Topic: being addicted or being dependent on pain meds??
randibear
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 11290
posted
you know i should learn when to keep my big mouth shut. hubbie was talking to a friend of his who's wife was in a serious accident. she's had 4 back surgeries and they all failed. she now takes oxycontin and other pain meds every day. i think she takes oxy at least 4-5 times a day according to her husband.
her husband was complaining about her taking these pain meds.
well my husband started with the old she's an addict and she doesn't need it. people get addicted and they should take pain meds off the market, etc. he just kept on and on and wouldn't shut up.
so i jumped in and said, "look, some people have to have pain meds to function adn they are not addicts. you can take pain meds and not be addicted."
well that did it and all hell broke loose. i finally just shut up as i could see he was not going to budge...
apparently there are a lot of people who feel this way and talking just won't do any good.
so it brings the questions: how many pain meds do you take? do you get any negative comments from friends, etc., or do you just keep quiet?
sorry to bring up a sensitive subject, but he really got my dander up....
-------------------- do not look back when the only course is forward Posts: 12262 | From texas | Registered: Mar 2007
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aklnwlf
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 5960
posted
Hi there Randibear,
Your post caught my eye. I worry about becoming addicted sometimes to the Vicodin/Soma and sometimes Zanaflex that I take.
But to be honest that is the least of my problems. I don't usually take more than 2 a day unless I'm having a really bad day.
Bad days for me consist of the horrible head and neck pain that I can get.
I've been on pain meds since 2001 when I went through a windshield of a truck while I was on my mountain bike.
Course the pain I have now is related to Lyme and joint issues that flare up.
The woman that you mentioned that takes 4-5 pills a day doesn't sound like an addict to me.
I have a family member that is addicted to pain pills and anti-depressants, anti-anxiety pills and Lyrica.
This person takes much more than the prescribed amount and is always running out of pills before the next doctor appointment.
Also I have to lock my meds up whenever this family member comes over because otherwise there'll be alot of my own medication missing.
Based on my own experience addiction is an escalating process and bleeds into other areas of your life. It's not just taking a few needed pills a day.
I don't really understand the addiction process either, like your husband. I get really upset with my family member.
But in cases where people have genuine chronic pain most people don't understand and it's best not to try to enlighten them.
What goes around comes around though and hopefully he's never in those shoes.
-------------------- Do not take this as medical advice. This comment is based on opinion and personal experience only.
Alaska Lone Wolf Posts: 6918 | From Columbus, GA | Registered: Jul 2004
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posted
Tough subject, and since I like the tough ones..Ill add my thoughts.
When it comes to pain, every person is different. Even though a dr will prescribe based on a persons weight, people react differently, and also, different drugs will affect the same person differently.
Now, having said that. I think the case of the person taking 4-5 oxycontin a day is exessive....unless...she is in so much pain that she would literally be freaking out, crying histerically like torture. Since its a back injury, its possible there is severe trauma and the nerve endings alive and shes suffering. But for the normal person post surgery, or for a lyme person, sorry, 4-5 oxycontin is excessive.
I know that I may get blasted for this comment, but it really does seem to me that too many people look for the pill for the answer. And unfortunately, a drs first response is typically a pill as well.
I can still recall one of the drs I saw say they will prescribe a pill for pain, and I said, no...and they were in shock. They then asked, why did you see me if not for medication? Duh, I wanted to find the source of the pain, not mask it.
Remember, its not healthy to continue to put drugs in your body. Im not talking about a diabetic, or someone with a bad heart who needs thinner, or a lyme person getting the abx to kill off lyme...
Im referring to the people who take otc pain meds every day for headaches as a habit, or for every little muscle pull, or because they have a hard time falling asleep..vs using an ice bag, or tension massage, or changing their eating or lifestyle.
Even for chronic pain, there has to be something better. A better solution then continually taking meds. Because overtime, your body is going to revolt, and the meds will lose their affectiveness. Its far better to seek out alternatives for pain, anxiety, sleeping problems, then to reach for a pill.
As for oxycontin, having taken it briefly following acl surgery, I can honestly say, that stuff is wicked, and scared the hell out of me. After 3-4 days, I quickly jumped off it and steered clear of all narcotic pain meds since then. Anything that is codeine based...oxycontin, vicodin, tylenol with codeine...watch out..because it is highly addictive, and the way it affects the brain is nasty...
Anyways, thats my take on it. People can blast me if they want, but Im a strong advocate of natural alternatives vs something pharmaceutical unless its absolutely necessary...
