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Hate to bother you all about a pain killer I take but...

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Posted 7/28/2009 8:28 AM (GMT 0)
Hello all, I'm finally putting a lid on the painkiller I take, Vicodin, since I'm addicted to it to get high I won't lie, does anyone have advice on what to do during the experience of getting off of it? Quitting alcohol was not enough, I remember people telling me "You end up living just to take the pill"... how right it is, that's all my body wants now, is the Vicodin 7.5 pill... well, thanks for your time and sorry if it's a bother.
Posted 7/28/2009 9:06 AM (GMT 0)
Paulos, I hope I can give you some encouragement and direction. You don't mention how long you have been taking the Vic. It can and does make a difference. The first advise I will give you as well as many others on this forum, you should consult with your doctor. I take it that one Dr is handlling the scripts. Ask for advise and help to reduce and remove the vic. One question that will be asked is why and if you are wanting to replace it with something else. If it is to get off all pain meds then the Dr can put you on a taper down schedule which will reduce and possibly eliminate withdrawls. They are not fun and can be dangerous. I would also encourage you to have someone close to you to check on you and watch for side effects.

I won't bore you with my story but I was a drug addict and alcoholic and I watch what meds I am on, the dosage, I tell my wife what meds I am taking and how many I am to take. For instance, tonight was a very rogramhigh pain night and I trippled my pain meds. Now she knows and will watch if I take more. I keep a strong point of being accountable as I don't want to have to go through what my life was like before. Now I administrate a drug/alcohol residential program. We all respond differently and that goes with coming down off the meds. I hope this helps.

Posted 7/28/2009 10:06 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks fatherjohn, I thought I would be thrown off for talking about this or bashed. :(. Uh, I am going off the Vicodin because I realize instead of only for pain *which is the main reason I took it* then it was making me high all the time, and it became enjoyable, TOO ENJOYABLE, it made me ... more out of touch with the things I usually do, so that's why I'm going off it, as for pain, I use Darvocet usually when I'm not taking Vicodin. *since you CANNOT MIX THESE TWO DRUGS AS IT'S A MAJOR DRUG CONFLICT* So you were an alcoholic too... I see... also I took 3 vic 7.5s a day, never seemed to increase the dose or abuse it oddly because I know I should have just stayed on that amount, the only thing I ever HEAVILY ABUSED was alcohol, as for everything else I kept myself on a schedule of how much I would take of something. Well, sorry to bother you all again :(
Posted 7/28/2009 10:23 AM (GMT 0)
Not bothering at all. There willl be others ringing in and the normal advise (for good reasons) will be to go off with a doctor monitoring. Every body responds so differently so how one person managed is not going to be the same with another. Hope to see more of you on here. I need to find a bed defore long as work expects me to be there in 4 hours. Sleep is over rated.
Posted 7/28/2009 2:17 PM (GMT 0)
Be honest with your doctor and tell him how this medicine is effecting you and slowly tapering off it, maybe something
else would help you better without the getting high feeling..meds effect us all differently so ask your doctor about something else
that might be able to help. Hope this helps...
Posted 7/28/2009 3:16 PM (GMT 0)
Sometimes -it really is the individual medication that is causing the issue. I have not been on Vic, but was on the Fent patch for awhile. Within 30 days, I saw side effects which lead me to believe that it was not good of me. I got off that medication and asked my Dr to provide something else that did not have those kinds of side effects.

I think it is quite wise of you to recognize that you don't "feel" right on the medication and are asking for advice!

I hope you are feeling better soon.
Posted 7/28/2009 4:29 PM (GMT 0)

 

 

Hello and welcome...You get Kudos from me just for being honest about getting "high" off of your pain meds.  I think that a lot more people then you realize get the "high" feeling as well....only some are too scared to admit it.  I understand being afraid of getting bashed but it won't happen here.  I can give you advice from my own experience only...

 

I have been a Chronic Pain patient for about 22 yrs. at first I took pain meds that my Dr. gave me...and sure enough I had to keep increasing them just to get minimal relief..eventually my Dr.'s said "No More Narcotics for you" and they cut me off cold turkey... I didn't know about Pain Management, heck..I don't think it was even around then, so I did whatever I could to get by...then I moved to Nashville from Knoxville and things changed.  I don't know if Nashville is just ahead in it's thinking or what, but after seeing my regular Dr. for a few months she sent me to see this Neurologist who happened to practice Pain Management.  Sheer luck got me to him and I am so thankful.  For many years I thought I was addicted to the pain pills.  But, once I realized that I really NEEDED them my thinking changed.  I will admit that I sometimes get that "HIGH" feeling too..and I like it.  No hypocrite here.

