[Baby Steps]

Yep Syd!!! I noticed the same thing!! There was just something up with her or him or whatever it was! Hmmm... maybe this new forum has cut out the rif raf!! Hey I could surely go for a chix nuggett right now... I'm so hungey but don't know what I want!! Anf I also understand the old microwave thing... I have the best in the whole world... when they first came out my ex bought me one over in Guam... a top of the line Panasonic model with the turntable and you could put aluminum in it... that was 23 years ago and the darn thing is still rockin!!! It's big but it's so awesome! I'd die if she died and I have to go buy one of those itty bitty microwaves that break in a couple years!! Weird huh!!

Get your beautiful pic up girly!!! Luv Ya!!!

[sydbean]

What are you doing up so late...don't you have to work in the morning??? You crazy chicky!!!!

Where is everyone else. One thing I really love about this new forum is that when someone is on-line you can see the little dot by there name is lit up green. Kinda cool, no!!!

I remember back when we first got a microwave and they were new out on the market and we had heard that if you took a paper lunch sack and put some popcorn in it and folded it over once along the top and put it in the micro it would pop the popcorn for you. I swear to g-d I feel so old to say that but I totally remember time before micro popcorn bags. LOL!!!

[scared_ohio]

Wow...never thought of it from the getting busted angle. OK, let's see if I can do this without confusing myself and everyone else. I am currently seeing a psychiatrist for the sub once a week. I had two pain mgmt docs I was getting my meds from, one of them was on the list the pharmacy was going to contact, the other one wasn't because I used a "hole in the wall" pharmacy and didn't use my insurance. I have NO intention of getting pain meds from anyone. I plan on calling them today and I'm wondering if I should tell them that I'm seeking alternate treatment and I'm not planning on coming back, or should I tell them that I became addicted and am now seeing a shrink for addiction counseling??? Any input?
So long story short, when I went to kroger, they had the rx history from the different kroger pharmacies I was using which had 3 dentists, family doctor, pain mgmt doctor and urgent care doctor. I had used a meijer pharmacy for a scrip refill a couple of weeks ago, (right after I was "caught") and they called to say my refill was ready, well I never picked it up. I was too scared that if I went, the police would be waiting to grab me, plus I knew it was time to stop the madness! Now, I haven't seen the pain mgmt doc that called here the other day for over a month and missed my appt on Tuesday, the office called and said, "Hi Gen, this is Jeff from the doctors office calling to see if you needed to reschedule since you missed your appt and probably need a refill on your meds. Please call us to reschedule" That's what was on the answering machine. So, did I confuse everyone even more? I just know that even if there was NO chance I'd get busted, I do NOT want any more pills. I just can't. I was actually doing some research on acupuncture, has anyone ever had that done for pain?
I'm sorry if I confused you guys...please forgive me, it wasn't intentional.
Thanks
Gen

[Kaidog]

scared_ohio:

I have passionately played guitar for well in excess of 40 years. I mostly play classical, semi classical and finger style guitar. It is one of the things which keeps my sanity.

A few years ago I developed really severe tendonitis in my left thumb. It was so severe that I couldn't fret any of the strings on my guitar. I tried everything and even during my heavy, heavy hydro use, it just grew worse and worse.

My daughter's friend recommended acupuncture. I was skeptical........................... really skeptical but having exhausted every other treatment option, I eventually gave in.

It was a miracle. Withing a few weeks my tendonitis was gone and I was once again able to play guitar for hours, with all the passion and intensity that I ever did.

I'm not saying it will work in all cases, just that it work wonders in my case.

Good luck.

[scared_ohio]

Kaidog,
Wow, that's fantastic! Definately giving me something to think about. A friend of mine in Florida broke her back about 5 years ago, and she tried it. She couldn't say enough good things about it, so I think I'm gonna find a practioner and check it out.
I also wanted to ask you if you think German Sheperds are good around children. I had one years ago and she was fantastic, but there weren't any toddlers around so I'm not sure. I'd love to get one, but my toddler already terrorizes the cats and I know she LOVES dogs, but I don't want to traumatize a puppy!
BTW, thanks for the help with the fancy-schmancy new features! You guys rock!

