The Pharmacy opened the door to my addiction

[Life360_Dave]

I do have a back problem and for 4 years i would  take 2 1/2  - 7.5 only twice a day. My script was for 150 pills and would last 2 to 3 months. i would take 1/2 in the morning, one in the evening before bed and one in the middle of the night. I did this without any side effects or wanting to take more (never). Always looked forward to the one at night as would have crazy dreams. I had 45 radiation treatments for prostate cancer and the meds even help me to accept my new social life style. about 6 months ago the pharmacy left a message on my phone that my script was ready. Low and behold they made a mistake and now i not only had 100 left from my other script but now 150 more. Little by little and one by one i took more every day till up to 8 a day and was going back to my doctor every month instead of 3. im now back to 3 day but was not easy to get back here. I would like to get down to the 2 at night only.

[selfinduced]

Very well said Mary, It is the Ah Ha moments we have that alert us and tell us, "keep going and face the harder consequences ". Hard to stop the madness before it ruins us, but will save much grief.

[mary577]

I would call myself more dependent than addicted, but I'm not sure what the difference is or the varying shades between the two.   I seldom took more than I was prescribed....five was the most I ever took, but I started out taking two a day.    I found as I went on that if I "needed" to take one, I would feel irritable and nauseated.   Almost as soon as I took a pill....I would be fine.   I was amazed how quickly I "felt better".    I had genuine pain issues but the thing I liked about them the most was the way they made me feel.   If I needed to go out and do some work, it was easier.   I was calm and could just go on and work and not dread the heat or the pain in my legs.   I decided I had to quit though because I was afraid I would end up taking more and more and I knew there are no free rides, and I wasn't prepared to have to pay the price of possible side effects.

[Bkitty]

Yes definately wean off of them. You had a glimpse of the false sense of self these pills give ya. Im here to tell ya if you liked that feeling,,then you will have opened pandora's box. You so dont want to do that. While you still have the control-wean down and be done with them. A slow taper over several weeks works very well for some people. If you are having some trouble-tell your doctor he can prescribe some medicine (like clonodine) to help ease the withdrawal symptoms. You did good getting back down to 2 a day! ~Bkitty

[Life360_Dave]

thanks and totally agree with you, thanks for the input

[Life360_Dave]

I started taking them at work and would give me energy really liked the feeling.  But now as us all am paying the price. What funny is that i would talk to my doctor about the side WD and he always would tell my i dont have any as am not taking enough even with the 8. He would say he does not like to say we are addicted he would say we are depentant but he did not know what was lurking deep im my shadows. I turely believe a doctor cannot help with this unless he has gone through it themself and Hugs to you. I will try to get to 2 a day then one and then none

[Bkitty]

Going from 8 a day back down to 2-3 a day is a huge accomplishment! My advice,,keep tapering down and then when you get to a low enough dose stop taking them. You may feel some uncomfortable symptoms for a week or so but by then they will be outta your system! Will your doctor help you with a taper? Why did your daily intake increase to 8 a day? What happened? Increased pain or did you like the feeling? ((hugs))~Bkitty

[coconuts27]

Its gonna take a consious effort to get down and stay at 2 a day. I started at about that dose, and once I found a love for them recreationally, there was no going back for me. Here I am, 6 years later, giving them up for good. If you really need them for pain, you might have to take them. But remember there are alternatives. Opiates suck. Personally, I hate them. And never wanna see them again. I wouldnt tell anyone to use them for any reason.