Posts: 514 | From . | Registered: Apr 2008
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sparkle7
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10397
posted
I think the basic difference is that people addicted to drugs use them to get high. People in pain, use them to be able to function.
There is also an issue of tolerance. Some people may need to take more over time because they just don't work as well.
This philosophy about pain meds & addiction is a remnant of the "War on Drugs". There are many studies about this. About 98% of people in serious pain are not addicted to pain meds. They take them to function - not to be high.
If they weren't in pain, they wouldn't take them. Now... somebody like Rush Limbaugh - that's a different story.
I think it's hard for people who are well to imagine what it's like to be in constant, non-stop pain with no way out other than pain medication.
Some people need to get some empathy or compassion towards others suffering. But until they suffer themselves, they may not change their minds.
There are studies about pain & drugs if you do a search on the internet. All the harassment of doctors who give out pain medicine to worthy patients is really unfounded.
PS - Just because one person reacts badly or doesn't feel opiates helped them doesn't mean everyone who uses them are drug addicts. Everyone has a different body chemistry & tolerance to pain.
Read the actual studies on pain & medications. It's not what you might think.
People who are addicts, crush up the oxycontin pills & snort it or take it in liquid. Oxyconyin is time released. To get high, one has to bypass the time release chemicals in the drug. They do this by crushing up the pills.
I think denying people who are in pain - medications, is barbaric.
Posts: 7772 | From Northeast, again... | Registered: Oct 2006
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Alv
Unregistered
posted
Well when you are in pain you JUST ARE.
If depedns on the person and pain level ( mostly when has to do with NErvous system)..
How about spine ( mine is destroed ) and every week I pinch a nerve and GOD knows what transformation as a personality I get from that kind of pain.
Who wants to complain and scream from it and listen somebody esle all the time in pain.
When you are in pain you just are and is no way you can hide it.
I was 2 years in SEVERE pain and I tried everything and crying like a kid and wanted to die.I resisted for years with no pain killers and SUCK it up ...but there was a limit to it...BEYOND tolaration.
I already had used all the sources as using an ice bag, or tension massage, or changing their eating or lifestyle exercises .The pain was getting worst and worst and nobopdy could find out what was wrong.
So what about this people that already have reached that point....THEY DEFINITLY NEED IT TO FUNCTION or not be annoyed to there coworkers, kids, friends or partners...YOU HAVE TO.
Now that my infection is down and I found how to do adjustment and my nerve pain is less and I found confortable level with just HIGH DOSAGE of enzymes...I do not need painkillers.
So I do not use them anymore.
But let say if I never found out what was wrong with me.....I would have swollowed anything , I am saying ANYTHING to not be in that pain/Otherwise I planed to crush myself in highway somewhere as I JUST COULD NOT BREATH from the pain and was in tears 24/7.
Was I making it up .NOPE.Was I addicted .NOPE I do not think so.
This people have somthing Cronicly going on INFECTOIN or PERMANENT damages and they just can not funtion .
Imagine with a tooth ache ..would you be able to live as a normal person .NO WAY.
I do not beilive that this people are addicted.They just have something wrong and doctors or them self can not figure it out...or even if they found the damage is PERMANENT and not able to be repaired.
I just feel sorry for them and DO not want to see any in pain anymore...and would give them anything to be out of pain, plain and simple as BEEN THERE DONE THAT.
You have to be in their shoes to understand somebody ..Same with lyme.YOU should have LYME to understand LYME.
Otherwise we look as we are faking.What goes around comes around.This is for the people that have doubts on the kind of real pain and lyme.
Sorry but I have been through a lot and thank god I do not take an aspirin anymore.
So I can not tolerate when this subject is .
and fyi never drank/smoke /or used drugs in mylife.
I was the TYPICALLY CLEANEST PERSON that can ever find those days that was about HEALTHY LIVING AND HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT.Sorry I am not judging the others.
JUst want to make my point HERE ABOUT ADDICTED TO THE PAINKILLERS !!!!!RUBBISH!!!!!!!
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sparkle7
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10397
> If I am taking OxyContin, what are the chances I will become addicted?
Most people who take OxyContin as prescribed do not become addicted. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reports:
``With prolonged use of opiates and opioids, individuals become tolerant...require larger doses, and can become physically dependent on the drugs.
Studies indicate that most patients who receive opioids for pain, even those undergoing long-term therapy, do not become addicted to these drugs.''(3)
One NIDA-sponsored study found that ``only four out of more than 12,000 patients who were given opioids for acute pain actually became addicted to the drugs.
