I've given up painkillers

If the mods decide to delete this, then so be it - but this is a rather dramatic and pivotal time in my life, so I wanted to share in the hope that someone else follows suit.

Short background - I was a tier 1 operator in the Australian Special Forces (Commandos), and was unlucky enough to be extremely sleep deprived and overworked on deployment (Afghanistan).

We were being inserted via blackhawk in the dead of night, and I miscounted my descent - ended up falling and landing on my feet from 4m (12 feet approx), which shattered my knees and ruptured the discs in my lower back.

Long story short, I went through extensive rehab, but carry the degenerative and long term chronic pain of my injuries. I was prescribed strong painkillers, but eventually came down to over the counter nurofen + codeine, which I have taken almost non stop for the past 8 years.

I've justified taking it constantly for these reasons

1. I deserve to be without pain!
2. It's chronic pain, why should I live with it?
3. It's over the counter

This all stopped when I looked back and realised that there have been periods where the pain hasn't been too bad, and I could easily cope without taking them ... but I still take them.

I was taking them for the slightly euphoric sensation, I was taking them because my body is so used to taking them ... I was no longer in control of my body's dependance on these drugs.

So I stopped. I tapered down over the course of 2 weeks, and 48 hours ago I stopped. I've had pretty bad diorreah, cramps, headache, nausea, and a general feeling of being 'flat" - but I know this will pass.

I'm looking forward to not being reliant on little white tablets to get through the day.

Probably doesn't help that I also gave up cigarettes at pretty much the same time.

I'm either brave or mad.

Hope someone reads this and gets something out of it. If the mods think this is in breach of the T+C's, then I humbly apologize, and please don't be too angry, as I'm pretty delicate at the moment

Good for you!
I wish you the best of health and I am hoping that you will be able to stay of the pills.

I went through the exact same thing my friend. Tylenol #1's with Codeine.

I know exactly what you are going through. I know the justification for the long term taking of them. I know the withdrawal.

Tapering was the right choice as well. I tried cold turkey a few times but ended up wanting to just die and so went back. I eventually tapered off as well.

One thing to mention. You'll want that 'high' again and you can easily fool yourself into thinking that since you are off of them, it'll be no problem for just a one time thing. Wrong! It'll pull you back before you even realize it.

Stay strong and think of your health, the money savings and being in control over the little devils.

Yeah, and this stuff is legal, over the counter...Go figure.

Peace

reply to post by jude11


Thank you Jude.

I actually think there are ALOT of people who are in the same position / have been in the same position before.

I think it's the silent epidemic - people don't talk about it, because they don't want to seem weak / looked at as a "drug addict".

There should be more education and awareness - end of the day, this stuff is an opiate, same family as heroin. Same physiological response patters and dependency patterns, it's a pretty insidious thing to take. But you can walk into any chemist and buy it without question. Go figure.

I've stopped taking it at times in the past, but always came back to it; for me I need to admit, to my family that it's a problem (which I have done), and then they can support me through the process.

Feel like a failure tho, which sucks

reply to post by ExCommando


Good luck man, It was one of the hardest things Ive ever had to do. Its been over 3 years since I stopped and I still dont feel "right"

I was being prescribed 200 Norco 10s and 30 Oxy's a month. Cant believe how far down that crap dragged me


I stopped "cold turkey" btw, really had no choice in the matter as the doctor cut me off.
That was the best thing he ever did for me.

reply to post by ExCommando


I send you Prayers for Strength, Clarity, and Serenity.....you can do this.

Thank You for serving our Countries, helping to defending my Freedoms. If there is anything I can do to help you in your quest to make yourself healthier, please let me know.

Des

reply to post by Juggernog


I hear you - it's very difficult. The mental and physical side is tricky to overcome.

Good for you for getting through it and lasting all this time

reply to post by Destinyone


Thank you Des - it's helpful knowing that other people have been through it.

I guess for me it's about replacing that part of my life with something else; time to get fit and healthy again!!

reply to post by ExCommando


Let me tell you something that helped me, its a plant from indonesia and it acts sort of like an opiate antogonist. I would buy it over the internet and drink it to calm the harsh withrawals and "stomach issues"
It got me through the worst parts, its called "kratom" and it is perfectly legal but tastes horrible

Im telling you, within 15 minutes of drinking a mixture of this, your w/d's will go away

reply to post by Juggernog


Hey thanks!

Just looked it up, and it's illegal here in Australia

Originally posted by ExCommando
reply to post by Juggernog

 

Hey thanks!

Just looked it up, and it's illegal here in Australia

Oh, no s**t? Sorry man, I didnt know you were in Australia. I knew it was illegal in some Asian countries but wasnt sure about anywhere else.
Its to bad, it really wouldve helped

Ahh, I see the Aussie Spec Force Avatar now.. my bad

Originally posted by Juggernog

Originally posted by ExCommando
reply to post by Juggernog

 

Hey thanks!

Just looked it up, and it's illegal here in Australia

Oh, no s**t? Sorry man, I didnt know you were in Australia. I knew it was illegal in some Asian countries but wasnt sure about anywhere else.
Its to bad, it really wouldve helped

I actually think I'm going to be a sadist / purist with this - I'm just stopping, and going to deal with the side effects.

I'd rather be clear of anything in my system; yes it's painful and annoying, but I'd hate to take something else which I then may become reliant on.

It's sort of liberating not having anything in my body which isn't meant to be there; cigarettes gone, painkillers gone, alcohol next to non existent.

There are also prescription drugs out there for opiate dependence, subutex and suboxone are two of them.
They are also antogonists.
Anyway, free info, do what you feel like you need to though.

Originally posted by Juggernog
There are also prescription drugs out there for opiate dependence, subutex and suboxone are two of them.
They are also antogonists.
Anyway, free info, do what you feel like you need to though.

Thanks brother - I really do appreciate the time you've put into supplying me with the info.

Anyone else out there been through / going through the same thing? Join in, we can all help each other.

And lastly, thanks to the ATS powers that be for allowing this topic to stay up - kudos to you all (you know who you are!)

reply to post by ExCommando


No problem, I wish you the best of luck.

Off to watch Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter now

reply to post by Juggernog


Oh! Let me know if it's worth watching!

I'm exactly where you are right now Homie. Just can't do it anymore. I can also vouch for that thinking you can control it business as well- I know I can't. So I get to go through the fun all over again.

Originally posted by JimmyJagov
I'm exactly where you are right now Homie. Just can't do it anymore. I can also vouch for that thinking you can control it business as well- I know I can't. So I get to go through the fun all over again.

For me it's the same with quitting smoking - you have to really want the change, and to know why you want the change.

I don't want to spend the next 10 years relying on painkillers, which slowly destroy my body and my mind.

There are a few times in everyones life where they have to stand up to something - it's not always easy, and sometimes it's damned hard; but it's these moments which define us, and help us become better and stronger people.

You can do it.

reply to post by ExCommando

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
reply to post by ExCommando

 

For a second I thought you were taking the pi$$ - then I saw the thumbs up - legend.

Thank you very much for the support