Managing your pain management

Not to long ago the FDA atricle on loratab was discussed or viewed by many. It's no surprise that loratabs are addicting just wonder what took FDA so long to say so. Anyway this got me to thinking of all of us and our chronic pain and what we take for it. Just to note ppl with depression get addicted to things a little quicker and of course chronic suffers are always looking for the best way to relieve the pain. But this is a dangerous combo. We need to be careful over getting addicted ourselves to the slew of options that we are given for pain. Being in pain is bad enough lets try to help eachother manage without being addicts also. When the " pain pill " is more important than the pain relief it might be time to seek some consuling. I say this from my heart and experience with my own demons there is a dark road to avoid. Fighting Chiaris ( and all the non medical crap that goes with it ) is tough enough.

I have been on pain management since August 2201. It has been from many types of medications, nerve blocks, ablation therapy, acupuncture, massage therapy, manual medical manipulations, clinical hypnosis, psychotherapy, PT, hydro therapy,biofeedback, meditation, visionalization, nutritional counseling,Bowenwork,Reiki.

I have tried it all. My pain is always an 8 on a 1-10 scale with Pain Mgmt. 24/7.

I also understand your concern about addiction. I started taking very strong Narcotics in 9/2005. It was the only way I could survive. Literally. I wouldn't have lived without them. That is the honest truth. Over the next 5 years I stayed on Narcotics and Amitriptylene, Klonipin, muscle relaxers. headache meds and emergeny meds when nothing was helping relieve pain and headaches. If that would help I would go reluctantly to the ER.

Throughout these 5 years of taking Narcotics for pain and breakthrough pain my sleep patterns became messed up. I couldn't fall asleep until 7am & would set my alarm clock to be sure I was up when my daughter came home from School. I was still awake in the morning to get her ready for school.

At no time did I ever feel like I was an addict. There is a huge difference when you are on Narcotics for extreme pain. Addicts misuse the medication. I always took mine as directed and worked with my pain specialists. I never felt or acted like I was high or wasted. That is also different for an addict and a person with a real medical condition that warrants these medications. CNS Medications make you feel more loopy than Narcotics when you are this ill.

When my sleep patterns became messed up I began to look into alternatives to Narcotics. My Dr's were incredible. I weened off the narcotics myself with my Dr's assistance. Didn't have any problems then started Tramadol with Klonipin, Amitriptylene (at night), Trazadone(at night), Adderal XR (because I can't take anti depressants and it helps with my POTS to increase my low BP), Flexeril, Fioricet (as needed) and I still have medications I take in emergency situations. I always keep 20 mg Predisone because I get herniated discs easily and other medications.

I never worried about addiction & it wasn't a problem for me. I do know others that have addictive personalities. It may be harder for others.

I have also had many nerve blocks, spine injections and ablation.These treatments works with my medications.

The most important things to remember about Narcotic use is :

  • Use them only as directed
  • Never misuse them...it will become a problem faster than you may think.
  • Always keep your Narcotics in a safe place
  • Work closely with your prescribing physician. If you have a problem or concern tell them ASAP.
  • Learn all the side effects and if any of your Medications cannot be taken with others. Sometimes physicians and pharmacists don't catch warnings.

Pain medications hasn't evolved very well. We are still taking opiod based pain medications. There are some new ones being developed, but not on the market yet. I keep up with world pain medication research & studies.

Narcotics are very important in pain management when you have a good pain mgmt specialist monitoring you and your situation. Please don't discount pain medications based on addiction concerns. If you are in pain at times they are your only chance for relief. 24/7 pain at high levels will break you fast. I honestly wouldn't be alive today without Narcotics.

Please just learn about your options and weigh the benefits before you totally disregard Narcotics because of fear from addiction.I know many people & Members that would agree with me in a second. Just be a great self patient advocate and learn all your options pro & con.

Tracy Z.

