My Opioid Addiction

I did have injection in lower back years ago after being in bed for a week and not being able to even sit on edge of bed. Took me to orthopedic doctor office by non emergency transport and after injection I sat up on the table and the nurse said "don't you get down from there" and I said "I'm not, I just want to sit up because I haven't been in upright position in a week" and I WALKED put of that doctor's office. It lasted about 25 or 26 days and I called for another shot but they said it had to be 30 days apart. They were worth it. Good luck.

I’m concerned about your use of the term”addiction” when referring to someone who uses opiates for pain control which is incorrect. You are feeding into the hype that those of us who require narcotics for pain must all be addicts. We may be dependent on our narcotics but we are not seeking more and more drugs to treat our pain which might indicate addiction or poor pain control. Please as a pain patient treat yourself kindly but don’t refer to yourself as an addict or anyone else as such unless you’re really certain.

I understand we need to support people with addiction where it may be hereditary or is to such a high degree it is considered chronic. The fact that all addiction is serious and hard to manage, does not mean that certain drugs are in fact addicting. Food is addicting, so isn't breathing, so let's not split hairs on what the feds and big pharm want to declare is harmful and what is medicine. It's all about the benjamins. Now that drugs are killing people, they are looking to the hemp and cannabis as the next cash cow. Keep that booze flowing too! Moderation?

Very interesting! I am 82 and down to 15 mg percocet per day after 10 years of pain. I was at 60 mg. Y you deserve a medal! It is hard to do as you said. I hope to get to zero.

I am a firm believer in that if you take meds for which they were prescribed, you don't have to worry about addiction to them. I have major back and cervical disc issues and have taken hydrocodone for almost 20 years. I take the same amount I did when I started. Right now I am at every 7 hours. Very seldom do I have to take them every 4. I always have to move my next appt out because I have too many pills left when it comes to appt again. I see him every 2 months. Maybe it's a psychological thing, physical thing, who knows, all I know is if I had an issue with them, like the doctor has told me, I'd be taking 3 at a time instead of 3 a day. I may be dependent on them but I don't consider myself addicted to them. I don't take them to get high. I also don't drink or smoke. What I am sure of is that ibuprofen or Tylenol does NOTHING for that type of pain. I have neuropathy and thighs will get numb if I stand too long in one position, one reason I had to stop working as a hairstylist after owning salon in assisted living for 20 years. My only fear is that one morning I'll wake up and not be able to get out of bed because sometimes I wake during night to thigh, either left or right, being numb and that's lying on my back.

Thank you all for this thread and your comments. There is a wide, fuzzy line between medicines and drugs, isn't there?
My doc said that as long as I take it according to directions, or less if I don't need it, I'm okay. I take tramadol now but doc warned me that it can start 'losing its effectiveness' if taken every day so I don't take it on Sundays - I suffer on Sundays. If I ever don't suffer on Sunday, I will be aware that I don't need tramadol any more so I will stop taking it.
I have written to my governor because pharmacies, doctors, insurance companies, and Medicare have restricted some of the medicines that real patients need to the extent that it's hard for real patients to get our medicine.
I found out that health insurance companies in my state will not cover me (except for the 'replacement' insurance companies) because I take gabapentin and tramadol. Their rule is: You have to not fill a rx for gaba or tram for one year before they will accept you. What could we take instead? I have not found anything else that works. Gaba and tram are the right medicine for some of us who have neuropathy/epilepsy. Those insurance companies are discriminating against people who have neuropathy and epilepsy. I don't have a reply yet.
I understand that addicts who take medicines for diseases they don't have can feel "high", but the same medicines make real patients feel normal.
We all need to complain to our governors, doctors, insurance companies, representatives, and the media, when we are discriminated against or our medicine is withheld from us.
PS: I know a former addict who says that his doctor gave him pain killers after some surgery. He took one, after an hour he felt okay, so he took another one (!), and the whole bottle was gone in a few days. That is addiction. When we take our medicine as prescribed, it's medicine.
Peggy

