How do you balance pain management with the worry of addiction?

Hi Lisa,

I can't tell you that your parents are going to be just like me because I don't know what they are taking, what its for, etc.. All I can do is tell you my experience.

I've been a recovering alcoholic for 20 years now. About 18 years ago I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia. The pain became so unbearable that my doctors, knowing that I was a recovering alcoholic, prescribed a mild pain medication for me about 8 years ago.

I have to interject here that I have a niece who is a full blown pain medication addict. I love her very much, and I tried to help her, but all she did was lie to me, take advantage of me, and pull me down with her emotionally. I finally had to break all ties with her. I was literally becoming sick with worry and I realized that I wasn't helping her at all.

The experience did help me though. I knew the last thing that I wanted to happen to me, was what happened to her (does that make sense?). I also told myself that if I abused my medications, they wouldn't work for me when I really needed them because you build up a tolerance to them. As a result, I only take the medication when I really need it for pain.

My medication stopped working for me because I had built up a tolerance to them after so many years. I now take Oxycontin and Roxycodone which are notorious for addiction, and yes, it did concern me. The first two or three days that I took them I did get a little "buzz" off of them because they were stronger than what I was taking. My body built up a tolerance to them after that, so that I don't get that buzz anymore, but fortunately they still relieve the pain.

If I wanted a buzz again I would have to take more than what is prescribed for me. Eventually my body would keep building up a tolerance and I would be in my niece's shoes. I would have to trick MANY doctors into giving me more pills than my original doctor prescribed. Some doctors wise up and stop prescribing which would require me to continue the hunt for new doctors and prescriptions, or paying the outrageous prices on the street for them.

My niece would have to call family members begging for rent money. She would spend a couple of days at a time going from one emergency room to another, across her state, feigning pain, until she would run out of gas and/or money, and call her husband to come and get her.

I live on the east coast and I can tell you that the doctors in my state are very careful and keep a close eye on what is prescribed to me, what amounts I have received, and how long it takes me to go through them. If I abused them in any way, they would stop prescribing to me and then I would have to suffer the pain. The doctors are very careful because the state keeps a close eye on them. Its hard to find doctors who will prescribe pain medication in my state. My GP wouldn't do it but referred me to a specialist who would.

I always kid with my doctor and tell him that my memory isn't good enough for me to be a drug addict (fibromyalgia symptom). I have a hard time remembering to take my pills. I divide them up into pill boxes, so that I can look at each day and know what I've taken at any time. I always have a few pills left over at the end of the week.

The experience with my niece was a good education on drug addiction for me and a clear warning on what could happen to me.

You could call your parent's doctor. He/she can't tell you anything about your parents, but might be able to assuage your fears by telling you what precautions he takes. Also, be aware, that he might tell your parents that you called.

I know there are many recovering people who would tell me that I'm fooling myself into another addiction, but they don't have to live with the severe pain that I have. I used to have to sit with hot moist towels on my areas of pain, and rock back and forth, moaning in pain. Even people in pain can't tell me they know from their pain, because everyone is different.

My pain management doctor, in another state, used to be amazed at how well I could take my painful injections of steroids and lidocaine, so I know I'm not a baby when it comes to pain. With fibromyalgia you know an injection is a "good one" when it goes to a trigger point of pain and travels through out the enflamed muscle. It's extremely painful, but then the lidocaine would bring relief and the muscle would release from the knot it was in.

My husband came with me once, for my injections, which would sometimes add up to a dozen or more. He walked away from it with a new respect for me after he saw what I endured, and it validated my complaints of pain.

If your parents truly feel that their pain medications are justified, maybe they wouldn't mind if you went to an appointment with them to their pain management doctor. It really helps to see things from the inside sometimes. I've always welcomed anyone from my family to my appointments. It's also another check in my safety system from another destroying addiction.

I hope this helps you see it from a recovering point of view, and that this wasn't too redundant. Your parents are very lucky to have such a caring daughter. God bless you honey and good luck.

Thanks so much for sharing your experience, amusinsusan!! I really do feel better about things after reading how you've handled this issue over so many years. I have heard that fibromyalgia is VERY painful and I do not judge you one bit for taking pain medication nor do I think you're "setting yourself up for a second addiction". It sounds like you are handling your alcoholism recovery extremely well, especially with having the extra challenge of having such a painful condition! Thanks again for sharing- come back and post anytime!

