Dilaudid_Hell
01-23-2004, 11:36 AM
In 1991, I had surgery to remove a perforated meniscus (disc/cartalidge) in my jaw joint. The surgery helped greatly in releaving the piercing pain in my jaw and face.
In 2002, I had open joint surgery on the same side to aleviate chronic aching pain in the joint. The joint turned out to be fused to the capsule - the condle was shaved down and smoothed during the surgery and afterwards I found relief - for a while....
About 6 months or so after the surgery, I started to get pain back in the joint and surrounding tissue. I tried to remain stoic about the pain, but was frustrated in who it affected my ability to be a good husband and father (We had a beautiful daughter in 2002).
One day, I came home after searing pain in my face and scouted in the pain cabinet for something to allevaite the pain. I took a vicoden and magic, the pain went away. I think I decided at that point that maybe I could handle the meds, taking them at night on an as needed basis.
Long story short, I gradually moved up to more and more Vicoden and then, this last year or so, swtiched to Dilaudid 4 mg. The Dilaudid really helped and I started out taking one in the morning and one at night. Pretty soon I needed them at a greater frequency. Soon after that I needed more of them. At the end I was taking about 15 per day.
Two weeks ago, I could not get a refill on my prescription because it was 'too soon'. I came home and threw myself and my wife. "Take my pills and help me" . That night with raging withdrawl, I ended up in the Emergency Room going into Active Detox. Embarrased, afraid and writhing with anxiety and sickness, I felt more alone then at any point in my life. How did my life come to this?
The next day, I put myself, with the help and support of my wife, in a detox center. The first few days were awful. After that it has been 'one day at a time' getting a litter better each day. Two weeks later, I am weak but happy that I am all in one piece and getting better each day.
I still have the pain that got me to this low point, but I am exploring all avenues of pain relief minus opiates. I just got in injection yesterday that seemed to really help. I am going to start exercising and get back to where I was.
I know pain relief is legitimate, but I wanted to share in case it has become a cruch and you need someone to illuminate this.
I can say that before the pain meds I was happy and yet in pain. After the pain meds, I was numb and miserable. I'm 35 and there is so much more life left for me.
Dave
In 2002, I had open joint surgery on the same side to aleviate chronic aching pain in the joint. The joint turned out to be fused to the capsule - the condle was shaved down and smoothed during the surgery and afterwards I found relief - for a while....
About 6 months or so after the surgery, I started to get pain back in the joint and surrounding tissue. I tried to remain stoic about the pain, but was frustrated in who it affected my ability to be a good husband and father (We had a beautiful daughter in 2002).
One day, I came home after searing pain in my face and scouted in the pain cabinet for something to allevaite the pain. I took a vicoden and magic, the pain went away. I think I decided at that point that maybe I could handle the meds, taking them at night on an as needed basis.
Long story short, I gradually moved up to more and more Vicoden and then, this last year or so, swtiched to Dilaudid 4 mg. The Dilaudid really helped and I started out taking one in the morning and one at night. Pretty soon I needed them at a greater frequency. Soon after that I needed more of them. At the end I was taking about 15 per day.
Two weeks ago, I could not get a refill on my prescription because it was 'too soon'. I came home and threw myself and my wife. "Take my pills and help me" . That night with raging withdrawl, I ended up in the Emergency Room going into Active Detox. Embarrased, afraid and writhing with anxiety and sickness, I felt more alone then at any point in my life. How did my life come to this?
The next day, I put myself, with the help and support of my wife, in a detox center. The first few days were awful. After that it has been 'one day at a time' getting a litter better each day. Two weeks later, I am weak but happy that I am all in one piece and getting better each day.
I still have the pain that got me to this low point, but I am exploring all avenues of pain relief minus opiates. I just got in injection yesterday that seemed to really help. I am going to start exercising and get back to where I was.
I know pain relief is legitimate, but I wanted to share in case it has become a cruch and you need someone to illuminate this.
I can say that before the pain meds I was happy and yet in pain. After the pain meds, I was numb and miserable. I'm 35 and there is so much more life left for me.
Dave