(Throwaway account)
Short intro, in my late teens/early twenties I was an alcoholic, addicted to cocaine and abusing any drug, prescription or not, that I could get my hands on. Been 'clean' from all that shit for 3 years, I only smoke weed for pain. I'm actually a productive member of society now!
Anyway, tonight I landed in A&E after months of excruciating pain in my right hip. It was getting steadily worse throughout today until it felt like it was trying to break through my skin. I've got a Hip Labral Tear and was at first offered a prescription for gabapentin (which I've abused before, and was offered as a 'repeat' on an old prescription for a separate issue), then tramadol (which is where my pharmaceutical abuse started) and finally co-codamol (codeine was my drug of choice). I said no to every single one of them, and was honest with the Dr. I can't have any of those medications around me or I will abuse them. I had to push a little to get him to understand that I wasn't fucking around, I wasn't taking the prescription because I am in recovery. I WILL abuse those medications. I'm good with using tiger balm, heat spray/gel and smoking a joint if it gets too much.
Yeah, I'm in a lot of pain, but I'd rather be in pain until this heals than potentially ruin 3 years of sobriety. It was a good choice for me. One day I'll be able to take pain medication without abusing it, I'm not there yet, but that's okay. I'll get there.