How do you keep yourself "In Check" with perscription drugs???

[Opiatesrarely]

I only do opiates a few times a month or less. easy as that.

 

[Cane2theLeft]

Can somebody explain the difference between addicted and dependent? Don't they both end the same way? Horrible w/d? Word play to rationalize? Just curious.

There is actually quite a large difference between addiction and physical dependence although they are related. I have seen examples similar to the ones below a number of times from doctors, pharmacists and other chronic pain patients so I chose them as fair and representative. When I first had pain issues I thought if I continued to take painkillers that addiction was an inevitability but that is tolerance, not addiction.

This is from the website the angry pharmacist:

Addiction is NOT the same as Dependence. People associate withdrawal symptoms with addiction. Fact of the matter is, it appears with both. Example:

Patient is on a beta-blocker for years and years. You take away the beta-blocker and guess what, they patient goes through withdrawals (higher heart rate, higher blood pressure, etc).

Patient is on Fentanyl patches for chronic pain. You take away the patch, and bingo, withdrawals.

Patient is on avandia and you take it away because you're dumb and think its going to suddenly kill the patient. Guess what, withdrawals (higher blood sugar).

Withdrawals is the body's natural response to a sudden change in receptor block/activation. If I dump 500mg of atenolol into someone, they are going to have (among other things) a very abrupt reaction. Because I am not withholding medication, its not really withdrawals, but it illustrates the same principle.

Now lets look at Addiction. The basic difference between the two is mostly psychological. Why are they taking it? Are they taking it for a euphoric effect or are they taking it so they can live a decent quality of life with a broken back/cancer pain/whatever. SOURCE

I have been using opiates and other medication for chronic pain for 3 years and I am not addicted. I have physical dependence but instead of the drugs interfering with my professional, social and educational lives; they allow me to live. If I stopped abruptly I would have withdrawal symptoms, but I have never had any sort of craving when I did.

Sorry if this was a bit long, I see confusion on this topic a lot and thought it deserved clarification.

 

[stringtheory]

Good post Cane. That should certainly make things very clear to anyone with a functioning brain that is capable of following basic logic. It is unfortunate how small that group seems to be however. Sigh.

 

[LightTrailz]

There is actually quite a large difference between addiction and physical dependence although they are related. I have seen examples similar to the ones below a number of times from doctors, pharmacists and other chronic pain patients so I chose them as fair and representative. When I first had pain issues I thought if I continued to take painkillers that addiction was an inevitability but that is tolerance, not addiction.

This is from the website the angry pharmacist:



I have been using opiates and other medication for chronic pain for 3 years and I am not addicted. I have physical dependence but instead of the drugs interfering with my professional, social and educational lives; they allow me to live. If I stopped abruptly I would have withdrawal symptoms, but I have never had any sort of craving when I did.

Sorry if this was a bit long, I see confusion on this topic a lot and thought it deserved clarification.

Got that shit locked in ... word borther..

 

[TwistedReality]

I can't keep myself in check. I kept going through my prescribed 60 mg klonopin a month so fast it was making me suicidal, so I made the decision to stop getting them and look into some antidepressants soon for anxiety AND depression.

 

[John_Burrows]

My problem is that my doc keeps giving me scripts for basically all the dilaudid I can eat.

6 months ago I started tapering off because I was running out and just assumed the doc wasn't going to refill me without proof that I was in agony. Well, much to my surprise, he offered to refill me without me really even asking - I just said (the truth) that every now and then my back pain would flare up.

But instead of giving me just enough pills to deal with ocassional flare ups, he sends me home with 180 pills (the max insurance will allow per perscription).

Well, with that many pills, who needs to taper down?? So I kept using every day, and every month he still refills me for 180 8mg pills. Insane. I asked him if it's dangerous to take dilaudid every day, and I even asked if I should worry about getting addicted; he basically told me not to worry and doesn't bat an eyelash and giving me refills.

So as much as I'd like to stop using, it's hard not to take advantage of this very unique situation...

 

[Suboxone]

have someone else manage your pills, that's what i did. my dad holds on to my pills now, it works!

 

[Serious]

Well I'm not prescribed anything but I have an OC piggy bank. I collect change in there and when I save up $40, that's the only time I'll buy an 80 for myself.

This way my tolerance stays low, I don't spend all my money on it and don't become addicted.

 

[SoulFree]

I don't get any narcotics prescribed anymore. Anything fun I got from legal opiates, benzos, etc... ended. I just ate them all with no good thoughts of saving anything. Long story short, pharms don't work for me anymore. I went into the hospital and they had to put me on legal lethal doses of Fentanyl, Valium, and Nimbex all constant IV to sedate me. Yeah I'm fucked I know. So just Take As Prescribed.

 

[drewskie]

I wish I had the will power to develop a system so I can keep my tolerance in check. I am going to have to start doing it at least once a month for 3 or 4 days due to drug screening, it might actually be a good thing. not really

 

[DangerChamber]

Usually i run out of money before it goes on too long.

 

[SimplyOwnage]

I only do em if they're cheap and I feel like feeling great.
Other than that I really have no addictive personality. Haven't had an opiate yet but who knows.