Addicted To Pain Medication

[Crazy Cat Lady]

Hi,

I've been on constant pain relief (codeine) for about 3 years. It was initially prescribed for Endometriosis but even after my operations, I carried on taking it. My GP and Psychologist think a lot of the pain I experience in my pelvis is from past trauma. Can this happen?

Is it normal to have become dependant on codeine after years of past trauma?

Many thanks,

K

 

[The Albatross]

I think your asking if bodies can hold pain from past trauma rather than if you can become addicted to codine right? Yes it is possible, they are called somatic memories.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

I'm confused by your question as if you're asking if your codeine addiction is ok. I'd say no, its not ok. I don't think the word "normal" applies to any addiction because addiction is more in the abnormal realm of things.

 

[Crazy Cat Lady]

Hi,

Yes, I'm asking whether past trauma can cause long term pelvic pain.

 

[Justmehere]

Many women with PTSD related to sexual trauma to develop chronic pelvic pain. One study is here: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/17400852/. Books like "the body bears the burden" also detail how trauma can lead to chronic pain of many types. The good part is that the pain can go away with trauma therapy.

Chronic pelvic pain is also very common with endometriosis and can sometimes happen after gynecological surgeries.

Around 23% of women with PTSD do also have drug addictions at some point in their lifetimes. (http://ptsd.about.com/od/relatedconditions/a/drugalcohol.htm)

That doesn't mean it is okay or good. Rehab facilities, hospitals, and jails have many people on them with PTSD that was worsened by drug addictions and related problems.

Codine is a highly highly addictive medication. It is bad news for the body to take on an on-going basis. It commonly and normally makes many mental health conditions like PTSD much worse. It makes it harder to heal from the physical effects of trauma. It will stop "working" in time, and then you will have all the original pain and the new problem of a drug addiction problem too.


These are some of the normal problems that come with codine use:
"Effects
The long-term effects of codeine addiction can impact nearly every area of an individual’s life. These effects may include:

• Acute pancreatitis
• Liver damage
• Kidney damage
• Increased sensitivity to pain
• Major depression
• Muscle twitches, cramps, spasms and pain
• Respiratory depression
• Cold and clammy skin
• Lack of muscle tone
• Homelessness
• Job loss
• Legal problems
• Incarceration
• Divorce
• Domestic abuse
• Coma
• Seizures"

(From:http://www.mtregis.com/prescription-drugs/codeine/effects-signs-symptoms)

Long term codine use can actually cause physical pain and make it worse.

There are many drugs like neurontin that can help for long term chronic pelvic pain much more effectively than narcotics and especially codine. If your PCP has kept you on codine for 3 years, frankly, he should lose his license. It's never intended for long term pain relief, but only for 3-5 days use maximum. It is never used for chronic pain of any kind by knowledgeable and good doctors.

I highly recommend you contact a pain medicine doctor and they can help find a better medication to manage the pain until trauma therapy helps as well. There are also nerve blocks that can make the pain go away too. (I used to have chronic pelvic pain myself.) Pain medicine docs handle this kind of problem all the time. I think you will find a huge improvement in the pain and PTSD by working with one.

 

[Friday]

It can happen.

It's also so excessively common as to be normal/expected that nerves wire themselves up wonky after surgery. Especially abdominal & pelvic floor surgeries since we have so little true sensation in our abdomens, but we've got a whole lotta nerves running through. As an example: After one of my surgeries every single time waste management drove a truck through my large intestine I'd be doubled over in blinding pain for about 3 seconds as it passed one very specific location. Stupid nerve. As per usual, it took about 2 years for the effect to wear off. Super fun. Another time I swear to anything that gets sworn to that I've had water being poured down the back of my neck. Nope. Just a stupid nerve doing something wonky. Again, it took about 2 years to not have to check and make sure that I hadn't stepped into the shower without noticing.

As far as I know 2 years isn't a hard and fast rule, but it's what I've been told to expect with WTFO sensations following surgeries. After a time, the brain acclimates to the messages being sent, and shunts them into the "ignore" file, instead of the "take immediate notice & believe" file. Unfortunately, taking painkillers slows down this process of teaching the brain to ignore corrupt data. (Like withholding fluids at night prolongs nighttime potty training... The stronger the signal, the faster the brain learns to cope with it). Think of it like getting a call from someone you think is important on your mobile, but it's a bad connection. You'll keep on trying to understand them a whole lot longer than if it's a clear reception and a wrong number. Enough wrong tries, and you don't even bother answering anymore. But when it looks like you're bosses number, and the call is garbled, it will take you a lot longer to block the caller.

So, since you've been dampening those signals, and it sounds like you're still within the apx 2year rewire period anyhow... and since opiate withdrawal causes all sorts of nasty pains that go away as the brain starts producing its own painkillers (scraping your arm can feel like it's being sawn off)... The pain you're feeling may very well resolve all on its own in just a few months, instead of being psychosomatic.

Here's to hoping!

 

[DharmaGirl]

Drug dependence is not drug addiction. Everyone who uses an opiate for an extended time becomes dependent. Not everyone is addicted. I was easily weaned off pain medicine after two years of morphine and oxycodone. No problem. I had become dependent but I wasn't addicted.

 

[Chava]

Chronic pain is pretty complex. It can be related to your past surgeries...even though you should have healed a while ago, it's like the wiring gets off track. But it can also be related to, or complicated by your past trauma. There is a link between trauma and pain, not for everyone, but it happens.

I've avoided surgery so far because I don't think I'd tolerate the recovery very well right now. But I'm taking hormones for suspected endometriosis. The pain itself can throw me into a panic attack, whereas knee pain just makes me a little crabby. So I have heightened sensitivity to some pain, or total intolerance. I also have back pain and take tramadol for that. It is hard to come off even a couple tramadol a day...I have to cut back in halves so I'm not sleepless and insane (tramadol is a sort of lightweight pseudo-opiate). So agreed with comment about drug dependence vs addiction. If you continue taking the medicine when you are not in pain, or find yourself adding a dose to help you feel better emotionally, that would sound more like addiction. But in either case, hopefully you are working with trauma therapist for that part, and a doctor who can help you manage physical pain and come down from pain medication using other medication treatment if needed.

For my pain, I'm trying to manage with the smallest possible dose of medication, in combination with therapy and also Pilates and other more physical therapy sort of things for the physical pain. My back pain is very stress related and triggers a lot of helplessness, but it is somewhat helped by strengthening my core muscles...meaning I still have pain but it doesn't seem to drag on for a week. I'm trying the same thing with strengthening core and pelvic muscles so my body can handle pain down there better...or not end up so totally wiped out. It easily spreads to whole body pain.

 

[Smile]

Many women with PTSD related to sexual trauma to develop chronic pelvic pain. One study is here: [ur...

I read the article you posted on pelvic pain from past trauma. Do you know if ovarian cysts are included in that?

 

[Deleted member 33023]

I had major surgery on my abdomen when I was 20. I am 48 now. The scar goes from hip to hip and to this day I still get sharp pains occasionally what make me jump up. I was told this was common. It is painful. I hope this passes soon for you.