Suboxone And Pain

Hi Everyone: Yes, I am new to this site. I have been on Vicodin for over 8 years since being diagnosed with MS and now on Percocets as well on and off for a year. I also have Fibromylgia as well. Fun, I know... Just the type of gal you would want to hang out with...

My body constantly has pain and this is the main reason why I started using pain pills to begin with in the beginning of my journey.

I am just so tired now of it constantly running through my mind of how many pills I have left and what doctor I will run to in order to get my next refill? I am tired of it running my life.

I finally fessed up and told my husband about it last Monday. He actually had no clue that I was on so many pills a day i.e., 10-12 Vicodins. He is very supportive and has tried weaning me off this week, which was pure hell. Tonight, since I no longer have any more vicodins and/or percs I used Toradal that I have and am thinking about darvocet that I had left over from awhile ago.

Anyway, this coming Monday I have an appointment with a doctor to discuss Suboxone. The only thing that frightens me is that I am affraid I will have all of my pain from my illness again. I don't want to feel the pain of the MS and Fibromyalgia...

Can someone PLEASE HELP and give me some guidance and imput, PLEASE? Should I start the Suboxone or No? I am so confused...

Right now EVERY SINGLE BONE in my body is killing me! I can't handle it.

Thank you and I look forward to hearing from each of you. You can even email me at Greatmommy36@aol.com
Hi and welcome!
It's really hard to give advise when it comes to pain and addiction. A lot of people say that once they get off of everything their pain becomes tolerable.
For others, that is not the case.
I guess the only way you'll know is to get clean and see how you feel after awhile.
Have you spoken to your doctor and if so, what does he advise?
Some that have no alternative but to take meds chose a patch to avoid having to deal with pills but go on the lowest dose possible.
I take Nuerontin and occasionally non narcotic pain patches.
xxxoooo
Hi TAS, and welcome to the board.

I have chronic pain issues, and was abusing 20 vic's a day at the end of my run. I can honestly say, that narcotics never made my pain any more bearable then what 800mg of Ibuprofen could do. There are days that simple things like picking up a cup of coffee seem impossible. I can't judge another person's pain threshold, we're all different, but I will say this. If your running to different doctors, and getting narc's from them, then your headed for trouble. It's called doctor shopping and is illegal. Sooner or later you will get caught, we can't keep up the the gig forever. Not only that but your body will continue to build a tolerance, and soon it will be 30 a day, then 40. You can't feed this kind of addiction, sooner or later we all run out of pills or money. That is when the desperation sets in, and things that we never dreamed we would do, we do.

Sub may very well be a viable option for you. However, you need to be honest with the doctor and tell him that you not only have pain issues, but you abuse your meds. Taking more then perscribed, is abuse. Its nothing to be ashamed of either. Take a look around this message board, we're not the "sterotypic" drug addict you see on tv. We're moms, dads, business owners, and great employees that got in trouble with opiates. Your problem will not go away just by taking sub. You need a recovery program to go along with it.

Good luck, and keep posting. There is a wealth of knowledge on this board, and some very wise people.

Michelle
Hey TAS:

Welcome!
I also had pain really bad - fibro and osteoarthritis - don't know if the pain stopped when I stopped the pps or if the neurontin workes this well for me.
I take 800 twice a day. As of yet - no side effects - just a note: I have heard that neurontin does have side effects but I won't even read the website or leaflet on them. I have so little pain now I don't ever mention it.
I took the pps (lortabs) for at least 11 yrs starting at 1 a wk and taking as many as 25 in a day near the end. I am thankful that I am still here. When I think about all of the pills I've taken - it's kinda hard to believe.

Michelle: You make me feel better - I still sometimes think I'm an awful person for all the things I put my family thru - I try to think that they are happy b/c I am clean and MYSELF now but as usual it's that I can forgive e'one else but not myself so much. I will keep telling myself that we are e'day mothers, fathers etc who have this disease that we didn't choose.

