Back to Square One
January 6, 2009 2:56am
I managed to kick my oxycontin habit without having to involve my trusting doc. I have my psychologist's appointment …
Goal Completed on Jun 30, 08
tirebiter888
10:18am, July 29, 2009
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About Me
tirebiter888
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About Me
I was forced to retire early due to chronic lower back pain. I am very happily married and have no children. My wife is a wonderful person. She has confidence and high self-esteem. She is my best friend, so I must be doing something right. I am broadly educated and have lived an adventurous and physically active life. I am pretty much an asshole with a golden core and "I coulda been a somebody". I am a cynical person but not without a sense of humour. I have suffered from depression most of my life and have self-medicated with food, sex, drugs, sports and work. I am beginning to see my own mortality and have decided to search my soul full-time. My goal is to be unafraid when death comes to my door. In the meantime, I hope to be able to give something back and perhaps experience some true peace and happiness.
I was forced to retire early due to chronic lower back pain. I am very happily married and have no children. My wife is a wonderful person. She has confidence and high self-esteem. She is my best friend, so I must be doing something right. I am broadly educated and have lived an adventurous and physically active life. I am pretty much an asshole with a golden core and "I coulda been a somebody". I am a cynical person but not without a sense of humour. I have suffered from depression most of my life
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Interests
Puttering, fixing things, research, cooking, understanding human nature. Pre-arthritis interests: Tennis, squash, badminton, serious walking, white water canoing and work.
Puttering, fixing things, research, cooking, understanding human nature. Pre-arthritis interests: Tennis,
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Recent Activity
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Journal
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The Addict Brain Wins Again
January 4, 2009 10:23am
When I was a kid, my brother used to try to get my goat, as older siblings will. He used to say,"You have TB!" And …
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Pain Medication
December 18, 2008 8:56pm
I am not doing a great job of keeping up my journal. It's not so bad though because I spend a lot of my time …
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Slacker
December 2, 2008 7:17pm
Wow. A lot of time has passed since my last entry. So much for my daily journal. This is so typical of me. I am motivated by …
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A Half-step backwards.
November 26, 2008 5:33pm
I screwed up last night. I stayed up until 5 a.m. and watched a science program on TV. That is ok, but part of my therapy is …
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Hugbook
Funny Face
Wondering if you are still around? Check your messages....thinking about you-we had a frost here in CT, must be getting real cold up there? xoxoLyn
Go For It
Took your toys someplace else to play, huh? Just another day in the life of a manipular, prn.......
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Get Well Soon!
Your BROAD-ly educated all right, you seem to have a really well rounded education.....spare us!
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Hug
What are you, low on meds again Mr. Advocate....stand up for your rights and keep those drugs a' rolling in........
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Hug
Two brains.....I love it!! The only person who is fooled by you IS you. My bullshit-o-meter is going up, up, UP!!!!!!!! Oh, and quit breaking the hearts of the mentally deficient females at ds!
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Photos
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Goals
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Support Groups
Close Back Pain
I have had back pain since my early twenties due to congenital problems. I have put my body through a great deal of hard play and labor. I was ambushed by Sciatica in August 2007. After the dust settled, the diagnosis is lumbar facet joint osteoarthritis. I am now an official chronic pain patient.
Treatments
- Bedrest Working / Worked
- Very limited activity. Half hour max sitting, then 20 minutes standing. Pain is tolerable now (4 months). Sleep like a log though.
- Chiropractic Adjustment Working / Worked
- Very positive. Helped to reduce sciatica symptoms.
- Flexeril Somewhat Helpful
- Used with Hydrocodone, so its hard to say.
- Hydrocodone Working / Worked
- Works for sure. Was on it 1 month. Petrified of not having any if another attack comes. Very addictive though. Now on maintenance Oxycontin and Oxycodone as well as Arthrotec.
- Physical Therapy Somewhat Helpful
- Inconclusive. Doc says you have to go, pats you on the head. Not much choice, really. Works if you have the discipline to do the considerable work involved.
- Relaxation Somewhat Helpful
- Had my first attack while traveling. I am very afraid to get on a plane without some real meds with me.
- Stretching Considering
- I am really lazy when it comes to doing boring things. Stretching is boring.
- TENS Not Working
- I love the feeling. Turn it up all the way! Ya baby, ya! I think it is silly as a treatment though.
Close Chronic Pain
Want to feel that I am not alone in this. Maybe I can be helpful at the same time.
Treatments
- Celebrex Too Soon to Tell
- I started with Arthrotec which is a much stronger anti inflammatory. It was too hard on my intestines.
- Chiropractic Adjustment Working / Worked
- This worked well in the beginning to relieve the sciatica. That is all I can reasonably expect. As good as my Chiro is, I feel he is now 'milking' me.
- Flexeril Working / Worked
- It worked well but my doc is hesitant to prescribe this.
- Naproxen Not Working
- Why this is so often prescribed is a mystery to me. I've never heard anyone say it works.
- Oxycodone Working / Worked
- Absolutely works. The combination of OxyContin and Percocet have given me something to live for. I will never be able to go back to the life I had, but these meds have increased the quality of my life tenfold. I take one 10mg Oxycontin and 6 to 8 tablets of 5/325mg Percocet per 24 hours. (Update: After 1 year, I am on 240mg. oxy/24hrs)
- Physical Therapy Somewhat Helpful
- This is helpful if you are willing to commit yourself to doing the exercises. I need to work on that.
- TENS Not Working
- I love the sensation, but it does nothing for relieving my pain.
