First, some background:
I am a professional wrestler. I hurt myself on purpose. Yes, it's predetermined but a lot of the pain and in ring goings-on are very real. Doing this for several hours a week, weight training, plus shows, adds up.
I also have a decent scoliosis, and fibro. Just started treating FM with Savella that seems to be working despite it hurting my pocketbook.
I take Vicoprofen occassionally for pain due to wrestling and the other health issues I have. My doctor keeps saying how he is going to essentially cut me off because he's basically enabling me to hurt myself continually, and that I should stop wrestling because in the future I'll be paying for it with other chronic pain issues. My response is that this is my dream and I need to chase it, at least to know that I can't be successful. If that's the case, I'll stop and that'll be that. But I can't not try and in ten years regret it thinking I could have been big.
My main problem is that he is treating me for other things (I get Adderall from him) so if I switch doctors that'd be ANOTHER doctor to visit, another copay, probably a specialist copay for pain management ($50) .. and I still feel somewhat attached to this doctor since he is the first I have seen for any length of time.
Time to see another doctor for my pain management issues?
He is one recommending a pain management doc. I'm 24 years old.
You are a 24 yr. old professional wrestler. That's awesome, but is there something else out there that interests you that might not wear on your body so bad especially since you mentioned other pain issues?
There really isn't anything I'd rather do. Being that I'm becoming more and more successful at it as well, I feel as if I'm developing starving artist syndrome.
I would think that you're going to have a tough time finding a doctor especially at your young age (lucky guy) who is willing to give you addictive painkillers. Your doctor obviously cares about you and believe me, whats a dream if you are in so much pain that yo9u can't possibly enjoy it or you end up taking massive amounts of opiates to achieve your dream only to die quite possibly wrestling from heart failure, respiratory failure ect. Think it over man because opiates will steal that dream from you. I was abusing them for 25 years and lost a $75,000 a year job back in 1987 which was great money. Today I am on methadone and have been for the last 8 years and am a supervisor for a Real Estate Company and making shit money.
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Yes, I'm happy now but had I not pushed my doctors for the opiates and looked high and low for them, buying them illegally I may have been close to retirement today and I'm only 47. So really loo over this and give it a lot of thought before you go on this road. I wish you the best in whatever you do and remember success is not based on how we are perceived but how we perceive success, I don't know if that made sense but it is how I have perceived my success...
It made sense, Dave, and I appreciate your sentiment.
Maybe it's just me, but I honestly feel as if I'm not even close to being addicted to anything. Besides that, I feel as if my doctor is using wrestling as an excuse not to treat me in other ways. I was being seen by this doctor prior to my career even started, and he noted that my back was in constant rock hard spasm, shooting up all the way up to my trapezious muscle. This was just a normal everyday thing for me, and eventually I got tired of dealing with the pain and went to see him. Now that wrestling is in the picture, it's almost a convenience for him to "escape" as it were.
There was a time I saw a pain management doctor that gave me Serapin injections (just a natural plant) and that helped greatly. It just cost too much.
Not trying to be argumentative, just sparking some good conversation. I appreciate ALL of the feedback you have all given!
This may be the stupidest (if thats a word) remark I have ever made. Follow your dream. If you want to wrestle do it. Life is to short to second guess. I agree that it will cause you a great deal of pain in the long run. But, who's to say what the long run is. My brother passed away last week (3-3-10) he was 59yrs old or young. Life is short, play hard, do what makes you happy. There are football players out there making millions of dollars destroying there bodies everyday. Get some fun out of life. I did. I cost me my job and having to live with someone who can support me that really could give a hoot.I guess I am not the right person to respond to your question, but by God, do what makes you happy. If you have to take addictive meds for the rest of this crappy life do it. Just my stupid advice.
I now what you mean Fenix, the doctor has no right judging what you do for a living. After re-reading all the posts I am inclined to agree with Kim and follow your dream. Especially if you aren't having any problems with the opiates. Not all people who use opiates become addicts especially when the drugs are used properly and for the right reasons. I would think that you wouldn't last long in your profession with a drug problem. What I would suggest is to stay away from tylenol and even ibuprofen as these over the counter meds can cause more destruction then opiates. Morphine is actually a very safe drug when taken properly and is the reason it is widely used in hospitals. After you become used to morphine there is virtually no limit to the dose a doctor can prescribe. So if you have a severe injury you could take a high dose for say 2 weeks and come back down of it without worrying about organ damage ect.
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I watched your wrestling video and enjoyed it although I claim to no nothing about wrestling. I do share or did share keeping my body in shape as you do. Good luck to you in your career...