My Addiction..... Serious

[CiMo]

I have been having back pains for over a year now, last nov had an mri that showed 2 herniated disc in my thoracic spine and DDD ( degeneritive disc disease ) in my lower spine. A neurosurgeon said it wasnst serious enough for surgery, so I did physical therapy and non narcotic medications.. none of which helped... so because doctors wouldn't give me anything I started buying pain meds on my own... last month I finally got to a dr who prescribed me 5mg loratabs 3 times a day ( 90 per month ) well between the 15th of this month and 23rd I had taken all mine plus 80 more 5mg and 15 10mg norcos.. you do the math... but its the only thing that even slightly eases the pain. I'm not sure what to do... I've been clean since the 23rd. I hurt severly I have 2 boys 1 and 2.. all I want is to be able to play with them and not be in excruciating pain.. some days this pain literally debilitates me to where I can do nothing...... lost and confused..

[Raider Nation Fisher]

Dang it boy. Tell your doc the 5mg isn't enough. Or see if they can piggy back the tabs with Valium. The Valium should help with the muscle spasms in the lower back. I'll get back to you at break time with some more info.

[CiMo]

Dang it boy. Tell your doc the 5mg isn't enough. Or see if they can piggy back the tabs with Valium. The Valium should help with the muscle spasms in the lower back. I'll get back to you at break time with some more info.

Tell me about it, 8 days and 1000mg of hydrocodone and more tylenol than any human should consume in that period an average of 15-20 pills per day is what should be a fatal dose of tylenol in 24 hours... somehow though nothing noticiable happened I've probably done irreversible damage though. Thanks for the tip I'm scared to say anything for fear he will take me off the one thing that's worked for the pain.

[Raider Nation Fisher]

DO NOT fall into that trap. You ain't a junkie. You made a mistake, we all do. He will understand. A while back I messed my body up banging test and juicing. It took a doc to get me back to normal. Talk to you doc. He can help you, but only if your honest. Opiates are a hell of a drug to play around with. Even if its for a legitimate reason. Acetaminophen can and will destroy your liver. However the liver is the only organ to regenerate. So take that for what you will.

Your best bet is gonna probably be to see a pain management doctor. If physical therapy and what not has not helped. Ask about Roxycodone and Oxycodone. They seem to work best for chronic pain. I would try for tabs and Valium first. Honestly try an find something non narcotic before anything else. Once you start taking these pills its hard to impossible to stop.

[retiredbosn]

_CiMo,

 

_{First and foremost, I know what you are going through.  I've been a chronic pain patient for around10 years, and I understand what you are dealing with.  The doctor has to follow a few protocalls when prescribing narcs and he has to start you on the lowest dose possible.  Call him and let him know that the 5's are just not cutting it, depending on your relationship with him I would tell him that you have experimented a little and know that you need a higher dose.  Call him as soon as possible.  Honestly he probably didn't expect it to work.  Additionally, DO NOT try to get totally out of pain, it can not be done without becoming addicted, taking narcotics long term is like dancing with the devil, it is a scary thing and you and only you can keep your narcotic intake under control.  I still have days that the pain is so debilitating that I can't get out of bed.  I have a bad back like you, I have had five surgeries on my spine, have  DDD, some weird bone disease, etc.  The pain can be excruciating, be honest as possible with your doc and get the help you need.  Also check your pm's.}

[Raider Nation Fisher]

Tell me about it, 8 days and 1000mg of hydrocodone and more tylenol than any human should consume in that period an average of 15-20 pills per day is what should be a fatal dose of tylenol in 24 hours... somehow though nothing noticiable happened I've probably done irreversible damage though. Thanks for the tip I'm scared to say anything for fear he will take me off the one thing that's worked for the pain.

A 1000mg ain't the worst you could have done. Especially spread out over 8 days. It shouldn't be enough to irreversibly harm you. That don't mean keep doing it.

[retiredbosn]

Also should have stated you are not an addict yet, keep playing with fire and you will get burned.  Buying off of the street is illegal and talking to your doctor about this is better than being arrested for buying narcs.  Talk to your doctor, he can help.

[loudcherokee]

I have similar back issues. Three ruptures in my lumbar, degenerative disk disease, spinal stenosis, and sciatica.

Talk to your doctor about seeing a specialist for an epidural or steroid injection in your spine. Then go back to PT and ask for traction. Then look into an inversion table. The above is what got me off pain meds, and walking without a cain again at 26 years old. Im now 30, and while i do have days with pain, its nowhere near as severe as it was before, which was near crippling. A few ibuprofen (anti-inflamatory) here and there on bad days and I deal with it. Its tough sometimes, but you can do it if you put your mind to it.

I don't agree with the suggestion for more meds like oxy. that stuff can be worse to get off of in the end. treat the cause of the symptom (herniated disk) and not just the symptom (pain). treating with narcotics only masks the pain and will not solve it.

