life.
Thanks and I hope you understand how tough this has been. Part of my husband and my agreement after this was that I'd get into an online support group (here) and look into outpatient counselling, never take/get a script for soma again or any other strong muscle relaxer and allow him to control my meds until he's comfortable with ME taking them (until they treat the back pain correctly so I don't need them anymore) and the consequences if I don't are divorce.. It is the same agreement in many ways to the one we had regarding his porn addiction 4 years ago (now he's recovered).
Sorry this is so long I needed to get it all out.
cindie
I've taken Norco 10/325 and soma for serious lower back pain (nerve pain/muscle spasms). I've had xrays and a cat scan done that showed no spinal abnormalities, however spasms were noted as well as probable nerve pain.
I gave birth to my son 3 months ago, and was under pain mgmt care which had me on oxycodone during the end of my pregnancy under close supervision. I didn't deal with any dependancy issues to it and was able to sucessfully and easily titer doseage down and stop the medication, that was until they decided NOT to get new images before trying spinal injections. (xrays were 16mo old)
I went back to my primary and told him and he wanted to get new images and put me back on norco 10/325 1x4hrs and Soma 350mg 2x6hrs. This was in January. I had tried the other muscle relaxants first, Robaxin, Flexeril, etc. with no results. I gave the new meds 2 weeks each to work then went back to my dr each time to tell him they weren't working (which was the truth)
The norco and soma together have allowed me to function, However, here's the issue and it is something I could only admit recently.
I've been taking more and more soma and feel I've developed an addiction to them. I had a nasty wakeup call last week when I took 2 doses in 2 hours to try and control back pain, then took ambien (it was bedtime and I always have had insomnia since I was a young teen). Total was 4 soma, 4norco and 20-30mg of ambien plain (cant remember if it was 2 or 3..)
Up til about 15min after I took the ambien I remember everything fine. Then apparently
I stopped breathing and passed out according to my mother. 911 was called and because they considered it an overdose, protocol at the hospital requires them to report for a 51/50 or attempted suicide. Let me make it clear I'm NOT depressed, and was not trying to hurt myself. It was the belief of the dr's that it was the mix of meds that caused the problem.
We had agreed (me, hubby and mom) to lock up my meds and they would give them to me in an attempt to make sure I didn't go through them quickly. This was something I myself agreed to happily do. My mother and I have a toxic relationship to say the least (we share a house until the end of this month) and it was reported to the hospital that I took 90 soma and numerous norco that night. I didn't and blood tests showed my levels only slightly above normal (therefor matching up to my saying I took 4 and 4 total of each). Tylenol levels were slightly high and it had plenty of time to absorb since it was 2 hrs from the time of taking the meds til I was admitted to the ER and given charcoal.
it was a real wakeup call and during the 72hr observation period at inpatient care, through group meetings (required to attend multiple times per day) I admitted to myself AND my family that I've developed an addiction to soma in the last 2 months. it was hard to admit and talk to my husband honestly about but I did. I care too much for him and my two young children, but when I was taking soma I could end up easily taking up to 20 per day on a few occasions. The inpatient clinic did release me showing they found no problems (depression/suicide wise) relating to the 51/50 hold
Yes, I've taken it to handle the back pain, but I have also taken more than I needed on occasion. I feel I can handle the Norco and am still having hubby give them to me, he controls it and I never get more than 1 dose (for his peace of mind actually but also for a "just in case" situation.... We dumped the soma out the day that I was released and it's been a week since I last took one. I am not on any other muscle relaxer either.
I am still taking Norco and am spacing it out either 1x6hrs or 2x8 hrs (they don't make me high at all at that doseage however it can control my pain depending on my activity level). I made it 12 hrs over this morning/early afternoon without any then needed to take it before my pain level got too high. I've also added Neurontin 300mg (dr.'s orders) and aleve (naproxene) and lidoderm patches (numbing skin patches) and am handling my pain well with this. I've also begun to do more excercise to build up my muscles including "baby wearing" in a supportive carrier for up to 2 hrs at a time (the next day my muscles are sore but in a good way)
I've also contacted my Dr's office and asked them to put "soma" under my allergies section in my file so that they won't ever offer it to me. I've contacted my pharmacy to have them cancel out any refills as well.