Well said TracyZ! Thank u.Xxx

So I just typed up a huge response and lost it because I don’t know how to use my phone. Grrrr. Mainly I just wanted to say there are two sides to every coin and there are two types of people that use pain medication. It’s very hard for us that don’t abuse them because of people that do. You know yourself best and for me I know I need a team to work with. I have an addictive personality, OCD, and great Uncles who were all alcoholics so I’m screwed! ;). I work with my team and it works for me. I can take 3 pills and go through withdrawals. So now my pain doc knows, because I told him I’m not normal! I am brutally honest with him, which probably drives him crazy with all my messages but if I do something different I want to make sure he knows. Mainly I wanted to respond to the fact that Tracy came here to support us all the way from 2201. Now that is one amazing woman! ;). Thanks everyone for all you do!

Sarah

My Dr has me on clonazepam 0.5 every morning and 0.5 at night. Is this addtitive? I find that I'm already depending on it. My Dr has dismissed me til I need to see him for new symtoms. Yes, we have enough to cope with. I have Ataxia also. The Dr tells me that it is caused from Chiari. I am looking for a three wheeled bike with good grips on tires that I can ride. I'm living in the country...If anyone can help, please let me know.

Linda

I completely agree with Tracy. Not every person that takes them will be an addict. And I don't believe any person should live a life of high level pain daily. What kind of life would that be? My doctor had me try 8 different migraine meds (before we knew about the chiari) and none of them touched my headaches or migraines. I found myself in the ER or Immediate care once a week, not for pain pills but for a shot for instant relief. he same Immediate Care docs almost every time to where I just had to walk in and they knew what I was there for. Finally after telling one of them that the shot gives instant relief right then but the headache was usually back the next day, just not as bad. That is when he sent me home with my first prescription of Vicodin. 10 of them. I took them as I was supposed to, and at my next appointment with my doctor who always knew every trip for a shot, I showed her the bottle and she was ok with prescribing them for me. I have always been honest with my doctor about everything, I have been getting 30 lortabs a month for over 3 years, and then within the last year, I get 30 percocet 10's about every 3 to 4 months as those are my break thru go to meds. But they also make me feel sick so I can't take those at work and have to take a phenergan with them. My doctor listens to me and understands that not every migraine preventative will work for people, other then not working I had horrible side effects or allergic reactions. I am really drug sensitive but also build up a tolerance quickly... like flexoril. It used to do wonders for me, now not so much. So I have to quit taking them for a few weeks and take an old kind called robaxin which doesn't do much but it helps some and gives me a break from flexoril and then after a few weeks to a month it is back to flexoril.

I have also been on xanax for 3 years for anxiety and recently switched to kolonopin which isn't helping either. I switched because in December I asked my doctor if she would increase my xanax by .25.... I was taking 1mg at bedtime only never during the day and it just wasn't helping my mind stop racing or help me sleep any more. My doctor simply told me she doesn't like to have people on more then 1mg a day and suggested trying kolonopin. So it has been almost 2 months on 1mg of that at night and it doesn't help either. I understand my doctors concern about going over 1mg, but at the same time I have been on this for 3 years and have never ran out or taken more then I should or at any other time besides bedtime. So now I am considered just weaning off it all together. It isn't helping me like it used to so why keep taking it? I see her next month and plan to talk to her about it then.

I have seen friends addicted to narcotics and or benzo's and it isn't a fun life to live, or to watch, but that doesn't mean that every person that takes the pills be addicts, and I wish people would understand and not treat them like addicts. Especially when they have no idea what the person is going through.. just because there is nothing physical on the outside you see, doesn't mean that person isn't dealing with pain, not all pain is visible.

Great story tracy and you are right. you know the thing that gets me with these pain med is there are people that honestel need pain med's and have a hard time getting them from there dr the people that don't need them get them and sale them on the street. i have had to change all of my dr because of insurance issues the new neurologist started me on baflocam a muscle relaxer she will not prescribe pain meds which i try tyleonol with the muscle relaxer my head feels like it could explode.

