dealing with the pain...

[Hydro_angel]

I have been on Hydro 7.5's for four years because of a back injury. I take two when I wake up, two at lunch and two in the evening. I know I am addicted. When too much time lapses, the aches and pains start. I have been without them for a day or two and it IS miserable but the back pain far exceeds the flu-like symptoms. Up until about two months ago, the pain meds have helped me lead a normal day but I have been so depressed lately. The meds now only knocks off the edge of the pain and never feel a high from my doses. I know I cannot increase my dose. Surgery is not an option at this point. I hate feeling depressed. How do I get off of these meds and deal with my back pain? My work and seven kids require me to be active, very active. It is a vicious cycle and I don't see an end in sight. I fear a clinic will effect my profession. I have not talked to anyone about this because no one would understand. Any advise out there?

[shelliAS]

Hey, When you feel as awful as you do, it is depressing!  And let's face it, that "High" masks a lot.  You sound like me - I had chronic back pain and was on 4 hydros a day, plus tramadol.  After while, there was no high - I just needed the meds to get through the day at a base level of functioning.  This may seem strange, but you might find that your back pain lessons the longer you are off the hydros.  With narcotics, our neurological systems start to become hardwired to expect pain, thus setting up this chicken or egg cycle with the pain and the need for hydros.  The first two or three weeks were the worst for me, as far as the rebound pain.  I felt just horrid, which also made me depressed (the depression is also part of the WD; try to recognize it as a symptom, and not a reflection on what your life really is.  It is temporary.)  Look up the "Thomas Recipe" - you can even google it if you can't get to it from the link on this site.  It contains good info on how to get through the initial WD symptoms.  If you have only been off hydros for a day or two, you are right in the thick of the those first few days which are the worst.  It eases up after that.  Things will turn around for you soon.

Shelli

[Addict63]

Many of our good doctors have never been through what we've been through. Most, if not all of us on here have been to hell and back and can call upon our personal experience. I blew my back out 2 years 4 months ago and was put on VicodinES immediately. It's addicting, with out a doubt, and addiction cannot be helped. It's absolutely nothing to be ashamed of, thats for sure. I quickly got addicted, and I'm an addict to begin with. But I had 26 years sobriety without a drink or any kind of mind altering substance at the time. Not much choice though, had to stop the pain somehow.

About recovery... I was lucky, one of the main hernias was put to rest with ESIs and the rest of them gradually got taken care of by walking and doing PT every day. When it was time to quit Vicodin the pain came back worse than before, but I learned that it was the withdrawal talking to me. Once I got through WD the pain went away gradually to a level I found i could live with. I still do PT, walk at least 3 miles a day and I take 750MG of Naproxin a day, which takes the edge off. But this is my experience. I know you have your very own pain, completely personal to your case only. No two bad backs are exactly the same. But you won't ever know how this ordeal will end until you try out living life without pain meds for awhile. In my case, I was so happy to be off the meds my spirits lifted, and that was half the battle I found out. I wish you the best.

[Hydro_angel]

Shelli and Addict63...thanks for the feed back. I have three ruptured disc and deterioration, which is pinching the sciatic nerve. I have done PT and as active as I am, this didn't help. I have good range, painful but do-able. I have tried the spinal blocks with no luck. I know how the meds effect your neurological system but if I can't even sit fifteen minutes and watch TV on my pain meds, how will I ever do it without? I stand or lead on my bed to watch the news. The evidence is on the x-rays and on the MRI's. The pain is real. The Hydro's used to make me feel better, now, I am depressed and dragging my butt. My solution...take the pain meds and about thirty minutes later, when the pills start to slow me down, I will take a stacker to get my work done! Now how crazy is that? In my life, there is now time to slow down and it's so frustrating that I find myself in this daily cycle, that cannot be good for me. I have a beautiful family and I know the depression is drug induced. I cannot imagine being suicidal but I do find myself saying, I can't deal with this today, I can't deal with this!

[IBKleen]

Hi!

I know the pain and I live with it daily. It is not easy. I too have tried many of the treatments that you mentioned and I have found relief. One thing I will say is that the pain is intensified during the withdrawal process and I suggest that you wait at least another five days to see if it lessens before you make a decision.

If then you feel that you need to be a low dose of medication, talk with your doctor. There is also an excellent pain mngt forum here and you may want to speak with the folks there and see what they have to offer.

I hope you find comfort and I wish you the best.