I need advice.
#1 any other groups either online or in Socal I can join to continue my recovery process. I'm looking into NA meetings in my area.
#2, do you feel it's possible to overcome this problem with just outpatient care or meetings considering I'm not currently suffering any serious withdrawals?
and finally.....
Am I going about this the right way??
I want to build my family's trust in me, especially my husband. We are getting ourselves out of this stressful living situation by the end of the month, and I know it'll take time for him to feel comfortable with me. I want to get to a point where he doesn't worry about me taking the med, or any other med for that reason or accidentally OD'ing. (of course after this it's a HUGE ear of his)
I am currently not feeling any physical cravings/withdrawls for the medication and do not have any accessible to me either, nor do I want it available to me. However I have caught myself thinking about soma a few times and even had a few dreams about taking it but haven't acted on any of it and don't plan to.
This whole thing has of course upset me, my family and just my life in general. I have a good support system in the form of my Husband and MIL and even my siblings if I need it. my mom is there to support me but I'd rather her not be there, she tends to trash talk/gossip/etc and she delt with a soma addiction for a while (never got professional help but managed to stop on her own) and has the whole "holier than thou" mentality about me which is NOT Condusive to my recovery. I don't want my babies growing up seeing their mom messed up on medication, it would ruin them for life.
Thanks and I hope you understand how tough this has been. Part of my husband and my agreement after this was that I'd get into an online support group (here) and look into outpatient counselling, never take/get a script for soma again or any other strong muscle relaxer and allow him to control my meds until he's comfortable with ME taking them (until they treat the back pain correctly so I don't need them anymore) and the consequences if I don't are divorce.. It is the same agreement in many ways to the one we had regarding his porn addiction 4 years ago (now he's recovered).
Sorry this is so long I needed to get it all out.
cindie
Addict63~ lol. Well, today is day 10 and I'm going strong. I meet with my primary care dr. tomorrow about it.
CPS came out today to ask questions and all but I'm lucky we got a good worker. He's nice and listens so I've got to get a note from my dr. showing we're doing something about the med by changing it or something, also I'm to see the mental health clinic monday and get a note from them or release my medical records to them.
CPS came out today to ask questions and all but I'm lucky we got a good worker. He's nice and listens so I've got to get a note from my dr. showing we're doing something about the med by changing it or something, also I'm to see the mental health clinic monday and get a note from them or release my medical records to them.
Addiction runs rampant in my family for sure. You shake my family tree a bunch of addicts and alcoholics fall to the ground lol! I might go to another meeting tonight. All day my addictions make withdrawals, so I go to meetings to make a deposit.
Kajama~ Well the dr changed the script to ambien plain (it got filled today) so I have to take it, the pharmacist did say it was safe to take up to 20mg if needed and that it shouldn't be a problem. I've looked casually the first day or two to see where he kept the meds but then I caught myself and stopped. He also hides it different places (right now because he doesn't want my mom's drama... longer story)
but he left the ambien here at home. It's a bottle with 10 and I'm only taking 1 unless I absolutely can't sleep and hubby ok's me to take a 2nd one. I'll be speaking to my primary dr about the CR form later this week.
if I were to push my husband he would give me more medicine but I'm not pushing him because I'm trying to understand what level of pain I can handle without the medicine and when I truly need it I take it.
Addict63~ hubby is the same regarding being able to take a drink or take a couple pills. He's taken norco bfore when he strained his back. I gave him a couple because he could hardly move but it was a 1 time thing. I think he's taken pain meds on 2 other occasions in the last 2 years and only 1 time each... ok I think one time he had to take a 2nd dose later in the day.
I did at one point begin to have a problem with alcahol and was drinking whiskey (I was 21). Hubby made mention of it and I agreed to stop, and I did. I haven't had problems with it since and can limit myself to 1 or 2 drinks when we're out or 1 or 2 wine coolers here at home.