In a study of 38 chronic pain patients, most of whom received opioids for 4 to 7 years, only 2 patients actually became addicted, and both had a history of drug abuse.''4
In short, most individuals who are prescribed OxyContin, or any other opioid, will not become addicted, although they may become dependent on the drug and will need to be withdrawn by a qualified physician.
Individuals who are taking the drug as prescribed should continue to do so, as long as they and their physician agree that taking the drug is a medically appropriate way for them to manage pain.
-----
OK?
BTW - Why is it that people who use anti-depressants are not called addicts?
If someone takes an anti-depressant, they can't just stop them... they have to ween themselves off of it gradually, over time. Isn't that addiction?
Posts: 7772 | From Northeast, again... | Registered: Oct 2006
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lymednva
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 9098
posted
Just a quick thought. I have a friend who uses Oxycontin twice a day for pain from Trigeminal Neuralgia.
The way she has explained it to me is the difference between oxycodone and Oxycontin is that Oxycontin is time-released. She takes the Oxycontin religiously every 12 hours, even if it means waking up early and going back to sleep.
So, if what she has explained to me is correct, then taking it 4-5 times a day does seem excessive.
If the dosage isn't enough that needs to be adjusted, but not the number of times it is taken a day.
Just my two cents here.
-------------------- Lymednva Posts: 2407 | From over the river and through the woods | Registered: Apr 2006
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OxyContin is supplied in 10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg, 80 mg, and 160 mg tablet strengths.
--
What is Oxycontin?
OxyContin (Oxycodone hydrochloride controlled-release) is an opioid analgesic in time-release form. Which means a small amount of the drug is absorbed over a 12 hour period.
The active ingredient in Oxycontin is Oxycodone which is the main ingredient in Percocet, Percodan, Tylox, Roxicet, Oxycocet, OxyIR, Endodan, Endocet and probably a few more names not mentioned.
Oxycodone has been around for years and is used for moderate to severe pain. It is a Schedule II controlled substance.
It works by inhibiting ascending pain pathways in the Central Nervous System, increases the pain threshold, and alters pain perception.
The problem with Oxycodone is after using it for a while the body develops a natural tolerance to the medication, as it does with all opiates.
In order to get the same affect the person needs to increase the dose. This does not mean the person is addicted. There is a difference between tolerance and addiction.
The problem that chronic pain sufferers have with opiates is the need to increase the dose to get the same affect.
Before Oxycontin came along the patient would increase there dose as tolerance developed and this increased the risk of side effects of the other ingredient in the medication.
For example: Percocet contains Oxycodone 5mg with Acetaminophen 325mg. Increasing the dose of this medication also increases the dose of Acetaminophen that the person gets.
Another downfall of fast acting medications is that you get a peak affect in 2 hours and then a sudden drop of the medication.
So the patient was unable to keep a steady level of the drug in their system.
In the past in order to get adequate pain relief, the patient would have to switch to another medication and found it did not work as well as the Oxycodone.
In 1996 the Purdue Pharmaceutical company came out with the Oxycontin, the first oxycodone pain medication that is time released (MSContin is also made by Purdue and is a time released form of Morphine).
These are the only two opiate pain relievers available in a sustained released formula.
With Oxycontin the patient can get Oxycodone (A very effective medication for pain) in a sustained released formula without the adverse affects of acetaminophen or aspirin that is in many of the fast acting formulas.
It releases small amounts of Oxycodone over 12 hours, keeping the therapeutic levels of this drug in the blood stream.
This was a Godsend for pain patients. For the first time they could get adequate pain control in a sustained released product.
This gave many patients a new outlook on life. For many this was the first time they were able to get through their day Painfree!
Because it is sustained released it does not cause an elevation in medication blood levels like the fast acting drugs do.
It keeps a steady, constant level of Oxycodone in the bloodstream, resulting in adequate pain relief.
Contrary to popular belief you do not need to be a Cancer patient to take Oxycontin.
It works very effectively for patients suffering with chronic pain. Most of these patients try hundreds of other medications before finally deciding to go on Opiate treatment.
Contrary to popular belief, patients who take Oxycontin are not junkies, drug seekers, drug addicts or poor.
They are normal people who suffer with a condition that causes excruciating daily pain and have tried everything to try and control this pain.
They are your mothers, children, neighbors and friends. All they want is to be able to live their lives without pain.
Posts: 7772 | From Northeast, again... | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
okay im an addict in recovery. and you can take meds without being an addict but you can become addicted. that doesnt mean you are going to end up shooting heroin and stealing everything in sight like i did. people need meds for pain and unfortunately they are highly addictive.
Posts: 8 | From fort lauderdale, fl | Registered: Aug 2009
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