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Anonymous (not verified)
Edited Date/Time
4/18/2017 5:26pm
Guys I wanted to start this thread based on some of what I've been reading in the main moto forum regarding all of your injuries and to tell my story and where I'm at right now. When I grew up we didn't have the money to buy dirt bikes and go racing so every time we went to town I made mom take me to all the bike dealerships and I just raided the brochures, every day I'd sit and look at the bikes just hoping one day I'd be able to ride.
Smash cut to now I've been riding for many years and although I never became very successful I love moto in any form there is....I just love it. I'll try not to drag this on but in 2008 I had a pretty severe wreck on the bike that was actually somewhat funny. I came up short on a nice size double in Magnolia, Ar. and when I landed my foot jams the back brake and I go end over end into the pond in the middle of February. Hence my nickname "Scuba Steve". This ruptured my L5/S1 severely, to the point that I couldn't hold my bladder and lets not talk about getting an erection. After all the therapy, shots, blockers, enough pain meds to kill a T-Rex I went and had a discogram performed in Shreveport, LA. Other than my kidney stones this is the most painful procedure I've ever had done and the results did show the L5 was the culprit. Laminectomy number 1, went in and it didn't help, nor did #2. So smash cut to surgery #3 at the Texas Back Institute in Plano, TX. This was a clinical study where they paid for everything, and I mean my hotels, gas, and food going back and forth for doctors visits post surgery. The night of the surgery obviously I was in a ton of pain but they threw my ass out of bed and down the hall walking I went. I don't want to go on and on about how well this surgery went but there's nothing I can't do now whether it's squatting in the weight room or lining up to race. No residual pain and life is good, except for..........
Now the fun part, how do I stop taking the pain medication. This is hard for me to even talk about to this day as I've always been very mentally strong but this I couldn't kick. I pray anyone who has to have surgery where they're taking pain medication that they have a strong partner by their side regulating what you take. After nine years this is a battle I fight especially when injuries occur on the track or in the trees riding. Help is out there and if anyone needs help and wants more info on how I've beat this battle just pm me and I'd love to talk about it.
Smash cut to now I've been riding for many years and although I never became very successful I love moto in any form there is....I just love it. I'll try not to drag this on but in 2008 I had a pretty severe wreck on the bike that was actually somewhat funny. I came up short on a nice size double in Magnolia, Ar. and when I landed my foot jams the back brake and I go end over end into the pond in the middle of February. Hence my nickname "Scuba Steve". This ruptured my L5/S1 severely, to the point that I couldn't hold my bladder and lets not talk about getting an erection. After all the therapy, shots, blockers, enough pain meds to kill a T-Rex I went and had a discogram performed in Shreveport, LA. Other than my kidney stones this is the most painful procedure I've ever had done and the results did show the L5 was the culprit. Laminectomy number 1, went in and it didn't help, nor did #2. So smash cut to surgery #3 at the Texas Back Institute in Plano, TX. This was a clinical study where they paid for everything, and I mean my hotels, gas, and food going back and forth for doctors visits post surgery. The night of the surgery obviously I was in a ton of pain but they threw my ass out of bed and down the hall walking I went. I don't want to go on and on about how well this surgery went but there's nothing I can't do now whether it's squatting in the weight room or lining up to race. No residual pain and life is good, except for..........
Now the fun part, how do I stop taking the pain medication. This is hard for me to even talk about to this day as I've always been very mentally strong but this I couldn't kick. I pray anyone who has to have surgery where they're taking pain medication that they have a strong partner by their side regulating what you take. After nine years this is a battle I fight especially when injuries occur on the track or in the trees riding. Help is out there and if anyone needs help and wants more info on how I've beat this battle just pm me and I'd love to talk about it.
Like any substance, you can get hooked if not careful. I'm no expert in how to kick the habit. Best advice would be to to cut back on the use until you give it up. if it's a serious problem you should seek professional help. If you are controlling it and not wrecking your life then you should cut back until it slowly leaves your system. If taking 2 pills a day. Cut to 1 and a half. Then when ready cut down to 1. Then down to a half pill. Then stop.
Again I'm no expert. Just going on what I sorta did. After surgery of course you are popping them like crazy and it makes you feel good. Then once you are healed up you realize it makes you feel great after popping one. So you pop a pill have a few beers and have a great buzz going.
It's very easy to get hooked if you are not careful. It's just like any other drug.
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Go see a specialist and get on a program.
On a scale of 1-10
Normally wake up with pain at 4 by mid day its 6 by early evening 8-9.
I try and cycle the pain meds.
The back pain I experience can keep me awake most of the night.
Use Hydro codon only as a sleep aid and never more that 1 pill per night.
Its tempting to take Hydro Codon during the day but I wont do it.
For the most part I tough it out during the day and keep myself occupied/distracted.
After a bit (20 days or so) I stop with the opiates and take 600+ mg of Ibuprofen in the early afternoon to evening.
Does not make the pain subside but does take a bit of the edge off.
If sleeping is still an issue I will take Ibuprofin PM
eventually the Ib doesnt work very well.
Then mix Ibuprofin with Tylenol for a few weeks.
I try and tolerate the pain as much as possible, you can build up quite a bit of tolerance to pain.
If I can sleep I wont take anything.
The pain really sucks but I have seen too many people in this sport become dependent on opiates
.
You have to constantly remind yourself that addiction is much worse than the pain.
1. Cold turkey. Very difficult, not usually successful since you suffer so much most people turn back to using
2. Taper down. This is also difficult because again, most people will just say ehhh ill just have my normal dose today and start tomorrow...
3. Replacement therapy. Suboxone/subutex. This would be my suggestion. Just dont let this turn into another addiction. I have used it myself and thankfully theres no high or buzz from it so you dont mentally crave it, it just alleviates you of withdrawal.
Honestly, it is what you make it. A positive attitude will take you a long ways. When you kick, the first thing your gonna think is this is hell, life will be fine if i could just stay on the pills. Your brain will do anything possible to keep you using/get you to use again.
If you end up using subs, let me know id like to gibe you some pointers for the induction as the docs that hand them out dont know much about them.
I thought i had it all under control, and i was smarter than everyone else who got addicted. I wasnt gonna be a statistic! 5 years later... anyway man, dont let it take you any farther down the rabbit hole. The longer you stay on the harder it is to get off.
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