Addiction problems run rampant in my family on my moms side and when I was in the inpatient care a nurse told me that they've found that ppl with addiction in their families have a %50 higher chance of becoming addicted themselves to something, which I never knew. I'm just going to have to be very careful with meds from now on, and I think that when hubby finally allows me to take control of my meds Im going to keep a journal like you did.
but he left the ambien here at home. It's a bottle with 10 and I'm only taking 1 unless I absolutely can't sleep and hubby ok's me to take a 2nd one. I'll be speaking to my primary dr about the CR form later this week.
if I were to push my husband he would give me more medicine but I'm not pushing him because I'm trying to understand what level of pain I can handle without the medicine and when I truly need it I take it.
Addict63~ hubby is the same regarding being able to take a drink or take a couple pills. He's taken norco bfore when he strained his back. I gave him a couple because he could hardly move but it was a 1 time thing. I think he's taken pain meds on 2 other occasions in the last 2 years and only 1 time each... ok I think one time he had to take a 2nd dose later in the day.
I did at one point begin to have a problem with alcahol and was drinking whiskey (I was 21). Hubby made mention of it and I agreed to stop, and I did. I haven't had problems with it since and can limit myself to 1 or 2 drinks when we're out or 1 or 2 wine coolers here at home.
Addiction problems run rampant in my family on my moms side and when I was in the inpatient care a nurse told me that they've found that ppl with addiction in their families have a %50 higher chance of becoming addicted themselves to something, which I never knew. I'm just going to have to be very careful with meds from now on, and I think that when hubby finally allows me to take control of my meds Im going to keep a journal like you did.
I completely understand pain, and using Norco. It's necessary. We actually have a woman at our Friday night NA meeting who has been on norco, and has taken as prescribed for a few years. She also uses a walker. It can be done. Using as prescribed, you really don't get loopy after a day or two, it just takes care of your pain. I've been alcohol free in AA for many continuous years. When my back blew, I went to my AA sponsor about the Vicodin. He said "Sure. As prescribed, and, try to separate pain from discomfort. We're not expected to bite on a f---ing piece of leather when we're in genuine pain."
So, when using my Vicodin 7.5 script, I actually kept a record. I wrote each one (or more) down in a log book. I kept looking back at the log, finally establishing a pattern of what I felt in my book, was abuse. That's when I quit. I went to NA and started posting on this wonderful site. But that's me. My wife? She can have a drink or two, or a pain pill or two, and no problem.
I've also been able to use Ambien as prescribed when needed. I've NEVER been able to sleep well. Never! But my doctor didn't suggest it until last spring. I used Tylenol PM prior to that. I hate to take Ambien too late in the evening, and then get up on the alarm. I then feel drugged all morning, which I hate. I need to think for my job.
So, when using my Vicodin 7.5 script, I actually kept a record. I wrote each one (or more) down in a log book. I kept looking back at the log, finally establishing a pattern of what I felt in my book, was abuse. That's when I quit. I went to NA and started posting on this wonderful site. But that's me. My wife? She can have a drink or two, or a pain pill or two, and no problem.
I've also been able to use Ambien as prescribed when needed. I've NEVER been able to sleep well. Never! But my doctor didn't suggest it until last spring. I used Tylenol PM prior to that. I hate to take Ambien too late in the evening, and then get up on the alarm. I then feel drugged all morning, which I hate. I need to think for my job.
Hey... well even with my husband locking the ambien up, I still on occasion after taking 1 ambien I will start looking but he changes where he put it every few days.About 2 months into my recovery I remember waking up to a house that looked like somebody had ransacked it. It was me during the night looking everywhere for a pill, I used to get my husband to feel sorry for me and talk him into giving me more but he learned that trick so he doesn't anymore. I also tried to take benadryl. Unison actually has a different ingredent than benadryl. Unison causes me to get really hyper. on the other hand if I take too much benadryl it makes me sick. Maybe God's way of keeping me from taking to many otc meds lol.
Vicki~ The only problem I ever had with ambien was I would either fall asleep on the couch from staying up too long after taking it, or I would cook/make food (usually stuff that didn't require actual cooking other than the microwave) and that was with Ambien CR... But the last time I took it I didnt have any odd experiences.
Hi...good to read about the Ambien plan. I've never taken it but a few members of my family and 3 friends have used it and all have some weird and scary experiences to share. If this small sampling is any indication of what's happening to the rest of the folks on Ambien...well...it worries me.
