Help. Dentist and pain pill issue.

[duckandcover]

Well I'll be getting some significant dental work next week.  I'm 6 months+ clean off of Oxy/Lortab.  I don't want to take anything narcotic but my dentist and wife have agreed that if necessary that only a 2 day supply of pain pills (percs I'd guess) would be provided.  It's not the temptation that's worrying me.  There are pills in this house all the time and I don't stray.  What I'm most scared of is withdrawing again.  Would 2 days minimal use put me in a withdrawal?  If so then no way.  If not then I might but only if it's unbearable.  This is a tough one for me.  I really just don't know.

[dominosarah]

Am glad you have a plan with the dentist and your wife if you need anything.  Dental work is not fun.  I wish you good luck with all of it.  As for your question i really dont know either.  Hopefully someone will know.

Congrats on your clean time!!!!  That is great.  Keep us posted on how you are doing if you can.                    sara

[gizzy32]

great job on all that clean time and staying strong with pills in the house. i do believe nobody should suffer, but it must be scary when pills are needed for legit pain and your an addict. although pills were not my DOC i don't know that much about them, but i don't think you will have any w/d's if only using for 2 days at minimal use. if you can manage to get through the pain without using than that is great, but it would be a good idea to have your wife hold them, even if you do trust yourself. it's better safe than sorry, right?? hope your pain won't be too bad. good luck and keep us updated

[lady67]

I was clean for a month when I had to have a retreatment done to a root canal.  This was worse than the original root canal itself.  I told the dentist I only wanted a script for 5 pills, and I got my hubby to give them to me.  i ended up taking 2 of them the first day and then we flused the other three.  I didn't have any kind of withdrawl from them.  

Personally, I am no expert at this, I think if you only take them for 2 days AS PRESCRIBED, you should have no problem.

What kind of work are you having done?  I am an old hand at this dental stuff.  I have had so much work done since I was in high school that I payed my dentist's daughter's tuition to dental school.  That is what I tell him anyway.

Good Luck
~S

[NautyOne]

Uh, why do you have a supply of pills in the house, and if you already have them then why do you need to get more?.....not trying to be a biach.....just wondering?

Nauty...........

[duckandcover]

Fair enough question.  My wife is on very closely monitored meds for inoperable sciatic and back pain from a car accident when she was 15 which got aggrevated when she was pregnant from out daughter.  I originally got hooked on her stash of oxy when I was stealing them from her supply. I was alread taking Lortabs for my own back pain. I gave her my last 80 or so Lortabs when I quit but she doesn't take them.  She's on Methadone now from her own problems.  She hides everything but I'm not even tempted to look.

[lady67]

You are a very strong man, if they were around, I am afraid that I would be too tempted to use.  I am only at day 65, and I hope that each day makes me stronger and I never face that temptation.

[broknbck]

i agree with lady67. i think if i ever used pain pills again for pain, that it would be all too easy to lean on them over and over again. but i also have chronic back pain. i don't think you would have withdrawl it is just the part about taking them and it being more and more acceptable. but you know where you are and what you are capable of and it is your choice and no one can judge you.

[duckandcover]

I'm not that strong. If I were alone.  I'd be using.But I just look into the eyes of my 6 year old daughter every day and choose to provide her with the best chances in life I can give her.  You see if I were to use again that would mean that both her parents are daily users.  I have a pretty good idea what that would do to her in the long run.

I look at it this way.  I do everything I can to protect and take care of her.  If I go down.  The odds go up that my whole family goes down.

I'm an addict. No excuses. No doubts.  But my addiction isn't stronger than my love for my family.

On the other hand, I now suffer from generalized anxiety disorder.

Go figure :)   One problem at a time.  lol...

[bandnmom]

I am going threw dental work right now. Have been for almost 4 weeks now. I am having alot of painful things done so i have been givin a script for Vicoprofens. That is not my DOC but close enough. I must say i am extremely proud of myself and how i am handling it. I was very nervous like you when i started the work and givin the script. I only take when extremely necassary. A script of 30, which mind you according to direction should have been a 4 day supply, has lasted me this entire time. I am almost 8 months clean. So between that and looking at my children and also remembering how hard it was to get to where i am today i am not and will not ever abuse again. I have not suffered any withdrawls at all. Just stay strong and take as directed only if you really have to. Good luck to you!! Hope this helped!!!

[hydro1205]

Everyone is different.  I know that I would be back on them if I had a supply in the house so congrats for your accomplishments!  I wouldn't think that withdrawals would be too bad from the usage; however, please do not let them suck you into stealing pills again.  My biggest concern would be if they would be enough to push you down that road again since temptation is already in the house.  good luck.

[BoboR]

As long as your spouse and dentist are aware and supportive, you should be ok. I had a dental extraction done when I was about 2 weeks clean off methadone. I was scared, too. My dentist only wrote me for 10 hydros. I did fill them, and gave them to my husband right away. First day wasn't so bad, even after the novocaine wore off. One pill that evening. My husband kinda had to make me take the first pill, when he saw me hurting pretty bad. 2nd day, I think I only took one or two pills. The 3rd, 4th, & 5th days after the extraction seemed to be the worst. There were two of those days that I remember I had to take 3 or 4 pills in a 24 hour period, all doled out by my hubby. I was in pretty bad pain on day 3 & 4. I know the 10 pills lasted about 6 days. When those ran out, that was it. And no, I didn't have any wd's from stopping them. Ya know what I thought odd, too? I was afraid I'd get a huge buzz from the hydros. But I've heard that when you take them for real pain only, AND as directed, there won't be a high. I sure didn't get high, but I got relief. Sounds like you've got a good support system and plan in place. Proceed with your dental work, give the meds to your wife, and ask her to give you one ONLY if you have real pain. You shouldn't have any wd's if used with caution.

[worried878]

2 days of use should not set u into wds after 6 months clean...I used for a back procedure at 2 months clean for 4 days and did not have withdrawal...flushed the rest of the scrip as i knew i could go without them....just be careful ...when u finish what u need..get rid of the rest....and then resume life as a normal person minus pain pills!...there will be times we will have to use....gotta be safe and be sure that the narcs are the only way.....my tolerence had not gone down after 2 months and it took alot to get my pain under control.  i just had the procedure again this past friday and did it without the pills....best of luck and be safe

[duckandcover]

Well  I'm off to the dentist in a few days. I'm going to go with the script and let my wife take control.  ughhh... this is not going to be any fun at all.  Imagine that, dreading a dentist appointment  LOL.

As always thanks to everyone here for the help and advice.  This place is amazing.  Thanks to all of you for the reassurances.