I suffered tremendously last year because my doctors (neurologist and primary care physician) do not wish to prescribe narcotics. I have a high pain tolerance, but also a high resistance to medication - when I finally do reach my breaking point, ibuprofen doesn’t cut it. I use exactly one pharmacy and am completely forthcoming with my medical history and symptoms. I understand there are risks to using narcotic pain medications, but at one point they had me on 10 non-narcotic meds at one time, trying to do what one narcotic med could do. And I was still in pain. Is that really healthy/better than just giving me the narcotic?

I would like to see the people who are truly in pain get the help that they need (safely) and the people who abuse the system to just stop! In a perfect world…sigh

I ended up getting into legal trouble from Lortab and Xanax back in 2010. I got 2 DUIs from them. I had not drank a drop of alcohol, it was all from my Rx meds! My 2nd DUI I didn’t even know I was driving at all! I ended up having to go through rehab for Lortab and Xanax cuz I got addicted unfortunately! I am proud to say I have been narcotic free since the date of my 2nd DUI, 10-26-2010! It was a long hard road but I made it! :slight_smile: I have the story on my blog www.chiarisux.wordpress.com

Like someone else said, there are two sides to every coin. There are doctors who feel like you do: that every pain patient is a potential addict. That makes it extremely difficult for people in legitimate pain to find compassionate help, let alone pain relief. If you constantly seek the worst in people, that's all you will ever see.

I have seen and personally experienced what true addiction does. There is a difference between misusing prescription medication for recreation and misusing it in an attempt to find relief. Because there are fair few doctors who understand real, raw, physical pain, people don't always get the help they need and attempt to self-medicate. That is heartbreaking but it doesn't necessarily make them drug addicts.

I'm sorry you have demons in your past. I have a few demons tucked away myself. That doesn't make us bad people, it makes us people. We live, we learn, we move on.

I hope you find relief from all of your pain,

Katrina W.

Thanks Everyone for great Posts....Please know Dragonslayer and I are friends and my post wasn't intended to challenge his views. We are all at different places with our Chiari Journey and I respect everyone.

Linda,Clonazepam is Klonipin and it is addictive. I take 1 mg 3 x a day myself for nerve pain. You will definitely have withdraw symptoms if you stop taking it and a pharmacist friend said it is worse than narcotic withdraws. It helps my neck tremendously. Both Klonipin & Valium are muscle relaxers and were developed as muscle relaxers.

Katrina, we do all have demons. You are absolutely correct. I just shared my situation and experiences

It is very discouraging when anyone needs pain medication for legitimate medical reasons & can't. It's heart breaking. The system is definitely broke.

I know nothing much about meds. What kind of withdrawal symtoms would I have? It does help re bother me bystaying on my mind to muchst more at night and helps with my nerve pain. I am a 72 yr old lady and sometimes I say to myself, why not...you need something and at this age in my life don't worry about it. Do wonder what may happen if one day we cannot get Klonipin or any other med that we might need. We never know what tomorrow may bring....disaster of some kind?? Could I possibly taper myself off this medication if it seems to bother me by staying on my mind to much about being addictive?

I'm still looking for a 3 wheeled bike. Does anyone know where I could buy one? Please let me know. I don't excerise and thinking that would be stable and more safe than me trying to walk . Of course I don't and can't walk far. I walk just like a "drunk person"....have already fell and dislocated my arm and fractured some ribs. Hurt and left entire body sore. That was the 24th of Nov. The fall has caused my balance to be worse....

Thanks to all that leaves me a comment.

Linda

TracyZ said:

Thanks Everyone for great Posts....Please know Dragonslayer and I are friends and my post wasn't intended to challenge his views. We are all at different places with our Chiari Journey and I respect everyone.

Linda,Clonazepam is Klonipin and it is addictive. I take 1 mg 3 x a day myself for nerve pain. You will definitely have withdraw symptoms if you stop taking it and a pharmacist friend said it is worse than narcotic withdraws. It helps my neck tremendously. Both Klonipin & Valium are muscle relaxers and were developed as muscle relaxers.