Babysteps,
I think you've got me confused with someone else about the referrals, and neurosurgeons. I haven't seen a neurosurgeon since 1997, and since I have vowed not to have any more back surgeries, I'm not planning on seeing another one, EVER! They just jacked me up even more.

Ok, on that note, I must now return to the world of Nick Jr, Noggin, and Disney. Maybe I can find a sharp object to poke my eyes and ears out first. Way more fun. I tried to get her to watch some old cartoons from back in the day, ya know, "Magilla Gorilla, Penelope Pitstop, The Pink Panther" or best of all, "the Syd and Marty Krofft Show"...does anyone else remember these or am I ancient? Wait, let me get my cane and walker..."Back in the olden days..." (she says with a gravelly, old lady voice) I need to get more sleep. Sigh.
Wish me luck in Teletubbie Land!
Gen

[Kaidog]

scared_ohio:

Both of my kids were raised by German Shepherds. The dogs would protect those kids with their lives. I'm sure they viewed them as their own puppy. When we would go to the park, without ever being trained to do so, the dog would constantly position themselves between the kids and the lake, or between the kids and any approaching stranger. In the front yard, they would position themselves between the kids and the street, never allowing them to wander onto the street.

Like most kids, mine would poke and pull and bite and all the dog would ever do was to simply get up and walk away.

I'm a big fan of kids and dogs. I'm even a bigger fan of kids with dogs. It's a perfect combination.

[scared_ohio]

That's good to know...when I was little we had a dog, "Rastas", who was sheperd, golden retriever and somewhere in his lineage was some wolf. That dog was SO protective. I remember he would "hear" my mom pull into the street, and he would run to the end of the driveway and be waiting for her to pull in. One of the neighbor kids was clapping her hands in his face one day, and no matter how many times I told her to stop, she kept doing it to annoy him, he finally nipped her and my father had to send him to my grandparents' farm to live. Then we had collies and golden retrievers which were just fantastic around kids. I've always loved sheperds tho...they're just so noble and beautiful. so now I just need to convince my husband that getting a sheperd would be a great thing! Not to mention it would force me to get more excercise, and keep my mind off the cravings.

C-ya Kai! Thanks for responding!
Gen

[scared_ohio]

Can anyone clue me in on how to get colored text? I'm feeling kinda fuschia today!
Thanks!

Hi,

I am new to the boards and was just looking for some advice.

I am not sure if I have an addiction or not, I am not even comfortable making this post, but I am hoping to get some insight from you all.

I have several issues and I am on several meds (not other narcotics) , but the med I am most concerned about is Percocet. I have been prescribed this drug to assist with my back issues (I've had for the better part of 12 years) and often times, it gets aggrevated when I ride my horses. But I am not giving up my sport in any way shape or form - if I can walk and sit up, I can ride. What can I say, I am a stubborn Italian.

I have taken Percocet in the past for various issues (wisdom teeth, surgery, etc.) without any issues. I now find myself in more discomfort and taking more than prescribed. I admit that at times, the buzz is nice, but I've got two businesses to run and don't have time to be in la la land.

Believe me, I have plenty of reasons to want to numb myself out, but now I am getting a little worried it's getting out of hand. I have taken as many as 8-10 per day. I do have an appointment with a pain specialist for my back to hopefully get a cortizone injection so I can get on with my life, sans the meds.

Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

[tamara02]

hi guys,Hows everyone???im here , no school for the kids today,so ive got a few that spent the night,and couldnt get to the pc,ck,ya;ll in a bit,,Tamm

[Kaidog]

Equestrian4life:

O.K., here's the deal. There is a dirty little secret in the medical community with respect to pain killers......................................... especially the opiates. That secret is this.

If anyone, and I do mean anyone, ingests an opiate on a regular basis, for any length of time in excess of a few weeks to a month, they will become addicted to them.................................. even if they have taken them exactly as prescribed! Does this apply to you? Just read this board and you will see that almost every poster here has become addicted to their drug of choice because of an initial exposure to that drug which was legally obtained through a legitimate Rx and that many of them never, ever exceeded the prescribed dosage. Many were shocked when they attempted to quit and they discovered that they had developed a powerful and difficult to break, dependence on that drug.

