My first Opioid
Rocky Raab
Member Posts: 14,189 ✭✭✭✭
In the continuing saga of my back issues, the Doc prescribed Oxycontin and I took my first one of them this morning.
It will be my last.
I cannot imagine how anybody would think these drugs are pleasurable. My head is seriously messed up (I would have used the "F" word there) and nothing in my body wants to work right.
I'll stick to Tylenol, thank you. Once I get past the first hour in the morning - my pain level is 5 to 6 and the 15 feet to the toilet on arising is a trial - a couple of 650 mG tabs with some coffee as booster seem to help at least as well as the narcotic. Without the bizarre side effects.
I see a surgeon in three weeks. I know where that's going: have you ever known a surgeon to suggest NOT operating?
Thanks for all the good wishes from y'all. I'll keep you posted.
Comments
They affect people differently. For me, I don't really even notice that I've taken one. They're basically worthless for me at the dose they have been prescribed anyway. So, I haven't bothered with them.
I hope you get some relief. Back pain is awful.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
Sorry you are still having back problems. 40 years ago my back was a mess and I spent about three months on muscle relaxers. One more month and surgery would have been scheduled, but fortunately it wasn't needed. The sciatica improved and I could stand up straight without shooting pains. I've been lucky or maybe careful and have had only minor bouts since.
When I had all 4 wisdom teeth removed the dentist prescribed percodan which contained oxy. I took one and lost about 3 hours. My wife said I was watching t.v. and carrying on a normal conversation with her but I remember none of it. I flushed the rest of the pills. Like you I don't understand why anyone would like opioids. My discomfort was only temporary from the dental surgery but for those with long lasting chronic pain maybe they become a viable remedy.
Good luck with the doc and I hope he can get you some relief. Bob
Best wishes sent
Back in the day when gout was a visitor to me all too often I took the gout meds and a Hydroquone (sp?) for pain relief. I made sure I was in bed when I took it because in 10 minutes I was fast asleep. I HATE narcotic pain meds. As you have found they turned me into a zombie with sleep being number one on the side effects and muddled thoughts coming after I awoke.
Ask for Norco, way less powerful than oxy. Norcos are the only thing that has kept me ambulatory lately. Waiting for myleogram then 2nd back surgery.
Norco will just take the edge off the pain, without the "high".
P.S. I did have a surgeon state that I NEEDED back surgery in 2013, but recommended against it IF the pain meds could help. Now its just TOO far gone and painful, but i did put it off for 9 years!
Back when I was first really struggling with my own back pain, I came to this forum for some help. Former member FCD provided some good tips and I copied what he said into a word document. I just happened to stumble upon that and repost it here below hoping that it might help you too:
1. Spare no cost on getting a bed which works for YOU! This is one area where you have to be selfish. Hard works for some, and soft works for others. Keep trying until you find the one right for YOU! (sorry to say it, but screw everyone else on this topic). (In other words, this is a topic you have to be pretty firm about with the wife)
2. Take a regular sized bath towel, roll it up and lay on the bed or the floor with the towel directly under where your belt would be. If you're on the floor, just try to relax your lower back. Imagine like your hips are suspended in air and relax to the point where your hips settle down to the floor. If you do this on the bed, just place the towel in the same place and sleep that way. This is a miraculous help for back issues. So much so, I am usually pain free most days now. You don't have to do it more than a couple nights, or a couple hours if on the floor. Repeat as necessary.
3. There's an exercise which really helps also. Lay on the floor on your back. Pull your heels up to your butt. Put your arms straight out to the sides like a crucifix (you need some room for this one) (oh, and chase the dogs out of the room for this one, they love to lick your face when you do this...more on this in a second). Okay, now gently rotate your knees slightly from side to side just a little bit. Concentrate on relaxing your lower back when you do this. You want your lower back as flat on the floor as you can get it. Once you feel relaxed in your back, drop your knees all the way over to one side, keeping your lower back relaxed. Don't bounce! Just let them go as far as they can (and hold for 15-20 seconds). Don't strain, just relax. Now pull your knees back up vertical and wobble them back and forth to relax again. Then drop them all the way over to the other side and hold (15-20 seconds is good). Do this 4-5 times (or more) on each side, then bring your knees up to vertical and wobble back and forth to relax again. Then lift your arm up and roll over onto your stomach. Place your arms like you're going to do a pushup, but only push up your upper body keeping your pelvis flat on the floor. Concentrate on keeping the area right where your belt buckle would be flat on the floors. You'll feel the stretch right at your back where your belt would be in the back. Repeat this 4-5 times. Then just lay flat on your stomach and relax your back (you might be getting cramps by this point). Once relaxed, roll over on your side and stand up. Sometimes something to assist you like a chair is good. Don't be surprised if you hear some epic "POPs" and "Cracks" when you do this one...that just means it's working. Do this every day, not long, just do it...until things start feeling better. When they get bad again, start over.