Katrina, we do all have demons. You are absolutely correct. I just shared my situation and experiences

It is very discouraging when anyone needs pain medication for legitimate medical reasons & can't. It's heart breaking. The system is definitely broke.

Everyone excuse the typing in the first paragraph, keyboard messing up

Linda Higdon said:

I know nothing much about meds. What kind of withdrawal symtoms would I have? It does help re bother me bystaying on my mind to muchst more at night and helps with my nerve pain. I am a 72 yr old lady and sometimes I say to myself, why not...you need something and at this age in my life don't worry about it. Do wonder what may happen if one day we cannot get Klonipin or any other med that we might need. We never know what tomorrow may bring....disaster of some kind?? Could I possibly taper myself off this medication if it seems to bother me by staying on my mind to much about being addictive?

I'm still looking for a 3 wheeled bike. Does anyone know where I could buy one? Please let me know. I don't excerise and thinking that would be stable and more safe than me trying to walk . Of course I don't and can't walk far. I walk just like a "drunk person"....have already fell and dislocated my arm and fractured some ribs. Hurt and left entire body sore. That was the 24th of Nov. The fall has caused my balance to be worse....

Thanks to all that leaves me a comment.

Linda

TracyZ said:

Thanks Everyone for great Posts....Please know Dragonslayer and I are friends and my post wasn't intended to challenge his views. We are all at different places with our Chiari Journey and I respect everyone.

Linda,Clonazepam is Klonipin and it is addictive. I take 1 mg 3 x a day myself for nerve pain. You will definitely have withdraw symptoms if you stop taking it and a pharmacist friend said it is worse than narcotic withdraws. It helps my neck tremendously. Both Klonipin & Valium are muscle relaxers and were developed as muscle relaxers.

Katrina, we do all have demons. You are absolutely correct. I just shared my situation and experiences

It is very discouraging when anyone needs pain medication for legitimate medical reasons & can't. It's heart breaking. The system is definitely broke.

Oh, no, it wasn't personally directed at anyone! There was a lot of talk about things in people's pasts... Just because it's our experience doesn't mean everyone will misuse prescription pills.

I guess I'll be the brave one... Yeah, I did a lot of drugs. I graduated from my Christian high school, realized the world was not at all how they portrayed it to be, and kind of lost it. I did everything I could get my hands on - including prescription meds - because it was better than living sober with my foundation completely gone. One day I had enough and quit everything cold turkey. I slipped a few times but this year represents my 11th year sober. And yes, I still consider myself "sober" even though I now take prescription pills daily. I whole-heartedly recognize the irony. :) For the first few years of my pain management, my husband locked my meds in a safe, dispensing pills as I needed them. As I got sicker, and my medical needs grew more complicated, he began setting up my daily meds for me and I would take them as needed. It's at the point now where I don't even think of taking them for "fun" because what I'm going through now is no fun at all.

So there's one of my skellingtons, slipped free of the closet. I try not to probe other people too deeply because I'm no innocent, myself. I get that addiction is a real thing. But I also get that it affects far fewer truly physically ill people than doctors give credit for.

-KW

TracyZ said:

Thanks Everyone for great Posts....Please know Dragonslayer and I are friends and my post wasn't intended to challenge his views. We are all at different places with our Chiari Journey and I respect everyone.

Linda,Clonazepam is Klonipin and it is addictive. I take 1 mg 3 x a day myself for nerve pain. You will definitely have withdraw symptoms if you stop taking it and a pharmacist friend said it is worse than narcotic withdraws. It helps my neck tremendously. Both Klonipin & Valium are muscle relaxers and were developed as muscle relaxers.

Katrina, we do all have demons. You are absolutely correct. I just shared my situation and experiences

It is very discouraging when anyone needs pain medication for legitimate medical reasons & can't. It's heart breaking. The system is definitely broke.

Linda,

If you just stopped the Clonazepam you would get the chills and become incredibly nauseous and have flu symptoms. I forgot my Clonazepam on a weekend trip & got violently ill and thought I had food poisoning. I was very sick until I could get more called in. Then I was fine when I started taking it again. I hope I didn't alarm you. Please just do not stop taking Clonzapam without your doctors assistance. It does work incredible on my neck. I had to get it rebuilt at the same time as my Chiari Surgeries.

