| I took oxycontin (aka 'hillbilly heroin') for 5 years. In ever increasing doses because it does become less and less effective over time. I was very worried about becoming an addict. But my doctor kept telling me if I was really in pain, and taking meds for pain that I wouldn't become an addict. I was taking the equivalent of 200 Vicodin a day, or 400 mgs. After I finally had my 9th surgery to clean a tumor out of my head, the pain vanished. I started to titrate (reduce) down so as not to be a shock to my body. But I never had withdrawals because I had been in pain. And pain meds are to help pain. So don't worry about an addiction. Good luck to you in your quest to alleviate your pain. It took me 5 years, but I was determined to find a reason. Your determination is what it takes to harass the doctors into digging deeper to find the cause.
kinzepower - 11/3/2009 19:02
Everybody is concerned about addiction, understandably. However, I am VERY confident that that is not a problem in my case.
It takes a huge amount of discipline every day to carry on in terrible pain knowing that you have the solution in your pocket. The fact is that I have to wait to take the pill to get some relief...only after I have endured hours or crippling pain. The doc will not up my dosage, so I have to manage the work/pain balance...and it is getting more difficult.
On the other hand, it never occurs to me to reach into my 'pez' dispenser until I am dragging my ass, so I am confident that I am not a 'druggie'. If tomorrow I woke up with no pain, I would have no reason to reach for the bottle. That is why conventional wisdom says that addiction only occurs when you DON'T need the meds.
Anyway, there must be a better solution.
I have tried acupuncture, reflexology, chiropractic care...had several bone scans, MRI...you name it.
I still consider myself lucky as I have a large enough land base to let someone else run it for me..the glass is still well over half full. |
Anybody here on pain killers?