Peggy, Welcome to the world of chronic pain. Your observation is correct. #1 It is a waste of time writing to senators, governors, or in this case anyone. They can not do anything due to FDA and DEA guidelines. Especially due to the high percentages of fatal overdoses. Florida passed the Medical Marijuana Law but what they don’t tell you is when you get your medical marijuana card, you also lose your right to own, carry, a weapon. So basically you lose your 2nd Amendment rights. Marijuana is also a class 1 Narcotic alongside Heroin, Fentanyl, Cocaine which they’re trying to change. Your Private MD has their hands tied as well as they are continually being watched on how many RXs for Narcotics they write. Pharmacies are also monitored. You will hear from the mentors and moderators about the treatment center at Mayo for chronic pain patients. It appears well structured but unfortunately for most is it’s not affordable. Just IMO, have your MD refer you to pain management. That would be the starting point. ( your epilepsy med should not be stopped) . I think the days of getting Narcotics for pain has gone. As I’ve said before, there have been nights that I’ve laid in bed with break through pain that I’ve considered going to the ER. Most insurance companies now say If it’s not a true Emergency, then you,ll be charged for the entire ER bill not counting X-rays, radiologists, labs, Etc..Etc. Since we’re “ Chronic “ it would not be a true emergency. Good luck on your journey and hopefully you will find relief…David

You are exactly right. My sister asked me years ago how I felt when I took my xanax, which I started taking in 2011 after I had a brain aneurysm and was in neurological ICU at Shands in Gainesville FL for 8 days, I said I feel normal. She's a former nurse and replied with "well then, you're taking it for a valid reason". If the drugs don't change the way you feel then like pain meds, if there is pain there to kill, you'll feel normal. If there is no pain to kill then you get that high and that's what keeps people coming back and needing more to experience that high because their body got used to the dosage. The urine test that my doctor does every visit tells him the level of medication in my system. If it's more than what my RX is for, he'll know I'm taking more than necessary. If it's too low, he'll assume I'm selling them so those urine tests are for more than looking for other drugs you have no RX for. They are to make sure you are taking your meds as prescribed.

Thank you - this is more very useful information that we all should make ourselves aware of.
Also, we all need to write or email our legislators and complain about how hard it is to get our medications, about our fear of not getting them, and describe any times that our medicine has been withheld.
The squeaky wheel gets the grease.
I am grateful to Mayo clinic for starting this group. I have learned much about our baffling malady from other patients. Peggy

I've not had a problem getting my pain meds. In fact, he does 2 scripts because I see him every 2 months. If it's past the 30 days, they will fill it and I had to call the pharmacy and tell them not to fill it until I called for it because I still had 10 days worth pills left and this is after moving my appt out for 2 weeks. By the time it rolls around and get 2nd refill, I have maybe 60 something pills left(script is for 120) it's time for my doctor's appt again and that's when I call to move appt out for 2 more weeks. The doctor asked me once if I wanted him to reduce to amount of pills he gives me and I said no because just as sure as you do that something will happen and I'll need them every 4 hours for a few days instead of 6-7 hours. I said this way, if I need them ,I have them. I thought about just keeping appt anyway but he would be able to tell by urine test that I had not taken all those pills in 2 months and stockpiling them is a reason to get kicked out of his treatment program. I just told him, we'll I'm just going to have to keep moving my appt as necessary because I can't see coming in to see you when I have 2 weeks worth of pills left. I'm a compliant patient and as long as I do so, I won't have any issues. It is the people that are non compliant that make it hard for us. I even gave a script back to the nurse at the hospital when I went in for migraine. I told him I have these at home and I only want to get pain meds prescribed by ONE doctor.
My primary care doctor started writing a script for oxycodone once and I said no, no, I have hydrocodone at home and I don't need or want anything stronger. He just said well I was going to give you something for your pain. I said no, I have what I need but thank you anyway. I am not stupid because I know if I take too much it'll kill me. Your kidney and liver can only excrete a limited amount per hour from your body and that's why I like to know the half life of meds I'm taking. It's sad that there are people overdosing on these drugs but compliant patients should not have to pay the price for those that aren't.