Confession time

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!

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.

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

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

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.