Tore ACL doctors prescribe Vicodin 60

[Madmax88]

Been clean 5 months, and Saturday I tore my ACL. Been in horrible pain and having a hard time throw away this prescription paper I haven't taken it to pharmacy but I'm having a hard time throwing it away. The pain is a 10 out of a 10 can't sleep without moving my leg and screaming. So my brain is keeping me from throwing this script away. I keep thinking what if it gets to bad?? I'm going to have to have surgery. What do I tell doctors when they do the surgery? No pain medication doc I'm in recovery. I can't believe this is happening, I don't want to take them im just scared if this is the pain I have now what will it be like after surgery. Tylonal won't do the trick. I Just ripped the script and flushed it while typing ha but that leaves the surgery questions. Any advice from someone in a similar situation?

[dominosarah]

Did you talk with the doctor about this?

[Madmax88]

Still haven't taken any it's been 22 weeks since I got clean. Surgery is in 9 days, won't be given any opiates durring surgery. Though the leg does hurt i just know I don't  need the pills to get by. After surgery I might need them tho So we will see

[motye51]

Well said!

[Madmax88]

Find sobriety friend

[bazhulkrje]

My doc gives me 48x80mg and 48x40mg and 10mg immediate release, every month for 6 years. I no longer know if I'm in pain or jonesing.

[bazhulkrje]

Weed is not a narcotic, if you respect addiction don't bull shite.

[bazhulkrje]

Pain is shite, lost a leg and every muscle group below my waste stopped co operating with my brain. Pain sensors fire opiates deployed tolerance rises.
Where do you get off? If your clean from pain meds you should be advising me, pain is human. Being natch isn't.

[Madmax88]

My sponsor just said if I don't abuse them and I'm taking them for pain and not the high and I don't go longer than a month or so then to take them if I'm really in need. Though if I can make do then to count my blessings. I've decided to let the doctors give me whatever I need opiate or not whipe surgery is being performed, and afterwards the doctor will only write me 1 script of Vicodin for 90x and no refills. So I feel a lot better about the situation im not in agonizing pain anymore and if I do need them even if I wanted to I won't be able to go crazy with them. So it's reassuring I guess though im trying to get passed it all w/o anything but will see!

[motye51]

Cool beans.....glad to hear you made it through....im so glad to hear you kept in touch with your sponsor b/c thats totally what you're supposed to do....

[Madmax88]

I have stayed in close touch with my sponsor, but haven't been to a meeting in a week now. ( supposed to stay off leg much as possible) so that's why I'm on here a little more lately. The swelling went down so the pain is tolerable i don't think il be needing the pills atleast till the surgery.

[jifmoc]

Max- are you staying very close to your sponsor? To the program? Now is the time. Keep talking about it and keep sharing about it. Don't isolate and let your brain stew. Have people pick you up and take you to meetings.

[Madmax88]

Well my wife picked up the script yesterday, haven't taken them yet. Not going to if I can keep managing, its already been a week since the tare.

[Madmax88]

Sorry about the typos

[Madmax88]

The doctor that wants to surgery is aware of my past now. He said there are other things they can use to knock me out, and other things used for pain. He did say there not as affective as opiates but hey will see, So Im still pushing threw the pain without pain medication. My wife said the doctor told her after the surgery if I'm in to much pain to call him to get better meds. Sitting around is depressing man Im usually Feeing the need to be in the go to avoid my addiction thoughts.  

[kyle505]

This worries me.  I understand that you are newly clean, and that you don't want to do anything to mess it up. I also understand the relentless pull pain meds can have, especially when they're sitting right in front of you (so to speak).  I've been through this and have come out on the crap end of the struggle. If you are in legit, major pain, then I'd suggest that you have your wife help with pill management. I'm not pushing the use of melds - I just think it's wrong to suffer through, living a diminished quality of life. You have a long road ahead; your "will power" and determination alone won't get you through - now or in the future. K

[gnarly_1]

Hey Max sorry to here about your leg ...I have heard that is painful....look there is no reason to be a marter over a painful ingery.....there are a few things you need to do  #1 let the doctor know your a addict in recovery....#2 give the script to your wife to give them to you as prescribed...#3 always try something nonnarcotic first  if necessary use the narcotics #4 make a chart and try to go a little longer each time you take them and try to skip doses rather then staying on them 24/7 #5  be true to thy self as a addict in recovery you will know if your truly taking them for pain  or trying to get high....with these precautions you should be good to go  keep us posted..................Gnarly..............................