Glad you talked with your Mom and,yes,it's always one day at a time...
Vicki xo
Glad you talked with your Mom and,yes,it's always one day at a time...
Vicki xo
Vicki~ To add to your statement about me being lucky. Last week was DEFINITELY a wakeup call. I think god only gives a person so many chances and eventually they'll use them up.... My stepdad did, now he's dead.
I don't plan on being like that at all. I've learned from my experience and am dedicated to changing things.
I don't plan on being like that at all. I've learned from my experience and am dedicated to changing things.
Vicki~ thanks. and yes, if I can get by with benadryl *unisom) I will but some nights even with that I only go to sleep at 3 or 4am and am up by 6:30 with my boys... that is not enough sleep at all and then I'm still groggy. My dr wrote for AMbien CR and the plan for me is to take 1 unisom (not the regular two) give it 2 hrs to work and if it doesn't only then take the ambien, but no later than 11pm that way I can still function with my boys.
addict63~ I'm watching myself regarding the norco. I don't feel the same need to take it as I did the soma, I take it if I'm hurting but not to blunt any emotions or situations or to feel good (brain wise). my goal is to find treatment for my back and the nerve pain and then to be off any meds at least any prescription ones.
I had a long talk with my mother today and told her that she was not doing me any good by discouraging my recovery and that if she had any hope of keeping a relationship with me she'd learn to encourage me and keep her thoughts to herself if she feels I won't succeed. I also told her what I'm doiing and have done to change things and she seemed to take me seriously. We'll see how it goes, one day at a time right?
addict63~ I'm watching myself regarding the norco. I don't feel the same need to take it as I did the soma, I take it if I'm hurting but not to blunt any emotions or situations or to feel good (brain wise). my goal is to find treatment for my back and the nerve pain and then to be off any meds at least any prescription ones.
I had a long talk with my mother today and told her that she was not doing me any good by discouraging my recovery and that if she had any hope of keeping a relationship with me she'd learn to encourage me and keep her thoughts to herself if she feels I won't succeed. I also told her what I'm doiing and have done to change things and she seemed to take me seriously. We'll see how it goes, one day at a time right?
WALKING! I'm with you on that. I'm doing the same thing. I learned that when we rest our discs fill up with fluid, when we move they go back down. Right now I'm sitting, reading and posting and the pain is shooting through my left bun and down the back of my leg. I walk 3 miles a day, with our dog. I also do PT. I have stretches and big exercise ball stuff I do every day.
Only you can call yourself an addict. If you think it's become a problem and you want to stop, it's your call and only your call. You CAN stop!
I KNOW I'm an addict. I stopped while I was ahead. Opiates are physically addictive. No way around it. Us men in NA like to say: "If you keep going to the Barber Shop, you'll eventually get a hair cut". I had my Doctors script going and still had Vicodin ES left at the end of each month, but was using more and more each month... for the brain. I indeed got addicted. I was always thinking about it, counting what I had left and trying to talk myself into thinking I didn't really have an opiate problem. I DO have a bad back, for sure. I have a million dollar MRI and can get meds any time I want. I had a somewhat high bottom on vicodin, but high bottoms have trap doors. I Got out while I still could. I got help. Can do something like this alone using my own thinking.
Only you can call yourself an addict. If you think it's become a problem and you want to stop, it's your call and only your call. You CAN stop!
I KNOW I'm an addict. I stopped while I was ahead. Opiates are physically addictive. No way around it. Us men in NA like to say: "If you keep going to the Barber Shop, you'll eventually get a hair cut". I had my Doctors script going and still had Vicodin ES left at the end of each month, but was using more and more each month... for the brain. I indeed got addicted. I was always thinking about it, counting what I had left and trying to talk myself into thinking I didn't really have an opiate problem. I DO have a bad back, for sure. I have a million dollar MRI and can get meds any time I want. I had a somewhat high bottom on vicodin, but high bottoms have trap doors. I Got out while I still could. I got help. Can do something like this alone using my own thinking.
Hi! Glad you made it! I just want to say that it's great you stopped the Soma!
And,if you can sleep with Benadryl take that only. Just my opinion but Ambien just doesn't react well with many people,even when taken alone. If you could dump the Ambien that you would be a good thing. Being down to half the usual dose of Norco is great.
