Over 50 years I have tried many medications. I have found the best solution is to take 800 mg of gabapentin at the same time as 10 mg of oxycodone Liquid. If I take them separately they do not work. I take them four times a day and I find that I can usually do some voluntary work with this amount of pain control . If I have any less then I am more or less bedbound. As I have had them for many years, it does not make me drowsy and so I can cope with doing some normal things. I am lucky enough to be able to have some lignocaine pain patches which I occasionally use on specific areas when the pain is extremely bad in one particular place. The patches only work on the area that you use it. As they are expensive, I save them for when I am desperate.
I am now 73 and if anyone tells me that I should have tried to manage with no drugs at all, then my answer would be that by having this amount of drugs I have been able to lead a useful life. I am not addicted to them, as I can leave them off if I wish to spend my time in bed suffering with the pain but if I use them when I am in pain then I can get on with my life.
You are only addicted to painkillers if you have them when you don’t need them. If you need them and they work to decrease your pain then there is no harm in taking them in the amount your doctor has prescribed them. You are only addicted to painkillers if you have them when you don’t need them. If you need them and they work to decrease your pain then there is no harm in taking them in the amount perscibed by your doctor. As I have lived to the age of 73 and been able to use lead a useful life as as a teacher and now a volunteer I feel that it has been worth the risk of taking them.
I would like to add that I am suffering from many, people many other conditions as well as fibromyalgia.
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Judithadams
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Hi honeybug, I'm ok.. just waiting on a call from GP surgery with the results of a 2nd blood test though not sure what this one was for.
Between sleepless nights due to pins & needles in feet and legs, leg spasms along with all the other pains, strains and fatigue- and struggles with all the usual family life... I'm terrific.. not lol 😢😢.
I agree with you about the difference between need medically and addiction. My late sweet Grama Seaton was in her 80s and couldn’t sleep without medicine. She wouldn’t take the whole pill because she was afraid of addiction. I tried without success to convince her that we all understood why she needed them but up until she passed away she wouldn’t take but half a pill.
So it doesn’t matter what others think it’s none of their business anyway. Take care and bless you. 🌸🌿🌺
Totally agree if it makes the difference between what I call "just existing" and Iiving something of a normal life and people have tried the natural way I can see only pluses. My medication has made that difference and I honestly don't know what I would do without it.
I have knowledge of "addiction" as many years back I was give adrug called Ativan which is little used now to help with insomnia. I was extremely reluctant to take it but the doctor assured me I could take it for life and it would do me no harm. It did help with sleep but I didn't feel right and had considered stopping it. I was then rushed to hospital with a severe deep vein thrombosis and when the specialist looked at my medication he advised me to stop the drug immediately (of course that was the wrong advice I should have been slowly weaned off it) as they are highly addictive and I would need more and more to have the same effect. Of course I did and had two/three years of hell with horrible withdrawal symptoms. In the end I had to start taking the drug again and slowly wean myself off. That is why I now question the GP about any drug he wishes to give me and weigh up the pros and cons and if I feel there are more pluses than minuses I take them.x
I agree with you. I take 900 gr. of gabapentin three times a day which sounds like such a lot but it works for me. I take many other drugs such as oxycodone as well as I also have more than one condition but it gets me thru the day and that is the main thing.
I agree with you 💯%! I have been saying this for years and mostly on deaf ears. When you are in pain that pain pill goes to work in decreasing the amount of pain and you are not addicted if you are taking them as prescribed or less often. Now if you take the pain pill just to be taking it and are not in pain addiction can and more likely does occure. I have been saying this for over 25yrs......🤔hm went to nursing school and graduated in 87 so have held onto this theory since probably 86 or 84 when ever I had this patient who was wanting his pain pill every 6hrs or sooner. Everyone was thinking he was addicted to the pain pills so the doctor ordered for him to get a placebo like every 4hrs and was told that it was a new pain pill. He was one whose body accepted the placebo effect. So the placebo pill made his body reduce the pain. It is nice to run across someone who thinks the same way as I do. 🤗💕🦋
The medical staff felt he was addicted. This was I guess where I developed my believe regarding chronic care. I was a nursing student at the time so don’t remember caring for this patient. Just remember hearing about him in morning report.
I agree, if they help you then that's the main thing. I'm in alot of pain but I know it would be worse without meds with all the conditions I have!!! Love and hugs Lynne xxxx
I’m so sorry about your mom and your care giving duties. I have done this until I got sick myself. I’m so sorry about all of your suffering dear 🌿🌹. I hope you have improved since you cared for your mom. Sending you flowers. 🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿 🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺 🦋🌿🦋🌿🦋🌿🦋🌿 🌿🌹🌿🌹🌿🌹🌿🌹
I thought I heard someone say they were going to call you yesterday ...now isn’t that the silliest thing ...the laugh is on them for forgetting the Bank Holiday like that!!! I bet they thought you wouldn’t catch on either. 😉😀😄😁😃😆😅😂🤣😆😜🤪
Like you I have no regrets and all that we took care of more than appreciated all that we did for them whether they told us or not. 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹 I only have 4 loved ones living now and because I’m limited mobility I can’t help them. That really bothers me ...but being a realist I accept my limitations 😊 Blessings abundant dear Md😊😊😊 So sorry you’re FM got worse too. Sending flowers just for you 🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿🌸🌿 🌿🌹🌿🌹🌿🌹🌿🌹 🦋🌿🦋🌿🦋🌿🦋🌿 🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺🌿🌺 💕🌿💕🌿💕🌿💕🌿
Yes dear it certainly is hard not to physically help others anymore but I can lend my heart ❤️ ears 👂 and my emotional support. My oh is an only. His mom is in late stage Alzheimer’s and in a care facility. His Poppa passed 8 years ago from a fatal head injury. My mother passed 20 years ago from cancer my dad is 89 only has peripheral sight heart and kidney failure diabetes and in failing health. He won’t let anyone help him. He has kept a daily vigil at my stepmoms bed 🛏 side in a care facility. Her doctor botched her spine surgery and left her an invalid. It’s all so tragic. Dad won’t take care of himself but does everything needed for her. I feel so badly for them both. My brother is in failing health too. He is 7 years y
I’m having problems with my forums functions so I apologize for not ending my earlier reply:
younger than me and has advanced COPD with interstitial lung disease diabetes 2 and is post radiation treatments for lung cancer. Like me he has too many health problems to list. So my family albeit small we are on borrowed time and very limited in our ability to help each other.
Sorry it happened again... we are having jungle weather here. So hard to breathe the hot humid air. I better send this now or lose again. Hugs love and kisses. 😊🌸
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Pain patches 
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Thank you Fibro Action!
