Afraid of getting addicted to darvocet

Debbie, I'm so sorry you are hurting...wondering if your back problem is causing
the fibro pain to intensify. When my back was at its worst, I took vicodin around
the clock for close to a year. You mentioned in another post about having a MRI
done on your back...the recent episode you had with your dog could of caused
more disc damage. I have found that DDD can really aggravate fibro.

I'm glad that you will be talking to your doc about the meds. My bloodwork is
monitored pretty closely but I still wonder about potential organ damage.

Wishing you the best,my friend and hipe pain relief comes soon!

Hugs, Robin

Hi Debbie!

My gut reaction to your very valid concern is...since you are so aware of your intake and are at still at a very low level, I would doubt that you would become addicted. BUT...that's my opinion and there's no way to tell whether someone will or won't.

That being said... I read an article on the National Arthritis Foundation web site about pain relief using narcotic pain medication. Studies have been done on the addiction rate of narcotic pain medication for those people using it to treat chronic pain.... something like arthritis, fibro, back injuries...you know. Their findings were a bit shocking, at least to me. Less that .5%...that's less than one half of one percent...of the people using narcotic pain meds had any problems with addiction. It's almost as if the pain 'uses up' that high, buzz, or whatever it is that "regular" people seem to feel. Maybe that's what pain does to us. All I know is what the studies show.

It does make you wonder why so many doctors tell their patients that they won't prescribe pain meds because they are afraid of them becoming addicted. Guess they either aren't educated in this area or they are afraid to prescribe it and that excuse sounds very plausible.

Either way, my suggestion to you is to keep talking to your doc all the while you are taking pain meds. I see my doc once/month and we talk about it. Then if you think you might be having a problem speak up right away. There are quite a few pain medications that can be used and not everyone reacts the same way. If one is too much for you then ask about something different or if you should try other ideas for pain relief.

To give you some relative numbers of what someone else takes on a regular basis... I take oxycontin- 60 gm/day + 30 mg of percocet/day. I am very fortunate that I have never felt the neeeeeed to take more than I've been prescribed. There are times I wanted it to take away more pain but that's not realistic. Actually, I started working with my doc to see if I could reduce the oxycontin intake. This is totally my idea. He was a bit surprised but very willing to help any way he can.

You are so on top of this and that's the way to be. But don't lose sleep over it. We don't get enough rest as it is. ;-)

Warm hugs,
Chutz

Chutz and Sherrine - you both made me feel so much better! I guess a lot of my worrying was for nothing (that's ok, I'll take that rather than the alternative!) I know what you mean about pain "using up" the high of narcotics. It definitely does with me. I'm probably a little paranoid because I've had my brother's example. He is on a high dose of methadone (granted, for legitimate pain) and is always trying to get it increased. I'm not saying he doesn't need it, but he's definitely had abuse issues with substances before, so I can't help seeing kind of a slippery slope.

Robin, did your pain go to other places before you had your back surgery? And if so, did the surgery help all of it, or just your back?

Thanks again! Have a great day.

Debbie

Debbie, I had allover pain before the surgery, and I still have the allover pain,
but the back pain was excruciating, I couldn't drive, the sciatica was so bad that
my right foot dragged behind me when I walked. The combo of vicodin and
flexeril did little for my pain. The DDD progressed until it was really necessary for
surgery. I still am bothered with sciatica at times, but not as severe as it was.
My right foot works properly now. Having the lumbar laminectomy took care of
nerve impingement.

I think when people with fibro have other conditions that cause pain, the fibro
is affected. Our bodies tend to tense up when we feel pain...the added stress puts
cortisol into the bloodstream and we hurt all the more.

Talk with your doctor if the horrible shoulder pain continues, it could be a
symptom of arthritis...which I see you have. Wishing you the best!!!!

Hugs, Robin

 

Hello Debbie:

I am sorry that you are having so much pain, believe me i understand totally.  I am a precentage of those who became addicitied to their pain meds.  I was taking 40 mg oxycotin 3x a day plus 10 mg percocet and i became very addicited and that is when my fibro/depression really took a turn for the worst.  The darvocet are a mild pain med and not as highly addictive, but have to be careful.  I hope you can find a medicine that will help you.  I know alot of people on this forum are on oxycotin this is a very highly addicitive drug and this is why i am in rehab thearpy every two weeks and have been put on suboxone for my cravings and it does help a little with the fibro pain. I can only give my opinion about oxycotin, but if you are taking everyday like a doctor prescribes you are putting yourself at risk for addicition. I take nothing for my fibro now over the counter pain relievers with no success. I take my lexapro everyday for my depression and my sleep medicine at night. I am trying to find something new for the fibro, but not lyrica that is a horrible drug for me ( bad side effects mentally& physically).   Debbie i wish you the best and hope you feel better soon!!!

Thanks for listening!!

Carrie/fibrodepressionmom

I really think the study Chutz mentioned about folks with Chronic pain not becoming addicted is right on. I take 1/2 tab of Percoset 3 times a day, if I don't need it one of those times I don't take it and do not have any issues with it. But...I do have chronic pain so most days I do take all three. I sometimes think I need to see a pain mgmt doc, because I think sometimes I subconsciously worry about the same thing and end up undermedicating myself. I suffer with Crohns Disease, Fibro and Osteoarthritis. Hugs!