I messed up my back using improper technique while deadlifting on April 15th. I wasnt lifting too heavy only 205lb. I realized I screwed up as soon as it happened. I ended the workout and thought that with rest and motrin would take care of it.

Fast forward to the April 22nd and I couldn't get off the couch. I had to crawl to my bedroom and have my mom come put me to bed and take care of the dogs. I thought I would go to urgent care in the morning but we decided to go the ER instead. While in the ER I got a morphine shot and a valium. I was still in pain afterwards but less pain.

The doctor prescribed 500mg naproxen twice a day valium 5mg 3 times a day and 5 mg of oxycodone as needed for pain. I have only taken the oxy first thing the morning and right before bed. I have taken the valium as directed.

I saw my primary care doctor on Friday and after the muscles have healed a little he is concerned about nerve damage and prescribed prednisone.

I'm almost out of oxy and valium. I am expecting some withdrawal symptoms any idea of severity.

Also any ideas on how to help heal.

Have a support person with you. Drink lots of water. Powdered drink mixes or Mio with help.

Get some good movies, video games,.or.tv.series to binge watch.

It is gonna suck for an couple days.

When I screwed up my back, the surgeon I visited gave me some simple stretching exercises to do, which really helped. You might ask your doc to recommend a physical therapist who can show you something helpful for the pain.

Kevin,

We are in the same line of work and i start light duty tomorrow. So I have seen the worst of the side effects I'm just curious about a normal person not an addict.

Plus going through a separation with my wife since February that is more than likely result in divorce ain't making life easier either.

Let’s see. You have been on that stuff for a week and you think you are having withdrawals?

I really don’t think so.

Bob

quote:

Originally posted by rbert0005:
Let’s see. You have been on that stuff for a week and you think you are having withdrawals?

I really don’t think so.

Bob

I dont think I am having withdrawal symptoms but I know they are a likely possibility and I wanted to be mentally prepared for them if they come. I have seen too many dead addicts and had to tell too many mamas that their children are dead. I want to be able to face any issues head on.

quote:

Originally posted by Apphunter:
Kevin,

We are in the same line of work and i start light duty tomorrow. So I have seen the worst of the side effects I'm just curious about a normal person not an addict.

Plus going through a separation with my wife since February that is more than likely result in divorce ain't making life easier either.

I know. It shouldn't be too bad with a short time, but seriously stay hydrated. Everyone handles it differently.

Hope it goes well.

And seriously, have the support person to talk to if you feel like shit or feel tempted. Having someone NOW who knows what is going on and will help you out and listen is much easier than afterward and it good forbids becomes a bigger issue.

You'll be jittery for a couple days and will probably sleep restless. Take a couple melatonin before bedtime and cbd oil might help. It's a piece of cake compared to quitting cigs.

You won’t have a withdrawal. You won’t.

I get the sense this is somehow important to you, maybe given your past observations or as an extension of your injury, but after 1 week on a medication that has an effective half-life of days, you won’t have a withdrawal. Anyone telling you to prepare is giving you the wrong message.

-Daniel

I’ve had 2 injuries (shoulder and hip) in the last 3 years that was treated at time of injury and post surgery by the medications you listed, but naproxen messed with my stomach so they moved me to 15mg of Mobic first time around. I’ve now been on/off that cycle 4 times (each stint was 90 days), and first time I had the same concerns as you. In my experience (yours may be different), my mental concerns were way worst than the reality. I didn’t instantly become an Oxy crazed addict just because I had to take the stuff for a few months. It might sound stupid, but I was legitimately worried about that.

Each time I’ve stopped a regimen I found I had trouble getting to sleep, the muscles around my injured area were tighter in the morning, and sorer at night. That was pretty much it. Not getting a good nights sleep messed with me, so I started taking a small dose of melatonin for the first couple days before going to bed. Gave me garbage sleep and I only did it for a couple days, but it made for an easier transition. I also started an exercise/stretching routine when I went off the meds. PT gave me one initially, but it was garbage. Eventually I figured out which stretches/exercises worked best to keep the muscles from locking up (spasm). I also started walking then running, and used a generic Garmin 90 day 5k plan. I think the biggest thing I did was the exercise- during recovery I usually had to take anti-inflammatory in the morning and then the pain stuff at night. When I went back into training mode I did 30min of stretching and light strength in the morning, and then walk/ran in the evenings. Basically instead of taking a pill I exercised, soooo much more effective long term than the pills. I view the pills now as a bridge to get to where you can safely exercise/stretch again and nothing more.

Other thoughts- I did find that tramodol had half the side effects of other pain medicines, so I tried to use that whenever possible. Another thing I found was half of the dose gave me the same relief as a full dose. If you do find that you need to stay on the regimen, consider experimenting with a lower dose and an alt medicine.

Best of luck. Injuries suck. Recovery sucks more. You can do it, and if/when you think you can’t, remember that that feeing of being ready to give up is a good thing- it just means that you hit the point where it’s about to get better.

I recommend hookers and blow!

Physical withdrawal at this point is unlikely. The prescribing of benzos and opiates is becoming much less common, and many clinics are not allowing the combination. The worst thing would be for the doc to continue the opiates and benzos at this point.

I don’t blame you for worrying. That’s why the collective wisdom (and barbs) of this group of misfits and oddballs is here.
Mike

Jitters and sleepless would probably be the worst of it, if anything. Unlikely.

For me, I would probably not take the last Valium and set it aside in case I have had 5 days of crap sleep and just needed one night of recouperation. Sleep deprivation makes everything worse.

Odds are, you won't need it and you can flush it, after a week.

Anyone who bothers to worry about such things doesn't have the requisite personality to easily become an addict. Good man

Bruce

quote:

Originally posted by rbert0005:
Let’s see. You have been on that stuff for a week and you think you are having withdrawals?

I really don’t think so.

I concur. Apphunter, you’re overreacting.

I don't know if I just didn't take as much, or what it was...but I was on a daily dose of percocet for several years after some service related back injuries. At some point I just stopped taking them, and the only side effects I noticed was that I cared about the pain again. The pain never was really gone, I just didn't care about it when on percocet. After a few more years, and getting out of that kind of work...the pain went from all the time to only occasional.

I don't recall withdrawal side effects. You may find that being in pain again gets more annoying.

quote:

Originally posted by PD:

quote:

Originally posted by rbert0005:
Let’s see. You have been on that stuff for a week and you think you are having withdrawals?

I really don’t think so.

I concur. Apphunter, you’re overreacting.

Yup, highly unlikely to have withdrawal from short term usage. Chronic user, yes. Short term user, no.
rbert0005 - "I am no expert, but think I am sometimes." You are, in this case. Bob.

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
When I screwed up my back, the surgeon I visited gave me some simple stretching exercises to do, which really helped. You might ask your doc to recommend a physical therapist who can show you something helpful for the pain.

See a physical therapist for some exercises and keep them up after you have recovered and stay away from weights for a while.

I never lifted weights to see how much I could lift. I used them as a form of physical therapy and never lifted heavy weights. At 73, I don’t do them at all anymore.

you will prbably be a little constipated! lol

Fear of what is coming is the reason many never can get off those kinds of drugs.
Start working on becoming courageous.
God, others, whatever it takes to walk through it.
I was hurt bad and I was afraid of what was to come when the drugs were stopped. Friends helped me. And low and behold I didn't need anything stronger than ibuprofen and Tylenol. Soon an occasional ibuprofen was it. 10 years ago.