Confession time
Posted , 19 users are following.
Ok, so most of you know me by now, and I've confessed to a lot of things on here, but this one is something I'm really ashamed to mention.
I've gone and got myself 'addicted' to pain medication. Codeine specifically. Initially I took it to help me sleep at night. Sigh. I have myofacial pain syndrome as well as PMR.
No wonder I'm depressed, eh? Throw in pred and Lyrica (another pain medication that makes you drowsy) and it's no wonder I'm not motivated to do anything - I'm drugged to the eyeballs all day.
I know I need to tell my Dr, I know I need to get off it, but like all "drug addicts" the thought of doing so scares the hell out of me.
I'm currently taking 4 tablets of 15mg codeine/500mg paracetomol three times a day. That equates to 6mg of paracetomol a day! OMG!
I KNOW this will cause liver damage, if it hasn't already, so no need for the lectures, thanks.
I'm only mentioning this so that if any one else has found themselves on the slippery slope they know they are not alone.
I also hope that by actually telling someone (everyone) that I confront my problem and actually do something about it.
It's time I fixed this one.
2 likes, 76 replies
julian. FlipDover_Aust
Posted
such a change from the hoiday mood.
Its a long time ago, about 57 years. I missed about a third of my schooling with headaches. A bottle of aspirin every couple of weeks.
My very wise mother, probably out of desperation, offered me a pound note if I could go a whole term without missing a day.
I managed it. One day at a time. Success bred success. But far from easy. The headaches didn't go away. But how I thought of them, their impact, and the need for aspirin changed radically.
I'm very certain that little experience helped me through chronic back pain, and now pmr.
Have you thought about setting some sort of stretched, but achievable, goal. And single mindedly setting off towards it.
Meditation, exercise, a new hobby to concentrate on, write down the progress, and any other trick. Anything it takes to reach the goal.
Just an example. Lying in hospital bed after back operation I hatched a plan to walk the Milford Track with family. It took 10 years (had to wait for youngest to be old enough)..It doesn't have to be something simple like "stop taking panadeine", it can be something where not taking panadeine is an outcome.
By coincidence I'm at the stage with polywhatsit where I've done the things I said I would. I'm comfortably walking up steep hills without a flare. Pred is down to 3mg/day and stubbornly difficult to reduce further. Life is reasonably normal, though still a bit constrained and lacking energy. I'm looking for the next goal. But it seems to get harder as I get older....
FlipDover_Aust julian.
Posted
Hi Julian, where have you been lately my friend?
I really like the idea of a long term goal... I'm already imagining some sort of hiking trip somewhere amazing. Right now I can't walk to my car and back. :-(
Even doing another triathlon is appealing in a masochistic kind of way! lol
ptolemy FlipDover_Aust
Posted
Well done realising you may have a problem, try some Moet et Chandon!
Anhaga ptolemy
Posted
Oddly enough I've never liked codeine. It helps with a headache that won't go away, but it makes me feel sick. One time I was in the hospital with an unexplained gastric bleed (no reason ever found, I was about 27 at the time) and for a horrendous headache they gave me plain codeine, no aspirin of course. (I'm not sure tylenol was used much in those days.) Anyway, that just pushed me down into a space of semi-consciousness but the headache was still there. I never remember having any nice effects from codeine, which may be why I've never become addicted as I've had it in the house most of my life.
Tea now, I'm sure I'm addicted to tea.
ptolemy Anhaga
Posted
Anhaga ptolemy
Posted
Understandably. It tastes good and it's good for us, and if it comes with the gentlest of addictive lifts, so be it!
FlipDover_Aust ptolemy
Posted
Half my problem is I love that 'warm feeling'... either from codeine or wine!! I have been addicted to both now. There really is such a thing as an addictive type of person. Something to do with the pleasure receptors in our brains. :-)
LayneTX FlipDover_Aust
Posted
Hi Flip, hear you on the "warm feeling". I miss wine so much, now when I drink it it doesn't give me that effect anymore, guess my body is rejecting it now, ;( but I know, my body is trying to take care of me.
Back to meditation, I found some will give me the euphoric feeling of strength and belief in myself. Just like addiction I must work on it every day. But I'm finding I can feel a greater "high" from internal feeling, its not t easy, but getting easier. I never thought of my self as addicted, but yes, we can become what seems like addiction, perhaps it's just a label, when our brain has become hard wired to behaviors. I'm learning it can even be an outlook on life. When people don't feel good about themselves they tend to be hard on themselves and perhaps look for ways to not think about that. I'm guilty.
I'm now seeing and am able to stop myself from seeing that I'm struggling and change that mind set to seeing the beauty I have in me, and others.
I just want others to feel good as well as my self. Drugs aren't natural.
Seriously... Look on YouTube for free mediations and find one that you resonate to. A lot I don't care for, but have found some I enjoy. The feeling is better than any drug.
love sent to you sis.
FlipDover_Aust LayneTX
Posted
You have something on another site about your appraoches too don't you Layne? is it you?
faye______00403 FlipDover_Aust
Posted
Just thought of what I do with pain meds.....I cut them in half....I find that half
a pill works okay for me when i need it. Maybe do that with half the doses
each day and slowly cut down the amount. Pain does wear on you and it
does'nt have to be back pain, just constant pain.....just a thought.
faye______00403
Posted
I meant "bad" pain, not just back pain....it all hurts.....
jo42444 FlipDover_Aust
Posted
Careful what you cut in half. It was my mom that said she had read on one of her presriptions not to do that your phamacist will know. Also starting to make small goals like taking one instead of two. I sometimes will look at the clock and say find something to do towait the extra couple of hours before I take another pill. I will also take a hot shower or go float around in the pool. This will sometimes get me by the pain altogether. There has to be rules like never exceeding a certain amount. The more you take the more you will need to take. Pick the times or days you need it and hopefully one day we won't.
Joanne
faye______00403 jo42444
Posted
If a pill is scored (the indent down the middle) it is okay to cut
in half.....so I was told by a doctor.....don't cut one that isn't
scored.......
Anhaga faye______00403
Posted
Does that apply to ALL meds? My 1 mg pred aren't scored, but I cut them anyway.
faye______00403 Anhaga
Posted
Ask your pharmacist.....I don't know....need to make sure
the dose is uniform.
Anhaga faye______00403
Posted
They actually gave me my pillcutter. There aren't .5 mg tabs so we make our own!
faye______00403 Anhaga
Posted
I just entered the term "pill splitting" and there is a lot of info.
Check it out.....
Anhaga faye______00403
Posted
I'm almost 100% certain that unless you are taking the coated pred you can split the talets. Everyone seems to. We are constantly tweaking our doses anyway. It's not like a carefully measured heart drug, for example.
faye______00403 Anhaga
Posted
i said I don't know....only was told I could split those that are
scored....there are some drugs that should not be split...best
ask someone that knows.....
Anhaga faye______00403
Posted
I don't take anything else, but probably good advice for those on multiple meds.