Linda Higdon said:

I know nothing much about meds. What kind of withdrawal symtoms would I have? It does help re bother me bystaying on my mind to muchst more at night and helps with my nerve pain. I am a 72 yr old lady and sometimes I say to myself, why not...you need something and at this age in my life don't worry about it. Do wonder what may happen if one day we cannot get Klonipin or any other med that we might need. We never know what tomorrow may bring....disaster of some kind?? Could I possibly taper myself off this medication if it seems to bother me by staying on my mind to much about being addictive?

I'm still looking for a 3 wheeled bike. Does anyone know where I could buy one? Please let me know. I don't excerise and thinking that would be stable and more safe than me trying to walk . Of course I don't and can't walk far. I walk just like a "drunk person"....have already fell and dislocated my arm and fractured some ribs. Hurt and left entire body sore. That was the 24th of Nov. The fall has caused my balance to be worse....

Thanks to all that leaves me a comment.

Linda

TracyZ said:

Thanks Everyone for great Posts....Please know Dragonslayer and I are friends and my post wasn't intended to challenge his views. We are all at different places with our Chiari Journey and I respect everyone.

Linda,Clonazepam is Klonipin and it is addictive. I take 1 mg 3 x a day myself for nerve pain. You will definitely have withdraw symptoms if you stop taking it and a pharmacist friend said it is worse than narcotic withdraws. It helps my neck tremendously. Both Klonipin & Valium are muscle relaxers and were developed as muscle relaxers.

Katrina, we do all have demons. You are absolutely correct. I just shared my situation and experiences

It is very discouraging when anyone needs pain medication for legitimate medical reasons & can't. It's heart breaking. The system is definitely broke.

I do think some people need pain pills long-term. No one should live in pain. I live in WV and we have the highest rates of death by drug overdose in the country. So many people abuse them here that it's hard for doctors to take you seriously when you come to them in pain. In fact I was recently to the doctor because of horrible hip pain. The first thing I told them was that I only took half my pain meds from brain surgery so that wasn't why I was there. I have plenty at home! I just legitimately wanted to know what was causing my pain. I am lucky to have a high pain tolerance and unlucky to have terrible gastritis. Almost all meds hurt my stomach so I rarely take anything.

One of my doctors has a good policy. If he gives you narcotics he will randomly call you in for a pill count. If you don't have the correct number of pills or refuse to come in then he won't refill your Rx. It's inconvenient and sad that these measures need to be in place but when so many people in an area abuse them it's ruins things for the honest people who need them.

7th House Doula,

Thank you for sharing your life with us. You always amaze me. You are an incredible woman.

I grew up in South Western Virginia. There is a triangle where Virginia, Kentucky ,Tennessee,& West Virginia meets that has a problem with Crystal Methamphetamine labs and distribution. Due to this when I spend time there it has been challenging for me to get my medications even though it's the same chain pharmacy. They wouldn't just refill my prescriptions without talking to my prescribing Dr. since my prescriptions came from Richmond. I complained to the Pharmacy, but it is up to the pharmacists discretion.I just couldn't understand because my original prescriptions were scanned into their system & I have been a Patient there for years. I have even talked to local Medical Professionals and it is very hard to get prescribed pain medication when patients need it. The Dr's are over cautious because of the high rate of addiction. Anyone from any of those area will understand and agree with me. I am from an incredible place that is very historic and a tourist location. It was even named from Virginia is for Lover's a " Love" destination. It is a picturesque Norman Rockwell town.

This issues has so many sides. Everyone is correct in their comments. There is not a right or wrong here. I agree with Dragonslayer. We have so much to deal with as Chiarians pain control and addiction shouldn't even have to be a concern.

We struggle with every step of Chiari and every day. You would think we could catch a break and something would be easy, but it never is........

Tracy Z.



