chronic pain and sobriety ?
Q.i guess my point is this... i plan on physical therapy, gym, excercize, alternative treatment etc, but how many users here have chronic pain and being off of opiod pain meds just isn't an option for them? i am by no means trying to justify this to myself but simply want to here from those who are in the same position as me. i have psoriatic arthritis in my spine... im 26. its ruining my life. i cant ride a bike (my favorite activity), i can't knit bc the arthritis is in my hands too... sewing is impossible as well without short breaks... leaning over then using my hands too much.
A.I feel normal again. i'm happy about that. just wish this pain wasn't there. being an addict is hard enough. an addict in chronic pain... it just feels like my plate is too full. There are a great many people in chronic pain. And for certain there are a number of fakers but from what I read it is 5 percent or less. Especially these days it is somewhat difficult to obtain narcotics unless there is a real issue - not impossible but not simple either. So, it would be safe to say that tens of millions claim chronic pain of some type and most have a legitimate condition. I do often wonder how many of those with a legitimate problem are also addicted. It is fairly well documented that many of those who are required to use narcotics for a period of time (major surgery, serious accident, etc) can just stop with only mild to moderate discomfort. But I assume there are a significant number of people who have a valid problem requiring narcotics but who are addicted at the same time. I wondered from the onset how you were going to deal with the pain. You are in a very difficult spot. You need the meds but admittedly have problems controlling usage. Do you think this ordeal has had enough of an effect that you could go back to the Norco and use only as directed? If not, I would suggest you try Buprenorphine. While best known for addiction management, Buprenorphine does provide significant analgesia. In your case it might just be the answer. I know all too well what you're talking about, with so many of my lower lumbar dicscs being either degenerated, herniated, bulging, and/ or dehydrated, not to mention chronic migraines that may have something to do with a bulging disc in my neck. I've been in 4 car accidents (I was not the driver in any of them), and after each one I just got worse. I personally came to terms with the fact that I'll most likely be on opiates for the rest of my life. Yes it is a choice but every time I'm out of pills or have tried to quit it was just intolerable!! Even in rehab I took a ton of neurontin,and non-narcotic pain relievers but it helped very little and I can't say I slept a single semi-comfortable night the whole time I was there. My issue now is how to take them as prescibed and not abuse them. I'm glad to say that it's 3 days away from my next Dr visit and I still have a couple left!! That's been my biggest problem recently and now if I want to catch a buzz I buy extra from elsewhere and have my night of fun,but I refuse to use my daily meds to get high. I try to only let myself get high once a week, mostly because I want my tolerance to level and quit escalating, and also because I want to use my money for more positive things (new car would be nice ;) )instead of buying the large quantity it takes to give me the slightest buzz. Have you ever tried neurontin? I know some people just feel aweful on it, and some swear buy it for nerve pain. I'm not to sure what works for artheritis. I wish I could say something that would make you feel better. At least when you're dealing with addiction,quitting is mostly willpower and sometimes it takes some therapy to get to the root of you're addiction. But when you add chronic pain to the mix it seems so hopeless, because you think to yourself that you have 2 choices and that's either to quit and be in constant tormental pain, or accept the fact that you'll be dependant on a chemical for the rest of you're life. Neither sounds fair!! Sometimes I can't distinguish the difference between being physically dependant on opiates or being addicted?? I suppose being addicted is more of a constant mental craving of getting high from the opiates, and being physically dependant is more like you're body goes through withdrawl symptoms without the opiates but you don't have and urge to get high and just need it to maintain the pain. I'm both. As maybe you are too. Either way I wish you'd at least get on a good non-narcotic pain med and get some relief from your agony.
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