I Do I Stay Away?

Hey everyone Im new to the forum but not new to pain pill addiction. I have been struggling with my addiction to Lortab for probably 15 years. Ive been to treatment twice and to a methadone clinic once. After I was off of the methadone I was sober for about 3 years. I had a set back when I had surgery on my shoulder last summer. My PCP put me back on methadone and I was weined off in a month. Since June I have been taking Lortab off and on. I will run out tomorrow and Im not looking forward to feeling sick but I havent been using to heavily or for that long consistantly so hopefully things wont be to bad. My issue is how do I stay away from them? I feel "able" when I take them, able to work, to be a wife and a mother, able to do everything that is expected of me. I know that I can't take them forever and Im not sure how I got back in this place again. I can't talk to anyone because no one knows. Thats why Im here, I need some words of wisdom, a plan.... anything.

Sincerely,
Noel Anne
My issue is how do I stay away from them?
Welcome Noel Anne.
Your best bet is to get involved with a treatment plan like NA or AA.Getting sober is the easy part but opiates permanently alter our brains.Getting off is the easy part but unless you have a transformation in the way you think,you will always be looking for a pill or drink because that's what you have become conditioned for.

All that energy and euphoria will soon go away and you will be using just to keep from getting sick.

A support group will give you the courage to deal with life's terms and the steps will show you how to live without substances.






are you getting clean only because your out of pills? or are you doing it cause you are tired of the drugs?

raerae
Im ready to stop using because I know from experience it only gets worse from here. I can always get more pills, but I know if I do that Im only prolonging the inevidable! :o( Honestly I always get alittle ticked off that I just cant have the pills all the time. I know thats not logical but I find myself angry! Thanks for all the posts!

Noel Anne
Logic has nothing to do with this disease.Knowing that things could get worse never stopped me either.What you have to do is ask yourself what lengths are you willing to go through to get clean?

Cutting off your supply and telling your doctor is one.Getting honest with your family and asking for support is another one.If your willing to do these things,there is hope and a solution.You have to do the work but if you're willing,there are plenty of options.
One day at a time.

Stick around Noelle. You are not alone. I used to wish they were over the counter. After all I wasn't hurting anyone but myself. The truth is that as long as you keep using your life is steadily going downhill. You've been in rehab before so you must be familiar with NA/AA. It works but you have to really want it. If you're still not sure, go to a meeting and listen. You can always change your mind and continue using. You will not immediately feel better when you stop. I'm sure you know about withdraws. That's why I continued on for years and years. It takes time but it does get better. If I can do it, you can too!

Keep coming back.

For me it's definitly a daily battle. If I think of "forever" I'll never make it. I also went to a methadone clinic to get off lortab. I was there for almost three years. My advice is to never use methadone to come off of pain pills. I think it's a step in the wrong direction. Best of luck to you.

Shelly
Congratulations,

What is so amazing to me is the feelings people go through as they begin to want to get off dope. They are so similar. Nearly every single person I meet is just like me. We all feel basically the same way. We KNOW we need to STOP. But we just THINK we can't.

That for me was the key. Stop thinking. My mind was not functioning properly. Start Doing. Anything, Lay there til you can't take it, Take a hot bath or shower Walk Post on a Message board, Scream, Cry, Use the restroom, Drink some water. Take it minute by minute and Don't use no Matter what.

Seems like your familiar with the process.

I have learned through both witnessing and experiencing if we are at the point of wanting to stop or continuing on. The results begin to rabidly increase.

If we choose not to take that pill we begin to heal and the dreams we have become our reality. If we choose to take the pill and go on those things we have feared become our reality.

Listen to that little voice telling you to stop these pills. It's the real you It wants to be clean.