Pain following heroin, meth and benzo abuse

[Warren25]

I have a stinging/pins and needles type pain in my legs and constant anxiety. I was detoxed and have already gone through the process of withdrawal. I am in recovery with about a month clean.

This seems like nerve damage. It's mostly physical pain but causes great discomfort and anxiety. It makes me want to use again to get rid of the pain that is so distracting.

My requests are:

• What can be the cause considering the substances I abused?
• If this has happened to you, how did you resolve it?
• What non-addictive, EFFECTIVE medication can I take?

*** I understand that I can't demand of you professional advice. I am seeing a psychiatrist on Monday regarding this. I'm asking that you furnish me with enough information for it to be an informed session that can help me.

Too often psychiatrists don't have the experience addicts do about where pain like this can come from and how to solve it. Please go out on a limb and put forth your suggestions. It will be relayed to a professional so don't worry that I would take advice and attempt to self-medicate. Please feel free to share as much as possible to help me stay clean.

 

[Nurse Ratched]

I responded on your other thread about vyvance. Is 25 your age?

Heroin, meth and benzo abuse could have done anything to your body. The anxiety is probably from being clean and having to face daily life sober. That's enough to make anybody anxious. How did you ingest the meth and heroin? IV....snort?

If you can take Lyrica without abusing it , it may clear up the pins and needles. Lyrica also does wonders for anxiety. But is is very abusable and WD's suck. If your MD and Psych Dr. know about past abuse they will probably only throw SSRI's at you. The good stuff that helps like adderall, klonopin, and pain killers get sidestepped with us users.

Best thing to do is go in with an open mind and try and be as honest and reasonable as you can.

There is no non addictive med that will really help once we are used to the good stuff. Some get relief from SSRI's.....most don't.

This is why everyone self medicates. The good stuff is out of our reach because of our past addictions and behaviors and the stuff the Dr. wants to give us isn't good enough.

 

[Warren25]

Thank you so much. I'm 34. I was snorting all 3 and smoking meth once the nose bleeds began.

The best I can think to propose is Gabapentin and beta blockers. I have no experience with Lyrica but it sounds effective and I will suggest it. The anxiety is coming from not knowing how to kill this pain. I tried Stresam, Valerian Root, Aspirin and Norflex.

I've tried therapeutic approaches such as exercise, sufficient sleep and stretching along with Arnica gel but the pain simply resumes about an hour after all of it.

I'd like to ask for more input please. It is difficult to have a positive demeanour in recovery while arrested by physical pain as distracting as this.

 

[Snafu in the Void]

The pain is specifically only in your legs?

I'm assuming you've already spoken to a doctor about this? What did they say? (by doctor I mean a physician not a shrink)

When did this pain start? What is your general health like? Blood pressure/Blood sugar issues?

 

[Warren25]

Yes it is specifically in my legs. I have not yet spoken to a physician. I am seeing a psychiatrist about it. I have not done blood sugar tests but will get my blood pressure done.

 

[Warren25]

The pain started about two weeks ago

 

[Nurse Ratched]

Pain is an individual thing and a psych Dr. won't care about your pain. He will refer you to an MD. He only wants to treat any mental health issues.

Ibuprofen, cold packs, plain aspirin, aleve, tylenol. All this will help if the pain isn't too severe. Can't hurt to try these. You don't have anything else right now anyway.

Yeah gabapentin, or preferably Lyrica ( for me anyway ) will clear up anxiety and neuropathy bingo bango.

If pain gets real bad, an MD is your only option. Hopefully your brain pain isn't as bad.

Good luck with the psych Dr.