Absolutely Beyond Me (painkillers mentioned)

Old 10-21-2008, 10:34 PM
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Absolutely Beyond Me (painkillers mentioned)

I've had some health issues and spent a few days in the hospital. Things are better now, but I have to say . . .

I was given a few different things for pain: oxycontin, vicodin, morphine.

Seriously, I think I'd rather set myself on fire than take this stuff. Oxycontin makes me itch like there is no tomorrow. Vicodin kept me awake and made me feel edgy (and did little for the pain.) Morphine finally took the pain away, but I was so loopy that I couldn't remember what the doctors told me during those times (and asked them to repeat information more than once.)

But, all in all, I took this stuff and I felt like utter poop--still do! I just don't "get" why anyone at all could be addicted to this stuff. I got off it all the absolute first moment I could and have been on Tylenol since.

Anyway, this is more just a silly, loopy comment (that comes from no sleep and being over-tired.) I just wonder what the appeal is--what becomes so necessary about these things that makes people want to feel like this! I guess we all react differently to certain drugs. But, it makes me wonder if some people are just predisposed to getting pleasure from something that brings most of us misery? If it really is a chemical imbalance and more than just willpower. Eesh.

All I have to say is . . .

YUCK!

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Old 10-21-2008, 10:44 PM
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I think you wrote it write when you indicated meds affect people differently as I would surmise certain combos would.

I had ulcerative colitis and was on morphine in the hosp. THANK GOODNESS it took away the debilitating pain. It was so bad was thanking heaven for the meds. I thought about how it took away the pain and I liked it a lot...but how would I function on it otherwise???? Maybe dosage plays a part of it too?

From what I am learning, different people are wired differently in the brain. For example, I was on an opiate derivitive as a baby for colic. For THREE YEARS. UH HUH. Thanks mom. When I first took hydro for a broken foot, I felt normal for the first time. WHen I made the association btwn the pills and state of well being I asked my Dr what that was about. He said my opiate receptors were stimulated in the formative yrs of my childhood and determined that when being bathed in opiates at that age, to take them away was to take away normalcy for me. The brain did not forget and screamed WELCOME HOME!

I never became addicted but I wanted more. I had suffered depression since childhood as well as panic. But I could project and see how becoming a junky would not be something I could live with more. So I never did.

For each person, its variable, I suspect.
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Old 10-21-2008, 10:49 PM
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I was prescribe Vicodin after a tooth extraction. It made me loopy as can be and I preferred the discomfort over being so out of it. It's hard for me to imagine that anyone could enjoy this feeling and then multiply it by X. But then again, we are all wired so differently and have different coping skills at our disposal. What flips one preson's swith does not even register with another.
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Old 10-21-2008, 11:14 PM
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Me too. I was married to an opiate addict, but 1/2 a teaspoon of codeine based cough syrup for bronchitis knocked me out for 8 hours, so how is that a draw? Then, once years ago I had that flu that had those bad headaches - called the Dr. because I was scared I was having an anuerism (sp?) because I don't get headaches and he gave me 3-4 Tylenol 4. Well, the first night one didn't work. So, what was the point? I got some relief with 2 alleve for 4 hours of sleep, but didn't want to take more - but 4 hours was better than nothing. But, I've heard it said, if you react "positively" to what the norm is negative or normal, the chances are you have a better percentage rate of becoming addicted. Guess I'm glad I don't react well to pain meds.

Different folks, different strokes. Must be the wiring, because I know I personally cannot understand.
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Old 10-21-2008, 11:33 PM
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I hope I can help shed some light on opiate addiction, because I was on different kinds for 8 yrs up to last week. I had an undetected bacterial infection that was in my stomach and brain. I had wicked migraines that were so bad I was in the hospital and had demoral (50mgs/3hrs). I felt pain free and after I had pain like crazy I liked being pain free. Each migraine would last several hours and even full 24 hrs.

Slowly the infection was getting worse....the headaches were getting worse and I was taking huge amounts of pain killers percocet mainly, but oxycontin and demoral (150mgsIM....injections) were common forms of pain relief as well. I was becoming addicted and didn't even know it. I was addicted to feeling normal and pain free and didn't get the high part.

Since I stopped taking the pills last week I have finally seen the face of my addiction in the form of a nasty detox and withdrawals....thank God my doc gave me some meds to make the withdrawals easier....as easy as constant shaking, cold sweats, throwing up and praying for pills can be.

For many of us we don't choose addiction and it just happens...I never chose it and as bad as it sounds if I was in the same pain filled life again I would take the pills in a second, becasue I took enough to feel normal.

