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.redface

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

76 Replies

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  • Posted

    Hi Flip,

    I'm so impressed with your brave disclosure. A very tough thing to do - huge kudos to you. I hope you will continue receive support and encouragement from this wonderful forum. This is a very common problem and most suffer in silence. In a perfect world, there wouldnt have to be so much shame associated. Please keep us posted on how you are doing. This is a very difficult thing to get under control so all the best to you!

    • Posted

      Thanks Sheila, you're very kind. I feel like some sort of desperate drug addict, but I'm an ordinary 52 year old, just living life as best I can!

    • Posted

      You've never struck me as being just an "ordinary" girl Flip. Then again, what is ordinary anyway?

      I'm no expert but could you not try the dsns method but in reverse to get off those pesky pills?

      Good luck with the fight and keep smiling.

      Ron.

    • Posted

      Oops. You're right. Put it down to Pred brain fog.

      I'll get me coat. ;-)

    • Posted

      You nailed it Ron. I'm not 'ordinary'. Never have been. lol

      And I'm doing just that. Since this 'confession' I've realised I need to do something about it, and I have. Already cut back by 50%... enough to keep any withdrawals at bay but not feed the addiction.

  • Posted

    something worried at the back of my mind here. So a second bite at the cherry.

    I suspect "confess" and "shame". Hopefully no "guilt".

    That's probably the first bit to get rid off. Hopefully your doc sees it as "just another problem to be solved" rather than making unhelpful judgements and working through a sea of feelings.

    Never that easy, but just get on with it.

    The past can't be changed, what's done is done, so don't cry over milk spilled, but we can change our futures.

    Sorry. I've run out of metaphors.

    • Posted

      LOL....I don't think I feel guilty. A little shame perhaps, but it's not bad as far as 'addictions' go, and really quite understandable. The drugs worked, so I kept taking them, then they stopped working so well so I took more... and so on and so forth.

      I've decided to 'confess' this afternoon at my 3 monthly appointment with my rhuemy. We'll see how that goes.

  • Posted

    Dearest Flip, you are already on the road to weaning yourself off the painkillers. Having put it out in the open amongst your friends, the next step hopefully is for you to talk to your doctor, and I'm certain he or she won't be shocked at all. It's far more common than most people think. And it's certainly nothing to be ashamed about. There for the Grace...etc.

    One step at a time and please don't be hard on yourself. Xx

    • Posted

      Thanks Susanne xx

      I started cutting back a bit yesterday, and despite missing my 'high' (a feeling of relief?) I did ok.  No more taking the double dose - just a standard dose until I can cut back on them too. 

      I

      judge people much less these days than I used to. Life teaches us that we are all in danger of making mistakes or error of judgements at the very least.

  • Posted

    Dear FlipDover,

    I was told by my Dr. to take Panamax tablets, contains paracetamol 500 mg.   I found taking two of these when pain was bad excellent, you can only take 8 per day, the largest amount I took was 6 and am down to 2 per day now.  You can buy these over the counter in Chemist in Australia for $2.60 aud for 100 tablets.  You cannot become adicted but your stomach may become upset if taking more than 8 per day.

    Track

    • Posted

      Panadine Xtra is 500mg paracetomol and 15mg of codiene. Paracetomal on it's own didn't do anything for the myofacial pain I have on top of the PMR.... I'm also on Lyrica, another pain medication. Pain will make you do stupid things sometimes. And (un)luckily, I don't get an upset stomach taking any pills - not even pred or MTX!!

  • Posted

    Hello Flip,  I've just read through your "confession" and all the supportive responses.  It is a positive step you have taken. Admitting to ourselves that something is "true about us" is a major step in itself. I've had PMR over a year now and during my first 6 mos I remember saying to my husband I can see how someone with chronic pain could get addicted to pain meds. I was taking Hydrocodone (US) which perhaps is similar or the same as your Paracetomal as it helped me be able to function.  Of course the longer you take it the more you have to increase as what gave relief at first suddenly isn't quite enough after awhile. It's a vicious cycle. You can't really understand chronic pain till you live with it yourself and here you are battling both the PMR and the myofacial pain! Like all the rest who responded with their support I say don't beat yourself up over it. You realize and admit what's happened and now you want to change that. I also realize that rolls off the tongue much easier than what's involved in actually doing the changing part!

    I had in the past followed  your posts about taking the MX and how it helped you. I've been contemplating its use myself. Do you think now that it has helped as much as you thought or is it taking that with the help of the pain meds?  Can you distinguish between the two?  

    I wish you success on eliminating/reducing your use of pain meds. We all can understand how you got here??. I imagine you've seen your Dr by now and have some sort of plan. Let us know about your progress. 

    • Posted

      I believe you are absolutely right! Wow. The MXT has stopped working as well as I was and the pred dose is no longer high enough.

      I've just increased my pred back up to 7 1/2 mg from 5mg - under Dr's orders, so we'll see what happens. (new post coming up about next steps and new drug regime) :-)

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