Now that I'm finally clean from hydrocodone (day 75 today!), I know I don't ever want to go down that road again. But what do people do if they break a bone or need surgery? How do you manage pain if you really don't want to have to go through dependency and withdrawal again? Did this happen to anyone? What did you do? Maybe I'm overthinking it, but I want to have a game plan in place in case that happens.
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H&R Moderators: streaM Freak
What to do about pain control if you have surgery or get injured?
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THECATINTHEHAT
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I have this issue at the moment. I have a chronically fucked right shoulder that insists on continually dislocating (five episodes last week) and is becoming more and more painful each time. I'm waiting for surgery on it at the moment, which is supposed to be very painful.
Personally I'm going to take the pain medication but keep in contact with various people and stay honest about my use of it to make sure it's not taking me down the wrong path. I don't believe that touching opiates again is a guaruntee of a trajectory back in to addiction for me personally, although I am aware that such an eventuality is a very very real possibility if I'm not extremely careful. I have no intention of putting myself through a load of extra pain than I need to be in (and this decision was the product of a discussion with my old drug worker who is a solid 12-step fellowship man), but I need to be aware of the very real danger it presents.
I think everyone needs to make their own decision, but starting by being honest about your situation with any doctor who is going to be prescribing for you is a good place to start. We kind of have a different culture here in the UK anyway. In the US I would probably have been on a contiinuous opiate script for the last 18 months simply due to the nature of my injury, whereas here in the UK the most I'm likely to be given is 30x30mg dhc a month.
Personally I'm going to take the pain medication but keep in contact with various people and stay honest about my use of it to make sure it's not taking me down the wrong path. I don't believe that touching opiates again is a guaruntee of a trajectory back in to addiction for me personally, although I am aware that such an eventuality is a very very real possibility if I'm not extremely careful. I have no intention of putting myself through a load of extra pain than I need to be in (and this decision was the product of a discussion with my old drug worker who is a solid 12-step fellowship man), but I need to be aware of the very real danger it presents.
I think everyone needs to make their own decision, but starting by being honest about your situation with any doctor who is going to be prescribing for you is a good place to start. We kind of have a different culture here in the UK anyway. In the US I would probably have been on a contiinuous opiate script for the last 18 months simply due to the nature of my injury, whereas here in the UK the most I'm likely to be given is 30x30mg dhc a month.
Rio Fantastic
Bluelighter
Thankfully I haven't had to cross this bridge, but it's been a concern of mine as well. I guess the best bet is to just be very careful from here on out?
THECATINTHEHAT
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If only it was that easy
Luckily I seem to have a relatively high pain threshold, pretty sure I've been walking around on a fractured leg for almost two months without much issue.
Luckily I seem to have a relatively high pain threshold, pretty sure I've been walking around on a fractured leg for almost two months without much issue.