[leejoseph]

Has anyone here ever truley had some kind of chronic pain but also had a painkiller addiction and managed to break it.I have several slipped disc with sciatica damage a busted vertebrea that never completley heals and 3 bulged disc in my neck.I also have tested positive for rhumetiod arthritis for about 8 years.Im also just plain addicted,so if im having a good week or two,I still have to have my painkillers.I have got down to were on some days i only take one or two.But i cant completly break my habit.Can anyone suggest someway to stop taking addictive pain meds without hurting and being exhausted all the time?

[lynn P.]

I'm sorry you're suffering with chronic pain and this addiction. Many people are suffering with oxycontin addictions. We had 2 members on my husbands side who were addicted. Have you spoke to your doctor about different rheumatoid treatment options? Maybe consider a pain patch because this would spare liver damage. My concern with pain killer addiction is this can lead to decreased breathing at night and liver damage. You're brave for admitting this and do speak with your doctor to find alternatives.

[Pained75]

Anytime, I have a few good days in a row and I cut back on my meds, I start having withdraws. Something very good for withdrawals is a tea called Star Anise. Use about 5 or 6 stars in about 12oz of water put the burner on med an slow boil it. When it starts boiling, time it for 10 min. Its not gonna look dark at all. It will look like weak tea. You may like it with sugar.Strain the tea in the cup. Dont throw the used stars away you can use them a few times over. Let me know if this helps you. Take care. Trust me I know exactly how you feel. I've been on this ride since I was 18 years old. Please dont feel bad about having to use a certain level of medication to control your pain. Also, something that may help your mind to relax a little is, there are two different types of addictions. Mental and physical. Our physical bodies get used to the narcotics, but we are not mentally addicted as some are who do drugs for recreation. Take care!

[Rose76]

I'm sorry for your situation. I take Vicodin for pain, and the only reason that I'm not addicted is that my pain isn't anywhere's near as bad as yours. If it was, I don't think I would want to face a day without painkillers.

Are you being fair to yourself in wanting to get non-dependent on pain killers? If you are able to get by on just one or two, some days, then it sounds like you do use a lot of restraint.

I've never been addicted. I don't have any expertise to offer. But I have an awful fear of pain, and I dread the moderate soreness that I do get on and off. So I empathize with you. With your level of spinal damage, I can't see how you can feel too chipper without pain meds. It's a tough choice to have to make. Have you been able to talk about this with your doctor? It can be hard to trust enough to do that.

I've been told that there are non-narcotic alternatives for dealing with pain. Personally, I don't think anything brings the relief that the pills give. My own doctor has told me that, if medicating the pain keeps you more active, then he advises doing so.

[Aiuto]

Sorry about your pain.I just took 30days to taper off pain med that I was on for 6month's.I had made it 8day's of totally clean of medicine. Then I tried to go about my life. Horrible results that I could not physically or mentally live with the debilitating PAIN !I had to jump back on the medicine and accept that I will have this medicine the rest of my life to live life!!!I did not want to be on pain medication again but I have no choice if I want to live ANY kind of life.

I personally do not want any surgeries! I have herniated L3 & L5, bulging C1-C5, dislocated jaw~All of these are positive for arthritis!I am in my 30's and never took pain medications before this accident 2years ago....now I went off them and realized this medication is my only option to life.

[jk2833]

Hi there yes I have fibromyalgia arthritis and a few disabilities that really cause me pain, I use morpheine patches that are slow release and have done for years now.
I once ran out for just 3 days and I've never felt so bad.
Please bear this in mind when considering any strong pain patches.
I was like a drug addict or something shaking and sweating.
I would love to not have them as they leave me rxhausted but I could not live with that much pain plus I would have to go into rehab for the withdrawal.
Really consider your options here, look into heat therapy, holistic anything that's not addictive, at least you've nothing to loose trying natural ways of pain relief. I honestly tried them all first and still use them where possible

Take care
J

[BDPpartner]

My family continually worry about the amount of pain killers i'm on, i take the maximum dose almost every day. What they don't understand is that without then I can't even toilet myself without crying with the pain, I don't take them for fun. I do worry about liver damage and the risk of server hemoraging of the stomach but it's about the lesser of 2 evils. Don't be too tough on yourself we have a genuine reason for having to take these highly addictive drugs

[IndieVisible]

No pain but loved pain killers, specially the more potent stuff, Vicodin is like aspirins for me. I'm talking oxycon or better. Opiates are very addicting. Benzo's do nothing for me accept what they are suppose too, but pain killers? It's like heroin. You can feel a euphoria so yes, very addicting. If your in pain there are alternatives to opiates for pain that are not addicting. You could try them and see how they work. But for serious chronic pain, there is no alternative and doctors weigh out the dangers of addition verses the level of chronic pain you are in and often have to go with opiates to relieve you of pain. In those cases docs feel the benefit out weighs the addiction.

If the doc decides to stop the pain killers you need to be weeded off it slowly.

[Rose76]

Hi lee. Just a note to say I am hoping you are coping somehow. I've been using Vicodin and don't know what I would do without it. Chronic pain is tough and you seem to have a formidable problem. Hugs.

