Be Disciplined

My final comments about pain management have to do with self-discipline. It is an unavoidable truth that the human body eventually builds up a tolerance to medications. For example, if I daily take five milligrams of methadone every four hours, it will only be a matter of time before I cease to find relief from that medication at that dosage like I once did. Eventually the dosage will have to be increased or changed.

The rate at which my body builds up a tolerance to the painkillers I’m taking is something I have fought against my entire life. This is the direct result of an experience I had when I was sixteen years old and had my gallbladder removed. As so often is the case with me, there were complications to this “simple procedure.” Painkillers were of course given for post-operative pain. Due to the length of time I was on them and the quantities given, my body become somewhat addicted to Demoral. When it came time to take me off this medication, I began to experience terrifying withdrawals. I recall I was unable to control my emotions; I went from sad, to angry, to sobbing in the matter of moments. This was accompanied with vivid hallucinations of bugs crawling on the walls that I thought were moving.

As terrible as that experience was, I’m grateful for it. It showed me how easy it is to fall into the trap of addiction. It caused me to actively fight against developing an addiction to the pain medications I take, and made me very conscious of the rate at which my body builds up tolerances to those medications.

Before taking any of my pain killers, I always ask myself, “Though I can take my pain medication now, do I really need to? Can I wait another thirty minutes, hour, or longer before taking it? Do I need to take two pain pills or will one do just fine?” I do my best to control my pain and pill intake rather than allowing them to control me. As a result of using meditation and disciplining myself, I’ve been able to avoid building up tolerances to my pain medications. I’ve been on the same dosage for nearly ten years; and that’s something my doctor at the pain clinic marvels at.

“According to the 2006 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, teens abuse prescription medications more than all illegal drugs combined, excluding marijuana.”  Abuse of prescription pain medication is a serious problem in our country for adults and teens. Though painkillers can help manage chronic pain, wisdom must always be used.

Managing chronic pain can be emotionally and physically taxing. Taking control of your pain and the medications you use to relieve it, is vital to your well-being. Fight the urge to take painkillers to get rid of pain you really can endure, and do everything you can to protect yourself from addiction. By learning to cope with and control your discomfort, you are well on your way to living well with Sickle Cell.