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TOPIC: What Are Opiates? Educate Me On The Opiate Family.

Old 04-29-2009, 05:09 AM
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Thumbs up TOPIC: What Are Opiates? Educate Me On The Opiate Family.

Hi, Im Sharon and Im an Alcoholic.

As I prepare for my hip replacement
surgery in a few weeks Im educating
myself on what kinds of pain medicines
are available that are narcotic or
habit forming.

As ive mentioned my drug of choice 'DOC'
was alcohol. I was so nieve to the knowledge
of drugs when i entered rehab back in
August 1990 that when i heard what other
patiants were in for i was shocked.

I recall several attempts offered to me
with drugs and how I quickly said no
because I had no idea what they
were or what they would do to me.

Back to the topic.

Ill be taking pain meds for my arthritists
and hip replacement. As i read ur shares
on addictions to pain pills i am educating
myself as to what is available.

What r opiates? And what's in that family?

Just like alcohol....u have beer, wine, hard
liquor etc....Rum family, Bourbon Family,
Vodka family, and so on....
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Old 04-29-2009, 05:24 AM
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Percocet, Vicodin, Oxycontin, Oxycet, Tylenol #3, Tylenol with codeine, Demerol, Morphine, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone,

Round and Round... Top of the List would be Percocet... Oxycodone with acetaminophen, Vicodin... Hydrocodone with acetaminophen and Tylenol with codeine. These are used frequently after surgery.

Bigger guns would be Oxycontin, Demerol, Morphine... Usually cancer type pain.

You shouldn't be too worried about this issue... If you need them, your doctor prescribes them and you take them as directed... you won't end up addicted. You probably won't like them, but you'll like the pain less...

I really didn't care much for opiates, to me, they were boring... Give me a good alcohol buzz and a stimulant kick.... now we were talking!

Mark
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Old 04-29-2009, 05:43 AM
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After a motorcycle accident where I shattered my collar bone and split my shoulder blad in 2 I was given Demerol, all I did was sleep, wake up & eat, then back to sleep. I did not like it at all, but then again I was in the early stages of my alcoholism then and all that sleeping messed with my drinking!!! Now in the later stages of my alcoholism I really can't say, I may have liked it! As already said, take it as prescribed and you will do fine.

If you find your self trying to convince your self that a few more then prescribed is a good idea it may be wise to give the script to a freind who will keep you to taking them as directed.

Demerol for me was sleepy time, morphine was lala land, I was given that by the ambulance crew...... if that was easily available I may have gotten into trouble with it.
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Old 04-29-2009, 06:02 AM
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I dont remember how much pain i was
in when the EMS showed up at my
accident after hitting a oncrete culvert
sitting on top the ground.

I was probably too numb from the
alcohol.

Days after i do remember the pain.

With numerous broken ribes and one
had punctured my lung i had trouble
breathing until they drained it.

I do remember when the male nurse
came in at night to check on me and
the pain i was in....he gave me a shot
and i recall soon after the pain was
relieved and i liked it.

Of course i felt guilt and tried to endure
as much pain as i could because i cause
more finacial stress to our marriage
because of my foolishness.....my
disease as i later learned what it was.

Today doctors ask me if there is any
medicine im allergic to and i emmediately
say codeine as i recall makes me ill.

We definitely pay for the trauma
our bodies sustain from our addictions.
Oh and as we get older...the aches
and pains. Arthritists and whatnot.
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Old 04-29-2009, 06:12 AM
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Ya know, I have heard said more than once... If you have physical pain, pain that wears on you, wears you down... that pain is as much, if not more, of a threat to your sobriety than whatever pain meds you take, assuming you take them as directed.

So, don't be hero, or a martyr, take good care of yourself. Taking care of yourself, all of you, is what you need to do to maintain your spiritual fitness... right?

Also, remember that one day at a time thing... you'll know what to do when the time comes.

Mark
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Old 04-29-2009, 08:12 AM
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they are dangerous

I raced motorcycles (motocross) and bicycles all of my life- and got hurt a lot- rotator cuffs, collar bones, broken legs, ankles, toes etc- . Having said that- take as prescribed- tolerance builds quickly, and they (at least me) made me feel great- too great especially at first. If the DR prescribes it- take it. But be careful.- when the tolerance builds you are inclined to increase- PLEASE DONT. Cubile had a good synopsis. My personal experience was with percocet and oxycontin (and H- which is stupid- not prescribed of course)- if you stop expect about a week at least of flu like symptoms. After that it goes away completely 100%. But- they do work very well and as long as you take the prescribed dose its cool. Drs actually do know what they are doing....and I am not a dr so not giving medical advice..just experience.
much love-
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Old 04-29-2009, 08:20 AM
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Above posters covered pretty well what types of opiods there are for you to take.

I wouldn't worry to much about getting addicted to them (still be cautious). People who are opiate addicts process and break down the drug differently than normal people. We have a certain chemical change in our brain when opiates enter which produces a supreme euphoria unlike any other type of drug.

