No more Opioids

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inkjunkie

inkjunkie

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Was a long 20 years. Have tried several times to get off of them but always caved and got back on them.
Few years back I had a Spinal Cord Stimulator and Vertiflex put in my back. Stimulator took out all of my sciatic pain, the Vertiflex helped with relive some of the pain in my lower back. When I was at the Pain Clinic that implanted both of them the doc asked me when the last time I had increased the dose was, which was about 5 years. He told me that I more then likely did not need them. He was right.
It has been about 3 months or so since I quit. I had/have 0 cravings. I am more depressed then normal but am seeing someone about it. I also quit taking Gabapentin.
Not saying I don't hurt because I still do. I do not hurt any worse then when I was taking the meds so guess the Doc was right.
I still have pretty severe back pain, but this is a muscle problem. I am working on stretching and some strength training exercises, progress is slow but it is progress.
Has been a long six months.
 
I feel for you, man. It sounds like you are on the right track; keep it up. Hang in there. I have had lower back pain for years, but I haven't had to take any major drugs for it. When I exercise regularly, especially working on core strength, I can really tell the difference. If I take too much time off of the exercise routine the back pain comes back rapidly.
 
I know how you feel, I had my stimulator put in July 2019 it really helps with everyday life, but if I'm bent over the fender of my Dart the pain comes back but it doesn't keep me down for a week or two, maybe just a couple of days, at the time I was taking 20mg Oxy twice a day, 120 morphine and Gabapentin for years, a couple of days after the surgery I quit all my meds cold turkey, worst few weeks of my life, any how I'm glad to be off all the meds. My back got messed up in the 80s and all the Doctors I saw said surgery was not an option. I've been on every pain med around, Fentanyl patches were the worst. I hope you keep up with the exercises, they have helped me. Feels good to be off all the drugs don't it. Good Luck.
 
inkjunkie said:
Was a long 20 years. Have tried several times to get off of them but always caved and got back on them.
Few years back I had a Spinal Cord Stimulator and Vertiflex put in my back. Stimulator took out all of my sciatic pain, the Vertiflex helped with relive some of the pain in my lower back. When I was at the Pain Clinic that implanted both of them the doc asked me when the last time I had increased the dose was, which was about 5 years. He told me that I more then likely did not need them. He was right.
It has been about 3 months or so since I quit. I had/have 0 cravings. I am more depressed then normal but am seeing someone about it. I also quit taking Gabapentin.
Not saying I don't hurt because I still do. I do not hurt any worse then when I was taking the meds so guess the Doc was right.
I still have pretty severe back pain, but this is a muscle problem. I am working on stretching and some strength training exercises, progress is slow but it is progress.
Has been a long six months.
Click to expand...
Good to hear.
 
charliec said:
I feel for you, man. It sounds like you are on the right track; keep it up. Hang in there. I have had lower back pain for years, but I haven't had to take any major drugs for it. When I exercise regularly, especially working on core strength, I can really tell the difference. If I take too much time off of the exercise routine the back pain comes back rapidly.
Click to expand...

Jeff Seighman said:
I know how you feel, I had my stimulator put in July 2019 it really helps with everyday life, but if I'm bent over the fender of my Dart the pain comes back but it doesn't keep me down for a week or two, maybe just a couple of days, at the time I was taking 20mg Oxy twice a day, 120 morphine and Gabapentin for years, a couple of days after the surgery I quit all my meds cold turkey, worst few weeks of my life, any how I'm glad to be off all the meds. My back got messed up in the 80s and all the Doctors I saw said surgery was not an option. I've been on every pain med around, Fentanyl patches were the worst. I hope you keep up with the exercises, they have helped me. Feels good to be off all the drugs don't it. Good Luck.
Click to expand...

I have been dealing with this for almost 4 decades. Soon as the stimulator was turned on I developed a new pain, which currently is the thing that is the worse. Took having a plastic BB taped to my back to figure out that the pain is in the T12-L1 area. Have had a couple MRI's done, the problem is not skeletal. It is muscle related. Pain doc told me there is nothing he can do for me, suggested PT and Massage Therapy. He reminded me that I have spent close to 40 years walking around with a sore back, which is going to effect other areas. I have been stretching every day for a month, some days I feel a bit better, some days not. I am not going to give up on stretching, next stop is a Massage Therapist.

My hamstrings were so tight that they were pulling my thighs up into my pelvis at a weird angle. I have made really good progress on my right, side, the left not so much. Had XRays done, I have a rather large booger of Arthritis in my left hip. Doc I saw for my knees has said that they could go in and simply clean the joint out, which should help. But he did tell me that I might want to consider having it replaced as it is not that big of surgery. With the price of fuel being so high I will not be making biweekly trips to Renegade Raceway this year so I may go and talk with him.
 
Have you ever used an inversion table? I have one, and when my back gets really tight (the way you're describing with your thighs/pelvis) I can spend about 10 minutes on that thing about twice a day and it really allows things to line up and relax. A good one only runs about 300 - 500 bucks. Maybe someone you know has one so you could try it on for size before investing.
 
What about weed? My best friend is 45 and diagnosed with MS last year. Nothing helped him so I went across the border and got him some edible gummy bears with thc in them. He said he was messed up the first few times he took it but since then has been helping him a lot. Hands shake less and spinal pain is better.

Congrats on kicking the pills. Keep it up.
 
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