I'm telling my doctor I have a opiate addiction.... But withdraw symptoms are bad..

[ShaunWilliams05]

About 3 years a go I started suffering headaches and neck pain so my doctor put me on Para/Codeine 500/30 3 times a day for 30 days with 5 repeats. After 2 years Dec last year they stopped helping so he started me on Endone AKA Oxycodone 5mg and now I'm just craving it all day if I have none even gone to the level of buying them off the street. And taking 4 times my recommended dose.

I fell bad that I'm just abusing my trust with my doctor and been to the limit of getting them off other clinics and faking chronic pain.

I still have some paracetamol and codeine here and taking that to stop the horrid withdraws. I'm blacking out if I don't take any opiates. Heart palpitation, sweating, rash, migraine, lack of pain tolerance as in can't handle pain as well as before. and list of all other problems.

And only happens with I try and stop the opiates.

One I don't want to make my family hate me and think I'm a pill popper and lose the trust of the doctor who only been really understanding of my pain.

Could I get a few tips for others about pain management and ways to talk to my doctor and hope he can still trust me. Because not just me that gets in trouble he does as well the government will revoke his licence if he keep it up.

Just so easy with him because you get 20, 5mg tablets for 5:90$ on Medicare in Aus. I even stole my aunts old Endone tablets she doesn't use any-more for breast cancer since she's clear right now.

I really want to stop this and need some advice on how.

[shugalug]

Good for you! You've taken another step in wanting to get off Endone. It's very concerning that you're having those weird blackouts and memory blanks though. I hope you've got someone with you as you go down the street. I hope your doc can investigate this. It may be low blood-sugar levels. I hope it's nothing more serious than that. Before going out or even at home, try to eat something with protein, and even have a spoonful of honey. Lollies can help for awhile, but only last a short time and your blood-sugar drops even lower than before you had them, but are handy in an emergency. Have fruit, some healthy carbs like wholegrain bread, crackers & cheese and make sure you're drinking enough water, as dehydration can cause all sorts of problems, even if you're not thirsty, you still could be dehydrated. Your doc will hopefully do some blood tests. It could be all caused by the medication, I don't know. The main thing is you want to get off Endone. You are going to experience withdrawals, but hopefully your doc can give you something to ease the severity of them. It's good you wrote down a plan, and I hope he will see that you're serious and advise you on the best way to wean off Endone. I'm glad you haven't had problems with less para. Is it Panadeine Forte? Paracetemol shouldn't present any problems, as that alone isn't an opiate, just a supposedly harmless (except to your liver) pain-killer that does absolutely nothing for strong pain. Waste of time and very damaging to the liver, but codeine is an opiate, so if it's panadeine forte you're on, please be careful. I was trying to take less of this as well, when I was weaning off Tramadol. Pure Hell! I was told that because codeine is an opiate I should wean off it slowly and not at the same time as coming off another med. So, I'm back taking 4 a day, as prescribed and it's useless for pain. That's why I hate having to take it, but.... better to be safe than sorry. Weaning off valium now. Nest is the Endone. I'll be interested to know how you're going as you wean off Endone, so I'll know what to expect.Generally, I take it as prescribed, but like I said, there has been the odd day here & there where I've had 3 instead of the 2 I'm prescribed, but had only 1 on other days. I've been told, by a friend and by people on this website that I shouldn't muck around with my meds and I should take them as prescribed, so I'd better behave or I'll make things harder for myself in the long run.I hope someone else reads your posts and has had experience with getting off it, so they can be more helpful to you.  You've probably seen your doc by now. I hope he's been helpful & understanding. Wishing you all the best and I'm sure you can do this!

[ShaunWilliams05]

I am heading to the doctor today to so a weaning on endone I keep having these weird blackouts or memory blanks. Can't have that down the street I could get hit by a car because I don't notice what I am doin.

I wrote down a plan for him that should work with just 1 box. But para never had issues only lose stools coming off them.

[shugalug]