This doesn't occur in most people though, most do not receive any type of high at all. They just get pain relieved and sometimes throw-up because their stomach is un-easy.
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Old 04-29-2009, 11:25 AM
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Originally Posted by ex D-Boy View Post
Above posters covered pretty well what types of opiods there are for you to take.

I wouldn't worry to much about getting addicted to them (still be cautious). People who are opiate addicts process and break down the drug differently than normal people. We have a certain chemical change in our brain when opiates enter which produces a supreme euphoria unlike any other type of drug.

This doesn't occur in most people though, most do not receive any type of high at all. They just get pain relieved and sometimes throw-up because their stomach is un-easy.
Man- i couldnt disagree more- have you taken percs, vicodin and God forbid H??. no disrespect. but opiates give you the highest high of all. Maybe not for you - and I really mean no disrespect- sorry for disagreeing but i have been down that road big time. MOST people get addicted to that crap- look it up.
Much respect and regards-
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Old 04-29-2009, 11:34 AM
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Originally Posted by dedubya View Post
Man- i couldnt disagree more- have you taken percs, vicodin and God forbid H??. no disrespect. but opiates give you the highest high of all. Maybe not for you - and I really mean no disrespect- sorry for disagreeing but i have been down that road big time. MOST people get addicted to that crap- look it up.
Much respect and regards-
dub
hehehehheheh my doc is heroin. I IV'ed it for 4+ years, look up some of my past posts bro. I have also done basically every other drug under the sun but did not take a liking to any besides oxy then eventually heroin. You are just in the minority with me on how opiates effect the brain. I've talked extensively with a therapist over this point.

That is why for so long my parents / brother could never understand why I would do anything to get that feeling because when they would take vicodin or percocet or loratabs for post surgery they felt no euphoria.
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Old 04-29-2009, 11:37 AM
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read this from another thread-
Well last attempt I failed before 72 hours of detox. Another day another attempt. I am an alchoholic and a addict.

I have been trying to kick the pills for 6-8 months of reducing intake but I kept failing so figured I would get help- All I found was $$$ hungry DR's. The Last 2 Both said they would help with suboxone treatment. Yhe 1st told me he couldnt help on this because he didnt have the class. so he refered me to another - after signing up and goinf thru the office stuff and an hour long visit the refered Dr tells me he is retiring in 2 weeks so didnt want to write it and refered to another....erggg

After 20-30 phone calls I found a Dr that says they will refer me to a privatre practice that does outpatient help AND takes Insurance... Another office visit and another let down. After taking off work yet again and another office visit another payment....this Dr tells me she only completed 1/2 of the CEU class for suboxone and refers me to inpatient non insurance center- Whaaa whaaa whaa!

I have managed to fail 2 times now on cold turkey (no pills).
Sunday 04/26/09 3:00PM Was the last day I used!
Monday 04/27/09 I made it without any Pills. W/D was not really to bad. A little sweating - Upset stomach over all not too bad.
Monday eve I could not sleep - tossing and turning- LOTS of Sweating (so much I had to change pillows and shirt. My Head was pounding and lower back hurting.
Tues- Am YAwning constant- but not tired (go figure) - feel very hyper - Head pounding Hell My freekin teeth even hurt.
I feel Burst of shockin sensation every now and then. I almost called in sick to work but I only have 1 sick day left and thought tomarrow may be worse than today. 11 am Diareah started still sweating but now getting cold and then hot.

Is there a name for the shock like burst? Dunno how else to disribe it.

I plan on hitting a NA meeting after work. I really think I can do this!
I have dropped from I will say 250-300 mgs a day of Oxy's loratabs...any optioid down to a 10 a day to nothing. I have went probably 7 years and not missed more than 1 day I think 1x i went 3 days because I was dayum near dead from stomach flu.

I have debated taking a part of a xanex to see if that helped the W/D. ( I havent done more than 1 a month on these but that still feels like cheating!)

Well I thought venting in here may help the emotional side of things and strange enough I do feel like it helps.

Thanks for the place to vent!
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Old 04-29-2009, 11:55 AM
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by the way- I have major experience with H- very major- and again i mean all respect to you. if you dont get high off of opiates you are - well i was going to say very fortunate (actually means tolerant), but thats not the word- but I dont know you and I respect that. I hope the best for you- truthfully. That is the worst drug on the planet. and I wish you much love and respect. I wish you the best. I do not mean to sound disrepectful- but others may take this advice and I think its not correct. Opiates suck unless you are in much pain- as far as a high- they take you too high. sorry for the rant- but i know what i am talking about.
dub
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Old 04-29-2009, 12:02 PM
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Drugs, Alcohol.....it sure beat the he** out
of ya. Right? It doesnt matter what or how
much we drank or drugged or how much more
I drank or u used, smoked or shot or whatever
u did with ur DOC, our cockiness got the best
of us.

The bottom line is.....it ALL kicked our AZZ.