LC

[derekxec]

sorry to see you are in this much pain man back pain is nothing to mess with...and you arent an addict cause if you were you wouldnt be here concerned that you are taking too much and asking what to do you are just desperate...talk to your doctor if the meds arent helping then they arent helping meds arent a one pill fits everyone kind of thing

 

lortabs are good with pain but you probably need something stronger...hell the doctor gave me lortabs for my broken hand that didnt hurt in the first place and a broken hand is nothing compared to the pain you are dealing with

[Raider Nation Fisher]

I have similar back issues. Three ruptures in my lumbar, degenerative disk disease, spinal stenosis, and sciatica.

Talk to your doctor about seeing a specialist for an epidural or steroid injection in your spine. Then go back to PT and ask for traction. Then look into an inversion table. The above is what got me off pain meds, and walking without a cain again at 26 years old. Im now 30, and while i do have days with pain, its nowhere near as severe as it was before, which was near crippling. A few ibuprofen (anti-inflamatory) here and there on bad days and I deal with it. Its tough sometimes, but you can do it if you put your mind to it.

I don't agree with the suggestion for more meds like oxy. that stuff can be worse to get off of in the end. treat the cause of the symptom (herniated disk) and not just the symptom (pain). treating with narcotics only masks the pain and will not solve it.

LC

If the pain ain't easing up, and the therapies ain't helping. Then what is he supposed to do? Oxy is prescribed for long term pain management. They don't generally give it to you and then take it away from you. Do I think he should avoid taking them? Yes I do. Same with loratab. I stated that earlier.

I'm not trying to come off combative. So please don't take this post that way.

[loudcherokee]

If the pain ain't easing up, and the therapies ain't helping. Then what is he supposed to do? Oxy is prescribed for long term pain management. They don't generally give it to you and then take it away from you. Do I think he should avoid taking them? Yes I do. Same with loratab. I stated that earlier.

I'm not trying to come off combative. So please don't take this post that way.

I dont take it that way and certainly didnt mean for my post to sound that way either, nor was i meaning to discount your suggestion, i was simply stating that i didnt agree. He didnt mention specific therapies, so i figured i would just throw up what worked for me in a similar situation. Had it not been for the spine injections to take the edge off the pain, i wouldnt have been able to make it through PT, and would still be on Vicodin or something stronger.

I used to work in healthcare, and seen what long term narcotic use can do. The body adapts, gets used to the effects, and eventually higher doses are needed. The body adapts again and then even higher doses are again needed. you then start hitting problems with your insurance saying they'll only cover 3 a day or whatever. I just feel that constantly treating pain with narcotics is never going to get to the root of the problem, and is only going to treat the symptoms.

Again, not trying to be combative or argue, just offering a different point of view. Each person is different and reacts different to treatments, be it medicine or therapy. What worked for me may not work for the OP, or anyone else for that matter.

LC

[Root beer]

Move to Colorado or Washington...

[38 Super Fan]

I'd go get a second opinion from another Dr., a doctor can be wrong, just because one thinks you don't need surgery, dosen't mean another will say the same thing. When I was having back issues, three different Drs, told me three totally different things.

[CiMo]

Thanks for the responses, I've done steriod injections at the pain management I was going to, I no longer go there due to the dr seeming to not listen to me. He may have been against narcotics which is fine I know narcs aee a quick fix for pain issues and not a permanent solution, some people have only that 1 solution that ever works for me its my 2 sons that drive me to want to be able to function like I feel I should be able to without pain at any costs... it consistently worries me and bothers me that I may not be able to be physically active with them as they grow up and teach them sports or worse not teaching them fishing. My heart breaks when I think of these things and as a man can say its had me in tears to think of more than the pain ever has which it has done plenty of times. I couldve posted on some support site or something of that nature but I chose here because I feel a closer bond with the members of this site then I ever could some support type site. In the end I just want to be there with my boys as they grow as someone who never had a dad or male figure around due to cancer taking my father when i was 18 months I know the difference it can make. I turned out just fine taught myself how to be a man and sports but that's not how it should have been. Long story short regardless of if its beyond my control if I can't be the father i feel i should be to my boys I am a failure in my eyes so I fight daily to the best I can but to me its not good enough. I can't help but wonder sometimes why I was allowed to have children if 2-3 years after I'd be in the shape I am now...you just never know what life holds and I never knew how much being a daddy meant until lately, I loved my kids both from the day they were concieved but this blows what I thought life with them would be like completely to hell.... excuse the length and any typos as this is a post from the heart with tear filled eyes. Thanks again.

[Siebert Outdoors]

I'd go get a second opinion from another Dr., a doctor can be wrong, just because one thinks you don't need surgery, dosen't mean another will say the same thing. When I was having back issues, three different Drs, told me three totally different things.

 

Same here.  Thats exactly what I was thinking.  Second opinion.

[Raider Nation Fisher]

I dont take it that way and certainly didnt mean for my post to sound that way either, nor was i meaning to discount your suggestion, i was simply stating that i didnt agree. He didnt mention specific therapies, so i figured i would just throw up what worked for me in a similar situation. Had it not been for the spine injections to take the edge off the pain, i wouldnt have been able to make it through PT, and would still be on Vicodin or something stronger.

