ajfinsand

rsg,

My heart breaks for you. I went through MAJOR nasty withdrawls for six weeks to get off 'prescribed and used only as directed by the doctor' oxycontin. So, I can tell you that, YES, even if you do have valid pain and do not abuse pain meds it IS possible to become addicted.

The 'trick' the manufacturers of these drugs use to promote their drug (and tha manufatturers of oxy have been sued for doing this) is to say that if taken as directed that you will not become addicted. After a lot of people chellenged their claims and sued them, they changed it to say that you 'could become physically dependent upon them while using them as prescribed'....BUT they claim being physically dependent is different from being addicted. That addicted means you abused the drug.

Does the same thing happent to the brain when you build up tolerance to a drug whether you took it as prescribed or abused it? YES! Do you have the same withdrawl sysptoms when you try to stop taking a prescribed drug that you have become physically dependent upon as a drug that has been taken abusively? YES! The drug companied are playing a game of semantics here to try and save face. Addicted is addicted whether it is by choice or not!

I don't know if this will help you, but here's my experience with 'addiction to prescription pain meds'. I have never used any form of recreational drugs. Never abused alcohol. Had a lot of health problems and a lot of surgeries and thereby taken prescription pain meds numerous times in my life.

Took Vicodin for several weeks after my hysterectomy 7 years ago. No trouble stopping it when the pain stopped. Took it again on/off for several months when I had a major flare up in back pain (due to a congenital back disorder). No trouble in stopping it when the pain stopped. Took it again a few months later after sinus surgery. Again no trouble stopping it. (meaning no addiction symptoms when I stopped taking it) Had another really bad back pain flare up a year later and was taking 2 extra strength Vicodin 3x day (plus flexeril 3x day) for THREE months. The last month of that three month stint the drugs were barely taking the edge off the pain. I had to wait for six weeks to see a second spine specialist for a second opinion on surgery during this time. (just so you know I was addressing the root problem of the pain) While waiting for that appt the pain was just too unbearable and I desperate and tried acupuncture. (My primary care doc does acupuncture, and it was covered by my insurance) The acupuncture began to lessen the pain....the Vicodin began to help more again and by the time I went to the surgeon six weeks later, I was off the Vicodin and almost pain free. No withdrawl symptoms that time either.

I guess I thought I was one of the 'lucky few' who just would not become addicted to pain meds. Although I did realize that I had begun to build up a tolerance to the Vicodin that last time.

Fast forward to my spine surgery in March '01 (very extensive surgery...see my sig for details) I asked about what pain meds during my final consultation and the surgeon just said, "Don't worry, you will be kept comfortable." They gave me Oxycontin AND Oxycodone for breakthrough pain. After a couple of months they switched me to Vicodin for breakthrough pain, but still on the Oxy for pain control. After five months I began to experience an increase in pain. That was the point at which my primary care doc told me that I 'shouldn't still be expereincing post-op pain and that I needed to stop the pain meds because I was addicted to them.' "The pain is in your brain." is what he told me. That my brain was telling me I was in pain to try and get me to take more drugs to fuel my addiction. Being the 'good girl' that I am, and having not had any trouble quitting the Vicodin before, I went home and stopped taking the Oxy. And got violently ill! I thought I was going to DIE! Throwing up constantly after you have had three of your ribs hacked off is not fun. Called the doc.......the nurse said, "Oh no! You can't stop taking that suff cold turkey! Go take some right now, and come back in and see the doctor." (I guees my primary care doc assumed that the surgeon who initially prescribed the Oxy for me had told me that you shouldn't stop taking it abruptly) This was when my doc told me that many people have to go on Methodone treatments to get off Oxy, and he gave me a referral to a pain doc and said to try and taper off in the meantime. (it was a six week wait to get into see the pain doc). I managed (with a lot of pain and suffering from withdrawl symptoms) to wean myself off the oxy in six weeks and didn't need to go see the pain doc.

I don't know it it was 'just me' or if Oxy is more addictive than Vicodin. (but my guess is the latter) BUT, here is what has happened to me SINCE that time, and after I got off the Oxy my doctor warned me that this would probably happen. He said that once that 'addiction mechanism' has been triggered in your brain you are an addict for life. Now.......if I have a little flare up in pain and take a Vicodin it only lessens the pain for a few hours. If I take a second dose, it does nothing at all. But, knowing what I know and not wanting to EVER go through the hell of withdrawls ever again, I choose to simply not try taking MORE pain meds for the pain. It sucks! I will have pain the rest of my life, but I CANNOT treat it with drugs!

Alcohol does the same thing now too. One night when I was really hurting I thought maybe a drink would lessen the pain a bit.....and it did! Next night...hurting a little more.......one dring did nothing so I had a second and it only helped a little. OMG! I'm a drug addict AND an alcholic now too!!!

Sorry to have gone on for so long. It's a complicated subject and no two people are exactly alike. Just wanted you to know that yes, you can get addicted even if used only as directed. Gradually weaning yourself off might work for you. For your sake, I hope that Vicodin is easier to get off than the Oxy was for me. Just be aware that if you have, in fact, become addicted (whether purposely or not) that it could well become a lifelong issue for you. Listen to your body and be careful.

love and prayers,

aj in Oregon



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~ 48 year old female; currently self-employed as an artist/designer/woodcrafter.
~ Previously worked in the restaurant biz for 27 years (not so good for someone with a bad back!)
~ Hereditary and congenital scoliosis, but it never caused any problems until I was 40+ years old.
~ 76 degree curvature had increased 2 degrees in two years 1999-2001; indicating surgery was necessary.
~ Surgery in March of 2001.
~ Fusion and insturmentation of C7 - T9.
~ Fourth rib removed; 5th and 6th rib cut back halfway; removed ribs were morselized and used for the grafting, plus additional bone harvested from hip.
~ After tthe hardware was attached, spine was straigntened 20+ degrees.
~ 2 weeks in the hospital.
~ Brace worn for five months. Bone growth stimulator device also worn several hours per day.
~ PT 5 mos. after surgery caused increased pain.
~ Follow-up surgery to remove hardware scheduled for Feb. 2002.
~ Round 2 of PT 2 mos. after hardware removal.
~ Medically released to return to full activity in July 2002.
~ Increased pain upon returning to regular work schedule.
~ Round 3 of PT in April/May 2003; continually increasing pain.