Now, having said that, there are legitimate uses for the pain meds, the most obvious of which is to treat pain. There is no reason for anyone to have to live in daily pain. The problem is that, eventually, every single pain killer known to man becomes less and less effective with the passage of time. The human body develops a tolerance to that drug and in order to achieve the same level of pain control, patients find that they have to take larger and larger doses, or that they have to take their same dose but more frequently than they had to previously. This is precisely why many chronic pain patients detox themselves on a regular basis and why many Doctors find that they have to frequently change the medication they are prescribing.

It is a difficult process and even when managed closely, they result is almost always an addiction more powerful and more substantial than the patient or Doctor ever imagined.

[sydbean]

[quote=Kaidog;169459]


If anyone, and I do mean anyone, ingests an opiate on a regular basis, for any length of time in excess of a few weeks to a month, they will become addicted to them.................................. even if they have taken them exactly as prescribed! Does this apply to you? Just read this board and you will see that almost every poster here has become addicted to their drug of choice because of an initial exposure to that drug which was legally obtained through a legitimate Rx and that many of them never, ever exceeded the prescribed dosage. Many were shocked when they attempted to quit and they discovered that they had developed a powerful and difficult to break, dependence on that drug.

quote]

Equestrian4life:

Is there a difference between being physically dependent to an opiate and being addicted to an opiate or is it all just semantics.....

I think this may be one of the biggest debates going in the land of opiate addiction.

I think what it comes down to is you being extremely honest with yourself and honest about how you are using the meds and for what reason.

Once you have been on pain meds for a while it is natural and expected that you will become tolerant and need to up your dose periodically. As this occurs it becomes harder and harder to distinguish what is driving the need to up your dose.

I can't tell you how many times I have heard chronic pain patients (FYI: I am a chronic pain patient as well) say that after their use getting out of control and their eventual need to detox occurring, when they were completely off of the drugs they couldn't believe how minimal their pain actually was. Often after being on long term opiate treatment there is a condition that occurs where you actually become hyper sensitive to pain....in other words the very med that is suppose to be controlling your pain is now causing you to feel more pain. Isn't that just awful!!

All of this being said it doesn't probably help you one little bit. I think what I would suggest you do in trying to figure this out. Do some sole searching and see what you come up with. If you are using the meds more than prescribed are you doing this ONLY to get pain relief or are you doing it because you need just a little more energy or maybe just a bit of relaxation and fun...there is the crux of your debate.

One thing I think may be an easy indicator (or maybe not who knows...) but would you be comfortable telling the dr. (truthfully) how many extra pills you have needed to take to get pain relief or is your intake such that you would NEVER be comfortable admitting to your dr. how many pills you have been taking. It seems to me that perhaps that might be a pretty good indicator.

Okay, sorry to go on and on but that is my 2 cents. Take it or leave it. I am sure others will come on and post to you as well. There are a lot of people on here with a lot of experience. I am glad you found us over here and WELCOME!! I hope you stick around!!

Syd & Kaidog,

Thank you very much for your responses. They do help, very much in fact - I appreciate you taking the time to write such useful diatribes.

You are right, I do need to do some serious soul searching and be totally honest with myself, and to my PCP, who is just an awesome doctor. I would never do ANYTHING to jeopardize my relationship with her - good docs are very hard to find!

I don't want to hide anything from her, yet at the same time there is a certain amount of shame, guilt, embarrassment (pick the word to fill the blank) in telling her I wasn't doing exactly what she told me to do. I don't know if that means I do have a problem but even one pill too many makes me feel bad morally. I don't know, am I making any sense?

Many thanks for the warm welcome!

[Kaidog]

Syd:

Ah!!!!!!!!!! The old "Dependence vs. Addiction" debate. I know that the classic definition is that if one is taking only the amount prescribed and so long as that person is not lying, deceiving those around them...yadda, yadda, yadda, then they may be dependent. If on the other hand, that person is taking more than prescribed, or more frequently than prescribed, is seeking multiple sources etc., they have an addiction.