7thhousedoula said:

Oh, no, it wasn't personally directed at anyone! There was a lot of talk about things in people's pasts... Just because it's our experience doesn't mean everyone will misuse prescription pills.

I guess I'll be the brave one... Yeah, I did a lot of drugs. I graduated from my Christian high school, realized the world was not at all how they portrayed it to be, and kind of lost it. I did everything I could get my hands on - including prescription meds - because it was better than living sober with my foundation completely gone. One day I had enough and quit everything cold turkey. I slipped a few times but this year represents my 11th year sober. And yes, I still consider myself "sober" even though I now take prescription pills daily. I whole-heartedly recognize the irony. :) For the first few years of my pain management, my husband locked my meds in a safe, dispensing pills as I needed them. As I got sicker, and my medical needs grew more complicated, he began setting up my daily meds for me and I would take them as needed. It's at the point now where I don't even think of taking them for "fun" because what I'm going through now is no fun at all.

So there's one of my skellingtons, slipped free of the closet. I try not to probe other people too deeply because I'm no innocent, myself. I get that addiction is a real thing. But I also get that it affects far fewer truly physically ill people than doctors give credit for.

-KW

TracyZ said:

Thanks Everyone for great Posts....Please know Dragonslayer and I are friends and my post wasn't intended to challenge his views. We are all at different places with our Chiari Journey and I respect everyone.

Linda,Clonazepam is Klonipin and it is addictive. I take 1 mg 3 x a day myself for nerve pain. You will definitely have withdraw symptoms if you stop taking it and a pharmacist friend said it is worse than narcotic withdraws. It helps my neck tremendously. Both Klonipin & Valium are muscle relaxers and were developed as muscle relaxers.

Katrina, we do all have demons. You are absolutely correct. I just shared my situation and experiences

It is very discouraging when anyone needs pain medication for legitimate medical reasons & can't. It's heart breaking. The system is definitely broke.

Oh my gosh, I really never looked at where you live... I spent time in Chesapeake during what I call my "adventure years." lol Spent a couple of years in Hagerstown, MD, then moved to Chesapeake for a few months when I got pneumonia. My dad said, "Enough!" and brought me back to rural North Idaho.

Yeah, the meth thing was (is? it's been a decade since I've been back!) a terrible thing there. It's a terrible thing over in Montana too, for some reason. War on drugs - we will not even get into that. lol Anyway, I guess I am a big ol' softie and want to believe the best in people, no matter how many times I've been shown people can be real jerks.

TracyZ said:

7th House Doula,

Thank you for sharing your life with us. You always amaze me. You are an incredible woman.

I grew up in South Western Virginia. There is a triangle where Virginia, Kentucky ,Tennessee,& West Virginia meets that has a problem with Crystal Methamphetamine labs and distribution. Due to this when I spend time there it has been challenging for me to get my medications even though it's the same chain pharmacy. They wouldn't just refill my prescriptions without talking to my prescribing Dr. since my prescriptions came from Richmond. I complained to the Pharmacy, but it is up to the pharmacists discretion.I just couldn't understand because my original prescriptions were scanned into their system & I have been a Patient there for years. I have even talked to local Medical Professionals and it is very hard to get prescribed pain medication when patients need it. The Dr's are over cautious because of the high rate of addiction. Anyone from any of those area will understand and agree with me. I am from an incredible place that is very historic and a tourist location. It was even named from Virginia is for Lover's a " Love" destination. It is a picturesque Norman Rockwell town.

This issues has so many sides. Everyone is correct in their comments. There is not a right or wrong here. I agree with Dragonslayer. We have so much to deal with as Chiarians pain control and addiction shouldn't even have to be a concern.

We struggle with every step of Chiari and every day. You would think we could catch a break and something would be easy, but it never is........

Tracy Z.



7thhousedoula said:

Oh, no, it wasn't personally directed at anyone! There was a lot of talk about things in people's pasts... Just because it's our experience doesn't mean everyone will misuse prescription pills.

