I don't find myself concerned with having to go to rehab to get off the meds at all. If that's what I have to do, it's what I have to do. At least I know,my family knows, and my doctors all know that the REASON I am dependent on them is because of chronic long term pain and not because of the desire to "get high" on them

On on the 75 (mcg/hr???) fentanyl patch plus take percocet every 8 hrs on top of that for my pain...and it doesn't phase me one bit. I don't LOOK stoned, I don't FEEL stoned...if I were to get pulled over while driving, the cop wouldn't even think about testing me for drugs cuz my eyes arent' glassy or anything. This is a person who doesn't even DRINK ALCOHOL, let alone anything else....so you know my pain is REAL cuz it's "going to the right place" in my brain. And that's a huge difference between those of us with real pain, and those who take it to get high. when you take it for pain, the area o the brain responsible for pain NEEDS IT and uses it. When you take it for recreation that area of the brain DOESN'T need it, so it's purpose is DIFFERENT...and that's why when someone has pain and is on narcotic pain meds, they feel a lot different than someone who ISN'T in pain when they take them.

There is NOTHIGN to be ashamed of, nothign to worry about, when it comes to taking narcotic pain medicatio. You can either suffer day in and day out ofr several YEARS in pain because of the "fear" that it will take "a month or two" to get off the medication....or you can have those several years at least COMFORTABLE, and endure those couple/few months it will take to wean off the meds.

Besides, if you go to a pain mgt doc, they won't PUNISH you...they'll wean you off the meds slowly. They won't tortue you...

Hugs
LisaM