T he Long Journey Out of Opioid Dependency
“I was in so much pain that, some days, when I came home from work, I would sit on my couch, not move until the next morning, without eating…”
Jean-Marie, a fifty-year-old glazier, remembers vividly the agony that consumed him after being diagnosed with degenerative disc disease.
In 2012, a scan revealed a spinal birth defect that led to the degeneration of his vertebral discs. His doctors first prescribed painkillers and muscle relaxants, but the relief was short-lived. Subsequently, they turned to a powerful painkiller – sustained-release morphine, in a brand called Skenan.
No doctor warned him of the risk of dependency associated with high doses. Jean-Marie admits he didn’t read the instructions. For a week, the pain subsided. When it inevitably returned, his emergency fix provided temporary relief.
“I was in the moon,” he confided to his doctor, hoping for a solution. The doctor, seeming unfazed, suggested yet another form of morphine – Actiskenan, a faster-acting morphine. He took six tablets a day. “I took it to be able to work: you are in pain, you take one and you can leave,” he shared with a sigh.
Jean-Marie was taking around ten pills a day. He became dependent.
A Spiral of Dependency
Every three months, his prescription was renewed. No physical examinations, no probing questions.
Then, in 2017, the inevitable happened. Vomiting, sweating, diarrhea. He found himself in the emergency room, consumed by the agony of withdrawal.
“They gave me my dose, and I felt better,” he recalls.
The emergency doctor pointed him toward addressing his addiction. Referral in hand, Jean-Marie found himself at the university addiction service in Lyon, under the care
of Dr. Benjamin Rolland, who had recently founded the Lyon Resource Center for Addiction in May 2023. Slowly, month by month, Jean-Marie began to wean himself off the drugs that had come to both soothe and enslave him.
One question haunts him: why wasn’t he warned? “Why was I allowed to gorge myself on medications from 2012 to 2017? Why didn’t anyone tell me?”. The emotional wound of neglect persists.
An Ongoing Challenge
For many, opioids provide relief from agonizing pain. But they also hold a dangerous potency. Opioids encompass both natural substances like morphine, codeine, and synthetic ones like fentanyl or tramadol. Due to their effectiveness in combatting moderate to severe pain, often stemming from conditions like cancer, post-surgical recovery, or chronic pain
These drugs target opioid receptors within the brain, playing a key role in regulating pain perception. They also significantly elevate feelings of pleasure, reward, and well-being.
Walking the tightrope between pain relief and addiction is a complex and delicate process.
This is a story of navigating those complexities.
It’s an ongoing battle.
・ What challenges did Jean-Marie face during his opioid withdrawal process?
## The Long Road to Recovery: Interview with Jean-Marie
**Interviewer:** Thank you for joining us today, Jean-Marie. Your story is a powerful reminder of the insidious nature of opioid dependency.
**Jean-Marie:** Thank you for having me.
**Interviewer:** You were initially prescribed opioids to manage chronic pain from degenerative disc disease. Can you tell us about your experience with these medications?
**Jean-Marie:** At first, they were a godsend. The pain was so severe, it was all-consuming. The opioids allowed me to function, to work, to have some semblance of a normal life. But that relief was short-lived.
**Interviewer:** You mentioned your doctor increased your dosage over time. What was that process like?
**Jean-Marie:** It felt routine. Every three months, my prescription would be renewed, no questions asked.
Looking back, I wasn’t really informed about the risk of dependency. I didn’t fully understand what I was getting into.
**Interviewer:** When did you realize you had become dependent on opioids?
**Jean-Marie:** It hit me hard in 2017. I experienced severe withdrawal symptoms: vomiting, sweating, diarrhea. I ended up in the emergency room, in excruciating pain.
**Interviewer:** That must have been terrifying.
**Jean-Marie:** It was. They gave me another dose of the medication, and it brought immediate relief, but it was a wake-up call.
**Interviewer:** You then sought help at a university addiction service. Can you tell us about your recovery journey?
**Jean-Marie:** It’s been a long and difficult path. Withdrawal was incredibly challenging, both physically and mentally. But with the support of the addiction service, I was able to
gradually taper off the opioids. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it.
**Interviewer:** Your story highlights the fact that opioid dependency can affect anyone, even those originally prescribed the medication for legitimate medical reasons.
**Jean-Marie:** Absolutely. I encourage anyone struggling with opioid dependency to seek help. There are resources available, and recovery is possible.
**Interviewer:** Thank you for sharing your story Jean-Marie.
**Jean-Marie:** Thank you for listening. [[1](https://www.columbusrecoverycenter.com/drugs/opiate-addiction/withdrawal-detox/timeline/)]