My doctor says I have a "psychological addiction, not physical"

[Christine728]

I have been on roxys for about two years...I have always had some kinda health issue that the doctors would prescribe pain medication. I hardly ever took them as I used to get soo sick when I took pain medication. Then about six years ago I had a series of health issues and had to take pain medication for pain...the vomiting went away and I got this great feeling full of energy...fast forward to the present...two years ago I was involved in a bad car accident and had neck surgery. The doctors prescribed roxys..I remember how violently ill I got taking them but that too went away and now if I don't have them I feel horrible...I asked my doctor if I was addicted to them as I get horrible leg cramps if I don't have them and no energy to get out of bed..he told me that it was a "psycholgical addiction" that leg cramps are not withdrawl symptoms...I hate how my life has been consumed by this drug..I can not ween myself off, I know if I have them I will take them..I have already missed soo much time from work, either from being sick from not having pills to really being sick..I can't even tell anymore..A part of me doesn't even want to get off of them..I don't want to be tired all the time...although I am still tired all the time...I can't even describe it, I feel like I have no life, I take them to get through work because I am so tired and then by the time I get home I have no energy for anything else, even if I do take another...will I ever have energy again???

[mama23babies]

That is exactly what the pills did to me too. I could have wrote that post myself. I am 118 days clean now and still fighting to get my life back and will continue to fight until I do. Thanks for all the great posts!!!!

[jstntime]

Wow worried,

Sounds like you just described me there, and I mean.....EXACTLY!!!   Could not have said it better!!!

Thanks for your help thus far, your writing has helped me get through this,

bob

[worried878]

u will never have nrg again unless u break the cycle...the pills have turned on u...and they r just not any fun anymore...letting go is hard..but the time has come

in a way u r lucky cos some never lose the euphoria from the pills..i did...they made me isolate in the end..when u get to this point/or the point i was at..u r using just to get outta bed...and u still dont feel good...no matter how many u take..the thrill is gone

ur finances suffer..u stay home and go to work and just come home and take pills...weekend gets here and u end up being anti-social vs siocial//which was one thing i liked about pre-addiction use..I was so much fun..in the beginning...but i could never find that feeling after a while..it was gone...and i was left with an addiction that was eating up my money and my soul...so then u gotta choose?

this forum is a great place to be///lots f support here so keep posting

[jstntime]

Chronic pain here too.  Yes it will get worse before it gets better.  Only 2 ways off the "carousel" Christine; deciding to get off, or dying.

It IS your decision despite how you may currently feel about it.  Bunker down and read all you can about what will "happen" to you in WD.

I am starting day 12 from long-term heavy oxy use and feel like I m starting to get my life back.  It truly is empowering!!!!  I am now wishing I had taken this plunge into normalcy years ago.

I'm not going to lie Christine, it's been a tough 11 days, but it IS getting better.  If I can do this, ANYONE CAN!!!!

Good luck, pulling hard for you,

bob

[10356]

restless leg syndrome. kicking drugs this is how it got its name the uncontrollable urge to kick your legs.. Your Dr. has no clue of addiction.. wd is scary nobody likes to get sick.. but when the turmoil in your mind emotions and life out weigh your love of the drug.. it is time to quit.. a week hurting and a few more weeks of feeling sluggish is no different then how you feel now except one leads to your enslavement and death the other to your life and freedom.. Only you can make this decision. it is a matter of making up your mind.. pain actually lessens once off for awhile as the drug works in a way that it causes more pain to get you to take more.. research knowledge is power.. learn of your disease.. and go to war on your addiction and regain your life.. lesa

[ImGettingClean]

Hey Christine, welcome to the forum...

I too have chronic pain, chronic disease and have been told i have a Physiological dependence...I dont hold my Dr accountable, bec I have had serious health issues and he prescribed them based on those issues...did i ever lie or exxagerate to get more Rx? Maybe...ok, yes....did i take the pills when the pain subsided? maybe...ok, YES...

So, i personally take dependance and addiction as 1...by definition, Physiological dependence on a drug occurs when nerve cells have adapted so well to the drug that they require the drug for normal functioning. A person is physiologically dependent on a drug when sudden drug abstinence is followed by withdrawal signs.

Sounds like an addiction to me...

As Gizzy said, u have to figure out which is worse.,...the pain or being on the meds...

I've been pill free for almost a month now; i get pain here and there (real bad at times), but i've made it thus far...it's tough for us folk that really do have chronic pain but given how i feel right now, I will take being pill free with some pain here and there then on the pills, no physical pain, but dying of emotional pain...

good luck to you...

Nick

[TrayCee]

You dont die from opiate withdrawal.  Youre gonna be sick.  And its painful.  But it CAN be done, people do it everyday.  Its wont be easy.  But its one week of sickness out of the rest of your life.

so sorry about your situation, Good Luck!!

[gizzy32]

Ok, then you have to figure out which is worse, the pain or the pain of taking these pills. There are many here who have chronic pain and quit, but only you know how bad it is and if you can. These drugs do cause depression and we feel like we are trapped with no way out at first. That is the lie of addiction, THERE IS HOPE. I am sorry your going through this right now. Crying is good sometimes so let it out. You have to decide what you want and everyone is here to help. Never say you CAN"T!!! Hang in there ok and keep posting

[Christine728]

I honestly don't know if I could deal with the pain. I am sitting here crying because I know I have a problem and I know I can't stop...today I took three ten mgs of Opana, 4 15 mgs roxy and one 30...SO FAR...who knows by the end of the night...I don't know what to do anymore....everyone I know takes roxys, it is all around me..

[Christine728]

Is it safe to quit cold turkey? I hear all these horror stories... I am amazed at how easy it is to get a prescription for roxys! I am just soo scared I will never be able to quit. I have great insurance which I truly believe has led to all the tests, procedures and quite honestly surgery that I have had. I wonder how many people have become addicted after surgery?

[ZJILLIAN]

I don't know why he would say that, it just makes you feel crazy. Just read the other posts on this site and you will know for sure.

[gizzy32]

How many are you taking a day? Your dr actually told you it's only phychological and not physical? WOW, quack quack.

I just wanted to ask first, would you be able to cope with the pain without those pills? I remember when i was on oxy's a short time, at first they made me vomit, but soon I got high and energy from them. Eventually pills/drugs make us feel so much worse. It's a terrible cycle.

To answer your question, yes you will have energy again, but pills mess with the mind and body and it does take a bit of time to heal from it. I just want to wish you luck, you will get some better advice soon. Is it possible for you to stop?

[TrayCee]

you will have energy again.  It just takes time.  And your Dr. is CRAZY!  Oxycodone IS PHYSICALLY ADDICTIVE. and leg cramps are a symptom of withdrawal.