Guest guest Posted July 1, 2006 Report Share Posted July 1, 2006 At 12:51 PM 7/1/06, you wrote: >i feel like an addict. my wife tells me that im just " addicted " to not >being in pain..... i dont know what to do. I just went over this with a new pain management Doctor I saw on Monday. He was wonderful. He took his time and really explained the options, complications etc. He made it clear to me that I should not feel like an addict on my dosage, and said that my Family Doctor who has been my primary care physician is doing a good job of managing my meds. He said it is good to have one Doctor prescribe and work with you, because he knows what your on and the interactions. He explained to me that I have been on a narcotic for 5 years. Because of that my pain receptors are used to a certain level of that drug suppressing the pain, and it's more than the average individual. He went on to say that he is not on pain meds, so that for occasional back pain Tylenol or Vicoden just one dose can be very effective, but for folks like us, it's a joke because of the levels we are used to. I told him how I'm tired of the media, and thus the average public thinking we are addicts because we are on pain killers. As he explained we are on pain killers because we are in chronic pain. Nothing to be ashamed of. Now there is always the possibility of abuse, or misuse because we don't know better. For me I tried very hard to stay within my prescribed levels, and even under take them if possible, like on a good day. I then try non medication ways to hold back or break the pain, Ice, massage work for me. If nothing else works and I'm climbing the walls, usually in the middle of the night, I'll take a double dose to break the pain cycle. It's that or the ER. I try to moderate my meds because of this thought. I'm 45 and have been on pain meds for 5 years straight. I've had 3 back and 1 neck surgery. Whatever drug, tool I use today, will be less effective tomorrow after some time of use. So If I'm already at the max dosage of a certain pill before liver damage at 45, what will I be taking at 55, or 65 ? If your concerned that you may be an addict, your probably not. If you were a full blown addict you would be in denial, and looking for more. I never get a buzz from my meds, at best I get some pain relief, which is why I'm taking them. I hope you find the Right pain management Doctor, and help with depression. Yesterday I went to visit a friend who's life currently sucks more than mine. Maybe the one thing that this life prepares us for is empathy for others in similar fates. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 1, 2006 Report Share Posted July 1, 2006 thank you dave; it helps to hear from others. i feel i need to get off of them because i take too much, i do not take smaller doses just because im having a good day. i keep telling myself that im going to take them how they're prescribed but i dont because i know that at a certain level my pain will go away completely and i guess that's what im trying to hold onto, because its the only way i feel like my old healthy self again. but the amount required to do this is way too much but i wont stop even though im probably killing my liver. i cant do this for the rest of my life, i cant handle it for another year. im too young, my kids are too young to be without a physically fit father. three years ive been on these meds and they are trying to reduce them instead of trying something that works. i was supposed to get nurontin and lyrica, and an anti depressant. he didnt write scripts for the first two, and the anti depressants aren't covered on my insurance. instead of fixing this he scheduled me another appointment for monday, but my wife had to yell to get that; he was going to let me sit around with out the new meds he promised, for two more months. im done i cant cope, especially when my wif is still having seizures, and has diseased discs of her own. yet im supposed to act and help out even more then i already do, which is considerable. whine whine whine im so ridiculously depressed, and confused. <html><div>No greater burden can be borne by an individual than to know no one cares or understands. </div></html> >From: Cruikshank <d.cruikshank@...> >Reply-neck pain >neck pain >Subject: Re: addict >Date: Sat, 01 Jul 2006 14:03:03 -0400 > >At 12:51 PM 7/1/06, you wrote: > > >i feel like an addict. my wife tells me that im just " addicted " to not > >being in pain..... i dont know what to do. > > >I just went over this with a new pain management Doctor I saw on >Monday. He was wonderful. He took his time and really explained the >options, complications etc. He made it clear to me that I should not feel >like an addict on my dosage, and said that my Family Doctor who has been my >primary care physician is doing a good job of managing my meds. He said it >is good to have one Doctor prescribe and work with you, because he knows >what your on and the interactions. > > He explained to me that I have been on a narcotic for 5 >years. Because of that my pain receptors are used to a certain level of >that drug suppressing the pain, and it's more than the average >individual. He went on to say that he is not on pain meds, so that for >occasional back pain Tylenol or Vicoden just one dose can be very >effective, but for folks like us, it's a joke because of the levels we are >used to. > > I told him how I'm tired of the media, and thus the average >public >thinking we are addicts because we are on pain killers. As he explained we >are on pain killers because we are in chronic pain. Nothing to be ashamed >of. Now there is always the possibility of abuse, or misuse because we >don't know better. > > For me I tried very hard to stay within my prescribed levels, and >even under take them if possible, like on a good day. I then try non >medication ways to hold back or break the pain, Ice, massage work for >me. If nothing else works and I'm climbing the walls, usually in the >middle of the night, I'll take a double dose to break the pain cycle. It's >that or the ER. > > I try to moderate my meds because of this thought. I'm 45 and >have been on pain meds for 5 years straight. I've had 3 back and 1 neck >surgery. Whatever drug, tool I use today, will be less effective tomorrow >after some time of use. So If I'm already at the max dosage of a certain >pill before liver damage at 45, what will I be taking at 55, or 65 ? > > If your concerned that you may be an addict, your probably >not. If you were a full blown addict you would be in denial, im not in denial, bu i have become a seeker of meds from the internet and i know that this is going to kill me but i can not stop. i do not have the discipline, or inner strength to stop. i did quit about 8 mos ago, just to make sure that i wasnt making up my own pain as a way of getting meds. my pain is real, but i cannot get it treated prober;y. enough about my personal bs. thanks again dave for listening. everyone take care this weekend and enjoy the fireworks. rpb and looking >for more. I never get a buzz from my meds, at best I get some pain relief, >which is why I'm taking them. > > I hope you find the Right pain management Doctor, and help with >depression. > > Yesterday I went to visit a friend who's life currently sucks >more >than mine. Maybe the one thing that this life prepares us for is empathy >for others in similar fates. > >Dave > _________________________________________________________________ Express yourself instantly with MSN Messenger! Download today - it's FREE! http://messenger.msn.click-url.com/go/onm00200471ave/direct/01/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted July 1, 2006 Report Share Posted July 1, 2006 Rob, sorry you are feeling so down. hope things get better soon for you. Hugs and Prayers, Babs Chronic illness Chronic Pain You are not alone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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