addiction..or not??? - Addiction & Recovery Message Board

rsg · 05-12-2003, 06:02 PM

I have been taking vicoden7.5 and have weaned down to 50mcg duragesic for the past 9 months. For a medical condition. Now that the surgery has finally been done, time to go off pain meds well..I am still in pain, more pain than when all of this first started, so if your pain meds quit working, and I do not up the dose myself,so that they will work, does that mean i am not addicted and will not have withdrawls??

rsg · 05-12-2003, 10:29 PM

alright...I was married to an addict for 18 years ..doesn't that qualify me to at least one answer??? I read about all of your struggles with empathy and root you on for success and I know there are vicoden addicts out there, so if I take a ton of prescribed vicoden as directed, over a long period of time and now they quit killing the pain, even the fentynal is a joke, What happens?

HERMIT · 05-13-2003, 04:55 AM

I don't really know what answer you want---your dose a miniscule compared to mine. I started with tylenol 4 ten years ago and presently take 72mgs dilaudid contin 3 times a day with 8mg dilaudid for breakthrough pain. Am I addicted? Definitely. Are you addicted? Probably. The question should be--do the surgeries help your pain and if not do you intend to live with it or up your dose to deal with your pain level. I have been on my present dose for 4 years now. Hope this helps.

Robinsegg · 05-13-2003, 06:59 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by rsg:
I am still in pain, more pain than when all of this first started, so if your pain meds quit working, and I do not up the dose myself,so that they will work, does that mean i am not addicted and will not have withdrawls??

Why worry about upping the dose yourself? Why not tell your doctor it does not take care of your pain anymore? Our bodies do become acustom to medication when taken for long periods of time. That is a given. Are you an addict? Well, do the pills control your life? Do you have anxiety when you're close to being out? Do you buy them off the street? Do you take more than prescibed? Now about your withdrawl question....what does being an addict and withdrawl have in common? Nothing. Being dependent? Yes, you will have withdrawl after taking pain pills for long periods of time, IF you plan on going off them. I think you have to start looking at this in a different manner. Having withdrawl from medicine does not make you an addict.

rsg · 05-13-2003, 07:29 AM

Sorry, guess I should have rephrased the question...my pain now is acute, post surgical;not chronic.(Even though it is there all the time but is supposed to be gone in a few more weeks.) If my body no longer responds to the given dose, and I don't up it myself, is it over??? My pain may have become dependent but not my body?? I'm calling this doctor today, you know, the guy who supposedly works for us but takes a day long game of phone tag to get into? LOL

Another question, anyone every try maxalt and lorcet 10 for migraines, my hubby wants to know.

Sorry if I am on the wrong board you all just seem so nice and are trying so hard, each of you are in my prayers to stay strong, (beat the beast) RG