RE: NEW MEMBER! YOUNG AND IN PAIN. HELP!

Hi there,

I am a 20 year old female who is already experiencing chronic pain. I take pain medications on a daily basis in order to function in pain! They help so very much. However, my mom is starting to call me an addict. I am in so much pain and take them only for that reason. However, I feel guilty because sometimes they make me feel weird, almost "happy". Does anyone else have this problem? I don't take them for a good feeling (i don't even always have a good feeling sometimes i feel terrible after taking it (nausea, etc.) )I feel so bad taking them...when i go to the pharmacy to get them to pharmacists look at us patients with such judgmental eyes! I have considered stopping them but then I am in SO much more pain and cannot operate! I am in my undergraduate in university studying science with hopes to then study medicine. I take percocet up to 5 times daily (every 4 hours) and I take amitriptiline before bed. Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
xo

Welcome db14, so sorry for your pain. I also suffer from chronic pain and could not function or have any quality of life without my pain meds. Your mom is probaly just worried and does not understand. There are many people who do not understand and judge us. Maybe suggest your mom go with you to your appointment when you see your pain doctor, sometimes when a doctor talks with a love one it helps them understand. As far as feeling funny on my drugs I have to say no...your dose maybe a little to high for you and needs to be adjusted.

I was 42 when my chronic pain began and I feel I am way to young for these health issues so I do understand how you must feel but with the proper meds life can become copeable, I now work 3/4 time, and am a bit more social after isolating myself for 5 yrs.

Look forward to your posts...I think you will find this forum very helpful

Take care, Amy

Chronic pain(nerve), fibro,ibs, and mild depression

Yes it does suck to be on meds the rest of your life.....but it sucks even more when you hurt so much you can not get out of bed. The meds I am on are morph sulf. 120mg.in the morning and 90mg before bed, I also take breakthru morph 20mg, 2700mg. gabapentin and 50mg amitrytline.

I do not feel guilty....do diabetics feeling guilty when they take their meds.?
I hope you can accept that you might have to have these drugs the rest of your life...who knows maybe you won't, I am hopeful that they fin a new way to deal with chronic pain.

Take care and I will keep you in my prayers, Amy

db14 said...
Hi there,

I am a 20 year old female who is already experiencing chronic pain. I take pain medications on a daily basis in order to function in pain! They help so very much. However, my mom is starting to call me an addict. I am in so much pain and take them only for that reason. However, I feel guilty because sometimes they make me feel weird, almost "happy". Does anyone else have this problem? I don't take them for a good feeling (i don't even always have a good feeling sometimes i feel terrible after taking it (nausea, etc.) )I feel so bad taking them...when i go to the pharmacy to get them to pharmacists look at us patients with such judgmental eyes! I have considered stopping them but then I am in SO much more pain and cannot operate! I am in my undergraduate in university studying science with hopes to then study medicine. I take percocet up to 5 times daily (every 4 hours) and I take amitriptiline before bed. Any help is greatly appreciated!

Thanks!
xo

Hello db14 - I'm a 20 year old male who's been going through chronic pain for a little while. Don't listen to anyone who calls you an addict - I assure you, you'll be able to get off the drugs with no problems once the time comes. It has been shown that those who take those drugs for long-term pain control don't form the same psychological dependence that drug addicts do. I personally take a decent bit of morphine to control my own issues. I've gotten my fair share of "looks" from people too, I just try to ignore them. I'm confident the people who "judge" us wouldn't even think twice about taking them had they been in our shoes.

As far as the sideeffects go - they do vary from person to person; I personally never got any major sideeffects. The only sideffect I really had was the itchiness from the histamine release when I was on oxycodone. I've since switched to morphine and I don't get the itchiness anymore. Most people do develop a tolerance to the drugs over time, so your side effects should lessen with time. If you find that they're bad enough to prevent you from functioning "normally", then ask your doctor if he'd be willing to switch you to an equivalent dose of another narcotic. I've had pretty much no sideffects from morphine, and I know other people who get very nauseous on hydrocodone, but feel perfectly fine on oxycodone and vice versa. Depending on how large of a dose you're taking, the tylenol in the percocet could be giving you problems. I know sometimes doctors are hesitant to give plain oxycodone due to the potential for abuse, but it might be worth asking.

I too am an undergraduate in a science curriculum and want to become a doctor btw! I had to take this semester off because my pain got so uncontrollable that I couldn't reasonably function. I am hoping to get back on track next semester. Thankfully I had enough credits that I should be able to graduate on time... but even if I can't, it's not the end of the world. As long as I keep my grades up and do well on the MCATs, I should hopefully be able to get into a good school

Post Edited (terraphantm) : 11/27/2011 10:35:31 PM (GMT-7)

Well I suppose it depends on what the cause of your pain is. If it never subsides, then you may need to stay on the drugs for a while (and there wouldn't be any reason not to continue them). If it starts getting better for any reason, I don't see why you'd have to be stuck on them. They would have to ween you off to prevent withdrawals, but as long as you have the will, it is possible. My own pain management doctor has told me something to the effect of "Don't worry about taking the drugs for long periods. I've been doing this a while and people like you have always been able to come off when it was appropriate to do so. You worry about getting yourself healthy, and let me deal with the long term plans with the painkillers." I guess I am lucky in that in my case, the cause of the pain is known (of course finding a successful treatment is another story).

