Hello everyone. I was been diagnosed with FM (Fibromyalgia), in August of 2011. When it first hit me in June, it hit me bad!! I wasn't able to use my arms for about mid July because I was in excruciating pain and the fatigue from even attempting to use them was awful. My doctor started me on Norco 5/325 once every 6 hrs. By December I was taking 10/325 2 pills every 4 hrs. Feburary I was given Percocet 5/325 every 6hrs. Now I'm on 10/325 2 pills every 6 hrs. Now this is what my prescriptions were written for, it doesn't mean I took them exactly as they were prescribed. What I mean to say is, on the days I felt great, I would wanna run around and live life as I once had and would forget all about taking the meds, cuz there was no need for them. To this day I do that. I have a high tolerance for pain meds and that's the reason my doctor kept increasing my medication. I'm at the point now that she doesn't wanna give me Oxy so she added Tramadol ER 200 2x's a day. I take one every morning and right at bedtime, being aware not to take them to close together. FM gives u UNBELIEVEABLE INSOMIA!! As on this moment I've been up for 3 days with only 6 hrs of sleep between them. Not to mention the pills don't give u sweet dreams, more like WTH am I dreaming about this kinda dreams. Its restless sleep so its better at times to just stay awake till I crash. Please know that yes I am aware of how dangerous that is but when u have a husband and son who are high functioning autistic, a partially deaf older son and a disabled mother who depends on u cuz I'm the only child, sometimes, actually most of the time, when I want to sleep I just CAN'T. Well looks like I've gone on a tangit here (sorry about my spelling I'm sleep deprived and too lazy at the moment to look up words LOL). Back to why I'm here... My doctor has assured me that as long as I'm not taking the meds for emotional purposes that I'm not an addict. I have called her crying becuz I was sick from withdrawels, at the time I didn't know that's what it was, cuz I was hot and sweaty then cold and sweaty and dry heaving, wanting to scream so loud and throw things, constantly needing to move my body, wanting to run, jump, pace bending my back to move and it made me feel like I was crazy!!! Once I took my pain meds cuz my body at that point was killing me from my FM and the body aches, everything went away. I cried becuz I realized at that moment I was physically dependent on the meds. I told my doc and she assured me there is a difference between being emotionally dependent as opposed to being physically dependent, but I'm having a hard time seeing the differece. All I know is that 30 minutes ago, I took my pills cuz I'd been off them for about 10hrs and I was trying to control myself from screaming at my husband to hurry and give me water so I can drink them to make the sickness go away. All I kept seeing was myself hitting him, scratching his eyes out for not hurrying, thinking he's taking long on purpose to torture me!!! I felt like I was going to lose all control just to try and get reliefe from being sick. If that's not called being an addict to percocets, then what is? I feel completely defenceless to these pills and the withdrawels they give me. My husband and kids are my life!! I would die for them, but the thought of hurting my husband just to avoid the pain and fear of being sick makes me feel that I need help. My friends have said I need to ask to go to a pain management clinic to learn to deal without the meds. It sounds great! But I'm scared of the withdrawels!!! Help please. I need advice or even just a comforting word from someone who is in my shoes!!
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I am so sorry to hear about this. It is saddening to hear that such a caring person is suffering so much as a result of medication.
Pain clinics will often prescribe methadone, which has a very long elimination time in the body. This helps to prevent WD compared to shorter acting drugs such as Percocet (oxycodone). However, from what I have read, methadone WD's can be very, very bad.
Your body and mind have adjusted to the semi-synthetic opiates oxycodone and hydrocodone. The opiate receptors in your brain, when activated reduce the sensation of pain and often cause euphoria (a sense of well-being). By eating artificial opiates you have repeatedly activated the REWARD CENTER of your brain. So when you stop taking them, your brain experiences an enormous deficit of feel-good chemicals. It short-circuits.
MY SUGGESTION: Taper off of the drugs you are already addicted to (try to stay away from methadone). Tell your doctor you want to cut down, slowly. You need to take the same amount, at the same time each day. Taking "as-needed" has obviously not worked. Get down to a reasonable dose and go from there.
When (you can do it!) you've made it that far, try sticking to Tylenol and or Ibuprofen as needed. Have you tried Nalproxen? Save the opiates as long as possible for a BAD day. The less opiates you take, the more effective they will be when you need them.
Also remember, FM should not be exclusively treated with painkillers. Diet, physical therepy, and lifestyle changes are all part of the process of adapting to a life of FM.
You were strong enough to post here, you are strong enough to get through this. One step at a time.
Best of luck.
/E
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