Posted by Barbara D. on February 23, 1999 at 11:29:05:
In Reply to: Does anyone take narcotic pain meds.? posted by Stephanie H. on February 18, 1999 at 10:35:21:
Ok, here's my $0.02 worth. When these things first started I took a shot of demrol, then over the next five years I've had two shots of something (my doc gave it to me to knock me out so I could sleep for a little while).
When I went to the neurosurgeon, one of the first questions he asked was "Have you taken many narcs?" He then said that the odds on the surgery went down with narc use. They never did any good for me anyhow, so now I'm glad I didn't get on them.
But that said, I think the option between additction and PAIN - there's no option. Do what it takes to stop the PAIN.
I've taken so much Cafagot PB (with phenobarb and belladonna) that I finally got immuned to it and it tears up your stomach after you abuse it too long. BUT it helped the pain and I never cared if I got addicted to the phenobarb.
What doctors don't understand is that we HURT and this is NOT an ordinary HURT - it is sucicidal PAIN. No human should have to go through it and if there is anything on the market to help it - we should have it. But this goes back to educating the doctors. They don't realize how serious we are.
Sorry I don't have a solution for you, but we're all working on it. Hang in there and stay tuned - we're GOING TO BEAT THIS DAMN THING YET.
Hugs BD