going off pain killers

[Beegod Santana]

So last friday I was biking along at about 25mph and the front wheel decided to fall off my bike (it was a tag sale special with a faulty quick release) and I managed to do a real number on my face. I didn't get stiches because there's so much flesh missing from my face stiching it really isn't an option. At the hospital I was given about 16 shots of morphine and left still in pain. At the moment I'm taking 15mg oxycodone four times a day and am still hurting all day. Obvisously it's only a matter of time before I'm dependent on these things, and I was wondering if anyone knew a good way to kinda bring yourself of pain killers while still healing. The last thing I want is to heal up and have to deal with withdrawls, been there done that.

So if you've had any kind of experience with a situation like this I'd appeciate any tips you might have. I'm not afraid that I'll become a junkie, I just hate going through withdrawls of any kind.

 

[smellyskelly]

i've been addicted to painkillers by both recreational and doctor prescribed times. when i noticed my prescription getting low i took the regular dose, and went to sleep and tried to sleep as long as i could before i couldn't take the pain and take another dose. it worked with the withdraw because by the time i was almost completely out, my body was used to getting less and less every day.

but when i was addicted to them recreationaly,[sp?] i just asked around and found suboxin[sp?] and that helped a lot, but made me really sleepy.

 

[hartage]

With my car wreck I was prescribed a morphine drip. I held off and told them they can add it if I can't take the pain anymore. Same with my oxycodone and vicodin pills. I only take them as a last resort when I can't stand the pain anymore. That's how I kept from getting hooked on them.

As for my pain management if it gets bad I distract myself with something fun get my mind off the pain. Sometimes if that isn't enough I try sleep. For some reason if I get distracted long enough the pain gets less and less till I don't notice it anymore (even if it is still there). Do everything you can to deal with the pain without the pills. Use the pills only as absolute last resort to keep from going nuts. Good luck.

 

[wartomods]

just drop the painkillers, you will realize that the pain isnt not that bad, and it will get better by the minute.

 

[katiehabits]

try finding herbal pain killers like white willow bark which is the natural equivalent of aspirin, substitute some of your oxy's for a herbal tea everyday untill your not takeing the pills anymore and then just make weaker tea untill you don't need it anymore.

 

[IBRRHOBO]

oxy is bad shit. ask for a nerve blocker instead. the subutex is only available if you're hooked on opiates (and you're not) and they require a lot of money and insurance doesn't cover it. best bet is to tell the doctor your concerns. makes more sense anyway as they have a degree and prescription pad and no one on here does.

i agree w/katie in the fact that there are some holistic applications. vervain is a pretty good example for pain. as to skin healing and immunity pau d'arco rings a bell. in addressing asprin (acetylsalicylic acid), it really doesn't have the same pain relief, juxtaposed, as ibuprofin. nsaids have always been problematic especially in narrow spectrum applications (specifically gastroentestinal). additionally, w/the injuries you describe i presume you are on a regimine of antibiotics (broad spectrum, i figure). the issue here is first, you have to alter all your medicine or ensure that there are no adverse pharmacological interactions. a good table (if you're gonna fuck off my advice to simply talk to your doctor) is Highlander's Dope Table. second, you have to decide whether or not your epidural trauma is best treated by progressive/aggressive medications or tonics and tinctures.

the reality is that no holistic approach will take the pain away. your quandry is how much pain can you live with. that question is best left to you and your doctor.

 

[Beegod Santana]

the reality is that no holistic approach will take the pain away. your quandry is how much pain can you live with. that question is best left to you and your doctor.

I actually mentioned withdrawls as a concern to my doctor but he didn't seem worried and just told me to keep taking my pills and to come in when and if withdrawls become a problem. Basically the problem is that I'm on free state health insurance (mass don't suck for everything) and my doctor could give a shit less. I think he thought he was doing me a favor by giving me such a big script. Unless I'm back in the emergency room again the soonest I can see him again is in about a month.

As far as the pain goes, its pretty fucking relentless. I have however found that ganja tea and tylenol are great aids and have me taking much less oxy than I was just a few days ago (about 15-30mg a day as opposed to 40-60). I can't take ibuprofen because lots raw muscle is exposed and I'm technically still bleeding.

Thanks for the advice everyone, looks like I've got a few options, and a very big thanks to IBRRHOBO for the dope sheet.

 

[MiztressWinter]

I've had a lot of friends go through this...with oxy's in particular. I guess it depends on how bad off you are on them.

I've been told benzo's help with sleep (xanax, valium). You may not feel like eating but at least stay well hydrated. You can titrate (taking a smaller dosage each day). That will make the withdrawls not as bad, and easier to deal with. If you really want to just get it over with, then just quit. You might feel crappy for a day or so but it doesn't sound like you have a really serious problem, so it should be over with fairly quick.

 

[carlbroom]

Its not good for health and at the same time you will get relief but after sometime its side effect is there through your body and once you habitual from it . hard to get recover so stay out.

 

[hardlyart]

i was on vicodin and oxy last summer when i broke my vertebrae after a bike accident--- i did what smellyskelly did. sleep it off. when you wake up force yourself to wait and then take only half the dose, or 1/4 the dose after a while. and then take something else or use some herbal remedy in it's place. eventually you will get off the pain killer and be on all safe(r) remedies.

some remedies i found to help with pain: arnica- for bruises and swelling, any vitamin e substance for cuts/gashes, epsom salt soaks for muscle pain, kava will relieve all pain but also help you sleep, tumeric- for swelling and pain... there are a ton.