Learning the hard way.

I can honestly say that I have never had an issue with taking and stopping taking narcotics. Until now.

For the last 9 months I have been in EXTREME pain. Every 4 hours (on the dot) I took narcotics to help my pain. I wake at night every 4 hours after the last dose wears off in pain. I take my next dose.

Fast forward to right now. I have the spinal cord stimulator implanted. From August 20 till 2 days ago, I was still in pain. The pain was back related from surgery and still knee related. As of two days ago, I stopped taking the pills. Considering I never had issues before, I didn't think about issues now. PHHHHH.

I went nuts. I ended up calling my doctor 2x yesterday. The second time he spoke with me. I cried to him saying, "I am shakey and crying and sad and uncomfortable." He says, "you're withdrawing, I don't want you to quit cold turkey. Lets not put your body through that."

So the regimen is now this - every four hours, from waking up, I take one pill for one week, but only four per day. Then the next week I take a total of 3 per day, then 2 per day, then 1 per day, then done. I am pretty stubborn and will most likely finish off much quicker than that. I hate it feeling so long and drawn out. I'll be fine though.

NO PAIN IN KNEE (ok, well some, and I turn the stimulator on higher and it goes away.)