These (3) things have helped me to the point where I'm upright, walking, working and doing the things I need to do every day.
Hope this helps.
There's another exercise which helps, but I don't like this one as much, but it does help. It's called the "Superman".
Lay on your stomach with your arms straight out above your head. Lift your left leg (all of it) and your right arm off the floor as high as you can (both straight). Then lower them back down. Do the same thing with your right leg and left arm. Repeat this for 10 repetitions on each side holding for about 10-15 seconds each time.
Sounds easy, but it's not. It does help strengthen the lower back muscles though.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
I'm with you, Rocky.
Had seven major surgeries between 7 and 5 years ago and opted for the Oxycontin after the first one. After a couple of days at home, I decided the pain was better than what it did to my head. At least with the pain I felt alive.
Only filled the prescriptions after the next 6 surgeries for the resale value.
Brad Steele
Rocky, My Back surgeon will tell you, I don't want to cut you, until you can't walk. I sent another member on the forums, from Utah, to see him. He couldn't thank me enough. Dr. Orion K Atlas. I know you probably don't want to travel this far though. I am fuse in 9 places, due to an accident. I now am dealing with another herniated disc and spinal stenosis. He told me to suck it up until I can no longer take the pain, which is usually a 9 during the afternoon. I have been off the Percocet's for 6 years, but now I am back on them in a very low dosage of 5mg. They do make you fuzzy ,and I can understand why you don't want to take them. They are also very addictive, that is why I only take one when I am in extreme pain, and can't sleep . He prescribes 20 pills to me, and that last for about a month. If you can do without them, do it!!!!. I hope you get better soon . Just remember, A good surgeon won't cut you unless it is totally necessary.
I just looked, and what I took was Norco.
I have a Sleep Number bed, which I have bumped up a bit and it helps. I do most of the exercises described above and am working with a physical therapist who knows his stuff.
I'm doing what the various Docs tell me to do, and just have to wait and see.
Had a procedure years ago, doc gave me oxy, Got to hurting pretty bad first night at home.
Took a dose and laid down felt like I was on a roller coaster, not for me.
Not to mention opioid will stop you up something terrible.
I got a bottle of 50 Oxycontin when I fractured my thigh bone. Wound up flushing the last 20 of 'em down the toilet.
They are some nasty stuff. People hooked on that crap are really messed up.
Prince died on an overdose of Percocet. $325 million in the bank, and he had to hog down that nasty oxycontin.
Way back when, the USAF used to pass out "GI Gin" in pint bottles as cough medicine. It was codeine. I never got much cough relief from it, and avoided it because taking it grounded you for the duration. That was my only other introduction to opioids.
I'm worse in the morning. That walk to the bathroom is a chore. I've started having a couple of extra-strength Tylenol by the bed, which I take as soon as I wake up. By the time it kicks in, I can't hold my bladder any longer and have to hobble to the toilet. Coffee seems to act like a booster to that, and I have my daily cup in bed now. By 6 or so, I'm able to at least walk.
I understand if people dont wanna take the meds but PLEASE do NOT flush them! Turn em in at a pharmacy for disposal(most likely incinerate them). Our water supply is already tainted enough with meds, just search online and read about it. It will make you sick, and you will find that "climate change" is the LEAST of our worries. 😁😲
Good point, good reminder @mike55
I have been on hydrocodien several years for arthritis pain. It takes the edge off but doesn't incapacitate me in any way . I was prescribed oxycontin for my knee surgery. It helped but again did not zone me out . Glad to know that the alternatives are working for you .
I'm on Tylenol 4 for my back.. my doctor switched me to Norco a while back..it makes you pretty loopy.. I got him to switch me back.. the Tylenol 4 mostly just makes me sleepy.. which is a good thing..
May I suggest
Real "shine" is even better. Smooth as silk and knocks you right out.
They're an acquired taste
Like jimdeere said, hydrocodone will stop you up like a 2 pound cork! I had to take a few when I had knee replacement surgery. When I had the second surgery, I only took it when I couldn't stand it any longer. I'm not a fan of opioids, my sister got hooked on them from back pain for several years, she finally kicked it.