[dominosarah]

Our secrets keep us sick~

[Madmax88]

i think the best thing for me to do is try to muscle threw it until the surgery and let them give me what I need. Then after the surgery if it's umbareable i will have my wife get the 60 and hold them for me. I think if I try to take as minium as possible on an off beat time pattern for a couple weeks won't spark up w/d but mentally I feel like I will have cheated myself but I Guess we're just going to play it by ear. i guess this is a true test of remaining in control and not abusing. Dancing with the devil can be dangerous

[kyle505]

Just be careful - the longer you hold out/the longer you're in pain, the more deserving your addicts brain feels. Tell your doc so if and when you try to get more it will be harder.

[kyle505]

Max: I haven't been here for a while. A couple of years ago I had the same question, and Sarah was a big help...There comes a time when even addicts need help with legit pain - if we try to avoid the meds we can make things worse, or prolong the healing process, which leaves us open to temptation longer.  If you have a wife or girlfriend, or someone you can trust, then have them get the meds, give them to you per the doc's orders, and then hide them. You really need to let your doc know about your addiction and recovery. Be honest and look for help. All the best  K

[VICourageous]

How are YOU feeling right now??
Praying that you do NOT have to have surgery!

I too got in a similar situation. My Dr does know about my addiction and I had to see many more Drs too. Because of my Heart issues I can not have a whole lot of pain either. I talked about them wanting to prescribe me something in all my NA meetings, to AA meetings. Talked to many other ppl about it too. I am like YOU..so afraid that this will start my Addiction back up and my Brain has never been 100% balanced back from all my yrs of drug use. I still struggle with this addiction even over 3yrs later. I am clean & sober today and I too, will ride it out until I can no longer take this. NOW..on the other hand. YOU can have them handed out to you and be accountable with all your Drs, Meetings and Family. There is a way around it, but I am afraid you do not have much clean time in right now. Do Not suffer if it gets real bad and you have to have surgery..Just be accountable at all times for what you do take and take it as needed for a very short time if you have too! Like Lesa said..As long as you use it for pain and NOT to get high off of it. Heck ..YOU might not even like the way it will make you feel these days either. I wish you the best!
Bless
Vickie

[Madmax88]

I never told the ER doctor about my pass addiction to opiates and how I'm in recovery. So after MRI I had a torn maniscus and ACL tare basically your leg is messed up. No Broken bones but I've had this injury on the same leg in my football days. But I had pain reliever then now it's just horrible. Anyways I told the doctor i don't want anything habit forming and defiantly no opiates he said " he will right me one script" and that if I could go w/o would be good but just in case im in pain I can have something. Hearing that just seemed so right I replied with okay and though about this peice of paper ever since. 60 won't last long and I know if I do 60 il ask for a refill then get them ILLEGALY saying its for my pain. I rather just have pain **** the addiction. I'm trying hard to avoid surgery but with 3 tares I know it's impossible. I'm going against NA here but I think weed is my best bet. But if I take a few puffs I don't want to have surgery and them give me morphine. Can you deny them giving you opiates?

[Yepagain]

See if they can put a pain pump in. It delivers a lidacaine like agent directly into your knee.  That will help you not take the meds but will relieve the pain. They do it in knee replacments not sure about acl repairs. Good question to ask, tell them you have an allergy to spiates. So they will try to come up with something else. toradol  injections while in the hospital.

[Madmax88]

For me one opiate is too much, I reallywant to stay away from it, I apprciate the feedback im just at a fork in the road. Is there not a pain medication w/o opiates? I'm strongly considering weed lol it's starting to seem like the only safe alternative.

[Ben727]

This really comes to a being a personal question. If you require pain meds due to surgery, and take them as directed and only for pain, you are not relapsing, in my opinion. The key is in maintaining absolute discipline in only taking as directed and stopping as soon as they're no longer needed. Is there someone trustworthy in your life that can assist you? If you can have someone there to hold you accountable, it can really help keep things under control.

[10356]

Hi Madmax I'm really sorry to read you have such a bad injury a ACL tear is so very Painful my Husband had that. You are going to need some help with pain Your blood pressure will go up and as you loose sleep and not eating and exercising your health will go down hill, I had a shoulder replacement that needed meds take as prescribed as long as needed for physical pain only. There really is no way around this I can not think of what it would be like to go without. I truly wish ice would help and hope you have tried but I remember how bad it was for hubby the night he went to e r they scheduled surgery.. It helps that someone doles them out if you decode to take them. I found taking the meds different as I'm in a different frame of mind I was not chasing a high. I was healing. I will send a prayer, lesa