TAS: I do feel so much better now - body and mind - I read your post on
"a beautiful morning" and you sound so happy. I promise it can be like that most of the time.
I think so much of starting the pills was that I shouldn't have to feel any pain and e'day would be wonderful so I could get e'thing done - that instant gratification - Now I don't feel great e'day but the next day I will feel really good. I do try to get out the door and walk my puppies - that always brightens me up - I talk to neighbors who are out - I never did that before - I guess I felt they knew what I was doing.
I remember waking up in the morning and wanting to go back to bed - I'm an empty nester now and could do that - isolated myself really bad - now I go to sleep at night thinking about what I can do the next day. I used to think about how long I would live all of the time - now I feel like I have years and years to go.

Good luck - keep posting - IT HELPS!
Becky
Thank you Becky Jean, your imput truly helps very much.
Thank you Becky Jean!

I get so irritated with the "sterotypes" that are given to drug addicts. Do they actually think we woke up one day and said "Gee, I think I want to be a drug addict when I grow up". I think most of us on this board are good people, that made some bad choices. For whatever reasons, some of us chose drugs as a coping mechanism, and some wanted an escape. We all have our reasons, and none of them are good ones, but it is what it is. Your a good person Becky Jean, don't ever let anyone tell you any different. I can think of many unsavory things that were done by people I know who never did drugs at all. What's their excuse. LOL Kidding. Well not really. LOL

Michelle
Michelle: I agree w/you big time. My gosh, not making excuses but I do not think that any of us decided that "WOW, I've got it! Let be drug addicts". I just feel that it is so easy for people to judge others. I feel that they are very shallow if one must do this. I know that I am a wonderful person... I just ended up with an illness that constantly caused pain and was only trying to help myself function to raise a little boy. Two weeks after I had my son I was diagnosed with MS. Most people would have jumped off a darn bridge. Look! If one is talking about us they are leaving someone else alone. I really don't care honestly! No one should never say NEVER! Agree.
Hi TAS,

Welcome to our little community!

I feel for you...OMG...reading your post brought me back instantly to those "feelings". I never again want to feel that way....I am scared $hitless. I swear it's what keeps me sober and working towards recovery. I will never be recovered but god willing...I will always be in recovery!

I am on suboxone...quite simply....it was the only answer for me. I know that I didn't have any options left and the WD and sickness that comes with it is intolerable for me. I have no threshold at all for pain.

I do not live with chronic pain. I started taking pills because of menstrual cramps....how ridiculous is that. Cramps! How weak is that?? Then I loved the escape I got from my life. I had so many issues in my life at that time and those pills helped me deal. Well I thought they did. I was making a deal with the devil.....I never would have believed that my life would take the left turn that it did.

I don't know what I would do if I had to deal with pain. I would maybe be dead. I am not being overly dramatic...but honest. I have mad respect for those that deal with chronic pain and are addicted to pain killers. What amazingly strong people you are.

I would seek professional help no matter what. Get a few opinions on how to deal with your issues. Definitely seek out an addiction specialist. I don't know if I would exactly recommend sub to anyone. For me it worked and I am thankful for that. I am now faced with getting off of it. While it is no where near the problem pain pills were. I still hate being dependant on any med.

Get advice from a few professionals and weigh all your options. You are taking control of your life's path now and that is the most important thing. You may be a good candidate for suboxone. It slowed me down long enough o listen and accept another way of life. My brain was a mess. Still is....LOL...but not in chemically induced way anymore. I am healing and making good choices...I couldn't get clean and sober long enough before to make the simplest decision before.

Sub has it's place...it is good and it is not so good. What may work for me may not for you. But you know this already. I wish you nothing but sobriety!

Welcome....thanks for sharing and please don't stop!

Thank you KeeKee for the encouraging words. Today is another day that I am clean and I am happy. It's weird to be thinking with a "clear" head. lol. Yes, while being the pain pills it helped "or atleast I thought" it helped me handle everyday better. Little did I realize that I was in for a serious rude awakening, one like no other!!! I just thank God for grabbing me when He did... I should have been dead. I can't actually believe that I am still here! Wow! Today, actually I woke up with a migraine and said to myself NO WAY IN HELL to the little demon in my head.... Then I took two REGULAR TYLENOL. Wow, never thought I would do that after all of these years. I am going to try and keep a P.M.A. which means Positive, Mental, Attitude. Keep praying for me and I of course will do the same for you.
I've been clean almost two months now and down to 4 mgs of sub a day after 6 years of being on 160 mgs of oxycontin that lead to Heroin and methadone depenance with a nasty benzo addiction. I also started the cots for chronic pain and have reduced down to just Ibuprofen. It's tough but possible. I don't want to sound conceded but god knows if I can stop opes anyone can. Good luck to ya, it's a hard road there, but possible if you really want to stop.

