^^^This OP Any legit doctor will be well aware of how much pain meds you're taking. They will not prescribe more than you need. The people who abuse them and getting hooked are jumping from doctor to doctor and getting multiple prescriptions, or getting them off the internet via less reputable doctors. Make sure you and your mom and your doctor have a conversation to clear this up.

you rock :D

What you are suggesting is akin to torture. There IS a middle ground solution between addiction and torture: .......it is called, "taking the medication as prescribed".

I have scoliosis (managed to avoid the surgery so far). Perdix has a good point as the usual prescribed drugs are opiates, where heroin, morphine etc. are part of that 'family'. Addiction/dependency are rife with these drugs as they are so difficult to control.

That's why you follow the instructions on the paper you're given. People get addicted when they think taking more than what us prescribed will help them heal faster or cope with pain better. Or they were previously drug users looking for something different/stronger.

Narcotics are problematic when not taken as directed and not taken under a competent physician's care. Failure to follow pain management instructions delays a patient's recovery. Patients in pain often won't do the recommended movements or other actions that would speed healing, thereby resulting in longer recovery times.

jewel, I had surgery a few months ago and didn't take a single pill of the narcotics prescribed. Some doctors are no better than drug pushers working for Big Pharma getting them hooked on powerful opiates (or opioids) and raking in the $$$$.

well OP doesn't have the same mentality as you, Perdix

jakii_, is that a compliment or an insult? hahahaha. If it's the former, thanks!

These drugs can and will become addictive even at the prescribed dose. Ol' Perdix done right by only using the amount he needed (which was none in his case). That prescribed dose should be looked upon as the maximum dose but you should only use as little as you need. Go ahead and disagree pill poppers, just because you have a prescription doesn't change the fact you have a problem.

perdix - okay, I myself and alot of people I know, have taken meds like these. we all know people who have, I mean who hasn't? there are always friends/family etc that have gotten really sick or had surgery or any number if things and needed meds like these. right? right. so out of alllllllll of the people I know who've been on meds like this, MAYBE one of two have actually gotten addicted to the level you're talking about. you make it sound like if you pop a single pill you're screwed. it really isn't as serious as you make it sound. I would rather take the 1 or 2 percent chance that it will completely ruin my life than suffer after surgery.

Medication harms you less than pain does..

Ohnocurly If you want people to agree with you, it's generally a better idea to NOT be an asshole. People will go to great lengths to argue and disagree with an asshole, even if that asshole is right. Also, not all patients who take their narcotic prescriptions as prescribed are addicted.

yeah a lot of people die from taken prescription meds, but surgery for scoliosis is no shit. I've had four so far, one back in late august. it only took me two weeks to learn to deal with the pain, but i've lived with it since birth. I wish you wouldn't just tell the op to "man up" bc sometime it's not that simple. I'm sorry op, I really feel for you and hope your mom stops hiding them from you.

It's best to take as little as possible, especially for acute pain (ie, non-chronic, such as injuries, wisdom tooth removal, post-surgical recovery, etc.). You're much more likely to get addicted when using them for acute problems. Chronic pain is a different story. According to the APA, only 2-6% of chronic pain patients become addicted to opiates. There are huge differences between dependence, addiction, and pseudo-addiction. Opiates carry an undeserved stigma in relation to chronic pain, as curly so moronically demonstrated above. (BTW, let's see how strong those convictions are when you're the one living in constant agony.) Although it is always best to try to manage pain through non-prescription methods, sometimes that isn't possible, and in the US especially, not affordable. Most chronic pain users are no more addicted to their medications than diabetics are to their insulin.

Jane, I'm going to go ahead and ask for this. I would like to know how I moronically demonstrated this point? As far as I can tell we agree on the point that pain meds should be reduced when possible. If this is about chronic pain, I had a grandmother addicted to oxicotten, sad as it was, but she needed it. I was under the impression OP's meds were for their recent surgery not chronic pain. I think OP's mom has a valid concern, but I don't agree with the way she is handling it. I hope I haven't proven my self the fool (or moron) by opening my mouth, but I think I may have been misunderstood.

"These drugs can and will become addictive even at the prescribed dose. [...] Go ahead and disagree pill poppers, just because you have a prescription doesn't change the fact you have a problem." Those are the moronic parts. As I see it, you made an empirical statement during a discussion about opiate use in general. You didn't clarify that you were speaking about this OP's situation, or only acute treatment, and you gave no evidence to back it up.  I stated the parts I agreed with, ie using as little as possible, and disagreed with your other assumptions that opiates "can *and wil* become addictive", and that "pill poppers", or, as it's generally understood, frequent users, always "have a problem." I then explained why I disagree-- because dependence, addiction, and pseudo-addiction are all very different things.   I consider your comment moronic because it shows a fundamental misunderstanding of what addiction is, and therefore doesn't belong in a discussion about addiction. Being dependent on a drug, when using it as prescribed to live a normal life, is not addiction. Thus, having a prescription does not always equal addiction, as your statement implied.

Thanks for your reply. You are absolutely correct. I should have clarified the situation I was speaking towards and I apologize for not being clear. I agree meds can help people live normal lives, and on the negative side I think meds can destroy peoples lives as well. Just to clarify this. I want you to know I respect you and the time and thought you give to these discussions and I do not mean any disrespect or to come off argumentative towards you. Thanks again Jane.

Thanks for your clarification, curly. I realize in retrospect that I might've taken "pill poppers" a bit more broadly than you meant it. Apologies for that. I'm rather sensitive about this subject, since the stigmas personally affect me quite often. I absolutely agree that opiates can destroy lives. Diligence, self-examination and a good pain management program are definitely necessary when opiate use becomes long-term. Lots of research and communication is also needed to deal with family's and caretakers' concerns. Thanks for your kind words, too. I hang around FML when I'm incapacitated by my pain. The dark humor and witty comments distract me, and arguing in discussions like this helps me stay sharp. :)

I totally agree with you! I've had three..

Btw prescription drugs are not hillbilly heroine your an idiot

dammit perdix, you have your thread of angry people already..

I had the same surgery! I'm feel so bad for this person can't imagine how I would have recovered without those meds

it's so cute talking to other people who have been through it, mine were on June 12 and 22 :)

i just had a spinal fusion 2 weeks ago and that shit is painful still