Question:
Addiction. How can I get off the pain medicine perscribed after my surgery?
I was given Roxicet Elixer upon my discharge. I am now addicted to the medicine. Every time I try to stop taking it I get severe withdrawl symptoms including anxiety attacks. Other wise I am doing great. I have even started watering the medicine down in an effort to get off it. Help! — [Anonymous] (posted on July 26, 1999)
July 25, 1999
Contact your doctor. Since they are the ones who prescribed the meds, they
should be able to assist you with getting off of them. I would think you
would be running out of refills by now or in the very near future.
— [Anonymous]
July 26, 1999
Have you shared this with your doctor. You really need to. Cutting the dose
down slowly is a great way to back off of the medication. Your doctor may
be able to help by giving you other suggestions. If your not comfortable
talking about this with your surgeon go to one that you are comfortable
with. You can do it!!
— Penny W.
July 26, 1999
My surgery was on July 14th and they also prescribed Roxicet to me...the
only thing is that I need o take it every 4 hours or the pain near my tube
and my incision come hauntingly back. I will talk to my surgeon on
Thursday to find out and pass along some info.......
— Mona S.
July 26, 1999
Please talk to your doctor about this. He can help you with it. There are
other medications that can help you with the side effects for withdrawl.
Don't do this on your own.
— Paula D.
July 26, 1999
You need to let you Dr. know this as soon as possible. There are ways and
other medications that can let you down gradually. There is help available
but you have to be honest with your Dr.
— Jan T.
July 26, 1999
This is a question I feel you most certainly need to discuss with your
surgeon immediately! Good Luck! You'll do it!!!
— Sherrie G.
July 26, 1999
Do you have an addictive personality. If not, I don't think you are
experiencing withdrawal symptoms with anxiety, I believe you are
experiencing the normal post surgical depression that many people get. If
you are not an addictive type person and have never used any type of
"downers" before, then just quit the pain pills and tough it out
with liquid Tyelenol. I never even filled my prescription for pain pills
after my very painful surgery. I had nagging pains around my drain (acid
bile burning the skin actually) but I had more of a problem with the
depression than I did pain. I think you are confusing your symptoms of
depression with symptoms of addiction to your pain reliever.
— Deborah L.
August 22, 2000
Are you sure you are addicted, or are you physically dependent? Many people
do not know the difference. Addiction is a behavior- the compulsive use of
a drug for nonmedical purposes. Physical dependence is when your body
becomes accustomed to having a substance present all the time, learns to
function with it and when it is taken away the body rebels, giving you
withdrawal symptoms. Are you still in pain if you don't take it? Are you
taking it as prescribed? If you are, then your use is appropriate. If you
don't have pain anymore and are taking it to catch a buzz that would be
inappropriate, but before you beat yourself up, If you are not in pain
anymore and you are taking it to prevent withdrawal, then you are not
addicted, just dependent and need the doctor's help to wean off it the
right way, so you don't experience withdrawal. There are other drugs he can
give you to fill the opiate receptors in the brain and help you get off it
safely. Don't just tough it out. That is dangerous. I worked as a nurse in
Detox 6 years- I've seen it all. My job was to safely get people off
whatever substance they came in on. Some of my former patients died on the
street from withdrawal induced seizures. Anxiety IS a symptom of
withdrawal! Usually the first one to occur. Followed by sweating, nausea,
elevated heart rate and Blood pressure, diarrhea etc. If you are still
experiencing pain don't be influenced by society's negative image of
Opioids. Example: Pres. Clinton saying he would'nt use "narcotic"
pain meds after his knee surgery. Idiotic. Opioids (the proper name) are
far safer than NSAIDS.(Ibubrofen, Tordal etc.)
— Julie B.
August 22, 2000
Are you sure you are addicted, or are you physically dependent? Many people
do not know the difference. Addiction is a behavior- the compulsive use of
a drug for nonmedical purposes. Physical dependence is when your body
becomes accustomed to having a substance present all the time, learns to
function with it and when it is taken away the body rebels, giving you
withdrawal symptoms. Are you still in pain if you don't take it? Are you
taking it as prescribed? If you are, then your use is appropriate. If you
don't have pain anymore and are taking it to catch a buzz that would be
inappropriate, but before you beat yourself up, If you are not in pain
anymore and you are taking it to prevent withdrawal, then you are not
addicted, just dependent and need the doctor's help to wean off it the
right way, so you don't experience withdrawal. There are other drugs he can
give you to fill the opiate receptors in the brain and help you get off it
safely. Don't just tough it out. That is dangerous. I worked as a nurse in
Detox 6 years- I've seen it all. My job was to safely get people off
whatever substance they came in on. Some of my former patients died on the
street from withdrawal induced seizures. Anxiety IS a symptom of
withdrawal! Usually the first one to occur. Followed by sweating, nausea,
elevated heart rate and Blood pressure, diarrhea etc. If you are still
experiencing pain don't be influenced by society's negative image of
Opioids. Example: Pres. Clinton saying he would'nt use "narcotic"
pain meds after his knee surgery. Idiotic. Opioids (the proper name) are
far safer and more effective than NSAIDS.(Ibubrofen, Tordal etc.)
— Julie B.
April 26, 2006
I have delt with addiction my husband is addict, I have delt with him and
his treatment for 8 years. First you really need to contact your doctor.
There is other things he can give you that will ease you off of the roxicet
withdarwls can be dangerous i have seen this at first hand physically and
mentally it will hurt you . So contact your doctor asap and dont worry just
tell them the truth and they will help you.
— adelpha23marke
Click Here to Return