You were lucky this time.Truly lucky. I know you'll do everything you can to be safe in the future...you just sound that way to me.
One thing I couldn't do is put up with a mother like yours.One of us would have to go.LOL
All the best~~
Vicki
And,if you can sleep with Benadryl take that only. Just my opinion but Ambien just doesn't react well with many people,even when taken alone. If you could dump the Ambien that you would be a good thing. Being down to half the usual dose of Norco is great.
You were lucky this time.Truly lucky. I know you'll do everything you can to be safe in the future...you just sound that way to me.
One thing I couldn't do is put up with a mother like yours.One of us would have to go.LOL
All the best~~
Vicki
Oh, and I do take ambien still but only 1 and not every night. this is night 2 without it and I slept last night (YAY!) I did take unisom (benadryl) which helped.
thanks to both of you for replying.
Kajama~ wow, we basically had the same type of experience..just mine was more severe. I'm gonna have hubby read your post simply because he's curious to see if anyone delt with that type of reaction before. has your husband controlling your meds helped you? Did you deal with drug seeking behavior and if so do you still?
I have never tried going to different doctors for meds, or lying to my dr for meds, or going on the streets for it either. I got to 1 doctor only who prescribes any medication I take. he did not tell me of the risks of mixing central nervous system depressants and I didn't know until I researched it a bit.
Addict63~ Thanks for answering my questions. Last night after writing my post I had my sister come read it and asked her if in her opinion was I completely honest about what I wrote and she said yes (I wanted another perspective to be sure I wasn't deluding myself about anything) Hubby will read it today. My mother however last night multiple times said she doesn't believe I'll do it, and doesn't think I'll succeed, etc. etc.
I just reminded her that when she delt with a dependance on meds and decided to get back to taking them responsibly I didn't tell her she would NOT do it. I encouraged her and I informed her that if she can't be encouraging I want her to be NO part of this process at all. I don't need that.
as far as thinking "i'm a real addict"..NA doesn't hold that thought for me.. I came to that conclusion during the 72 hr hold during group. And it took alot of courage for me to admit it not only to myself, but my husband, family and strangers however I did it. I'm slowly trying to take less and less of the norco but I have to take a little to be able to handle my back pain enough to sleep at night. my sleeping is getting back on schedule, my pain is manageable with about 1/2 the dose of norco I was on before and I'm not dealing with any obvious withdrawal symptoms.
I notice a HUGE Difference in how I physically feel after walking a total of about 4 miles last week (take it slow right?.) when before I wouldn't walk at all, just stay home. I feel stronger physically, and am trying to play with my kids more when it requires lifting and things like that.
if you want to get technical I'm on day 8 without soma :)
Kajama~ wow, we basically had the same type of experience..just mine was more severe. I'm gonna have hubby read your post simply because he's curious to see if anyone delt with that type of reaction before. has your husband controlling your meds helped you? Did you deal with drug seeking behavior and if so do you still?
I have never tried going to different doctors for meds, or lying to my dr for meds, or going on the streets for it either. I got to 1 doctor only who prescribes any medication I take. he did not tell me of the risks of mixing central nervous system depressants and I didn't know until I researched it a bit.
Addict63~ Thanks for answering my questions. Last night after writing my post I had my sister come read it and asked her if in her opinion was I completely honest about what I wrote and she said yes (I wanted another perspective to be sure I wasn't deluding myself about anything) Hubby will read it today. My mother however last night multiple times said she doesn't believe I'll do it, and doesn't think I'll succeed, etc. etc.
I just reminded her that when she delt with a dependance on meds and decided to get back to taking them responsibly I didn't tell her she would NOT do it. I encouraged her and I informed her that if she can't be encouraging I want her to be NO part of this process at all. I don't need that.
as far as thinking "i'm a real addict"..NA doesn't hold that thought for me.. I came to that conclusion during the 72 hr hold during group. And it took alot of courage for me to admit it not only to myself, but my husband, family and strangers however I did it. I'm slowly trying to take less and less of the norco but I have to take a little to be able to handle my back pain enough to sleep at night. my sleeping is getting back on schedule, my pain is manageable with about 1/2 the dose of norco I was on before and I'm not dealing with any obvious withdrawal symptoms.