Frankly, I think that's all a pile of hooey.

I define addiction as that point where the body objects loudly (ala withdrawals) when the DOC is terminated or cut back severely.

That's just me however............................. and I ain't nobody other than another addict.

[hatelove percs]

well, kai i happen to agree with you. but i, too am just another addict.

[tamara02]

Hey,Ditto.......Tamm

[Baby Steps]

Hey Guys!!! I hope you all are having a great day!!! Well.... I called a lawyer today regarding my speeding ticket and she doesn't think I'll go to jail for the speeding ticket! I hope... OMG... what a horrible day that would be if they made me go to jail! I would'nt be able to take my melatonin!!! OMG how frightening to think I'd have to not only go but not be able to sleep.... Talk about throwing someone over the edge!!!

Hey KAI KAI... TAMM and HL, SYD!!! And the newbie!! So nice to see the house filling up again! It's so freakin cold here!! The sun is out but t's so cold! I want the caribian right now!!!

Peace out guys!!! Luv Ya as always!!!

[hatelove percs]

STOP TAKING THE PERCS holy cow. please. trust me. or soon u won't even feel like riding your horse. believe me. i know. i am just completeing my third week of detox from percocet and havent even been able to think about going to see my horse let alone riding her. this isn't the first time i have quit it is about the fifth or sixth. it is hell u do not want to go through at all but probably will already have to if you take 8- 10 a day. please stop now before six years go by as it did with me. i beg of you. i have read your thread in need to talk and realize you do have numerous problems but this is a biggie that may not seem so compared to your other ones, yet it truly is.

Originally Posted by hatelove percs

STOP TAKING THE PERCS holy cow. please. trust me. or soon u won't even feel like riding your horse. believe me. i know. i am just completeing my third week of detox from percocet and havent even been able to think about going to see my horse let alone riding her. this isn't the first time i have quit it is about the fifth or sixth. it is hell u do not want to go through at all but probably will already have to if you take 8- 10 a day. please stop now before six years go by as it did with me. i beg of you. i have read your thread in need to talk and realize you do have numerous problems but this is a biggie that may not seem so compared to your other ones, yet it truly is.

HLP - I hear you, I do. After I wrote that post in the Need To Talk thread I realized how pathetic all of this really is - I want off ALL of it, everything. I want my system clean again. I haven't always been in this much of a quandry, it's just a rough time at the moment. I ALWAYS feel better in the presence of my mare, simply standing in her stall does wonders for me. I know that probably sounds crazy especially to non-horse people. Anyway, thank you for your words of wisdom, I know I need to make some changes - I guess there is no time like the present!

[tamara02]

Hey,Babysteps,I'm Freezin my dupa off,too!!! man its to cold to go do anything,just stay home covered up,How's your day been,sorry I haven't posted much to you,Everybody at home is bugging me,I told them I was gonna run away from home!!!!Lol,wish I could I want to go to the keys with H/L,sound good,Huh??Tamm

[Baby Steps]

Sound Good?? Hell yeah it sounds good!!! I am so ready! I can't say I need to escape cause I'm the only one here and even though I can bug the hell out of myself I guess I'll stay!!! LOL I'll just tell me to shut up and get off the computer!!! LOL JK Of course... Kinda sounds like that other creepy freak on the other thread!!!

I wish I could stay in but I have to go out and get some food!!! LOL I have just lost so much weight since I quit and really need to focus on getting it back.... Even my daughter made mention last weekend about losing my butt and too much weight so I guess I need to take this serious! It's just I've never lived ti eat... more like ate to live so since I quit my appetite is GONE and I just find other things to do! LOL

Anyway... I will be off and on for the rest of the night but I'm thinkin about ya girl for sure!!!

[Kaidog]

Just thought I'd share what I'm having to suffer through here in Fresno, California.

While most of the country is frozen solid, I am having to suffer through another 74 degree day. With the wind chill, it's got to be way down around 72 or so. Just another horrible California day.

