Posted by jackie L (207.108.105.80) on April 18, 2001 at 06:20:57:
In Reply to: Narcotics may not be everyones answer Buutttt! posted by Mike L on April 18, 2001 at 03:15:46:
with what you have said.. I have gotten the same responses. and over time a lot of people have written me for advice on narcotic and opiod treatments...
Your statement about the dosages and time frames and not taken enough etc..paraphrased...is right..I am not talking about pissy dosages that you might as well shoot in the wind...I am talking stronger meds... I know I can take 150mg of demerol and that is barely working for pain...In addition to my other daily stuff like duragesic patch 50ug... The dosages and drugs I am talking about are different and stronger and without the effects like liver and kidney damage etc..and can be just short term or long term treatments...but their is NO reason to be in constant unbearable pain when their are meds out their that could possibly help...
I have stated before that I think this should be discussed rather than in the "closet issue" and should be considered for certain people...I am not advocating this as the only treatment, just an option when all things have been tried and you are at the end of your rope and need some relief ...
Addiction and dependence on drugs is a very misunderstood thing...just as misunderstood as Ch vs. migraines or just ch as a whole.. Addiction and dependence are two totally different things..and the doc's are not educated either on treatments of just plain old chronic pain..they see you are on a narcotic or opiod and you are right away labled a "drug addict"...Sorry but I totally disagree...and I was like many uneducated people when i started all this and thought for years that narc's etc were bad and I was gonna be a drug addict etc...until the time came for the choice of being a bed ridden vegtable or a semi abled person able to take care of my daily needs.. when you get down to those choices which would you choose... I choose to be semi functional..and yes the people that have gotten to know me know I have other medical issues not just ch...and that is the primary reason for the opiods that I am on...but I know for a fact that when you get the right drug and the right doseages the ch does get better...
my sister (I told her) she should be on some other forms of narc's and her doc less than a month later went to a headache convention out of state...well he brought up her case...He was told quite the pissy doseages and put her on heavier dosages with longer lasting effect...she was put on methadone..etc..and is doing great is able to work (which she hasn't done most of the last year) and things are going great for her...
Bottom line is education...I just feel that in some cases narcotics etc is acceptable and in some they are not... and Only you and your doctor can decide the best treatments for you...But for God Sake don't keep living in unnecessary pain...
I know this is a touchy subject... I found that out the second time I posted...but I do agree with mike l. their are different ways to go when all else has failed.. Jackie L.