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No judgments, please, just suggestions or advice

Posted: Dec 29, 2009

Without going into any details, I've been having to take an enormous amount of pain medications for the past couple of years just to be able to function in my daily activities.

I'm so tired of taking them and worrying about my liver, etc.

Does anyone know of any good tips on kicking these things? I've tried numerous times, but the intolerable headaches, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, and inability to focus on anything other than my pain sends me back to them every time.

I know I need something for my pain but I'd like to stop taking these long enough to clear my system and determine just what I really do need to control the pain. The doctors have had me on these for so long, I've forgotten what it's like to be just normal.

Anybody been in this situation and can offer any suggestions or advice?

TIA.

;

maybe a pain clinic? - Amanda

[ In Reply To ..]
Maybe you should see a pain specialist at a pain clinic and they can help you get off what you dont need to be on, but also help you to figure out what exactly you need to control your pain.

It does not sound like this is something you are going to be able to do by yourself if you have those symptoms. I am not being ugly to you at all, but your body is addicted and you are going to have to seek professional help.

I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers and hope that you find a good and safe solution.

drop all meds and stick to Aspirin only, if your stomach can tolerate it..nm - pain

[ In Reply To ..]
nm

Hard to kick, I know - heireann

[ In Reply To ..]
Someone mentioned a pain specialist, but you might consider detoxing at a rehab. Pain specialists can give you a certain drug that can allow you to kick, but it is very addictive. Maybe a few days to detox in a rehab? They will probably detox you with the same thing but only for a short period of time. As hard as kicking a habit is for the first few days, the real work starts after you are clean.

The Road Back Program - yochana

[ In Reply To ..]
http://www.theroadback.org/
This is actually for getting off psychiatric drugs, but I wonder if it would work for pain medications? You take certain supplements that they recommend, keep a diary of symptoms, etc.

I second the pain clinic idea - see message

[ In Reply To ..]
Depending on how much pain medication you have been taking, it can be dangerous for you to stop taking the medication suddenly.

I think a pain clinic is an excellent idea for you to safely come off your current regimen and develop a new pain management strategy.

Take care, good luck.

NOT cold turkey! - Anonymous99

[ In Reply To ..]
Do yourself a favor and DO NOT quit any of these meds cold turkey without first checking to see if that could cause problems. You will probably have to WEAN yourself from them over time.

Chronic pain - anon

[ In Reply To ..]
I am so very sorry for what you are going thru.

I try to make my pain story short. I had severe LLQ back pain for 2 years. I had several procedures, injections, PT, chiropractor, nerve ablations, etc. They were just getting ready to send me to a pain management center when my uterus prolapsed. Of course, since nothing other than several bulging disks was showing up, the docs really didn't believe I was having much pain, so they wouldn't prescribe anything. I ended up doing Internet consults, faxed all my records, talked at length on the phone with the doctors and was taking Norco. I couldn't function without it. Anyway, after the uterine prolapse, I had an abdominal hysterectomy. My GYN told me the next day that I had a retroverted uterus, which I already knew - it caused me mild backaches most of my life, but attached behind that tipped-back uterus was a massive, soft-ball sized fibroid mass that was embedded in my spine. It took quite a few months for the nerves to calm down once the source of pain was removed but I am very gratefully pain free today. However, I had my postop pain meds and then had to go cold turkey. It was hell. Some will switch you to meds like Elavil, gabapentin or Lyrica, Ultram, etc. Do you see a pain medicine doctor? Better to be honest with them and see if they can switch you to something else to help with your pain. Check out suboxone. I don't know much about it but it's supposed to help pain without the "high". Some choose herbal remedies such as kratom but THESE CAN BE DANGEROUS AND ADDICTIVE. I strongly suggest you discuss this with your doctor. Chronic pain sucks. Please let us know how you are doing. I don't know what kind of pain you are having but they might be able to do nerve blocks or something like that. Please, make an appt. with your doctor.

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