[Baby Steps]

SHUT UP KAI KAI!!! That's it! Rub it in!!! Hey BTW... I know it's quite far from you but next years Marriott Convention is in Aneheim... Yuck!! I hate Aneheim... But hey I didn't get to see much of San Antonio due to busy schedules and I hope they don't drag us to Disney Land! That park is a joke compared to Disney World! Wher I live we have Paramount's Kings Dominion and Bushe Gardens and they are far better parks! LOL Anyway... I guess it'll still be fun! It was a balmy 49 degrees today!

[hatelove percs]

well, it is a whopping ohhhhhhh.....12 degrees i think here. anyway Equestrian, what kind of mare do you have? i have a five year old quarter horse mare. at the present time i am holding a grudge against her because we had a tad disagreement a couple weeks ago...lol. ending up with me face down in the middle of a gravel road missing a shoe and having to slop my way back to the barn through slush and mud in my sock broken and bleeding. hmmmm. can anyone say glue? no, i love her, i am trying to bond with her but i haven't had her to long, just since august, and she is nothing like the gelding i had before. i wanted a more spirited one this time and i sure got what i wanted. she is still so very young and full of energy. i have to make sure she gets a run before i ride her if she has been in her stall all day instead of out to pasture and that day she had been in for two days, so it really was my bad. what does yours look like? how do you ride? eng/west?

[Kaidog]

Baby Steps:

I grew-up in Anaheim........................... went to High School in Fullerton, (next town). I still have a lot of family in Orange County. I left there 30 years ago and you couldn't pay me enough to move back. Just WAY too many people, and they're all in my lane driving too slow!

[hatelove percs]

sorry syd i never answered u, i am in school to get bachelor's in criminal justice.

[tamara02]

Hi,Guys,Boy Kia 74 sounds perfect!Lori and HL and Syd ,Lyds and Tom let's go to Kia's House,Ok!!For the rest of the winter,lol,Just kiddin kia.Im watching Reba's show on TV its so funny,Feels good to laugh!!Chat w/you all later,Gators!!Tamm

[sydbean]

Kai ~ re: the dependence vs. addiction. I will have to honestly say that a year or so ago I would have agreed with you no questions asked. But after living with someone that takes the same medication I do (Methadone) but handles it completely differently I was able to see the difference. No matter what her pain is she takes it only exactly as prescribed. It doesn't matter if she is in agony she might take ibuprofen or something but she wouldn't even consider taking more Methadone. Yes, if she were to stop abruptly she would go through withdrawal but she would never be in that situation because if she was to come off of it the dr. would create a taper plan and she would follow it to the letter, no doubt.

So, say she is on Prozac and she takes it as prescribed. If she were to stop she would have withdrawal but I doubt anyone would suggest that she go to NA or would call her an addict because of that, right?

Believe me I find it completely fascinating and don't think I haven't picked her brain to death on the subject. It is just so amazing to see that she can take it or leave it...I mean it is just so odd to me that she can have a bottle full of pills and she could be in a lot of pain and she just doesn't even consider taking more. The thing that also boggles my mind is that none of this with her is a conscious effort to not be an addict or it isn't because she has seen what addiction can do and she is being careful...it really is just something that is actually like nothing to her. She pays no more attention to having and taking her methadone as she does to....I don't know...going to the bathroom. It is totally odd to me but true.

So, although I am sure it is very rare, after a year of seeing this true non-addicts "relationship" with these meds I realized there may actually be a difference....

Who knows, all I know is I for one am an addict and I am powerless over these drugs!!!

Amen to that!!!

[scared_ohio]

Hi everyone,
Babysteps, Syd...did you guys read the posts from earlier today from me? I was trying to clear up the confusion I caused. BTW, I DID end up calling the doctors office and told them that I wouldn't be needing any more pain meds because I became addicted to them and that I'm currently seeing an addiction specialist/psychiatrist. I didn't think it was necessary to tell them that I'm on suboxone, since I doubt I'm going back to them. I'm doing some research on acupuncture and hopefully will be able to find someone in my area who is a practioner. Kaidog had some encouraging things to say about it.
Anyway, I just wanted to try and clear some things up, and I hope you guys don't think I'm a wingnut.

Gen

[sydbean]

H/L ~ So, will you have to go to a police academy once you get your degree or is that something totally different????