Vicodin and Me

I probably sound a bit like an addict lately, going on and on about how I want some Vicodin.

I know I've said it before but I'm gonna say it again.  I used to have a high pain tolerance.  I had a natural childbirth when I was 17.  Nineteen hours of labor, and yes, it hurt, but not so much I needed pain meds.  When I had my gall bladder removed a few years ago, I took one dose of pain meds (Vicodin, by the way) at the hospital before I left for home.  I took one more dose that night before bed.  The next morning, I felt fine and was back to my usual activities.  I've never been one to want  lots of pain meds.

I very rarely drink alcohol.  I have had a total of four drinks since I had my gastric bypass surgery more than five years ago.  Two glasses of wine and one two occasions, I shared a frozen margarita with a friend.

I've never done illegal drugs.  Never smoked pot.  Been around people smoking it a couple times but never smoked any myself.  I've never even seen cocaine, crack, meth, heroin, etc.

I've had prescriptions for sedatives, things like valium, ativan, klonopin, xanax, for years.  When I was in high school and other kids were stealing xanax from their mommies' medicine cabinet, I had my own xanax, prescribed by my psychiatrist.  And I took it as directed.  And not very often.  I also did not share with my friends.  Not that any of my friends had serious substance abuse problems, but some of them did take pain pills or sedatives or smoke pot occasionally.  But I never did, except for the meds prescribed to me by my doctor.  And I never took those things for the purpose of getting high.

I'm trying to remember if I've ever taken meds prescribed for someone else, other than the Vicodin my friend gave me recently.  I guess I have, a couple times.  A friend once gave me some omeprazole, which is an acid reducer, available both over the counter and by prescription.  It's expensive stuff and I was having some heartburn and had taken some bought over the counter and a friend that used to take it by prescription has some left over and gave them to me.  I know technically you're not supposed to do that, but it was the same med available without a prescription, and nobody is getting high on omeprazole.

I have refused to take, or to continue taking, prescribed meds that made me feel drugged or hungover.  I don't like that feeling.

About an hour ago, I took another Vicodin.  Just one. 

I was having pain in my right elbow, which is not at all unusual, but it was particularly bad.  It's hard to describe the pain, but it sort of felt like someone was poking needles into the area around my elbow while also burning my skin.  From the elbow down, my arm felt sort of numb and tingling, like when your arm or leg "falls asleep."  Every 10 or 15 seconds or so, a sharp pain would shoot down my arm.

I was trying to write an article about home remedies for warts.  I kept stopping, moving my arm around, shaking it, rubbing the elbow, trying to get some relief.  I couldn't focus on my article.  Plus, it's hard to type when you are shaking your arm and rubbing your elbow.

Finally, I took a Vicodin.  Just one.

I wouldn't say my arm feels good, but the shooting pains are gone and I am able to type.

Why is that too much to ask for?