Need Advice and Support

[singacquiesce]

swim has been taking prescription pain pills (percocet, vicodin, ect) for a little over a year now. it was a very nonchalant, recreational thing swim was doing at the beginning. swim used to smoke mj for recreation, mainly to relax, forget about problems, and listen to music. after some time, swim learned his anxiety problem and mj did not mix well together. swim found himself "bugging out" and feeling the total opposite of relaxed when he smoked weed. swim turned to pain killers to get him a high that enabled him to be in control, function normally, and over all feel great. anyone who's done this drug knows the side effects and why it can be addicting.

at this point in time, swim takes 10-20mg of these pills about 3 times a week on average. this is quite different from the old swim about two years ago, the occasional pot smoker and weekend drinker. now pills are consuming him, he feels. not to mention how much money has been wasted on this. adderall is always around, and swim has started taking that on a regular basis too, as "needed". the habit of popping pills is too familiar to swims body. to make a long story short.. swim has changed. he looks himself in the mirror now and asks what he's become, and what he's going to turn into. it's just hard though, because swim feels great when he is on this drug, but at the same time, the high is diminished when swim thinks about how bad this is for his body and his future. he's started down a road that could lead to very bad things and he wants to stop.

the goal is to stop painkillers entirely. just to drink now and again with friends. swim feels that setting a goal might make it that much harder to accomplish. swim always wants what he can't have. if any one has any thing worthwhile to say, swim would greatly appreciate it.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Thanks for sharing your story

[AvidFan]

Welcome to the forum and well done for coming here.

Unfortunately, setting a goal is the only way to achieve it! Why not try an achievable goal? Think in small steps, small goals, which will eventually lead to the ultimate goal (thinking about getting to ultimate goal with a snap of the fingers can be a daunting prospect) Think long and hard about what SWIY wants out of this, set the goal, and try to do it.

Some people make it first time, others make mistakes. Patient X here fucked up again, and again, and again, and again, but picked up knowledge along the way that eventually seems to have led to success. Rokman Nash, god bless his soul, did it first time round. Both are now over a month free of fucking pain pills/heroin/other shit. Try to see it not as giving up the pills, but gaining freedom.

Post more here as SWIY goes along, plenty of info and support to be found here.

Good luck

Reputation Comments on this post:

	great advice AvidFan...Helping others out is a great thing to do!
	A helpful and encouraging answer

[davepsycho]

Realistically, a drug is a drug is a drug. What needs to be done, in MHO, is all substances, chemicals, drugs, drinks etc, need to be replaced with realistic and usable coping skills. Rather than mask the emotions and feelings with a chemical, Swiy needs to race the issues head on, not head off. Swiy needs to stop running and hiding from life and it's problems. The brain is able produce any and all chemicals needed to calm, elate, excite, sharpen, and intensify. When a person uses another substance, rather than rely on his or her own internal chemistry, problems will inevitably arise. Whether those problems are mental, physical, legal or financial. "Accept the things we cannot change, Courage to change the things we can, and the wisdom to know the difference...."

[singacquiesce]

it's been sixteen days since swim has taken any sort of opiate pill. there have been a few instances (some provoked by friends other cravings, some provoked by swim's own urges) where swim wanted that high. throughout this time span, swim has been fighting an awful head cold due to the cold weather. a lot of swims sinus problem spans from stress he is told, as is his chronic neck and back pain. swim's next goal is to exercise. he has been slowly working himself back into a routine. despite the urges, swim has kept the pills away from him.

[rokman nash]

Congrats and keep fighting it will get easier with each passing day.My friend is almost 2 months from all opiates and it gets better every day.


good thoughts

[singacquiesce]

SWIM has been clean for weeks from painkillers. But, the other night he was offered a 30 mg roxy and couldn't resist. SWIM took 1/3 it via the nostril. SWIM does not usually snort anything but recently hanging out with some friends who blow oxy all the time, SWIM thought he'd see what all the hype was about. SWIM got the normal high he usually got. The next day, SWIM was blowing out chunks of bloody mucus in the shower. He also developed a headache midway through the afternoon. The head ache is on the top of the bridge of SWIM's nose and on top of his right eyebrow, the same side as where SWIM blew the roxy.

SWIM knows this was a stupid idea and regrets it very much so. After having this pain for 2 1/2 days, SWIM decided to take another 10mg of the roxy orally today. The pain in swims head is constant. He is hoping it will go away soon. After having one beer tonight and feeling exhausted all afternoon, SWIM feels like total s*** right now. SWIM is drinking water and plans to go to sleep soon. Can anyone provide SWIM with some kind of advice (not for next time, but for right now). SWIM will never blow anything ever again. Nor is SWIM trying to do painkillers either. This has been a struggle. Thanks for the support.

[pinksox]

Has SWIY had any fever with any of this? It sounds like SWIY may be having a frontal sinus issue...most likely from infection or damage secondary to insufflating pressure or a lesion. If a fever is present, SWIY will probably need some antibiotics(from a doc, not borrowed or old) to clear it up. If SWIY's headache doesn't get better soon or if it suddenly becomes much worse, SWIY should probably also seek medical attention.

