Medication mayhem

A couple of weeks ago I had an appointment with my GP and decided that since the Norco wasn't really helping anymore, but causing nasty side effects, I'd trade up to a new medication.  I was extremely wary.  First of all, it's Percocet, a drug infamous for being a junkie's drug.  Second, it's a kind of oxycodone and I really hate those medicines.  But still, I hadn't tried Percocet yet, I had started being able to do more and more in life, and I wanted to continue that trend.

The first day was rough.  The next day was fine.  After that I went into withdrawals because I'm taking less of the new medication than I was of the old.  About a week later when that mellowed out I realized two things (1) this is remarkably good pain control, and (2) I feel like shit all the time.

I am wiped out, completely exhausted.  I am nauseas and dizzy.  My bowels are a mess.  I am freezing all the time and I can feel when my breathing gets really shallow.  I lack any concentration at all.  And there is this odd, drugged feeling that is accompanied by this aching hollowness that's hard to describe.  My body and my limbs feel as if they weigh a million pounds.  I still swim and I really do try to help out around the house.  But these days I feel empty.  I've got nothing.

But this not being in pain is just so, so nice.  I'm not sure if I can go back to being in pain to trade back for a better (?) quality of life.  All I know is that I am wrecked and a mess but I love not being in so much pain all the time.