[Travelinglady]

I'm sure I don't have near the pain you do, but I was on Tramadol. I decided I wanted to get off of it--because I didn't like the idea of being addicted to something. So I tapered off---and my pain was so bad, I asked my doc to put me back on it.

Now my newest pain doc wants me to take Vicodin instead. Tramadol potentially interferes with my main med for Bipolar. I talked to my psychiatrist, and she said Vicodin wasn't any more addicting than Tramadol.

Yet, I am planning to just take the minimum I can. I have never taken more pain meds than the doctors have ever prescribed anyway. And I am told that my pain does need to be controlled, so I won't be as prone to head into depression. And I do need to sleep, and my pain can keep me from it.

I say all that to say, not all people get psychologically addicted to pain meds and even though their bodies want it, the people will be okay as long as they don't start overdosing and seeking that "high."

I have used other things for pain, too. But I don't think all people necessarily need to stay away from meds because of their addictive nature. If someone is hurting so badly he/she can hardly function, then I see nothing wrong with pain meds.

[googoo]

In response 2 Lee Joseph:Sorry 2 hear of yr pain I totally can sympathize with yr dilemma,& I also would like 2 know how I could live pain free/or I'd even accept greatly reduced pain,but not have 2 take these severely addictive pain pills.There are a few things I've tried but they didnt help me(but keeping this in mind every1 is different)so they may work 4 u.The 1st one was Arthrotec & the 2nd 1 was Diclofenac(pretty sure it'sspelled right).I myself have degenerative disc disease in my L-4 & L-5 resulting in bilateral sciatica,as well as osteoarthritis in my upper spine.I also have diabetes so my ankles,legs,swell & ache severely,plus diabetic neuropathy in my right arm with arthritis throughout my whole right shoulder(what a whiner eh?)I started out 18 yrs ago just on Oxycocet(Percocet) 8 of them a day,I'm now on just 6 of those a day but now take 3 6mg.Hydromorphone.I'm never pain free but at least it makes it bearable 2 exist.Anyway maybe those 2 pills I mentioned r worth a try,& theyre not ADDICTIVE>>>>yipeeee!!!

[(JD)]

I will never understand a doctor's concern about someone with CHRONIC pain and their taking of pain medicine. Some people with cancer have terminal chronic pain and MDs still worry about addiction?

There's a big difference between dependence and addiction. The very fact that you can cut back on your medicine means to me that you are not addicted.

Depending upon a medicine to help you live is okay. The stereotype of "addiction" is none of my concern regarding chronic pain...it's CHRONIC pain!

If you can cut back on your medicine, and have pretty much purged your body of it, I don't see why you would continue. Sometimes people with too much medicine, including narcotics etc., need to go in an detox as there is a phenomena where the medicines are causing rebound pain--more pain than you would have with properly managed medicine...

I hope you are discussing this with the doctor who is prescribing your pain medicines. Here in the USA there's been a big crack down by the government and doctors must keep good track. You are doing your MD a disservice by not taking the medicine as prescribed, and they might even find this out through a test and suspect you of selling your pills rather than taking them.

Plus you are not doing yourself any good by not taking your medicine regularly. If you have chronic pain, you need to learn to manage your life with regards to that pain, managing the pain with medicine or whatever... but sometimes taking and sometimes not etc. won't help you manage. Now if you have cut back and it's doing you no harm in your living your life, then maybe you don't need as much medicine. Again, discuss this with your MD as he/she is assuming you are taking it as prescribed.

Take care.

[shinty]

I didn't read all the replies, so sorry if this has been said already..........Try suboxone. It helps cravings and does help pain if given in the correct dosages. It's better than running out of your pain medication early every month.

[woundedsoul]

I am on serious pain meds for chronic pain. But I have never felt high. Well, maybe when inpatient receiving dilauded by IV. But I've never taken more than I'm supposed to. I'm currently on a fentanyl patch, and I take Vicodin , plus stuff for migraines and depression. I also used to take tramadol but it was like a placebo, so i just stopped it. I'd like to switch to percocet, but I'm allergic. Sucks to be me. Vicodin doesn't work anymore. I wish I had my old doctor. I could probably get a script for that new zohydro. It's supposed to be much better for chronic pain. But even though it's on the market and it works great, doctors are afraid to prescribe it because of the addicts. So chronic pain patientherapist have to suffer because of addicts. There's always going to be addicts no matter what drug is on the market, and who you prescribe it to.

[jk2833]

Hi I hear you I'm also addicted to pain relief due to chronic pain, I did try to reduce it and stop it all together but the withdrawal was horrific plus the initial pain on top was just too much.
I don't have an answer to your question it I just wanted to let you know your not alone, there's millions of us with this problem.
I know for sure without pain relief I couldn't handle my pain and I'd have no quality of life.
Some days I think well so what I'm addicted of I need it I need it, then other day I think OMG how horrible it is relying on meds to function.
Please don't try to stop taking anything without speaking to dr first I did that once an had a seizure.
Let us know how you get on and take care
J