Has SWIY tried Motrin/Ibuprofen to help SWIY's headache?

[singacquiesce]

Originally Posted by pinksox

Has SWIY had any fever with any of this? It sounds like SWIY may be having a frontal sinus issue...most likely from infection or damage secondary to insufflating pressure or a lesion. If a fever is present, SWIY will probably need some antibiotics(from a doc, not borrowed or old) to clear it up. If SWIY's headache doesn't get better soon or if it suddenly becomes much worse, SWIY should probably also seek medical attention.

Has SWIY tried Motrin/Ibuprofen to help SWIY's headache?

Yes, SWIM has a had a bit of a fever. I wonder if there is any way to explain this to a doctor why SWIM needs antibiotics.. SWIM will go to the doctor tomorrow or the next. SWIM has advil but can get motrin if need be.

[pinksox]

People get sinus infections all the time for all sort of reasons. SWIY's recent history--not feeling well, one-sided pain above the eyebrow, bloody mucous, headache, and fever should lead SWIY's doc to the same conclusion--SWIM doesn't think SWIY really need relate the likely culprit.

BTW, Advil and Motrin are both brand names for Ibuprofen. SWIY could try some for your headache until they can get to a doc--hopefully tomorrow if SWIM has a fever as infections usually get worse, not better without antibiotics. In the meantime, a little Ibu certainly won't make your headache any worse.

[singacquiesce]

Originally Posted by pinksox

People get sinus infections all the time for all sort of reasons. SWIY's recent history--not feeling well, one-sided pain above the eyebrow, bloody mucous, headache, and fever should lead SWIY's doc to the same conclusion--SWIM doesn't think SWIY really need relate the likely culprit.

BTW, Advil and Motrin are both brand names for Ibuprofen. SWIY could try some for your headache until they can get to a doc--hopefully tomorrow if SWIM has a fever as infections usually get worse, not better without antibiotics. In the meantime, a little Ibu certainly won't make your headache any worse.

the ibuprofen helped SWIM a lot. He woke up without the fever or headache. If these feelings of unpleasantness return, SWIM will consult his physician. Thank SWIY

[pinksox]

Glad to hear SWIY is feeling better

[singacquiesce]

Originally Posted by betsym

10-20mg of these pills 3 times a week- does swiy mean 1-2 10mg pills 3 times a week? Or does he mean 10 doses of 2 10mg pills?Swim takes about 3 10mg Lortabs a day for chronic pain but cycles off and on her pain meds to keep tolerance low and avoid major issues other than the ones she's already dealing with. She is also on Adderall, 5mg doses, for her ADHD. She only takes them 3-4 times a week to prevent tolerance.If swiy thinks setting a goal will prevent success then simply think of it as getting "control" so swiy can keep in charge of IT instead of the other way around. It CAN be done. The pills don't allow swim to do anything he couldn't do just as well himself. Swim just gets pain relief from her meds which is enough of a "high" for anyone who knows what disc disease can be like. Since swiy already is aware that his use could possibly get out of hand, and is taking steps to prevent it, he has already started on the right path. Feel good about that. Some never even become aware until it too late and they are in over their heads. Keep us posted on swiy's progress.

thank swiy for the support. to clarify, swim takes 1-2 10mg percocet pills about 3 times a week on average. swim knows that he caught on to this early on and he's thankful that he did so. if swim wasn't so neurotic he probably wouldn't be so worried about this. just the habit of popping a pill to either forget about problems, to relax, to feel more awake (adderal) is something he wants to be able to do without. Regular, successful people don't rely on pills. swim shouldn't either.. swim will check back in a few days with hopefully some good progress made

[davepsycho]

Originally Posted by singacquiesce

thank swiy for the support. to clarify, swim takes 1-2 10mg percocet pills about 3 times a week on average. swim knows that he caught on to this early on and he's thankful that he did so. if swim wasn't so neurotic he probably wouldn't be so worried about this. just the habit of popping a pill to either forget about problems, to relax, to feel more awake (adderal) is something he wants to be able to do without. Regular, successful people don't rely on pills. swim shouldn't either.. swim will check back in a few days with hopefully some good progress made

Apparently, I have hit a nerve with some folks. I am NOT preaching, just passing on what worked for me according to the above quote. There is a big difference between taking a vitamin supplement and wondering about it's effects and taking percs and wanting to stop. If a person is worried about a possible habit developing, then different methods of "forget[ting] about problems, to relax, to feel more awake" should be considered. As stated before it's just my opinion, don't want it? Don't take it. That goes for the pills too.

[singacquiesce]

Originally Posted by betsym

Yeah, but swiy CAN pop some supplements that will do almost the same thing. There are natural energizers, anti-anxiety supplements, and mood-enhancers, all legal. What's more, these may even be good for the brain. Swim tries to supplement with some of these to be able to take less meds. Swim doesn't like the idea of popping pills, either, but vitamins are pills and swim might need them to cover whatever nutrition she might miss, lol.

what kind of supplements, energizers, and mood-enhancers do you recommend?