Seeing what it did to each of us first hand, then
where it got us, to what we did about it, to
admitting we have/had a problem, to accepting
it, to finally believing there is a solution to
our problem begins the journey of recovery
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Old 04-29-2009, 12:14 PM
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i am actually sorry for my reply here- i have had friends die from opiates, - recently. not to mention my own crappy experience a while back. so anyway i meant well- love you all.
dub. apologies again.
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Old 04-29-2009, 01:32 PM
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Only take them as directed. I OD'd on Ambien, Darvocet, and Vicoden and the darvocet and vicoden wripped a hole in my liver and I can never take anything with acetiminophen (tylenol) again. They were able to fix my liver with 17 doses of this awful medicine call mucamyst that smelled like rotten eggs, I took the medicine over 4.5 days and my body retained the smell for another couple of days-the memory of that smell keeps me from even thinking of alcohol.

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Old 04-29-2009, 01:34 PM
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After being a sober alcoholic for 7 months I was in a nasty motorcycle accident and given synthetic morphine injections on the way to the hospital that were supposedly 10 times more potent than morphine. It took three before I noticed any reduction in pain and the EMT's seemed surprised that the first injection had no effect at all. I had a drip of the stuff in the hospital for a few days and remember nothing of a euphoric feeling ever. After getting out of the hospital I had hydrocodone for pain that really only took the extreme edge off of the pain long enough so I could sleep 1-2 hours taking the max dose allowed. I think it was 10 mg. I never really expected it to totally relieve the pain and but it did take the extreme edge off of it. Knowing how dangerous the stuff was I generally only took the max allowable dosage at night so I could sleep a little.

I have met so many people addicted to hydrocodone since I got sober I gave it proper respect for the addictive danger involved. But I do remember having hydrocodone for pain while I was still drinking and never had a problem with it.

Most of the formulations of Vicodin have heavy duty dosages of acetometaphen that are very tough on the livers of alcoholics. The acetometaphen always scared the heck out of me because I was a drinker. You can ask your Doctor to give you a formulation without the acetometaphen, or with a reduced amount.

Good Luck Sharon
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Old 04-29-2009, 01:46 PM
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I think it was Vicodin that i was on after
my accident in 1990. Of cource during the
healing period which was about 3 4 5 months
i didnt drink. Shortly after that the cravings
for alcohol surfaced once again even stronger
than ever inspite of the horrible accident i had.
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Old 04-29-2009, 02:08 PM
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finre
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Old 04-29-2009, 02:37 PM
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From what I have learned about drugs over the years, is that opiates are very addictive, and one of the hardest to get off of. Heroin, oxycontins, percocettes, lortab, vicodins, endocette. Norco, tylenol#3 and so many more. From my own personal experience they were very addicting for me, and a struggle to get off of. I'm not saying that crack, and alcohol, and all that stuff is not addicting, cause I know it is. Each humans brain has a different chemistry. And each drug affects each addict differently. So opiates might make one person totally dependant. Where another person might not care about them one way or the other. It depends on the individual. I have heard of alot of people struggling with addiction to pain meds lately. It's an epidemic, and its growing at alarming rates.
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Old 04-29-2009, 02:47 PM
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Only 10% of the people who consume alcohol are alcoholics. However, of those taking any opiate for a long period of time, 100% will become addicted. Yet opiates, both real
and synthetic, and their derivatives are crucial is relieving post-surgical pain. If your doctor realizes that you're an alcoholic, he'll be careful in prescribing medication. Controlling the pain is critical in surgical recovery. You have nothing to worry about so long as you follow his directions.
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Old 04-29-2009, 04:48 PM
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dedubya i think you misunderstood my post. I became a complete slave to heroin. I would deal coke + pot in order to keep my 2 bundle a day habit going, max out my credit cards with cash advances to get more when I was dopesick. towards the end when it was getting real bad I was contemplating in my head breaking into peoples houses at night and jacking electronics and anything else I could find while in there(when i get dopesick enough all bets are off) Me and you are the same dedubya, our brains both have that certain chemical change that happens when we take opiates where we trick ourselves into thinking we need it all the time or else we will die.

Others above have posted that when they were taking things like morphine, or even vicodin for periods of time after they were done that was it, they felt no need to get more.

There is actually some interesting studies you can find on google about controlled experiments that have been done over europe where they selected a small sample size of 100 people and gave each of them heroin everyday for 30 days. Now at the end of the 30 days all 100 people were physically addicted to the drug (obviously, this cannot be gotten around when taking opiates). But what they found out is, after they safely medically detoxed all 100 people only about 15% went back to heroin after being released from the detox center, the rest just moved on with their life and never sought it out again.

We are in that 15%. if ya want i can link you to the study its actually very interesting, just PM me (they dont let you post links on threads here its against the rules) We have a lot in common I can tell and I do value your input about warning people about how nasty heroin or any opiate addiction can be, its totally true. be safe bro ~~
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