I feel ya brother. To me there was no other pain that came close to kicking my painkiller addiction.
Personally I believe a rehab is necessary for that type a detox.
I could never withstand another detox of that type.
Go see a doctor mate.

What kind of "pain" are you in? Is it physical or mental? I've been in both during recovery. It's not easy to deal with.

Both. 7 bad disc and major depression.

JP

As a recovered individual and retired professional I have worked with hundreds of people with your problem and interact with many who although having pain management issue do remain sober.Obviously if you are on pain medication, you will naturally have the physical dependency, no way around that, however the psychological aspect is another story entirely. Question: Can I take pain medications and still be sober, absolutely. It is a thin line however you can do it as long as you remain compliant regarding your physicians regimen. I believe you know the difference ?

I went thru pain management while in recovery. And YES I took controlled substances - and STILL kept my recovery time. How was I able to do that and was it KOSHER??? Yes - I asked my home group and my sponsor. I had to take it in order to MOVE. I was disabled, and not only that, but if I had NOT taken the pain medication, I would have found OTHER WAYS to ease my pain, if you get my drift. The pain was extremely severe - and no way could I handle it. My doctor agreed that i needed something, after seeing the MRI.

I've been taking pain medication since 1995 - and I got sober in 1993. My doc and I know I'll be on it for the rest of my life. I'm inoperable unfortunately. But as long as I take it AS PRESCRIBED and only for the INTENDED USE - I'll be ok. So far, that's been true.

It can be done. If you want sobriety as much as I do, you can do it too. God bless, and take care. Hugs, Lee