Painkillers, friend or foe?
Painkillers, friend or foe?
I know lots of friends who shy away from painkillers, why mask the pain your body is trying to tell you it's in? I used to be one of those people too.
I'd taken paracetamol in the past, even the ones containing caffeine ("ooh slow down", I hear you cry) but that was all.
I had my first knee operation in 2013, despite being in a lot of pain leading up to it, I still only took paracetamol when really necessary.
After the operation I was introduced to my first opioid, dihydrocodeine. I remember being prescribed lots of it and a selection of other medication, along with some senna, which the nurse advised was for when it 'backed me up', and she wasn't kidding! I don't think I actually went for a week.
I'll spare you the details.
I took them for about 5 weeks and cut them down slowly because I was advised they can be addictive. My husband said I was spaced out and babbling rubbish, more than usual.
Eventually I was down to about 2 tablets a day (8 previously), when I ran out. No big deal I thought.
I suffered cold sweats, stomach cramps and insomnia, just to name a few. I knew it was withdrawal straight away, and I'll be honest, it really scared me.
I've often read 'many people misusing prescription opioids become addicted to these drugs'. That simply isn't true. Your body will begin to crave it after only a mere few weeks of prescribed use, no one tells you that! 
The next day my GP prescribed me more to cut them down further each day. The withdrawal was still agony, and I couldn't wait for them to be out of my system.
About two weeks later I was finally free, but I can see why so many people become dependent on them.
After an injury, surgery or incident with pain, it's incredibly easy to become addicted to these powerful drugs, but unless you go through it yourself, you have no idea how fast your body becomes physically addicted to it.
There are so many celebrities checking themselves into rehab due to opioid addiction.
Matthew Perry, aka Chandler Bing, reportedly became addicted to vicodin pills after a wisdom tooth extraction.
Jamie Lee Curtis began taking morphine after a cosmetic procedure and became addicted.
More recently, Ant McPartlin admitted to his addiction to tramadol after failed knee surgery.
I was incredibly pleased to read supportive comments when his addiction was first revealed. I'm not sure if that's due to his likeable character, or whether people understood that he took the medication in the first place because his physician prescribed it, and not because he was a junkie looking for a high. I'll pretend it was the latter for the sake of my own sanity.
I've had a further two knee operations since and have been prescribed tramadol in 2014, and in 2015. It wasn't any easier to wean myself off them. Each time was followed by weeks of painful withdrawal. The only similar feeling you will ever have to this is flu, times 10, and that's the best way I can describe it. It aches through your bones and it's incredibly hard to ignore.
Unfortunately due to complications, I was then prescribed codeine and two years later I'm still taking them. I'm not sure when I'll ever be off them either as I face two more (possibly four) operations, to my hips this time, and I'm sure I'll be prescribed 'harder drugs', hopefully temporarily.
My husband is my rock, and I don't know how I would cope with what life throws at me without him, but when I wake up in the morning it isn't him that's the first thing on my mind, it's codeine. My body is twitchy first thing because I know it wants them, and the hip pain is so severe now I literally have no choice. I no longer feel the side effects to taking them, no sickness or drowsiness, they have just become paracetamol to me.
I know my husband is really worried about my prolonged use of opioids, more specifically because the use of long term pain medication can damage your liver, but I find it difficult enough to deal with life with painkillers, than to contemplate a life without them.
You'll notice I never refer to painkillers as pain relief, because I can tell you now, chronic pain sufferers don't feel 'relief' from pain medication, it just takes the edge off enough for us to attempt getting out of bed.
None of us have chosen this path though, we're just doing our best, and that's all anyone can do.
I know lots of friends who shy away from painkillers, why mask the pain your body is trying to tell you it's in? I used to be one of those people too.
I'd taken paracetamol in the past, even the ones containing caffeine ("ooh slow down", I hear you cry) but that was all.
I had my first knee operation in 2013, despite being in a lot of pain leading up to it, I still only took paracetamol when really necessary.
After the operation I was introduced to my first opioid, dihydrocodeine. I remember being prescribed lots of it and a selection of other medication, along with some senna, which the nurse advised was for when it 'backed me up', and she wasn't kidding! I don't think I actually went for a week.
I'll spare you the details.
I took them for about 5 weeks and cut them down slowly because I was advised they can be addictive. My husband said I was spaced out and babbling rubbish, more than usual.
Eventually I was down to about 2 tablets a day (8 previously), when I ran out. No big deal I thought.
I suffered cold sweats, stomach cramps and insomnia, just to name a few. I knew it was withdrawal straight away, and I'll be honest, it really scared me.
I've often read 'many people misusing prescription opioids become addicted to these drugs'. That simply isn't true. Your body will begin to crave it after only a mere few weeks of prescribed use, no one tells you that! The next day my GP prescribed me more to cut them down further each day. The withdrawal was still agony, and I couldn't wait for them to be out of my system.
About two weeks later I was finally free, but I can see why so many people become dependent on them.
After an injury, surgery or incident with pain, it's incredibly easy to become addicted to these powerful drugs, but unless you go through it yourself, you have no idea how fast your body becomes physically addicted to it.
There are so many celebrities checking themselves into rehab due to opioid addiction.
Matthew Perry, aka Chandler Bing, reportedly became addicted to vicodin pills after a wisdom tooth extraction.
Jamie Lee Curtis began taking morphine after a cosmetic procedure and became addicted.
More recently, Ant McPartlin admitted to his addiction to tramadol after failed knee surgery.
I was incredibly pleased to read supportive comments when his addiction was first revealed. I'm not sure if that's due to his likeable character, or whether people understood that he took the medication in the first place because his physician prescribed it, and not because he was a junkie looking for a high. I'll pretend it was the latter for the sake of my own sanity.
I've had a further two knee operations since and have been prescribed tramadol in 2014, and in 2015. It wasn't any easier to wean myself off them. Each time was followed by weeks of painful withdrawal. The only similar feeling you will ever have to this is flu, times 10, and that's the best way I can describe it. It aches through your bones and it's incredibly hard to ignore.
Unfortunately due to complications, I was then prescribed codeine and two years later I'm still taking them. I'm not sure when I'll ever be off them either as I face two more (possibly four) operations, to my hips this time, and I'm sure I'll be prescribed 'harder drugs', hopefully temporarily.
My husband is my rock, and I don't know how I would cope with what life throws at me without him, but when I wake up in the morning it isn't him that's the first thing on my mind, it's codeine. My body is twitchy first thing because I know it wants them, and the hip pain is so severe now I literally have no choice. I no longer feel the side effects to taking them, no sickness or drowsiness, they have just become paracetamol to me.
I know my husband is really worried about my prolonged use of opioids, more specifically because the use of long term pain medication can damage your liver, but I find it difficult enough to deal with life with painkillers, than to contemplate a life without them.
You'll notice I never refer to painkillers as pain relief, because I can tell you now, chronic pain sufferers don't feel 'relief' from pain medication, it just takes the edge off enough for us to attempt getting out of bed.
None of us have chosen this path though, we're just doing our best, and that's all anyone can do.
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