Anonymous Member

I have kidney stones about once a month if not more. It's a battle that I can't win with. i have been to numerous doctors, changes my diet and taken the pills that they say will stop them from forming to no avil. i know that they are still forming due to the fact that when i have a cat scan there are more of them. The doctors have given me prescriptions for pain pills.

The issue is that is that i believe that i have become addictided to them. i take them when i need to, wich is alot, but when i don't have a stone, I continue to take them. I really enjoy taking them, but how do you know when you have become addictided to them? What do i do??

Hotmnkyluv

I have no addictions so my answer is wholly opinion.
IMHO you answered your own question. How do you know when you're addicted?
- You thought enough to ask yourself if you are.
- You said you take them when you don't need them.
- You said you "enjoy" taking them.

To me it sounds like maybe you are.

cadre

In my experience, if you think you may be addicted, then you probably are. If you are taking the, because you enjoy them, even if you don't have a medical need then that's a pretty good sign.

I would try to cut back or stop all together if you can. You really need to find and treat the cause of your problem. Pain pills could mask symptoms of serious complications if you develop a large stone. That said, it's hard to stop taking pain pills if you legitimately have pain. Perhaps you can change to a different type of pain reliever though.

__________________
My life is one of those 'you had to be there' jokes.

jewels

Keep trying until you find a doctor who will listen. Quite possibly, if you go to the Emergency Room in pain and raise a scene, they will do the appropriate tests to find the cause. (This happened to someone very close to me for nearly two years until they were finally diagnosed.)

I agree. You must get properly diagnosed and treated so you can stop the pain and the pills.

A quick Google mentions a few things that cause favorable conditions for the formation of stones, despite the diet changes you've made. Has anyone been able to tell you what type they are? You may want to try an endocrinologist if you've already been to a urologist. Good luck.

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Anonymous Member

i have been to the er several times when the pain gets unberable, and every time i go all they ever do give me morphine or dilloted and give me a ct scan . and tell me that i have stones and need to see my urologist. wich i do on a regular basis.
i have both types of stones calicum oxilate and uritic acid ones. so im kinda screwed on both ends. the last time i went to the er i crawled in there cussing and screaming and they took me right back with the same results.. i have done alot of research on them 9stones0 and they run in my family so im screwed... that sucks. seems every other generation gets them. lucky me. its easier said than done to just stop taking them.

eventually i will tell yall who i am. just kinda scared at this point. hope yall understand :0

ring

If you are concerned about addiction, please TELL the physician who is writing these scripts,
about your concerns, ASAP!

I understand how difficult that can be. I have been through this cycle a few times.

Once the physical & mental cravings of dependence/addiction take hold,
that voice becomes the master quite quick.

Being honest with yourself & the doctors is the most important step.

I understand about being scared. Scared of the pain & scared of the dependence on meds.

Best wishes.

Ourcrazymodern?

I can't say I understand kidney stones, but I've experienced pain & fear & addiction. Talking to somebody who understands is the best medicine I know of, but withdrawal from that is probably the hardest. Take care of yourself.

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BE JUST AND FEAR NOT

noodle

When you are given pain medication and you take it for pain, you may build up a tolerance.
When you take pain medication and are not feeling pain, you may build up an addiction.

Addiction is a psychological issue. Tolerance is a physical issue.

In laymans' terms, if you are taking pain medication when in pain, it binds to and affects the pain receptors. If the pain receptors aren't currently needing medication or blocking, your brain gets happy feeling and it's not being used by the receptors to block pain, but to bring a pleasurable feeling. It's easy to enjoy.
If the medications are no longer working on the pain, you may have built a tolerance. Morphine and dilaudid can have a tolerance effect over time. You need to talk openly with your prescribing MDs about the medications that they are giving you for pain.
Since you asked...

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Anonymous Member

i have learned to deal with the excrutiating pain with and without the pills. i currently take hydrocodine 5's and 10's. theres not much lower that i can take with the exception of 800 mg ibuprofen. wich does nothing for the pain. typically i dont take any until about lunch time, and then its on a downward spiral from there. some days i only take one or two. it seems like i am taking the pills to replace something else (not sure what that is). i also am on other meds such as bp meds depression meds etc...

genuinegirly

While I do not share your condition, I understand the level of pain that you are dealing with. Even with hydrocodone/apap, my pain is not entirely masked. I recently went a week without pain meds because I was afraid of getting addicted. It only served to make my life miserable.

Your doctor needs to be aware of your concern. You need to find a physician who will listen to your concerns and begin offering alternatives. Once you get a worthwhile second opinion who offers you more options, you will breathe a sigh of relief.

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"violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy

snowy

There are pain alternatives. There are medications out there with less risk of addiction. You need to share your concerns with your doctor.

Further, have surgical treatments, like lithotripsy, been discussed? Have they looked into causes for persistent stone formation? Have you asked to have your parathyroid checked? How much water are you drinking? Has your doctor considered putting you on calcium channel blockers to relax your ureters and make the stones easier to pass?

I had kidney stones a couple of years ago now, and yeah, they were super painful. My husband's grandmother has been dealing with stones recently, and has had to have two lithotripsy procedures because her stones were too large to pass. She has some other nerve pain issues beyond the stones, and has dealt with an addiction to narcotic painkillers, so I know that there are alternatives to be had, since she has had to avail herself of them.

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If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Anonymous Member

i have had lithrothipy numerous times. and every time i have it i end up with a stent. (what fun).

what is a parathyroid??

MeltedMetalGlob

Been there, done that- while I can't help with your pain-pill problem, I have to ask you if your doctor has advised you to make any dietary changes?

I had kidneystones back in 2009 and ended up with a stent- since then I changed my eating habits drastically and (so far) have been pain-free ever since. I'd like to think that could work for you, too.

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Anonymous Member

Yes, my dr has asked me to make dietary changes, wich i have. i dont eat alot of the things that i used and i drink very little sweet tea compared to what i used to drink.

I'm glad you havent had one in a long time. It's something that i wouldn't wish upon anyone.