I do hope the best for you Rocky
and you get find a path to relief
like some or most of you I have lower back problems from abusing it when younger . I have a herniated disc and arthritis does not help
I have taken pain pills for almost 9 yrs ( tramadol) but over time I have built up some immunity their effects wear off in just a few hours vs almost all day when I started taking them
I have a pain doc appointment coming up supposed to meet with a pain doc next visit talk it over about next up for me
I met with a surgeon about a year into the back pain and was just taking Tylenol and Advil at the time but they became of no help over time. any way he said the last thing you want is some one operating on your back
I was given Hydrocodone twice after surgery, I took the ones they forced me to take while in the hospital but the rest went into the trash as they make me sick and cause me to vomit.
For the life of me , I can't see how or why anyone would want to take opioids unless forced.
To show how messed up I was yesterday, I didn't even read the label correctly. It was indeed hydrocodone. I'm lucky that apparently my two index fingers type on their own because my posts above seem to be lucid.
My PT guy really knows his stuff. He gave me a few more exercises, told me my back Doc is very good, and went into great detail about what to expect down the road. Which wasn't exactly encouraging. But better than if I did nothing.
Woke up at 4:45 this morning and took two Tylenol 650s, then laid there for an hour. The trip to the bathroom was MUCH better this morning. Only about half the pain of the previous days. Now that I have half a cup of coffee down, it's even better.
Gonna be a bad weather weekend, so I'll not have to go out. Notre Dame plays today, and Utah plays in the Rose Bowl Monday. Yee haw! Gonna be riding the recliner and heat pad. (and sipping some good Scotch)
I flushed the 20 oxycontin pills, and they went into my septic tank.
if you take them, then pee or poop, wouldn't they go to the same place????????
Not likely. If they passed through you unchanged, how could they work?
No, and yes. They will be metabolized and your body breaks them down into different compounds, norhydro and others. Drug tests look for those chemicals created from the brokendown opioids, not the orginal drug itself.
Septic tank water filters down and feeds back into your water supply(i assume deep well). The drugs still end up in the water supply, granted at WAY less levels than in city municipal water treatment facilities!
I
was an aircraft electrician working on F-100s at RAF Lakenheath back in 1969. I fell off a wing and broke my ankle. They gave me a cast, crutches and a small bottle of Phenobarbital tablets. About twenty tabs..." for pain". They also handed out Darvon like candy.
I have been prescribed hydrocodone after carpal tunnel surgeries and hydrocodone plus oral morphine after a botched hip replacement..........they didn't really touch my pain but didn't get me "loopy" either.........which leads me to believe that mild opiates don't really work for me.
I have never tried the "street stuff" which is probably different...............
The one time that I did have an effect was when I broke a collar-bone playing football..........man........that hurt. I went to the ER and they gave me IV Dilaudid for the pain. Dilaudid is hydromorphone..... a synthetic.......much more powerful and short acting than morphine. I will say that while I was in the ER, I forgot all about my broken collar-bone and I was feeling pretty good.
My septic tank is 150 feet away from my 505 foot deep well. And Vicodin particles are in my water supply? Then, wouldn't doo-doo particles also be in my water?
Allen doubt you will ever have a problem . The well head should be sealed to prevent that.
Most likely. You will never notice either of them.
Brad Steele
Ummm, very possible that a MAN made chemical COULD leach into your well, but NOT at any level that would hurt you.
The probelm is when 10s of thousands flush their meds and it ends up in water treatment facilities that do NOT remove the meds and then it ends up in their drinking water.
You personally wont have any issues with your system, unless you flush 1,000s of pills. My statement was a general statement and NOT directed at you personally.
Just sayin'
I recently had to get rid of a couple bottles of blood pressure meds that the VA informed me could cause cancer.
They offered to send me a prepaid envelope for disposal but I declined. Seemed like a waste of taxpayer money.
I built a fire out in my firepit for an evening of enjoyment and after I had a good one going, threw in the pills, bottles and all into it. BOY! What beautiful colors they deployed!! Common sense kept me from inhaling the fumes.
I once got a splitting headache so bad I was throwing up violently. My wife took me to the emergency room. They gave me a Dilauded suppository. Talk about being in LA LA Land!
Why do you suppose you received a suppository for a headache?
Don
Brad Steele
Most likely had something to do with head placement. Don
I've often wondered that, myself.