Don or Suzie or anyone ?

[Guest guest]

Most of you who know me know that I take some strong drugs for a back problem Four surgeries have failed to take away the pain. I have been taking oxycontin 10 mg about 6 to 8 tablets a day. Lortabs 10mg each 3 to 4 a day and muscle relaxers along withan antihistamine to enhance them and get them into my system faster. I heard from someone here that morphine eats away something in the body. I think it might be a protein or something? What was that? I am now starting with edema in both my feet and in my right lower leg and in my hands and more so in my right hand. Sometimes I cant even make a fist due to all the swelling. Could this be the drugs causing this? I (as a nurse) never thought of this until this morning. I have just taken my last dose of medication. I am going to go through withdrawals I know this. I am willing to do it. I don't care anymore. I feel like I am falling apart a piece at a time. And all the doctors want to do is give me another drug. I won't take even a single pill more. Can anyone here please tell me why I might be third spacing (or swelling with fluid) like this? I think it is the drugs and lack of exercise. It is difficult for me to move with all of this pain. Walking and going up and down the stairs is very difficult to begin with. Not to mention the weight I have gained. I have put on about 40 to 45 pounds in the last 5 years. I must start moving again, and eating better. In a couple of days I am going to see how I feel and start on my exercise bike even if if it only 5 or 10 minutes to start with. At least it's something. I am also going to get one of those small exercise trampolines with an handle on it so that I can try to run in place with out the impact and I will have the bar to hold on to. The running will be slow to start out to be sure. But I feel that with time I can improve. I have been through so much that it is starting to really get to me. This swelling is the last straw. Please Don, Sizie or anyone can you help me with some advise? I don't think I will be feeling too well for the next couple of weeks due to the withdrawals from the drugs. I am willing to go through it just to start to feel normal again. Even my fingers hurt. My knees and hips are killing me with pain. I know that sometimes when the body craves the oxycontin it can feel much pain from the drug leaving the system. I think that's what that is all from. Is it the morphine doing all of this to me? I think it might be. I could be wrong. Thank you all so much and I will wait for any kind of help.

Lynn