addiction to pain meds?

carcharm · February 2011

Ok since dec.8th I've shattered my ankle and cannot walk on it to this day and had my appendix removed. I was given pain meds for both. I took them as prescribed but I think I may be in withdrawal now. I still have pain and would like to take them but I don't have anymore and am afraid to ask for more because of what I think is withdrawal. I have been on them for over a month now daily. I have muscle aches... could be postop stuff but I think it's med related. My ankle still hurts and I have to go thru rehab soon to learn how to walk on it again. I cry daily and every bone in my body aches. I feel like I'm getting weaker. I have to hop on one foot and all my muscles ache. How do I deal with this? I know being off them will make me stronger but the pain I have is sometimes unbareable. My incision sites hurt. My ankle hurts and my toes are numb from possible nerve damage. I have tried tylenol, motrin, aspirin and nothing alleviates the pain. I hope someone who has gone thru this answers cuz I'm afraid that I'll be in pain forever.

fightinhrd123 · February 2011

wht pain pills are they and how many do you take a day? If you take them as prescribed i would think you'd be ok to keep taking them for your ankle pain. I have been on pain pills since chemo (2years) and its a vicious circle. I take them for back and body pain (also have neuropathy a little) but i think there whats causing it! So hard to know

LuvRVing · February 2011

Try a combination of naproxen (Aleve) for the swelling/inflammation and Arthritis-strength Tylenol for the pain. This combination should get you through the worst of it. I have bad osteoarthritis and this helped until I finally went on meloxicam. Actually, you might ask your doctor about that, too. It's cheap and works even better, without being habit-forming.

Michelle

flash · February 2011

Sorry about the ankle. You should not feel guilty about the pain meds. Talk to your doc. They'll know if it's becoming an addiction or not. It doesn't sound like it. what you may be having is a build up of resistance to the level of the drugs. that's different and treated differently. Again, talk to your doc, he may want to send you to a pain management doc but you really are early for the kind of damage you did to your ankle.

good luck

mrsnjband · February 2011

Have you been taking anything stronger than the ones you mentioned? There isn't anything wrong with taking pain meds. I've been on oxycodone since chemo in 2008. Your body can't heal properly if you are in pain. I was on oxycontin after my BMX (bilateral mastectomy) until my drains came out then just the oxycodone. Some days more, some days less.

I am sure that since you broke your ankle you are in a lot of pain. I broke both my arms and it took at least 6 months for them to stop hurting. Therapy will be painful but tolerable with medication.

My advice is to talk to your doctor about it. NJ

carcharm · February 2011

I was taking vicodin 5-500 1or2 tabs every 6 hours. I will try the Aleve and Tylenol. I see the doctor tomorrow but I feel embarassed to tell him that I think my body has gotten use to them. Something just isnt' right. Every bone in my body aches and I feel so weak. I was getting stronger... able to stand and hop on one foot but within the last week or since my appendix surgery I feel so weak. I can hardly stand on my own. Any exertion makes me short of breath. Thank you for responding/

Anonymous · February 2011

Just don't take pain meds longer than you actually have pain. Addiction starts when you take drugs for recreational use (the high).

Anonymous · February 2011

DO NOT add more plane old tylonel !! The Vicodan already contains 500 mg of tylonel so you are already over the 2,000 mg. many Dr.'s recommend.

I have been on Oxycodone for 2 years. My DR. said addiction can begin when you go up to 3 a day. That is for someone like me a long term user, not someone post op/ I take 1 or 2 a day, Dr. said he had absolutely no problem with that.

There is also a time released version that comes in different strengths

Remember being in pain causes stress and depression in addition to the pain you are in

Anonymous · February 2011

Can you get a script for physical therapy?

dragonflymary · February 2011

Carcharm, I'm a nurse and I have to chime in here. You should not be taking huge doses of Tylenol--over 2000 mg per day can cause liver damage. Aleve is not such a safe drug either and can irritate your esophagus and stomach. It must be taken with food. You have absolutely every right to be taking pain meds right now--the doctor won't just offer it to you (I've made that mistake of thinking he would!) You have to let him know what's going on and ask. Vicodin with 5 mg of hydrocodone has the 500 mg of tylenol that someone mentioned. Norco 5 mg also has 5 mg of hydrocodone but with only 325 mg of tylenol. There is some push now to take the tylenol out of these drugs and that may come in the future. Oxycodone has no tylenol but is more addictive. The way a doctor can tell if you are getting addicted is if you keep asking to increase the dose without any obvious reason. You don't fit that category, you are in pain. Pain causes release of cortisol, a hormone that impedes healing. Especially if you are starting rehab you need to stay out of pain. If necessary, ask for referral to a pain management specialist. I took a little Norco all through my reconstruction and really needed it. I was a little addicted but backed off it slowly and am fine now. Your doctor also can help you back off it. Hope this helps!! Dragonflymary

Anonymous · February 2011

Aleve makes me very sick to my stomach, I do take it with food.

Anyone else? Wondering if it will go away over time.

addiction to pain meds?

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