Lisa

Thank you, Lisa! I'm glad that it helped. Just writing about it is kind of like an AA meeting, so it helps me too. "Ah'll be bach" dear. ;~)

amusinsusan

I just stumbled across this series of postings. Since I don't believe in "coincidence," I KNOW that I am in the right place. See, I am an alcoholic in recovery...last Saturday (Jan. 23) my two good AA friends (25 years sobriety each) took me to lunch and gave me a special 15-year coin. But then they had to take me home while they went to a car-and-boat show, because my severe chronic pain makes it impossible for me to do that kind of thing. I have been on prescription pain medication for my entire sober life; my doctor and my friends -- not just these two -- watch me like hawks to assist me staying sober. I don't suffer the misery of fibromyalgia (amusinsusan, you are deeply in my prayers there), but I have a spate of medical problems requiring medications; but all require vigilance even more. Once, when my pain kept me up all night (as often happens), I said I got through with a Vicodin and prayer. A friend called me on that; prayer should come first, or I could be headed for trouble, he said -- and he is right. One thing that is important for me; I said that in sharing at an AA meeting. I share about my need for and use of medication so that it does not become "my little secret." I am facing surgery on both hands for severe carpal tunnel syndrome -- I cannot pick things up or hold them, and cannot drive; on the neck for severe arthritis of the spine that sends numbness and firey pain down both arms into my hands; on the abdomen to repair a herniated surgical incision that has failed a third time. I have had eight abdominal-intestinal surgeries that have left my gut on fire. But the best pain "medication" I know is trust in my Higher Power. I don't always practice that -- not well, any way; but I do try. The huge thing for me: I NEED those medications, or I would not be able to survive. The pain simply would overwhelm me. Last week, those medications allowed me to go to lunch with friends, to celebrate my anniversary of sobriety with them. I must stop typing; my hands are burning. God bless all here and there.

Hi Lisa; I myself have chronic pain. My spine has buldging discs all through it. I had lower back surgery that didn't help. They now label me with failed back syndrom.My neck has spurs buldging discs some pinching nerves and arthritis. The surgeon I go to says it is not bad enough for surgery. I go to pain management and have an excellent specialist. I get the injections in my spine, have had radio frequency done. As far as addiction my specialist randomly tests me to make sure I'm taking the medication and not selling it and taking the right amount. Its a pretty good system he has, if people are caught abusing his services they are dropped from his practice. He keeps me pretty well productive and when nice weather comes my pain seems to be lower. I need the meds to function and lead a somewhat normal life. Lots of prayers help too!

I am 55, and I also have been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, suffer from additional pain from back and neck injuries, cervical spondylosis with myelopathy, and several compressed disks along my spine, and osteoarthritis. I too was worried about addiction, and never cared to take meds. The problem was, if pain goes untreated, then it takes more pain medication to relieve it. The meds I originally were on were short acting, and as a result I was in alot of pain throughout the day. I moved to another state, and go to a local VA clinic (I am a vet), who analysed my scans, x-rays, nerve conduction test. He made sure I was not suffering from other conditions that could cause pain, one of which was sleep problems, thyroid problems, made sure that those issues were treated properly, made sure that I excercised and kept myself flexible, had emotional support available. Counseling is also offered to help vets deal with whatever stressors are in their lives. Part of the problem was I had frequent falls due to back problems and bad balance, so Doc had me go to the VA's fall clinic, was assessed and evaluated, and was prescribed a walker and shower chair and grips to help keep me safe. During this time, Doc had put me on time released morphine, so I only take 2 pills a day, once every 12 hours. I have muscle relaxers I take as needed. Guess what!? Within a period of 3 months, my pain was under control, I was able to resume many activities that I had not been able to do (like cooking and driving), and was able to participate in field trips with my children for a welcome change. I am NOT addicted, have no desire or even need to take multiple pain meds, and I live quite comfortably inspite of my permanent disability. I was even able to tolerate several trips out of state, by auto! Prior, I had been almost totally house bound, not even able to tolerate taking a short trip to the grocery store. Oh, it also helps that my migraine meds were changed, and I seldom have problems with frequent migraines, that added to the stress of pain issues other places. All I have to say is, if pain is not treated properly, then a person could be driven to take excessive amounts of pain meds, turn to alcohol or other drugs in order to deal with the stress of living with constant pain. I have to say, theat when one person is in pain, it affects the WHOLE family. My family says that I have a better, even disposition now, rarely loud and angry. (In otherwords, I must have been a real bitch when I was living with under treated pain!) Special note, the VA has safeguards in place to monitor drug ordering and reordering, and patients using narcotics are required to sign an agreement reguarding treatment and regulations, and patients are required to submit to random drug teating. What is really good about this whole person approach, is that getting rid of multiple doses of pain meds through the day, solved another problem - I no longer have problems with my stomach or gut. Sometimes it takes weeks or months to find a regime that will work in the long run. All I can say is not to give up hope. The real problem in treating pain is nto addiction, but POOR pain control. Best of wishes to all.

