Quote:I am a couple weeks away from my surgery that will hopefully give me my life back. For those who don't know, I'm a stage 4 cancer patient, and had a secondary tumor get into my shoulder, specifically the bones. That is the most painful situation cancer victims typically face. Following a 6+ hour surgery a year ago, I am cancer free in my shoulder, but have had uncontrollable pain there ever since. I have been on the strongest pain control meds possible, and still am. Recently, a specialist found the problem, and will fix it with this upcoming surgery. My worry is that I have been on these pain killers for so long that there is no question that I am addicted. Physically, mentally, etc. I admit that. My worry is ending this addiction. I need to do it after I heal up from this next surgery. Does anyone know of a good, reputable rehab that can help me get off the opiates and back to a normal life with my wife and family? That is going to be my next hurdle to jump following this upcoming surgery.

 

PS: For those who REALLY know me, you know this is FAR from the first surgery I have ever had. The difference here is that after the prior ones, I was able to get myself off of the meds and detox without any professional help. This has been a year, and includes a diet of Dilaudid, Oxycontin, and Fentanyl. Not the easiest meds to say goodbye to. That kind of addiction is only overshadowed by straight heroin addiction. I know well enough to know when it's time to ask for help. I have already had this talk with my doctors, but I figured if someone was good enough to come forward and provide a good reference, no matter how it was obtained, it would be worth my time. This is something that genuinely scares me. I am man enough to ask for help when I think I need it.

 

It's good that you are asking for help... everyone needs it at one point or another.

 

My own thoughts on this... it doesn't sound to me like you have the disease of drug addiction.  There is a difference.  In your circumstance, it's more physical than anything else (again, just going by my opinion based on your posts here).  Certainly there are some psychological and/or emotional issues that you would have to work through, but in my eyes you are not an "addict" as it pertains to the "typical drug addict".

 

That being said, I would suggest working with your doctors and medical professionals in order to detox off of those medications.  I don't think that you would need to go into a typical rehab program for those that abuse drugs.

 

Again, that's just my opinion based on your posts and the little that I know of your history.  I am by no means a professional, but I do have experience with people close to me that have had to go into a rehab facility.  The circumstances are pretty much "night and day" when I compare that experience to yours.

 

Good luck to you and I will certainly say a prayer or two for you.

---