I guess I'll be the brave one... Yeah, I did a lot of drugs. I graduated from my Christian high school, realized the world was not at all how they portrayed it to be, and kind of lost it. I did everything I could get my hands on - including prescription meds - because it was better than living sober with my foundation completely gone. One day I had enough and quit everything cold turkey. I slipped a few times but this year represents my 11th year sober. And yes, I still consider myself "sober" even though I now take prescription pills daily. I whole-heartedly recognize the irony. :) For the first few years of my pain management, my husband locked my meds in a safe, dispensing pills as I needed them. As I got sicker, and my medical needs grew more complicated, he began setting up my daily meds for me and I would take them as needed. It's at the point now where I don't even think of taking them for "fun" because what I'm going through now is no fun at all.

So there's one of my skellingtons, slipped free of the closet. I try not to probe other people too deeply because I'm no innocent, myself. I get that addiction is a real thing. But I also get that it affects far fewer truly physically ill people than doctors give credit for.

-KW

TracyZ said:

Thanks Everyone for great Posts....Please know Dragonslayer and I are friends and my post wasn't intended to challenge his views. We are all at different places with our Chiari Journey and I respect everyone.

Linda,Clonazepam is Klonipin and it is addictive. I take 1 mg 3 x a day myself for nerve pain. You will definitely have withdraw symptoms if you stop taking it and a pharmacist friend said it is worse than narcotic withdraws. It helps my neck tremendously. Both Klonipin & Valium are muscle relaxers and were developed as muscle relaxers.

Katrina, we do all have demons. You are absolutely correct. I just shared my situation and experiences

It is very discouraging when anyone needs pain medication for legitimate medical reasons & can't. It's heart breaking. The system is definitely broke.

First if I offended anyone it was not my intent. A friend of mine with polio,bad joints from years of hardship with the polio,and some other chronic pain called me the other night and was wasted on thier meds. Since it was the first of the month I new they had just refieled them. In about a week I'll get a call asking if I have any spare meds. This misuse by a close friend the fact that I think opium is the best thing know to man and the fact that I'll get addict to skittles made me think on life a bit. We all are at different levels and we all tolerate differently. It's just that addiction can happen so fast without knowing it even when trying to avoid it. Sadly some docs dont care they just give something strong to make us go away. I am just expressing concerns because a withdrawal and life yearning for it after just adds to our problems. Please be careful do some research and work with a good management team. Apologies offered nothing but love meant. Thanks for the good posts.

Hi DragonSlayer...

I totally got where you were coming from with your 1st post on this topic...I, personally did not find it in the least offensive in any way, shape or form.

That being said..I thank you form brining it up..I would like to put my 2 cents in ...aside from the possibility of becoming dependent or addicted to pain meds..my question is: are the side effects worth it? My side effects from certain meds tend to be emotional...edgy, depressed, very anxious...not to mention the physcical side effects: constipation, no libido. low blood pressure..which can make me light headed at times.

Over the counter meds for pain do not help me..actually, they upset my belly more than the narcotocs. However, I am wondering if the pain meds are causing or at least adding to my state of mind..anxious, depressed and edgy? I am on Cymbalta for depression.

Does anyone else have side effects from the meds they are on that effect their emotional well-being?

I am grasping at straws as far as the cause to my state of well being...See, life issues are bad here...I have not 'corned the market' on life issue problems...WE all have them..My brother-in-law has Stage 4 colon cancer and has taken a turn for the worse..he is a brother to me after all these yrs..so, I oft times refer to him as my brother. Marital problems to boot ..ect..like I said..things other people have to deal with as well...any thoughts?

Thanks for brining this topic up, DragonSlayer! And Congrats to those of you who are living a clean and sober life ..one day at a time...that is just fantastic. I have another bro-in-law that is in recovery and is doing great...14 yrs clean and sober.....I am familiar with the disease of addiction and my hat goes off to those who are in recovery...no one sets out in this life to have a drink and become and alcoholic and no one sets out to become addicted to drugs, just my 2 cents again!!