The worst advice a doctor gave...

[Kfred]

Been in and out of the addicition for a solid 3 years --  I'lll go two months without vics, then two months with.   I once told a doc friend of my I took 14 pills in a 24 hour period and he said, "no problem!  the liver is stronger than many think, plus it can heal itself!!!"  <----  wrong thing to tell an addict.  Long story short I've been taking 24 500mg vics a day for 3 weeks straight.  Last night I was sick worse than I have ever been in 40 years...  I'm starting to do a little weaning now.  I am scared to death.  My wife is scared to death.  My kids saw me in a way I've never seen.  My daughter asked if I needed her liver see'd give it to me - she's 8...  I know I'm an addict and I'm sorry for being so smug in previous posts...

[wannabefree330]

yes, remember that this will never go away.  It will always be sitting back, waiting for you to 'think' you have it 'under control'.  Then it comes back with more vengence than ever.  You will do yourself some good to learn about addiction, our cycles, our behaviors....find out WHY you use....dig deep....its not just because of the high....something much deeper.  Once you learn about what triggers you into wanting to get high, you can recognize when you're in trouble and let all those who support you know to be on the look out.  Get involved in some sort of counseling.  AA or NA, a counselor through work, a psychologist, social worker, friend or an addiction specialist.  AA/NA is free and  a group of people who can really relate to what you're saying....they won't take any B.S. excuses either.  May take time to find the right meeting that suits you, but don't give up.  If you want different results this time, ........YOU ARE gonna have to do something different this time!  Prove to yourself and your daughter that this time WILL be different.  Recovering addicts are humble, but very knowledgeable.  Don't be ashamed or scared to reach out for help....chances are it will help them in return.

[walternowotny]

Blaming others is not only integral part of addiction but it is conterproductive....You are the one who is responsible for your own recovery.
Maybe doctor was just trying to reassure you and had no idea about severity of your addiction...
Good luck
Walter

[jrfk]

Some define abstinant as just waiting to use, theres a reason or reasons why a person becomes an addict,not dependant but an addict and those reasons must be dealt with in order to recover and besides ,,who wants to be a normy lol ?  I"ve found that the quality of the recoverying addicts in my life for the most part is higher then the normys in my life.

[Kfred]

abstinant... kinda hoping that eventually I'd return to normal...

[jrfk]

In the time that you arent using are you working recovery or just abstinant ?

[Kfred]

wannabefree330 you are right, I always knew it was wrong/bad... Whether one pill or twenty...  I just always kept my intake in check to some degree because of my physical fears...  I't just amazing how sick I am...

[wannabefree330]

While it is true the liver can take quite a beating, don't blame your continued abuse on that.  I'm sure the entire time you were abusing your pills you knew it was wrong.  Pointing fingers at others is a classic addict behaving like an addict.  Take accountability for your actions and know that you will have to do the thinking for your addiction the rest of your life.  It never goes away, and next time someone tells you something you know better of, you can educate them a bit.  There will be other times in your life you are offered opiates....be prepared for that.
Okay, enough badgering.....Its good to have you back wit us.  I was taking much more tylenol than you, and my liver was ok (I was going on 4 months of using like that).  While we are all different, it would be good to have some liver tests drawn just to see where you stand.  Taking action to get clean now is really great, not only for you but your whole family.  A weeks worth of illness is definitely worth a lifetime of happiness!  Best of luck

[ochooked]

There is no doubt about it --  Doctors can be very very DUMB.  Did you also know that 50% of doctors graduated in the bottom half of their class??  It really is true -- look it up.  :).   To tell anyone (much less a guy with drug abuse problems that the liver is a wonderful organ that can heal itself it like giving a 357 to a guy who is looking to commit suicide.  Hey, at least you know who is not a good doctor.  All the best in getting off the dope ----  You don't need to look for to find a reason to get clean -- she just offered you her own liver -- and she was sincere. Man, with that going for you - you should be able to handle some W/D's.  How about it?  All the best to you.

[CR_ST_NA]

glad to hear you are starting to wean, it's hard, but worth it. the only way it works is if you stick with a very strict weaning scedule. the liver is an amazing organ, we put it through much. the bad news is if you continue your liver will suffer so much. the good news is, if you stop now, your liver will heal. the liver is the only organ in the human body that can repare it's self. the brain can to an extent but nothing like the liver. i put my liver through hell and i was sure that my liver was shot. when i finally quit the lortabs and gave it a chance to heal, it did, good as new. i think God made it that way cause He knew some of his children would abuse their pain meds. i know ppl who have used needles, gotten HepC and when they quit drugs and started taking better care of their bodys the HepC stopped progressing and they are now in remission. i'm so sorry your children had to see you that way, i know what that feels like. i have battled addiction for six years and i have let my kids see me sick too many times. my kids have had to see mommy go to in-patient treatment and it was so hard to be away from them, but it was so worth it. maybe that is something you can check into. i went to my states chemical dependency center and because they charge on a sliding scale my treatment was free, what a blessing. my DOC has always been hydrocodone (lortab, vicodan, norco's) i took so many lortab in a day, it's a miracle i'm still alive. it started with surgery's, chronic pain, fybromyalgia, and ended with such a high tolerance to the pills that i started to take more and more and i was still in pain, that was my indicator to go to rehab. unfortunately i still have all the chronic pain and have gone to a pain clinic and am now on a low dose of methadone, which i know can be addictive too and i know all the risks, but for me the advantages are out weighing the risks. it is working for me, with lots of meetings, cousiling and lots of accountability and honesty. all this to say that there is hope! hang in there and don't give up. REMEMBER: it's not how many times you fall, it's how many times you get, you just never know how many chances you are going to have to get back up, so make this one count. you and your family will be in my prayers. best of luck to your and God Bless.

[steveo30]

time to find a new doctor

[dominosarah]

Am glad you are back.  Hopefully last night will be your wake up call.  This addiction can and will kill you.  I know you dont want to be a prisoner to these pills anymore.  Stay on this forum and let us help you.  Take back your life and show your 8 yr old she doesnt need to worry about giving her daddy a liver.  We are here for you.....sara