Daily addictions check in #[two]

I'm sorry it was a hard day, but that is wonderful that you didn't have any urges! Bee proud of yourself for making it thru!

Yesterday when I went to my pre-op appointment & they gave me a prescription for some Oxycodone. I'm having shoulder surgery next Thursday, which is supposed to be especially painful - as UpDownAround knows. While at the doc's I asked about nerve blocks & "medicine balls," both of which are supposed to block pain for a few days, but I had reservations about the Oxy. I picked up the script today & took one tablet to see what it would do as far as pain (I can move my shoulder without pain now, so they work), & to see what kind of effect it would have as far as getting high (they gave a list of all the crap I can't do while on narcotics). It didn't have the effect of getting me high, & I'm in a situation where I don't have to go out & drive today, so I'm being cautious as far as "doing stuff" is concerned. My issue (& there's not really any sage advice), was my readiness to try the stuff out - & there was a part of my brain that kinda hoped I'd get a little buzzed. I'm going to get a nerve block or "medicine ball" to ease the pain for a few days, but I'm unsure about Oxy. While I feel my rationale for trying it was sound IMO, the somewhat hidden urge to cop a buzz troubles me. The Oxy is now in a remote dresser on a different floor of the house, far away from my other meds - "out of sight, out of mind." Today was a reminder, however, that "once a substance abuser, always a substance abuser." I've got to proceed with caution.

I got hydrocodone in various strengths. I thought oxy was stronger but I might be confused. But I would have to agree that experimenting beforehand sets off a few alarms.

"Sometimes, I think it's a shame when I get feelin' better when I'm feelin' no pain."

It sucks when you cannot be trusted with pain meds. I am having a flare in the lumbar; probably the spinal stenosis or maybe one of the herniated discs or maybe all the above. Anyway, it hurts and it would be a legit use of pain meds. But I cannot have them. I would not want to risk it. Advil and a stick to bite...

Have you discussed Tramadol with your doctor? It's supposed to give some relief from pain, but has "the AA seal of approval." No buzz & few addictive properties. Sorry to hear of your pain...

The info I found mentions addiction. It is an opioid.

It's a different "strain" of opioid...my family doctor explained it to me, but I forget the science. In any case, I've used it for my shoulder pain when needed, & there's a "grand poobah" in AA (40 years sober) who uses it for his back issues. Yeah...It's technically in the opioid class, but both Pintos & Cadillacs are "cars." There's a world of difference between the two, however! I'd talk to your doc to get it explained better than I've explained it here. It's probably best to err on the side of caution, but if your doc knows you abuse substances & gives you the green light to use Tramadol, all's well in "Cleanland!"

I have been using tramadol for my back before and after surgery. It's not the best, but I was taken off all NSAIDs for stomach issues, and Tylenol wouldn't work for the problem I have. When I was talking with my doctor/surgeon, he knew of my addiction history, and his words were "least amount of risk to you, while still giving some relief from the pain."

It is an opiate, but something with how it is made makes it harder to get a buzz from, so misusing it is less likely.

I will say, tho, that with it being an opiate, my brain kinda set off craving other stuff, and sometimes wanting to take an extra tramadol. So it can be risky in early sobriety or if someone is not strong in their recovery.

I had to keep reminding myself that if I misused it, my doc would take it away, and I would have nothing to help with the pain.

I'm going to ask my psychiatrist for Strattera. It literally has no abuse potential. He wouldn't put me on Vyvanse because he says I'll get psychosis even though other psychiatrists put me on it. He put me on Concerta (Ritalin) though.

It is different that stimulants; it takes over a week before you build up enough. Then you just start noticing that it is easier to stay on task. It doesn't kick you in the butt and keep you moving, it helps you steer.

This has me worried. I think I will pass.

3 advil is taking the edge off. If it's the spinal stenosis, and I think it is, the pressure on the nerves will just suddenly release when it moves the right way.

My head hurts tonight I wish I had liquid Advil pills

This Sunday it will be a lot of days sober!!

My back feels better today. Not completely pain free, but I don't wince when I get up from my chair today. So I almost certain it was the spinal stenosis impinging nerves. So no need to think about whether or not tramadol is a possibility. I am thinking not.

1 week and 2 days since last using meth :3 Now dealing with the meth dreams :/

Congratulations! Tomorrow you go into double digits on day 10.

Do you mean you are dreaming that you are doing meth or that you have wild dreams because of stopping meth?

Yay double digits! I have dreams of doing meth. They are very vivid.

I actually even ate some food today Which I know is a good thing but it is making me feel sick.

I have dreams of drinking and sometimes wake up thinking it was the night before that I drank and blew my sobriety until I come to my senses and realize I was just drinking in a dream. It can really freak me out for a minute or two.

I still smoke weed in dreams sometimes and it's been about 30 years since I last smoked any, so I am not sure the dreams ever go away completely.

Can I raise my hand, too? I used to have vivid drinking dreams, too. They subsided with time, so don't sweat your using dreams too much. I remember waking up feeling panicky & guilty. It always took a few seconds to realize it was just a dream. So, yeah...they're normal, but don't let them send you back out there. Good luck!

Me too on the drinking dreams. I had one so vivid once, that I actually tasted the alcohol in my dream, and when I woke up I was in a panic about when I'd be able to get more so that I wouldn't go into withdrawal. I was really glad once I figured out that one was just a dream.

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Sometimes I think I can still taste it, or the aftermath of it, when I wake up. That's when I really freak out for a minute. I feel like I woke up after drinking the night before. Within a minute or two I calm down and realize it's just normal nasty morning breath and remember what I was doing before bed (which wasn't drinking).

I've never abused pills of any kind...I've had benzos (Klonopin & Restoril) for years. I'm having shoulder surgery a week from today & I'll have a prescription for an opioid because I hear the pain is considerable. Having so much downtime will be a bummer. For the first several days to a week, I think I'll be almost completely immobile, save for getting up to go to the bathroom. I've heard you also have trouble sleeping the first few days & possibly longer because of the pain (first) & the fact I'll be sleeping in the recliner instead of in bed. Again, I've never abused prescription drugs, but this situation is almost like a perfect storm...I'll have a lot of pain, anxiety, & sleeplessness. This post is just a reminder to myself not to use pills as an escape. I should just ride out the discomfort if I can.

emgreen,

Can you let your GF dole out medicine to you?

The first day or two the amount I needed to dull the pain was enough to give me a high. It was 3 or 4 days in that I started having my troubles because the dosage was cut back to where it didn't give me much of a high, but I knew how to fix that...

Thanks for the advice & some idea of what I can expect. My girlfriend will have 10 days off from work after my surgery, so she'll be around to monitor me. Having the GF keep an eye on things would probably be a good idea. She's a recovering alcoholic, too, so she understands these things

Had a really awful drinking dream last night. I wasn't partying in the dream, instead it was like I was back in the last days of my relapse and was just drinking to keep the withdrawal away and I was really sick and weak, but needed the alcohol more than anything. And for some strange reason in my dream, I was working and living at work, and everyone knew about my drinking, so I had to hide it, and was constantly sneaking out to get more, and it was just an endless hamster wheel of chasing the drink. I woke up crying and just feeling so sad and despairing. Hopefully this is a sign that my subconscious is catching up with my intellect with respect to where my drinking is at.

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Hi, I've never posted here. I just wanted to check in today and hope everyone is having a great day, and if you are struggling I hope it gets better!