XPost: alt.support.chronic-pain, alt.abuse, alt.drugs.hard   
   From: Zomby-Woof@Zappa.net   
      
   On Wed, 15 Dec 2004 03:41:54 GMT, "old goat"   
    wrote something wonderfully   
   witty:   
      
   >Dear Mikey,   
   >   
   >This might sound like a silly question, but where have you been getting the   
   >Hydrocodone from and what for? Your prescribing MD shouldn't have any   
   >problem with helping do a nice slow, and more importantly, safe, detox.   
   >People request lowering of medication levels and tapering off narcotics all   
   >the time, for all kinds of different reasons, not just addiction concerns.   
   >Your chest pains are a perfect example. Tell your MD you want to stop the   
   >hydrocodone or taper back because you're wondering if they're connected.   
   >Taking that much of what I'm guessing is a generic Vicodin, you're probably   
   >justified in being concerned about your liver. Most people think the   
   >narcotic is the bad guy in the compound medications, but it the   
   >acetaminophen that's going to do you in. And if you take it for pain   
   >control, you have a real uphill battle, since not only will you get the   
   >very unpleasant experience of narcotic withdrawal, but the pain's going to   
   >come back with a vengeance. Both add up to a rough way to go and a lousy   
   >chance of success.   
   >If your problem is from recreational use, you really ought to get your   
   >doctor involved, there's no shame in it, it happens to a lot of people. But   
   >your doctor can make it quite a bit more comfortable for you and give you a   
   >hell of a better chance at succeeding. And even doing the cold water   
   >extraction, the little I've read about such things, it seems like you end   
   >up losing a lot of the medication, so you're probably getting a hell of a   
   >lot less than you think (you'd do better at the .drug.hard group on that)   
   >and what you're feeling is the first taste of withdrawal. Just scratching   
   >the surface from the sounds of it and it gets a lot worse from there.   
   >If you have or suspect any extra health problems to complicate matters you   
   >really should suck it up and seek medical help. Listening to a couple of "I   
   >told you so" lectures sure beats the hell out hearing the same after you've   
   >had a seizure or a stroke. Just remember theres lots of people that have   
   >found themselves in the same boat and there's nothing to be ashamed of. Be   
   >safe.   
   >   
   >Sincere Good Luck--og   
   >   
   This is one of the reasons that groups such as NA can be very   
   important for individuals like this.  They will meet other people like   
   themselves, they will hear others horror stories, and there are some   
   real whoppers out there.  They will also get a sponsor who will help   
   them get clean & stay clean.  It is nice to have someone around while   
   you are in the throws of full-blown withdrawal.  All of the folks   
   associated with NA have seen it all and been through it all   
   themselves.   
      
      
   --   
      
   You can run, but you'll only die tired.   
      
   ZombyWoof   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)