Am I addicted to drugs?

[Rand0m66]

I have two chronic pain conditions and take 40 mg of oxycodone a day and 60 mg of morphine sulfate ER a day. Is this a lot? The ms makes me tired but haven't noticed and mental changes. I've been off and on opiates for about two years now, having been on them consistently for almost a year daily. I've quit taking them and gone through w/d fully three times but end up back on them again because the pain is so bad after I've quit that I realize I need them to have a normal life. I don't want to be a drug addict. That is why stop taking my pills all if the time. I don't **** around with the doses or take extra. I am on a pain contract and do exactly as I am told. If I am not a drug addict already, will I become one? What do you do if you have chronic pain and are tired of being sick and tired from opiate therapy?

[Jenny9906]

Tooter is right..whatever you do...don't take tramadol. It's the devil in a bottle...no joke.  I've detoxed off hydrocodone quite a few times (my drug of choice), oxycodone like twice, and tramadol once. The one time of tramadol detox was worse than all of the other detoxes put together. I'm not even kidding. And I ended up with severe mental issues (extreme panic and anxiety...) that landed me in the ER 2 times about a month after I was off them. I've never had any problems like that before I took the trams. That $hit is seriously not right...it messes with things in your head that it shouldn't.  I have never and would never take take that $hit again...and I try to tell as many people as I can NOT to take it whatever they do. It's that bad.  One time I was at the emergency vet with my dog who broke her metacarpal bones...and they tried to send me home with tramadol to give her...and I strongly refused and had them give me something different for her. I wouldn't even give that crap to my dog...literally!!

[tooter212]

Do not let them give you tramadol. It's harder and takes longer to get off of. They will tell you it's not additive but look it up. People on here have had a awful time coming off it.

[mybabytwins]

I was on around 80 mg of hydrocodone for rotator cup tears in both shoulders. At first I liked being on them however over about 5 months my tolerance was getting to the point where I needed more and of course took more than prescribed and ran out 5 days early. I am now on my 5th day (it's been rough) but I have made a commitment to get off narcotics all together. I just don't want to be dependent on a pill anymore. I will be seeing a very reputable pain Medical Doctor next week to seek out other options OTHER than narcotics. I'm sure I will find something until I will be able to plan the surgeries to repair the tear. I wish you a the best but the only one who knows the real deal about your silent voice telling you what to do is no other than YOU. God Bless!

[Quietsunshine26]

Welcome! Today I have 14 days clean from MS Contin. I will tell you 60 mg is not very much. I started on 90 mg for about 5 years, lowered myself to 45 mg last year then 30 mg then jumped. I've read where people are taking 400+ so we are lucky. I understand your tiredness, I understand no mental changes. That worked for me so I could work. In the beginning I had legit pain, never took more than my presc & eventually knew I was done. I would say talk with your doctor & come up with a plan that works for you. You sound dependent & your doctor should help. Please keep posting. There are so many people here to help & they do!