 

So, are you really an addict?  Maybe.. But even if you are you still deserve to have the same care that anyone else does...Do you think you should be in pain?  No... is there a happy medium?  Sure.  Talk to your Dr. and just tell him that you think you are addicted because......and state your reasons...

 

But....be careful.  What you say to the Dr. will follow you.  If you aren't addicted but just dependent then you might be starting something that you regret...Don't get me wrong, I am all for honesty.  But, think real hard about what you think you want to accomplish...Do u want your Dr. to say that you can never take pain killers?? Or do you want him to just help u manage them correctly?  Will it help u physically to actually stop the pills?  Can you function in pain?

 

Just some thoughts....Let me know what happens.

Me.

Posted 7/28/2009 6:08 PM (GMT 0)

   Dear PaulOS,

     Good afternoon. My name is Dani. it is a pleasure to meet you. I am glad you came over to the Chronic Pain Forum. Were much cooler than the other ones! smilewinkgrin

     I do not know about tapering off after dependancy. That is something you should review and address with your doctor. Thay have safe, effective methods they use.

     I am new here, so I don't mean to sound silly, but what is your chronic pain from? Im trying to jog my memory...  smhair

     I think there are some cool new ways to treat pain, that do not have to include that particular "type".. what was it PAlady said? "classification"? ... Bleh! There are lots of other pain management options. Pain management doctors can tailor a plan to suit your needs and lifestyle. Maybe? If you havnt got one already? Just an idea.

       In any case, it was very nice to meet you. I look forward to getting to know you better as time goes by.

*huggs*

dani

Posted 7/28/2009 6:34 PM (GMT 0)
You have already taken a big and important step and that is admitting that the pain meds you are taking, you are taking only to get high from. I salute you for this.

As others have said you need to talk with your doctor about this and ask for help. There is nothing to be ashamed of. It happens all the time and I am sure your doctor wishes more people with your particular issue would come in for help. Just be honest, and also be honest with any concerns you have, ask any question you may have and don't be afraid to reach for more help if needed as you go through this process.
Posted 7/28/2009 7:05 PM (GMT 0)
Paulos,
You've been given a lot of good advice already, especially about working with your doctor. And I also commend you for your honesty.

I've got some background similar to Fatherjohn's and I think that when someone has an addiction (such as to alcohol) treating chronic pain can be a challenge. The one thing that's often overlooked is the genetic piece of the pie. All the biology that goes into it. Some drugs are metabolized in the body like alcohol, so it can actually keep your addiction alive and growing. But as fatherjohn is doing, I think with excellent pain management and honesty on your part it can be done. If you have access to an Addictionologist (a doctor who specializes in addiction medicine) that can be helpful especially for detoxing and finding a pain management strategy that has the least likelihood of stirring up your body's physical addiction to various substances.

You're off to a good start. I don't think we bash people here who are truly struggling with both addiction and chronic pain in a honest way; I truly think that can serve as a model for many others. It's only when someone comes to the site for information about drugs to service their addiction that something may be said. That's not true in your case.

We'll be glad to support you, as I know this has to be difficult.

BTW Dani - I'm not sure what you were referring to about the classification. But then my memory is on a continual roller coaster ride! :-)

PaLady
Posted 7/28/2009 9:10 PM (GMT 0)

... was a few weeks ago and someone was inquiring about alot of differant medicine.. when you responded you said they "class XX" med and what could be taken with what and what couldnt, and why. And why that person needed assistance from a doctor...

It that thingama jiggy You know?!?!

LOL

*huggs*

dani

Posted 7/29/2009 4:25 AM (GMT 0)
=O........... so many responses, I don't know what to say =o had no idea anyone would think I did good, thought I would be a big drag on the site personally, I'm not trying to whine I want to get off the Vicodin. It was pitiful when I start judging myself, like having those two hot dogs and hamburger earlier I begin to think I'm going to have a heart attack just off those, that's how OCD/Paranoid I am... thanks to all your support o_O...
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