Am i addicted to pain killers?!
Question: i am really scared. i hurt my back a while ago and have been on co-codamol 30/500mg tablets for the past year. i am worried that i have become addicted to them. it scares me the risks i take with them, most of the time i take more than the recommended dose. way over the recommended dose sometimes. i am scared to tell my gp, coz i am worried he my just take them off me, and scared of what i may turn to if i can have them. i just dont know who to turn to.
Answers: i am really scared. i hurt my back a while ago and have been on co-codamol 30/500mg tablets for the past year. i am worried that i have become addicted to them. it scares me the risks i take with them, most of the time i take more than the recommended dose. way over the recommended dose sometimes. i am scared to tell my gp, coz i am worried he my just take them off me, and scared of what i may turn to if i can have them. i just dont know who to turn to.
One thing you should know is that overdosing on medicine with acetaminophen (like yours) can kill you from liver failure. So you'd better stop doing this no matter why you are doing it.
Are you addicted? It depends: are you taking more than the prescribed dosage because you are in pain and the medicine isn't helping? Or is it because you like the way you feel on them? If it is because you are in pain, you are not addicted, you are just not getting enough pain relief. If this is the case, tell your doctor that you need something stronger because this isn't helping much. You may need a pain specialist because GPs can be terrible about giving pain pills. In fact, a pain doctor may be a good idea anyhow. They usually have a bag of tricks they can try.
Very few people who take pills for chronic pain get addicted--it's a tiny percentage. Having withdrawals does NOT mean you are addicted! It's just your body is used to a it. Likewise, needing more isn't necessarily a sign of addiction. Addiction is the psychological desire for a drug. This is new thinking for most people, but there has been tons of new research into pain and pain treatment in the last few years. I used to have to take massive amounts of both morphine and methadone due to an extremely debilitating form of arthritis (ankylosing spondylitis). I was never addicted--never was high. I tapered off them easily once my disease was under control.
Now, if it *is* because you get high, then you need to talk to your doctor honestly. Don't be ashamed. Either way, do talk to your GP about this.
try a detox clinic, they will help you come off them safely.
Are you still in pain with your back?
If so the painkillers are only masking the problem, if not you should try cutting back on them slowly.
If you really are still in pain you need to get back to the doctor - not just keep popping tablets that really are only meant to disguise the problem and reduce minor inflamation.
It sounds like there is definitely a dependency issue - if you want to come off of them, and if there is no medical reason to continue taking them, you could try to taper yourself off by gradually reducing the amount you take every day until you don't require them anymore. For instance, if you are taking 6 a day now, try 5.5 for a couple of days, then 5, then 4.5, etc. Alternatively, talk to your doctor about it, he may be sympathetic and could direct you to someone who treats narcotic dependency. It's more common than you think and you can definitely find the help and support you need. Best of luck.
If you've been taking them for a YEAR, then yes you are addicted. Talk to a doctor.
If you are this concerned about your addiction you definitely need to seek treatment. Maybe not from your doctor but from a rehab clinic or other facility that will allow you to keep your privacy intact. Good luck!
you might need somthing stronger....if your scared speak to a pharmacist ..they may help you.....
Try taking the right a mount for a few days and see how it goes. IF YOU STILL NEED MORE THAN YOU ARE SUPPOSE TO TAKE. I WOULD SAY YES. TELL YOUR DOCTOR i DON'T THINK HE'LL CUT YOU OFF, JUST LOWER YOUR DOSE. yOU SHOULD TELL YOR GP IF YOU ARE REALLY TRYING TO GET OF THE HIGH DOSE.
Don't be afraid to talk about this with your Dr.
He/She will NOT just make you quit cold-turkey, but lower your dose little by little and help you get off of them.
Good for you for realizing you have this problem and are ready to get clean again! Good luck!
I see some "Red Flags" in your question.
The biggie is you take more then prescribed.
Who keeps giving you the refills?
I understand about not sharing this info with your doctor.
You have to decide: Be addicted or Not be addicted???
I hope your GP has more sense then to make you go cold turkey.
I have been addicted to Valium. It was hard, I am glad I got off!!!
by law i believe it is illegal for a prescribing doctor to just stop your addictive medication. You could die from cold turkey or become a street drug buyer which the govt does not want.You probably could have a case for malpractice at least in the USA but your use of the word GP leads me to think you may be in the UK where laws are different.You are gonna have to slow down and suffer a little until you can catch up to the amount of pills you should have.If you are addicted to an amount greater than prescribed then you have to come up with some story like they were lost,stolen or the dog ate them.But lets face it youre a script drug addict like millions of others.If one is good then five will be better.They are supposed to make pain livable not be your private, legal inexpensive stash
its not abnormal to be addicted to pain killers, even if its just nerophen or paracetamol.
Any doctor worth thier qualifications wont just stop anything, they will work with you to wean you off them and if you need any additional help will help wherever possible, be it councelling, other medications for the side effects or regular checkups to see how your copeing.
If you speak to your doctor about this and he/she does just stop them you are within your rights to comlain and see a different doctor.
Any addiction or dependancy to any type of drug is a serious condition, if your doctor is sensible he will realise that you can just as easily go on the net and get some replacements, putting you at risk of taking something fake and even harmful but also putting him and his position in jepoardy as he didnt assist you comming off the drug like he should have done.
You are going straight in the dangerous path
These are some helps for permanent cure
Yoga, meditation, Pilate
Breathing exercises
Tapping technique and EFT
Affirmations and Self Hypnosis or Self Talk.
Reading good books like