Earlier this week, I had gum surgery which..

Earlier this week, I had gum surgery which later caused me to experience the worst pain so far in my life. As a result, I tok the Oxycodone my doctor had prescribed. To be more accurate, I sent my wife racing to the pharmacy to get some.

When you Google “oxycodene”, the first thing that comes up is:

Help is availablew, Speak with someone today, SAMHSA National Helpline. Confidential free help, from public health agencies, to find substance use treatment and information. 1-800-662-4357

The reason for this is that the drug is unbelievably addictive. In just a day, I got a real taste of that.

First, it made my pain disappear completely. Like magic. When the pain came back, I tried to ignore it, could not, and took some more. Poof! The pain is gone.

I took the minimum dosage, for less than 24 hours.

On the second day, I stopped. By this time, my pain was bearable.

But I felt awful for 3 days. Think of a bad hangover, then double it. Friends told me I seemed “fragile”.

Yes, me. Fragile.

I could feel how tempting it could be to take more, to feel wonderful again. That scared the sh*t out me, and now I never want to see that pill again.

Until now, I might have mistakenly thought that weak people get addicted. Now I know better. This drug is terrifyingly addictive.

P.S. I’m fine. It’s not fun, but I am making steady progress.

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