hi my mom just had an operation and i got to see her yesterday for the frist time, im scared because they have her on this pain stuff all she does is push a button and boy was she pushing it. will it make her want to get high again? after she comes home she was really liking it when i saw her what should i do...should i tell the doctor she was a druggie?

I am sure it will give her some type of relief for the pain when she does push it. I don't know what I would do in telling her dr. she was a druggie that would be hard but, yet if she is into recovery and all I would think she would make the Dr. aware that she is an addict so he could watch her with it. You might ask her if she has told her Dr. about her being a druggie and see what she says. Then if she says she has then you need to trust her and the Dr. with it is all I could suggest. I hear your concern for her and to think that she might get addicted is scarey but pray for her in the meantime that she will be able to stay strong and stay on her journey of staying clean. I will pray for her also. Keep us posted okay!!!Sending you lots of prayers for strength and healing!
cherrie from tx

I think Cherree is right, I would ask her if she told the doctor, most people I know in recovery who have had to get pain medicine tell the doctor. If she didn't tell the doctor I'm not sure what I would do, becasue on one hand if you butt into it and tell the doctor yourself it is a controlling move, and it's her decision, but on the other hand he does need to know, well I think I would talk to her first and feel it out, if she says she didn't tell the doctor maybe talk to her about your concerns and ask her why she didn't tell the doctor, I'd pray about it and then talk to her. I'm really not sure if I'd tell the doctor or not if she says she didn't, I think I probably would tell the doctor but that might not be the right thing to do. I sure will pray for you guys. Pray the serenity prayer and maybe God will show you somehow what to do, if anything.

Here's another thought, is your mother in a recovery program? If so maybe you could talk to some of her friends or sponsor in recovery, maybe just ask someone to come over to visit, not to "tell" on her, but just to have people in recovery around her, and maybe talk to someone who knows her very well like a sponsor, and maybe that person can help you decide.

I've had major surgery and had to have drugs for pain, but I didn't go back to drinking or using. At times, due to a disease I have, I've had to take heavy pain medication in the past, too, and still stayed in recovery. It does change your thinking to a negative mode, but if you want your recovery enough, you hang in there and do the things you have to do to overcome it. There's also the need to deal with coming off the medications when it's time. As I say, it's not totally easy, but if a person wants to continue in their recovery, it's entirely possible. I'm sure your mom told the doctors of her addiction. Here's the deal for us who are in recovery-----we're only human and we feel pain like everyone else. There are degrees of pain that are so great that it can cause a person to go into shock if they don't have relief, so pain medication is necessary. Also, if an addicted person is denied relief from great pain, their likelihood of using drugs illegally and abusively or drinking to kill the pain are increased. There's a drug that gives excellent pain relief when given by injection that's an anti-inflammatory drug rather than a narcotic and it's called Toridal. Suggest to your mother that she ask her doctor about it. They might not use it in the early days right after surgery where there's more danger of bleeding, but they offered it to me after two days after my surgery and I was thrilled at how well it worked. It doesn't work as well by pill form so I still had to take pain meds for a week or so at home, but it sure did work when injected.

And also, that pump she's on is a way they use to keep pain medication at a minimum, rather than just giving shots every four hours, so they're doing the best thing they can for her that way.

I just got back from seeing my mom and to answer your questions about recovery? she just started to go again to meetings but she never liked them before. and she doesent tell to many people about her problem thats why i was surprised to see her post it here. anyways my mom dident tell the doctor and so i made her tell him. i dident tell SHE DID {hehehe} shes madder then a firecracker at me but she'll get over it. like i told her it's just not her life but mine too and i'm going to protect it as much as i can.
the doctor is taken her off that stuff and going to give her something elese.so at least i can relax soom thanks everyone and about recovery? shes been to a million rehabs and has been clean for 3 years this time should she go to meetings and what can i do tio help?

Yes, she would do well to go to meetings, but if you try to make her do it, you could do more harm than good. The very best thing you can do is find out about Alateen in your area and start going to meetings and getting involved. You'll learn there the best ways to help her and to take care of yourself, too.