You're doing well to reach out for help here. It proves you've had enough and want to get off Endone as it no longer works for your pain. 5mg is a low dose but that doesn't make it any easier to wean off it. I agree with the other comments. Your best bet is to explain to your doctor how you're feeling. Write it all down. As the others said, you won't be the first patient he's had that's become addicted to pain meds. I'm sure he'll put you on an alternative while he's weaning you off Endone. Maybe it's worth mentioning Gabapentin, as this helps with the anxiety and all those withdrawal symptoms you're experiencing. Don't stop the Codeine 30mg with 500 para just yet, as that's an opiate and it's too hard to wean off more than one med at a time. You mentioned you were once on an anti-dep. Which one was it? If that helped you before, with your other pain, it might be worth talking to your GP about it. Ask about what would be the best anti-dep, one that helps with pain and the withdrawal anxiety you feel, from Endone, as your body is craving a stronger dose of this med. Be honest too, and tell him you've sometimes had to take more than prescribed. If he's a very understanding doc, he will help you. Doctors are very reluctant to prescribe higher dosages of this med, as like you said, they are watched by the govt. Anyway, even if he did prescribe a higher dose, your body would soon become tolerant of that and will demand even more. It's a vicious cycle. Living with constant pain is horrible, I know!  Do some research on pain meds, their side-effects, effectiveness, their addiction potential and see for yourself if it is all worth it. I think at this stage that you're at, an anti-dep will really help with your awful symptoms you're experiencing. I've abused some meds too as I have an addictive personality, and I've had more Endone too, not often, as I'd run out before the next script was due on days that the pain was so bad I couldn't hardly move. BUT I also take less on other days if I haven't been too active and the pain wasn't so crippling. I'm still on Endone, but have to wean off valium first. I was put on Tramadol for the arthritis pain too, and had a bad reaction to it. I went through Hell, just in the last month. I won't go into all those details, but I'm now off Tramadol completely and starting to feel 'normal' and happy again, but severe pain is still there. I'm also on GabaP as I said, Oxycontin and Panadeine Forte. The only one that helps relieve pain a little, is Gabapentin. I never abused Oxycontin and never had any bad side-effects, but it's one that you have to be very careful with. GabaP is safer, and an anti-dep that helps with pain is a must, I feel, while you wean off Endone, a very nasty drug, because it stops working and just leaves you craving for it. You won't be judged if your family love you. You might get a surprise, if you're honest about how you're struggling and suffering at the moment and I'm sure they will be glad you told them and give you comfort and support.. You don't need to tell all just yet, just that you're suffering because you want more Endone. You'll also feel better to get it off your chest. This is a great site and you will get understanding & support from many people just like us. Keep coming back here and let us know how you're going. Good luck with your doc and family.
Christine

[ShaunWilliams05]

Well I also have bladder problems and acid reflux. I might go back on my anti depressants because they seemed to help my bladder in constance, pain, energy ect ect.

[shugalug]

I know what you mean with Endone. I'm on 5mg twice daily also. I also crave it and can't wait till it's time for me to take it, but have had more on some days. Can't do that too often, as I can't get more till script is due. Pandeine Forte is useless for chronic pain, but also must be weaned slowly. Unfortunately, once our bodies gets used to Endone, we need stronger doses to get the same relief, but as you say, drs won't prescribe more or they can be investigated. We are left hopelessly addicted, with nothing to replace these strong pain-killers, and our pain seems worse than ever. All we've got to fall back on is alternative medicine. This is such a slow process and we want relief immediately! Sometimes, an anti-depressant such as Mirtazapine, can help us relax, feel better and it also has pain-reducing properties. Massage can help, laying down, resting, keeping busy in between can help take our mind off the pain, and doing something we enjoy makes life a little easier. Gabapentin is another med that's for chronic pain, and can also help with the anxiety we feel when we're needing our pain med. Chinese herbs are supposed to be very beneficial, acupunture too. I know it's easy to give in and be negative when we're in pain and even angry, but if we can try to maintain a positive outlook, it helps us get through the day. But pain, especially unending severe pain can make us very miserable, and it's hard to smile when we're hanging out for these addictive pain meds. As they no longer work for me, I'm starting to wean off very slowly and am looking more to alternative remedies, by researching on the net. This has captured my interest and gives me hope.  I'm laying down now, in intense pain. I bought a massage mat from ebay, and it really helps. You can get vibrating neck cushions that help loosen tight neck muscles and give you relief. It's the addicition we have to deal with, and the withdrawals you're already having as your body is demanding more Endone. This is even worse than the pain, I reckon, and can't wait to be free of this medication. I think 'why have pain still while taking this, as well as the anxiety and symptoms you mentioned? I can't offer more answers than this, but hopefully someone else can. I hope what I've said will help a little. Weaning off is the only way, as stopping it suddenly, even though it's no longer working, will make your withdrawals unbearably hard. Ask your doc about an anti-dep that also helps pain.  Addiction is a nasty, horrific disease to endure and suffer with.

[ActingBrandNew]

"Could I get a few tips for others about pain management and ways to talk to my doctor and hope he can still trust me."

From the sound of your situation...it seems like you have a decent relationship with your pain management doctor. What you need to do is go in and tell him that you have a problem and you need him to set up a weaning plan to get you off the pain meds. Your doctor will respect you for being straight with him and coming clean. You wont be the first or last patient of his that has gotten addicted and I bet he will be more than willing to help you.

"One I don't want to make my family hate me and think I'm a pill popper and lose the trust of the doctor who only been really understanding of my pain."

Your doctor and family will trust you LESS if they find out on there own but will respect you more and be willing to help if you reach out top them. And if you do and they treat you foul...well then they did you a favor by letting you see there true colors. I know its hard...easier said than done...but....its doable.

There are tons of us here with legit pain issues that have the same addiction you have....and others who use to deal with emotional pain. It doesnt so much matter how you got addicted...what matters is how you plan on dealing with it. You did right by posting here so now its time to form a plan. I think the first step would be to come clean with your doc and put the ball in his court and ask him for help.

You can do it and I hope you stick around.

[knaankj]

i am sorry to hear you are going through all of this. there are some really great people on here that will be able to offer some great advice and support you as you work your way out this situation you find yourself in.
one thing that  someone here said to me that really helped, was that it was not my fault for getting addicted to the pain medicine.
i too started out taking them to control pain for health issues and over time i became addicted and started abusing the meds prescribed by my very caring and trusting physician.
please keep checking back in and you will hear from others who can offer you suggestions and encouragement!
i hope everything works out well for you in the near future!
hang in there and im glad you are reaching out for help!
Paige