I think people get put on too much suboxone. I'd be rollin on 20 mgs of sub a day, but that's not the point. Do you take Ibuprofen? If you have real pain and on the subs you will. Ibuprofen is a wonder OTC pill if you want it to be. Like I said good luck to ya, you're not the only one in that situation and support is out there if you look properly.
Young,

Its funny you mentioned that about Ibuprofen. I used to turn my nose up at it, whenever anyone suggested taking it for pain. Well, since I can't take opiates anymore I tried it. It's great. 800mg will take care of any pain I have and bring it to a very managable level. I think were programmed to think we need something stronger, when in reality most of us can get by with Advil. Most not all.

Congrats on your two months! Thats huge!

Michelle
Thank you, I look much better. Which OTC pill and brand do you think works best. Tylenol or Ibuprofen. Both seem to work good for me but I take more Ibuprofen bc of how toxic tylenol can be on the liver.
Hey Young,

I take Ibuprofen, and I buy the great big bottles of it from Costco. I think you get like 500 for less then what you pay for 40 if you buy the brand name.
I don't take Tylenol, and to be honest, it never really did help much with my pain. It seems to work okay for a headache, but other then that I don't use it. I don't even give it my kids, ibuprofen has always worked so much better as a fever reducer with them. I have to take the ibuprofen every day, so I would rather not risk the liver issues that go along with Tylenol. I think the ibuprofen can cause stomach bleeding and ulcers, but so far I've been able to tolerate it with no ill effects. Aleve/Naproxin works very well too, but I have found you have to take that a few days before actually seeing a big improvement. I have rheumatoid arthritis, so I need something that works quickly.

Michelle
I do exactly the same. I'm only 25 and it feels like every joint in my body is being attacked. Somethings wrong but I don't know where to start.
Young,

You can go to your regular doctor and have some blood work done. It's just a simple blood test that can look for things like RA, lupus. My symptoms are swollen painful joints, and with RA, the longer it goes untreated, the more joint damage is done. I would go to the doctor ASAP and get a blood test done. It could be something very minor too. Good luck and I hope you feel better soon.


Michellle
Thx. It's not something minor though, I wish it was but I know better. I've put an uncanny amount of abuse on my body physically. The ankles, knees, entire spine, and hands tormeant me all day non-stop. The cold weather makes it real bad. The hands has to be the worst. I think you allready know. I need to get some testing done but have no insurance at the moment.
Young,

I'm sorry that you don't have insurance. Can you go to a clinic or maybe work out a payment plan with your doctor? I know that some of the pharmaceutical companys pay for medication for RA paitents who can't afford to buy their medication, and you don't even know for sure if thats what you have. You really should try and find a way to get to the doctor. I'm sure you know your body well enough to know whether this is something serious or not. Pain is not normal, and your body is trying to tell you something. Good luck and I hope you can get to the doctor soon.

Michelle
Since being clean this week, I actually have discoverd that the Lyrica that my doctor gives me for my Fibromyaglia and the 800 mg IB that my Neurologist gives me for my Multiple Sclerosis has helped me tremondously! I am shocked and so happy at the same time. It is wonderful to be clean and have little pain. God saved me in time and I am so happy! I am so excited to know that YES, normal meds will work for me.
Good for you TAS, I'm glad that the over counter stuff is working. Whodathunkit? LOL I remember saying "That s*** doesn't work". I guess they wouldn't sell it, if it didn't. What a concept, they sell stuff over the counter for pain. LOL Keep up the good work, your doing great.

Michelle
Hi Paleogal: Really, LOL, when my husband first said to me... Why don't you try something over the counter a while back, I laughed out loud and asked him what planet he was living on... lol Yes, it is refreshing to see that it is helping. I am just going to try my hardest to NOT forget the horrible detox that I had to go through going "cold turkey". My gosh, it was horrible! I wouldn't wish that on anyone!!!