It's good to know that the sideffects aren't too severe. I misread your post and thought you got the nausea more frequently. I have seen studies indicating that the tylenol often does more than simply prevent you from taking too much; I guess you're living proof of that. I've almost always had tylenol-free preparations, simply because I take tylenol arthritis every day for whatever it's worth.

And I'd definitely be up for talking with you if you'd like! Like you said, it's nice to know you're not alone with these kind of things. I'm not really sure how to send private messages on these forums, but my email address should be public. You're welcome to message me at any time :)

Hi db (and terraphantm). I'm a little bit older than you two - I'm almost 27 - but I've had chronic pain (Complex Regional Pain Syndrome) for over 12 years. I was diagnosed at 20 and I've been on an insane looking cocktail of pain medications, including opiates, since I was 22.

Db - do you have a diagnosis for your pain? You said you were a patient at a pain clinic, so do you employ other pain management techniques as well as medications - for example physiotherapy, OT, psych?

Notice that both of you said you are enrolled in science and wanting to be doctors! Keep working at it and don't let ANYONE tell you you can't do it with CP/chronic illness. It's true that I can't work now because of the way my own condition went - in part because it was badly managed initially - but I went to Vet School and graduated with honours so anything is possible :)

Laura

Our family members mean well and want the best for us, but when a
chronic issue arrises in our lives it throws all that out the window, and
because chronic pain can't be seen makes it all the more harder on
how we are percieved out there...So when you visit your mother, just bring
up conversations around your chronic pain, as she'll probably never understand
I do this with my family members as well, it will be hard to do but if you
want your mother in your life then you must come up with other things to talk
about such as maybe how your doing in your classes and what classes your taking
ect...and I agree with the others in that don't ever think your an addict, your
not as for the pharmacy, say "Thank You and I do take them as directed
and I appreciate your concerns.." that should leave them speechless.
Sure wish you didn't have to deal with this...but you found this forum and I hope it'll help you when you need it.
We are like a family here, welcome...many well wishes that you can get a low pain day soon...

Hello DB,

I am also new here, but I saw that you said that sometimes you almost feel "happy" when you take your pain medications. When I spoke to my doctor about that over a year ago, he lowered my dose and it has helped a lot more; as well as allowed me to feel as though I am in control over my life and my recovery. I must say that I think having your mom go to the doctors with you as it was suggested in another post, is a fantastic idea. She probably does not understand what is going on and is just very concerned that her daughter maybe addicted to prescription medications. (Which statics are very high in that area).

I also know that you can become what is known as "tolerable" to your medications. So, when you take 5 pain pills a day, then eventually your body will come accustom to that and your pain will seem much higher, so you feel as though you need to take more than that or get on different medications. Have you tried maybe cutting down on good days? Also, I have found hot baths, warming blanket, the sun, heating pad has been a lifesaver for me at times. These are just to name a few that I have found that works for me.

I am sorry for your pain and surely know what you are going through. I do pray you find a resolution that will work for you and allow you to be in full control over your pain and your healing.

Hi Db and I too would like to welcome you to Healing Wells chronic pain forum. I am sorry that you have to be here but very glad that you found us. Whats worse is to see someone as young as you suffering when you should be out kicking your heels up & living your life. Who knows perhaps one day you may wake up tp discover the pain gone and then you can do what most your age are doing.

Where is your pain located at? Have you had any testing done, like an MRI or Ct Scans? I hope that if you have had them they checked out ok. Besides CP has your dr given you any other diagnosis?

If you took a poll here at the forum everyone here would tell you they don't want to be on medication. I surely wish there was some other way besides medication. But, if I am going to have some quality life then I must be on meds.

I am sure your mom is very concerned about you and she is probably quite worried because you are taking medication. If I had no knowledge about pain and pain medications and had a daughter or son on them, I would be very, very concerned. Have you tried sitting down with your mom, one on one and discuss this? If not why not give it a try and let her know how bad she is hurting you with these comments. Ask her again to try & make a dr appt with you so she can meet with your dr. People that do not have CP rarely knows how to act around someone with CP let alone comprehend what life is like for us.

Anyway, I wanted to pop on and tell you welcome aboard. Please keep us posted on how you are doing.

Db 14...in answer to your question about my meds. I do not need my bt much at all maybe once a day if I have a flare up otherwise I do not need it. Yes I did have to try different meds. before I settled on morph. I was on percacet and oxycodone but found the morph worked best for me. Hope this helps.

Take care, Amy





Chronic pain(nerve), fibro and mild depression