Expert: Gareth Stubbs - 2/12/2009

Question
I have been on pain meds for 10+ yrs...(lortab, morphine, ibuprofin and now off of morphine and past two weeks & on to opana) due to failed back surgery and chronic back pain w/ severe arthritis all up my spine.  I have been detoxing at home for 4-5 days now and the restless leg has subsided, but how long should I expect my spine to hurt like this?  I am in tears and can barely walk or move for that matter. The reason I ask if the pain will go away is that because I have been on meds soooo long, ( I have tried detoxing before and the pain is just too much to bear) I feel like if I can hold out for just a few more days, even a week...I might not have as much pain in the future.  Do you know if chronic back pain gets worse because of the detoxing and then subsides?  I've asked around and nobody seems to know.  If you have any idea, I would be so appreciative because being on these drugs are making my mind do terrible things and I worry about my safety.

Answer
Hey Victoria,

First of all, my apologies for the delay in replying – time somehow seems to just be flying by at the moment.

Congratulations for doing what you are doing, and the good news for you is that yes, it does get better. As you have been on the painkillers for quite a long time, they can take a while to get out of your system. I am not sure what dosages you were on, but I know that when I was heavily addicted to painkillers, it did take me a bit of time because one of the worst withdrawal symptoms is what is know as “rebound pain” and this is the bodies way of saying “give me my fix NOW!!” which could explain why you are in physical pain. You body will be “tender” and that is why that pain seems worse right now, because it does not have the numbing effects that the medication gives you, and this is one of the most common reasons as to why people struggle with stopping drugs such as these, because physically they do feel the pain and therefore “justify” taking the drugs. This will also explain why you “failed” in the past to get through this step. A mental “tip” to follow when you are feeling the pain is to focus on a part of your body that is not sore and imagine that “feeling” of no pain moving through your body to the area where the pain is and replacing it. It sounds strange I know, but it does work if you decide that it works, so why not give it a go now as your sitting.

Make sure you keep yourself hydrated by drinking loads of water, and try not to exert yourself too much as coming off these types of drugs can take a lot out of your body, so it is important to make sure you are OK in that respect. Painkillers like these have the same effect on your body as heroin, given that they are made from the same stuff – just to give you an idea of what your body is going through. But it is possible for you to get through it by taking small steps like you have been doing.

Obviously, it is also a very good idea to get things checked out in order to be safe, especially considering the surgery history, but there are also alternative ways of dealing with that sort of thing, and from my own experience (I have three crushed vertebrae that caused me a great deal of pain in the past) these type of things definitely work when it comes to stuff like that.

If you are interested, I do offer sessions with people over skype that helps them deal with stuff like this, and getting through that initial “tough” period, so if you would like to, I can offer you a free session to see if it helps – just an offer to you.

I hope that this has given some insight and has offered some help. If you need anything, or even just to talk through stuff, please do not hesitate to get back to me and I will be more than happy to help you through.

Take care and keep up the good work and just know that you are almost there.

Gareth