I used to work in healthcare, and seen what long term narcotic use can do. The body adapts, gets used to the effects, and eventually higher doses are needed. The body adapts again and then even higher doses are again needed. you then start hitting problems with your insurance saying they'll only cover 3 a day or whatever. I just feel that constantly treating pain with narcotics is never going to get to the root of the problem, and is only going to treat the symptoms.

Again, not trying to be combative or argue, just offering a different point of view. Each person is different and reacts different to treatments, be it medicine or therapy. What worked for me may not work for the OP, or anyone else for that matter.

LC

I understand completely. No ill feelings were had. I do have some questions for you if you can answer them. My old man has serious back issues. I'll pm you after I get off work.

[derekxec]

well you know physicians are the #1 killers in the world lol....you may want to have a chat with a chiropractor he might be able to help you with the herniated discs and such without bothering the rest of the stuff just let them know everything (they dont just do normal things you would think like manipulating back and stuff they also do ultrasound stuff and many other things that might help that normal doctors and such dont do)

[tomustang]

Thoracic problems? That's more of the uncommon region for the spine since it's least used. That sucks.

 

Far as hydrocodone, along with many other drugs, it may not do much for you and should ask for something else. 1000mg should be the max dose in 4-8hr period, you should never go over 4000mg in a day

[tomustang]

Move to Colorado or Washington...

 

Why?

[Raider Nation Fisher]

Why?

Marijuana. Least that's my best guess.

[tomustang]

Marijuana. Least that's my best guess.

Good guess. I stil don't see how smoking weed can help serious back problems, this ain't glaucoma

[CiMo]

Thoracic problems? That's more of the uncommon region for the spine since it's least used. That sucks.

 

Far as hydrocodone, along with many other drugs, it may not do much for you and should ask for something else. 1000mg should be the max dose in 4-8hr period, you should never go over 4000mg in a day

Good guess. I stil don't see how smoking weed can help serious back problems, this ain't glaucoma

yes it does suck, that's the reason the neurosurgeon didn't want to do surgery too complicated of a procedure for what he didn't consider a serious situation ( of course they only see medical jargon and not how it affects ( maybe effects? Not a literature major ) my daily life ) and yeah I read plenty that said 7000mg of tylenol in a single day was od/fatal status yet I've popped 6000mg in single doses ( not bragging or proud obviously ) and nothing happened by grace of God/Buddha/Allah/ who or whatever you belive in had mercy on me for my stupidity. Smoking weed.. does nothing for the pain granted the forst few times I did it since I hadn't smoked any since about 22 did zone me out a bit... than again it was premo stuff also after that it didn't do anything other than intinsify the pain really ( maybe because it had me so focused on it ) not sure but medical marijuna def wouldn't be the answer.

Chiropractor I've debated on, scares me that there's a possibility of them messinf it up more though. Not because I think they are quacks or that sort of thing just have no good references for my local area and very few chiropractors to begin with.

[tomustang]

Well too much Tylenol will rot your liver, create scares, etc. As for going to the chiropractor, there's many quacks out there, some claim they have magical tools and cure all plans. For serious issuse it'll be better to avoid them.

I think you need to look into 2nd opinions. Pain management, orthopedic specialists, physical therapists. They can offer more insight to medications/bracing/excercizing

[Jrob78]

I feel for you man. The crack down on prescription drug abuse has made it nearly impossible for a lot of people to get the help they need. The dr's have to worry more about covering their butts than treating patients. I don't have an answer for you but I hope you get the help you need. Be really careful playing with narcotics without supervision, it can get ugly.

[CiMo]

Well too much Tylenol will rot your liver, create scares, etc. As for going to the chiropractor, there's many quacks out there, some claim they have magical tools and cure all plans. For serious issuse it'll be better to avoid them.

I think you need to look into 2nd opinions. Pain management, orthopedic specialists, physical therapists. They can offer more insight to medications/bracing/excercizing

well this current dr will be a 2nd opinion from a dr, pain managment has been tried well at least 1 locally the other does self referrals and seems like they'd just push narcotics on me to be honest. Did physical therapy 3 times a week for 6 weeks to no avil even doing the exercises I could at home. Haven't seen or thought of an orthopedic specialist I'd ned a referral I'd assume.

Also a side note from things I've read it seems as though getting 2ns, 3rd etc ect opinions can end up getting yoi blacklisted so to speak to where no place would prescribe any narcotics at alll to you... do I wanna be on narcs simple and obvious answer is no. At the ssame time I don't want to get taken off of what I'm legally prescribed.. yes I could still buy off the streets... but that's not the solution I want either its also a very expensive street medication around here... 20, 10mg hydrocodones will cost you 100$ or more and even taken only 4-6 hours is a 3-4 day supply so def not what I want to continue to do as I have a family. Which despite all my pain has always came first I've never bought anything if we didn't have it to spare and my wife knows the pain I'm in... she's laid beside me in bed while I balled my eyes out and literally passed out from pain and exhaustion of dealing with it that day.