Pain Killer Addiction

[HajiWasAPunk]

Well my surgery is set for next Wednesday but all together it's been almost 3 weeks since my riding injury (torn foot ligaments etc). I haven't been able to go a whole 24 hours since it happened without taking pain killers (Vicodin, Percocet). I'm wondering if I should be concerned with this. I can't seemed to find out how long you have to take them before it becomes an issue with physical addiction. I go without them as long as I can but it still hurts bad enough I can't sleep without them?

 

[MHawkmx]

I had a radial fracture of the humerus in 1999. I was on percocet for at least 10 weeks straight. I had a bit of trouble getting off of them stopping cold turkey but it was not that big of a deal. You will be fine....just make sure you get rid of them after you are all healed up...I wouldn't be too worried.

 

[KiwiBird]

With my broken femur I was taking 2 Vics every 4 hours, switched to 800mg Ibuprofen after about a month. As long as you have BIG pain, addiction isn't too much of a problem, as the pain goes down get off the narcotic pain pills and move to normal pain pills.

 

[04kdx200]

I was on Mepergan Forte a week after my tib/fib break.... haven't took anything since..... I still don't remember that week. :think:

 

[High Lord Gomer]

When I have had to take Vicoden for more than a couple days, they always made me sleep restlessly. I never really wanted to take them for more than a day or two.

Now that I don't crash anymore, it's not a problem.

Have you tried just Alleve? I've been impressed with what relieving the swelling will do to help with the pain.

 

[HajiWasAPunk]

Have you tried just Alleve? I've been impressed with what relieving the swelling will do to help with the pain.

I was sleeping restlessly too. And I did try Alleve last night and it seemed to work o.k. It feels like I've got symptoms of physical addiction to the other stuff, achy back and shoulders, headaches, and....ahem....constipation :uh:

Now that I don't crash anymore, it's not a problem.

lol, when can I count on this happening?!

I love my 250F, but sometimes I think for learning to ride at 33 the 450 might have been better for just the fun of it. I feel like I have to stand the 250 on its side in the turns to keep the momentum up to clear stuff (I know that's a better way to learn to ride but it's also a lot harder and so far ALL of my injuries have come from turns).
1 week to surgery and then I can get on with healing!

 

[High Lord Gomer]

and....ahem....constipation :uh:

Well, if "you ain't seen nuthin yet" after surgery "you ain't gonna see nuthin" for a while. :yikes:

I don't crash anymore

lol, when can I count on this happening?!

I don't crash any less, either. :laugh:

I love my 250F, but sometimes I think for learning to ride at 33 the 450 might have been better for just the fun of it. I feel like I have to stand the 250 on its side in the turns to keep the momentum up to clear stuff (I know that's a better way to learn to ride but it's also a lot harder and so far ALL of my injuries have come from turns).
1 week to surgery and then I can get on with healing!

The 450, being harder to control, would have just put you into the ground harder and more often. I think you made the right choice.

Good luck with the surgery and sneak a laptop in there with you so you can keep us updated.

 

[HajiWasAPunk]

Well, if "you ain't seen nuthin yet" after surgery "you ain't gonna see nuthin" for a while. :yikes:


I don't crash any less, either. :laugh:

I knew there must a be a punch line, I walked into that one!

The 450, being harder to control, would have just put you into the ground harder and more often. I think you made the right choice.

Yeah, that's definitely what I was thinking, particularly during the first couple of months. My main goal was to have something to have fun, learn to ride, and be able to ride and practice with my son. So I've definitely met those goals (well the "learn to ride" one is questionalbe many times but you get the idea).

I'll have the PDA with me at the hospital at a minimum, but I can't vouch for the things I'll say when fully sedated! :laugh:

 

[wirefryer#85]

Don't worry too much about the pills as long as you're still hurtin'.

Now the morphine on the other hand, I can see how that wonderful stuff could turn into a monkey on your back real quick!

Heal up and get back to riding!
Tim

 

[nephron]

Addiction is a bizarre thing. Some people are hooked after ONE pill. Immediately. Others can take them with impunity, chronically and never become addicted.

Calm down and think of it this way: 1) If you're aware of the risk, you're already ahead of the ballgame. 2) If you didn't experience immediate euphoria, you're not as likely to get hooked. Some good points made above---particularly the "if you're still having pain, you're probably ok" type of comments, which I agree to some degree with.

Is 3 weeks long enough to get hooked on narcotics? Yes, but probably not, for most people. Is 3 days enough for Cocaine? Damn right. Some psychiatrists studying the biology of addiction claim that some people get withdrawal symptoms from one drink of alcohol.

Remember that guy 'somethin' Christian, a defensive down guy for the Cornhuskers? He took 1 Percocet after a game one time, and was immediately hooked. The euphoria was immense and unbelievably irresistable, by his account. After that one pill, he dedicated the rest of his college years seeking narcotics (Percocet mainly), and now is a total heroin junky, weighs about 160 pounds, and is totally SOL, having had recently attempted suicide.

 

[sparkysakitas]

haj when i broke my ribs i was eating the vics like candy
as the pain subsided so did the need for the pain killers
i wouldnt worry about it and to think i was goin g to give you a shout i just moved back to dade city and was going to start racing more but heal up and good luck with surgery

 

[tnrider]

ask your doc about rotating to different meds each week if you have any concerns about becoming "attached" to any one. my ortho does this as a common practice to ensure that you don't become resistent to the pain blocking effects - although it rather annoyed me that i had a new co-pay every week or so that i saw him and the Rx was for more than i was taking. (don't bother asking, i flushed the extra...) :uh:

 

[nephron]

Christian Peter was his name. My bad.

 

[nephron]

Whoops! Jason Peter. Sorry, Christian.

 

[robwbright]

I had some difficulty getting of hydrocodone after using it for 3-4 days after having my wisdom teeth pulled.

The problem wasn't the feeling or the pain - it was the dizzy feeling I got after quitting cold turkey - I couldn't drive safely. Had to cut dosage in half and then half again and supplement with ibuprofin.