Thanks for sharing!!

Drug Rehab [southcoastrecovery.com]

Im sending you a hug and a prayer, Im in the same situation as you, I don't even know how I got on this web page, but Im glad I did, Thank you soo much for sharing you story. It helped me a lot. Im tryin to deal with my chronic pain on my own (no narcotics) Because I did abuse them in the past, just for the "Buzz" and pain too, but it got so bad I was taking them even when I wasn't in pain, Ive always had a substance abuse problem, once you have that problem, Its always in you, Im tying so so hard to be strong, I finally went to the doctor to see what was actually wrong, he prescibed me Vicodin (Pain killer of choice)and muscle relaxers the first time I went to him, I had been spending 100s of dollars a week before that, the next time I went I told him I didn't want any narcotic and I wanted to find other avenues to deal with my pain. We are trying different things now, I just haf an EMG nerve test and an MRI, and Im going to physical therapy too, This was just recently, so its still really hard, I got through the with drawals from the vicodin, they were horrible, but I do still want them, Im trying to be strong, "I DON'T NEED THEM" Thank you again for sharing your story and letting me vent and tell mine, you are in my prayer and I hope everything works out for you

I can't tell you how relieved to see I'm not alone. I have unexplained aches and pains and I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and now there is talk of myofacial pain syndrome. Any time I have the slightest injury to my body it seems to "attack" the area with violent muscle spasm and a small bruise will feel like a broken bone. I have had 2 wrist surgeries (not carpal tunnel), shoulder surgery and a small knee surgery in the last 5 years. I fractured my back in 2001 and I have a bundle of ligaments in my neck that protrudes noticably. If you touch it it will it will tighten up and give me a terrible headache. I've got bulging discs throughout my back and bone spurs in my neck. Some days no matter how hard I try I can't get up and around. I've seen 8 different doctors who all seem to scratch their head at me. My body is feels like it is attacking me sometimes. And it's hard for people to understand. I have been very careful with my meds but the Norco's no longer work. (have taken consistently for the last 3 years and have no graduated to fentanyl patches and still have breakthru pain. Am seeing a pain mgmt specialist who is an uncaring doctor. I have been thru many epidural injections and am now getting ready to do the radio frequency on my neck in a couple of weeks. Will have the same done on lower back after that. It's so hard to find a light at the end of the tunnel and for my family to understand that I am not faking it. Fortunately, but unfortunately I get knots in my back that you can actually see. I'm afraid that if my back problems are fixed pain will generate somewhere else. That seems to be the case now. Fix a tear in my shoulder then there is a tear in my wrist. Fix that one and got another one. Fix that one and have a bundle of loose matter removed from my kneecap. Fix that and I start to get knots in my back. I truly feel like my body is attacking me and I just keep getting bounced from doctor to doctor and when they finally sent me to the pain mgmt doctor I overheard him in the other room say, "I wish these doctors would quit pawing their patients off on me". I cried the whole way home.
Is my brain attacking me? Why? One doctor said I was the poster child for fibromyalgia but I don't think all of this is that. I've had bones scans, mri's on my brain, thyroid testing and I don't even know what all else but every thing is normal. Is anyone else having these problems? Any suggestions? I work, but I have cut back to half days. I do light yoga regularly and I force myself to continue normal activities but I don't always win that battle. I break out in cold sweats and get very weak and pale if I push myself too hard. God help me when my period rolls around everything is magnified. I constantly have muscle spasms. Everywhere! Here lately it's been my arm pits spasming. Doesn't hurt but sure is uncomfortable. Today I have a "buzzing" in the bottom of my foot. Feels like a Tens Unit attached to the bottom of my foot. Help!