Detox

[slprncess]

well I made a decision on my own to ween myself off all pain medications as well as all other medications that the doctors have prescribed me. My last surgery was in August and I was fused down to my sacrum. My surgeon referred me to see a pain specialist within his building and the guy was a total ass! He made me feel like I was some sort of drug addict and his only concern was to get me off pain meds. I told him that was fine but more importantly I wanting to find the source of the pain so I wanted him to do some different injections that maybe I hadnt had before. His reference to me was "you have already had everything possible done and there isnt anything more that I can do for you"!! I was so upset and told my surgeon I did not want to see him anymore and only wanting to see my surgeon or someone who had some compassion.

So now forward two months I amde a decision on my own to just get off everything. I stopped the lyrica, celexa, and now am off the norco completly. I was taking5 norco a day for almost 4 years. I did not stop cold turkey but now am not taking anything at all and it has been almost a week. I am not expereiencing really any bad withdrawls except some anxiety at night. I am taking ibuprofin 800 mg twice a day which was not advised by my dr but i am doing it anyway. And they prescribed valiium 5mg to take for the withdrawls and that doesnt do anything for my anxiety. So I wrote my dr to tell him if there was someting else he could prescribe me and all they say is they want me to come in. Well I live 2 hrs away and currently dont have insurance that would cover their types of visits and cant afford to go and see them to tell me to just change it to xanyx or something else like that. I am so frusterated and pretty much told my dr thanks for nothing and I have done this all on my own which i should have not had to do. I guess I am very lucky that I didnt have major withdrawls from the meds. I am still having the same amount of pain just not taking anything now.

Any advise??

[LindaRacine]

Hi Sarah...

I'm sorry you're having so much pain. I can feel your frustration.

Do you have a primary care physician close to home? S/he should be able to help you get this all figured out.

Regards,
Linda

[slprncess]

Yes I do. I told my surgeon that maybe it would be better just to see him. It sucks b/c they are so quick to want you to get off the meds but then when you try they just seem like they dont care and dont want to help you. Going through a detox is not a easy thing. They acted like they would be there for me whatever i needed but now that i need them they are not helping. It is very frusterating.

As far as the pain I just decided that is something i guess i am going to have to learn to live with. I am going to start doing some yoga and other things to make me feel better. Do you know by chance what the max dosage of ib is a day? I dont want to over medicate myself with ib!

[spincon58]

Hi,
I have some experience with detox after surgery but I went to an addiction specialist...this was all after my spine surgery....well to help with the jitters you can take something called zanaflex..its very mild and non addicting but helps...also you really need to get advice and do it right...if u don't have any major withdrawel and its been a week YOUR DOING GREAT...but the pain may have u taking meds again...there is something called suboxin anyway i'm not really sure but your pain managemnt doctor should have helped u thru this...thats what they do....I'm sorry your not getting what u need from this doctor....just dont let them make u feel bad and your not a drug addict...why doesn't this doctor get his back fused from top to bottom and ask him how he feels......goood luck

[Karen Ocker]

Detox

I also weaned myself faster than my (good) pain doc recommended. I did get withdrawal. Symptoms of withdrawal include"anxiety"which some docs treat with other addictive drugs like valium and xanax. One end up in a cycle of dependency. We are not talking about a moral issue but a true physical dependency. One big danger is depression. In my case my doc prescribed Paxil for a couple of months only. It really helped. He also substituted Neurontin and Tylenol Arthritis. He also applied a TENS unit to my ears or head; it imediately helped the withdrawal depression. As far as pain goes my doc said we aim for a pain level of "5" on a scale of 10. This is tolerable and allows function during healing.

Medications like Advil(ibuprofen) and Aleve(naproxin) are thought to interfere with the fusion process the first year after surgery.
You have the option of, perhaps, consulting a different pain doc?

[lelc2002@yahoo]

Hi Sarah,
I was on oxycodone & percoset in the rehab after surgery & continued for about a week & 1/2 on both at home. I actually felt way too 'high' by the second week, mainly at night when I took my second oxycodone tablet & way too constipated ...to be real honest!!! So I chose to end the oxycodone & just do the percoset every several hours. When I went in for my first appmt after surgery to be checked, I also saw a Pain Mangement Dr. at HSS who said I should'nt have dropped it so fast, & weaned off slowly...oh well, I felt ok at the time, perhaps a few hot/cold spells but I did it! I felt better just on the percoset & came back to earth!
You should not need to withstand horrible pain but if you can tolerate some, to me, it is better than the drugs... I had about 2 mths of depression-on & off but not chronic..although,I was'nt myself. I gradually came back to life by month 4 or so, mood swings stopped etc.....& weaned gradually off percoset. Also I might add, I did not get a period until 3 months after surgery time in hospital..prior one being 4-5 days after surgery in the hospital. Ly
http://lynnebackattack.blogspot.com

[slprncess]

Thanks for all your input. See the problem is the pain managment dr is a total ass and i refuse to see him anymore. He made me feel like i was some sort of drug addict and his only concern was to get me off pain meds but not try and do any additional tests to see if those would help me. It is sad to say but these dr now a days are all about money and they always want you to come in for a apt just to tell you ok keep up what you are doing..That is fine and dandy but not when you live 2 hrs away.

Today was a good day for me. I only took 800mg of ib and I feel fine. I think i am over the withdrawl symtoms and that is amazing to me and everyone else. Hopefully it doesnt hit me later on! I will have to ask my md about the ib, i didnt even think about the fusion healing process.

When I saw the pain specialist he didnt even have a action plan for me as to how to ween myself off them. I did research myself and did this all on my own and then called my surgeon and told him I was officially off them for good. He was very shocked but happy for me too.

I guess all I was looking for from them was them to tell me they would be there for me through this hard time and I just dont feel they are. Luckly i am in the medical field so I do have knowledge of meds and also the detox process. Anyway, thanks everyone for all your input and and i am glad that i can start to live a normal life after 4 years, actually 7.

[rainbow2010]

A few drug-free things to try to help control the pain. I know that you want to find the source, some may be irritated nerves or scar tissue from all the surgeries. I use a heating pad to relieve the pain. Also, I joined a senior's theroputic pool (not old enough, but got a doctor's note) where they keep the water around 90 degrees. I exercise in the water to strengthen the muscles. Soaking in a warm tub or even a whirlpool tub feels great! I can't tolerate anything stronger than ibuprofen. My daughter sometimes takes Aleve to help her back pain. Good luck