6th August 2005
Hey nwhat,
I admitted my addiction for the first time here, too. Just doing so has helped me a lot. So has this board.
Quitting narcotics is tough, I've been there. I didn't take them straight but would take them all the time for a few months, then quit, then get hooked again, then quit and my "hitting bottom" was almost poisoning myself by taking too many. i never got help for it, did it alone, which I regret, since like you, I turned to another drug and got hooked. I never admitted I was an addict, only that I "got addicted to things" and that the addictions were physical. It's been a process of realization over a short period of time, but in the past month I've been the doctor 2 times (once was yesterday, urgent care) in which the docs tried to give me prescriptions for narcotics. A few months ago I wouldn't have hesitated, but since I've been here and admitted my addiction, I made myself say no.
So I hope that coming here is as helpful to you as it has been to me. You've taken a huge first step, and you should feel very good about that. The next step is to figure out how you are going to quit, I agree w/ CarGuy.
As for the pain, me too. DDD, chronic migraines. I'm dealing w/ pain and trying to stay clean. It's no picnic for sure. Yesterday at urgent care I talked them out of tramadol & opiates and got them to give me toradol (a really strong NSAID). Just knowing I have this option has made a difference. Are you taking the topamax for neuropathy? I couldn't stay on that, but nortriptylin and neurontin have helped me, particularly the nortrip. Also the urgent care doc told me there are some non-drug pain management options as well. Check out the pain management board.
Stay strong, and let us know how you are doing and what you decide.
I admitted my addiction for the first time here, too. Just doing so has helped me a lot. So has this board.
Quitting narcotics is tough, I've been there. I didn't take them straight but would take them all the time for a few months, then quit, then get hooked again, then quit and my "hitting bottom" was almost poisoning myself by taking too many. i never got help for it, did it alone, which I regret, since like you, I turned to another drug and got hooked. I never admitted I was an addict, only that I "got addicted to things" and that the addictions were physical. It's been a process of realization over a short period of time, but in the past month I've been the doctor 2 times (once was yesterday, urgent care) in which the docs tried to give me prescriptions for narcotics. A few months ago I wouldn't have hesitated, but since I've been here and admitted my addiction, I made myself say no.
So I hope that coming here is as helpful to you as it has been to me. You've taken a huge first step, and you should feel very good about that. The next step is to figure out how you are going to quit, I agree w/ CarGuy.
As for the pain, me too. DDD, chronic migraines. I'm dealing w/ pain and trying to stay clean. It's no picnic for sure. Yesterday at urgent care I talked them out of tramadol & opiates and got them to give me toradol (a really strong NSAID). Just knowing I have this option has made a difference. Are you taking the topamax for neuropathy? I couldn't stay on that, but nortriptylin and neurontin have helped me, particularly the nortrip. Also the urgent care doc told me there are some non-drug pain management options as well. Check out the pain management board.
Stay strong, and let us know how you are doing and what you decide.