Thanks for listening and thanks for asking,

Chuck
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Old 10-21-2008, 11:47 PM
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I took demoral for pain after a hysterectomy in 2006, I thought wow, I can't believe this one pill could take away the pain of totally being cut through, but it made me feel in lala land. I didn't like the way I felt coming off of them after 5 days use either. It was beyond me... AH taking pills for years, but his line was always that he was taking them as prescribed.
I can read between the lines now.
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Old 10-22-2008, 06:16 AM
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I think i understand how it happens when someone develops it from validly prescribed pain pills. I had a trapped nerve in my pinky toe - sounds silly when you say it but it was debilitating pain. I couldnt wear a shoe on my right foot for almost six months. The pain started coming once or twice a day and over a couple of months slowly increased until it was once ever five minutes - at that point i had surgery and thought after a few days i would be back to normal - no such luck. The pain pills they had me on for the first three days were so strong that i dont remember any of it. All they were trying to do was keep me asleep and off my foot for the first few days.

the recovery took about three months and during that time I never left the house because when the pain would hit i would fall down and cry. I had a wonderful doctor who would only prescribe me a couple of days worth of pills at a time. I would hold off all day long until the moment i could take the pill and get rid of the pain - it was my relief moment. Depression set in because i didnt have much of a life due to the pain - my family was aggravated at me because i couldnt do anything and i was crying all of the time. I never abused the pills or got addicted but I can tell you if my doctor had prescribed me more pills I would have taken them. I have recovered from the pain but have a higher understanding now of what it is like to live with chronic pain and can completely understand how someone could turn to a drug because when the pain is debilitating there is nothing you want but for it to go away. If the doctor isnt careful their patient will end up with a physical addiction - I'm thankful that I had a doctor who wasnt going to let that happen to me.
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Old 10-22-2008, 08:35 AM
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Zombie,
I can't take many pain killers either anything with codine makes me so ill and have often thought the same thing, why does anyone like this? But were all different I guess. I had to take darvocet when I had my hip done and they laughed at me saying that won't do anything. They were right I asked for two tylenol and that is where I stayed and I was fine.
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Old 10-22-2008, 08:45 AM
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Nice post. I also struggled with opiates at first. It took me years to get on the correct dose suited to my brain and my pain. This is where my pain management comes in handy. I know I can not live with my pain and I can not be loopy since I have three children. Different opiates affect me differently so I talk to my Dr and I'm honest so I do not act irresponsible on my medication.
I was on morphin after I had my twins and even though I was in severe pain it masked my broken pelvic bone because I was loopy. You are better with Motrin if that helps.
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Old 10-22-2008, 09:29 AM
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What I was told at my daughters rehab is that everyone is born with the same amount of endorphin receptors, but not everyone has the same amount of endorphins (natural opiates). It's why people have a higher/lower tolerance for pain. When people with low endorphins take opiates for pain, their brains finally feel normal.

When anyone takes more opiates than necessary, or for prolonged periods of time, the brain develops a dependence because it's produced extra endorphin receptors to handle the opiates. They need more to manage pain or be pain free. Those extra receptors will go to sleep after a period of abstinence but they will always be easily wakened.

Having low endorphin levels also leads to depression besides dependence or addiction. Genetics play a huge part.

It took me a while to understand and accept the difference between addiction and dependence. They are both a medical disease because the brain isn't functioning correctly. Addiction is also a spiritual disease because the conscience/consequence isn't functioning correctly.

When I looked over my children's family tree, I saw scattered depression and alcoholism on my side and my husband's. Diabetes is dominant on my side, and that ties in neatly with alcoholism. We can't handle excess sugar in whatever form.

Alcohol, caffeine, nicotine, sugar, and all mood altering drugs share the same pathway in the brain.

I'm positive my son has a sugar/carb addiction and is headed towards diabetes if he doesn't manage it soon. My daughter has an opiate addiction. I'm addicted to nicotine. My husband doesn't overdo anything because he's very aware of his genetics. It's in all our genes.
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Old 10-22-2008, 10:58 AM
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I love the stuff. Or, used to I guess. Opiates were not my mainstay, but if I ever got the chance to abuse them, I would.

And really, I used to abuse just about everything I could get my hands on. I think I stuck with the booze primarily because it is legal, available everywhere, cheap, and when I drink it I know exactly what I'm taking (as opposed to street drugs where all bets are off).

But the interesting part (and part that perhaps relates here) is I don't recall noticing a difference in how I felt from one to another. Each had its own subtleties, but the net result no matter what I was on was that I felt better. Or at least feeling better was the perception.

It's sort of weird to think about it that way. High was high and it didn't matter to me how I got there.
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Old 10-22-2008, 09:22 PM
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After reading these responses, it's amazing at how different we all are when it comes to this kind of thing. It's such a HUGE eye opener that when people start, they actually feel "normal" from the effect and by stopping, they are "not themselves." That's really an epiphany for me in a huge way.

Anyway, out of the hospital. They have me on antibiotics and no more painkillers. I am a bit sore. I think it's from being on the morphine and having no pain and now I'm going to ache for a bit. The same thing happened after my C-section and I had to take Oxy.

I had an infection of the lower intestine. They ruled out a LOT of scary stuff (like Crohn's Disease and IBS.) I'm just so happy to be home with my family. And I'll be happy to actually sleep w/o being awakened 15 times a night just so someone can poke needles in me.

:ghug3
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