I notice a HUGE Difference in how I physically feel after walking a total of about 4 miles last week (take it slow right?.) when before I wouldn't walk at all, just stay home. I feel stronger physically, and am trying to play with my kids more when it requires lifting and things like that.
if you want to get technical I'm on day 8 without soma :)
Hey! I bet you're back from the Dr's appointment! Welcome back!
After being clean and sober many years in AA I had to start on Vicodin for severe pain in my back. After awhile I started to focus on what it does for my brain, not my pain. So i lost my "privilege", as it were, to take vicodin. I'm now in day 22 and feeling fairly good. But I depend on aftercare.
Answ. to question #1: Being an addict and alcoholic, I average 3 AA meetings and two NA meetings weekly. Sometimes more, depending on my needs. Getting clean using my own thinking isn't possible for me. When I think I know, I'm in trouble. I use the meetings to put my thinking in perspective and to clear out the bull---- in my head. You see, my brain manufactures bull---- all day. Soon, half of my brain will start to tell me it's okay to use. And, if I don't get to a meeting at least every 48 hours or so, the other half will start believing it! Strange but true.
It's no fun trying to kick this stuff on my own, I found. I once thought there's a stigma about AA/NA (when U think about it) - like OMG, I've arrived, I'm now a REAL ADDICT! But WTF, these people are saving my life, and they're just like me. I see doctors, lawyers, street people, mothers, fathers, priests, you name it; people from all walks of life, all with the same problem, just like me. We're all equal at meetings.
question #2: WORRY: Toward the end of his life, Mark Twain said, "I'm an old man who's seen lots of trouble-most of which never happened." You will indeed be all right if you continue in willingness and recovery, one day at a time.
Give yourself completely to the folks trying to help you. They love you, and we love you as a fellow drug user trying to get clean.
Keep posting!
After being clean and sober many years in AA I had to start on Vicodin for severe pain in my back. After awhile I started to focus on what it does for my brain, not my pain. So i lost my "privilege", as it were, to take vicodin. I'm now in day 22 and feeling fairly good. But I depend on aftercare.
Answ. to question #1: Being an addict and alcoholic, I average 3 AA meetings and two NA meetings weekly. Sometimes more, depending on my needs. Getting clean using my own thinking isn't possible for me. When I think I know, I'm in trouble. I use the meetings to put my thinking in perspective and to clear out the bull---- in my head. You see, my brain manufactures bull---- all day. Soon, half of my brain will start to tell me it's okay to use. And, if I don't get to a meeting at least every 48 hours or so, the other half will start believing it! Strange but true.
It's no fun trying to kick this stuff on my own, I found. I once thought there's a stigma about AA/NA (when U think about it) - like OMG, I've arrived, I'm now a REAL ADDICT! But WTF, these people are saving my life, and they're just like me. I see doctors, lawyers, street people, mothers, fathers, priests, you name it; people from all walks of life, all with the same problem, just like me. We're all equal at meetings.
question #2: WORRY: Toward the end of his life, Mark Twain said, "I'm an old man who's seen lots of trouble-most of which never happened." You will indeed be all right if you continue in willingness and recovery, one day at a time.
Give yourself completely to the folks trying to help you. They love you, and we love you as a fellow drug user trying to get clean.
Keep posting!
Hi while I was reading your post it reminded me of myself. I had an addiction to Lortab and took soma also. I was able to stop the soma quickly but the Lortab was the hard one. I do have an experience where I took Lortab and Soma (not sure how many) then took 2 10mg ambien. All I know is my husband tried to wake me up the next morning and said I was talking crazy and couldn't walk. He took me to my neruologist and they just told me I probley had a seizure and sent me home on valium. (I know crazy) Any way when I recovered I went to talk my normal meds, and somehow while I was under the meds with the ambien, I got up several times and took more meds during the night. Ambien is bad for that, i would get up and do strange things, like fix food and not eat it, get on computer and post things on facebook and next morning not remember a thing. I am no longer on Lortab or Soma but I do still take ambien. My husband does the same thing, he gives me my med and locks it up. Good luck to you with your recovery.
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