taking prescription painkillers?

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Permalink Reply by AnnaDrama on December 23, 2009 at 12:52pm

Hey there... just my ESH...

I take 5 mg of percoset daily, and don't experience any of the "phenomenon" stuff with it.

My doc knows I am a recovered alcoholic, and we keep the dosage very low, so I don't get the severe physical addiction, like I did with lortab. ( I have a chronic back issue... I was on massive doses of lortab for 2 years.) It took about a month to get off lortabs, because of the physical addiction - but, I didn't experience the mental and emotional component - there was no obsession. I WANTED off the damned things, lololol.

Being honest about the pain I have, helps. I can get through most days without taking the pills. Not every day, though. Some days are REALLY bad.

These are things best discussed with your PHYSICIAN. Do you see a pain specialist? Most are well versed in addiction, too. I guess they'd have to be, huh? (-:

MY POINT - there are MANY in the fellowship who will tell you they cannot take narcotics, and that therefore, YOU cannot take them either. NOT TRUE. Not every alkie gets addicted to narcotics.

As they say in the NA fellowship - "AS PRESCRIBED". Very good "advice".

Let me know how it goes?

Keep the faith-Dawn

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Permalink Reply by Alvin on December 23, 2009 at 10:23pm

Hi there Bill, i myself have not found a need for "pain" medication (some being a narcotic) but i do know of many who do take them and are doing just fine one of them is a close family member who's illness (i can't pronounce) has to do with his spine fusing together and other joints fusing together it is a rare illness, he has 14 years of sobriety, six of which he's been taking his medication(which is a narcotic) as prescribed so there is hope Bill-- so long as we are spiritually fit...GODSPEED

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Permalink Reply by Sean Sanders on December 24, 2009 at 5:09pm

I can say this, the guy who gives you advice about money has probably filed for bankrupcy 5 times and the guy who gives marriage advice has probably been divorced 3 times.With that said i can understand you searching for advice on a question like this but its more for a doctor with some sort of XP dealing with people like us and talk to them , i can tell you this, i attended a rehab at the start of my sobriety and a therapist there who is in the fellowships had back surgery and upon leaving the hospital the only drugs he has taken since have been advil liquid tabs...soo if he can do that perhaps you can...i cant really say...its not my pain....seek the advice of a doctor and go from there...asking people in the fellowships you'll get every answer you could possibly want....thats never a good thing

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Permalink Reply by rick gibbons on December 24, 2009 at 8:45pm

PEOPLE IN AA NA ARE RECOVERING FROM A DIEASE THEMSELVES, THEY ARE NOT DOCTORS . TRY TO KEEP IT BETWEEN YOUR DOC AND SPONSER AND HIGHER POWER. WILL KEEP YOU IN MY PRAYERS.

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Permalink Reply by ralph h deep jr. on December 24, 2009 at 9:58pm

dont be a martyr its about quality of life if its about counting pills look into a subcutaneous med pump or find other ways but dont sit in pain

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Permalink Reply by Dave E on December 25, 2009 at 10:01pm

I too was troubled with the "pain pill" problem. Like others have said if you keep asking you will get the answer you want to hear, thats what I did. It still concerns me that I take pain meds. The best answer you'll get will come from your Doc. You have been sober for a while, I think you would be able to tell if you were getting in trouble. " To thy ownself be true " I wish you the best Bill.

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Permalink Reply by Laura on December 29, 2009 at 4:34pm

Hi Bill,

All I have is my experience on this topic and it may not work for you. I had a double lung infection and my doctor prescribed lortabs for me. It scared me to death!!! I talked to my sponsor about it and it was our descision that I should take the meds as prescribed, I am now glad that I did because I was in so much pain and having the sponsor that I do kept me hones.

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Permalink Reply by Andrew J Erwin on December 31, 2009 at 11:56am

Bill I have not been online for awhile and as as soon as I came online I my eye fell right to your question.
I feel for you because I struggled with this question in early sobriety although not to your degree when I talked
with my sponser about it,His advise was " We in AA are not docters" be honest with the docters,be honest
with god and with yourself. Why are you taking the medication He had a heart condition and said should he
not take his medication. He passed away with over 35years.I was also told in the beginning the only difference
between alacohal and pills is H2O.I to suffer from pain due to a injury at work and somedays the pain is
unbearable so I always remember that discussion with my sponser.I am not superman I feel pain.So
what I do is stay in touch with my current sponser go to meetings and most important ask God for help and
guidence. This past November I had 30yrs. I pray that this may help you in some way.Remember
God can and will help if he is sought. BB pg 60

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Permalink Reply by David L. Berry on December 31, 2009 at 5:20pm

(((( Bill ))))) ((((( Dawn ))))) ... for your honesty and love in the face of difficult trials.

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Permalink Reply by Pam L. on December 31, 2009 at 9:19pm

Bill- I know in the big book it talks about how we shouldn't disregard people in the medical fields...they can help. I've heard both sides, some say absolutley not and some don't. The way I see it, when we drank, we were doing it to alter our perceptions, to escape our thinking problem. You are in physical pain my friend and I see nothing wrong in taking your medication as your doctor prescribes it. No one should have to live like that. God wants us to be happy and I don't think you being in pain will do that. I'll pray for you and hope my two cents helped.

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