Posted by pinksharkmark (64.32.116.129) on February 06, 2002 at 09:57:46:
In Reply to: Just about midnight... posted by Todd Owen on February 06, 2002 at 03:07:14:
Unlike some others on this board, I think it makes perfect sense to go with a medically supervised pain management program using prescription opiates IF every possible preventative and combination of preventatives has been given a fair trial with no success. I know I would certainly give it a try if I were in that position.
It bothers me when I see post after post claiming that opiates (synthetic or otherwise) are useless for the pain of CH. While it is true that they don't do much for most clusterheads, it is undeniable that some opiates DO provide a significant measure of relief for some individuals... MikeL, Sailpappy, and many others claim to have had great success with certain opiates.
I believe them. What possible reason would they have to lie to us?
BUT... When I read a statement like...
"I have been through every listed med on this site (with the exception of LSD or shrooms) and many others not even listed. I have undergone gamma knife surgery to no avail, and have been on the brink of suicide."
...I can't help but wonder WHY psilocybin and LSD have been ruled out as a possibility. There have been posts here from many, MANY chronics for whom NOTHING else (including opiates) worked, yet psilocybin and/or LSD work like a charm. Let me give you a partial list of chronics from memory, since I am too lazy to comb the archives this morning:
Alan, Ted, Graham, Q, Henk, Sjoerd, Ike, Jayne, CarlD. Let me repeat, this is a PARTIAL list. I'll bet I could list at least as many again if I were to go through the archived CH.com posts that Ueli catalogued at the hallucinogenic treatment website.
Again, why would THESE people lie to us? What possible benefit would they have for doing so?
I guess there must be a pretty strong reason to avoid this therapy, but I can't for the life of me come up with one. To actually undergo SURGERY, to actually seriously contemplate SUICIDE, yet to dismiss a benign drug with a higher reported success rate than anything else seen on this board just baffles the hell out of me.
Exactly what is the objection? Fear of "getting stoned"? That can't be it... in many cases the standard meds can get you pretty high. How many posts have we seen on this board of people complaining of being "zoned out" on Neurontin, Topamax, Amytriptiline, Lithium, and *shudder* Sansert? And those drugs must be taken EVERY DAY!
Fear of getting arrested? That can't be it. Anyone with a modicum of common sense can obtain psilocybin with no risk whatsoever of coming to the attention of the authorities. It also must be remembered that psilocybin is not illegal in many countries. What's the price of a return flight to Holland, for example? I guarantee you it's less than the price of Gamma Knife surgery.
I can't think of any other objections. Maybe someone else would care to add one that I missed.
Let's face it, if psilocybin or LSD were available by prescription, they would be the first choice of ANY clusterhead, chronic or episodic.
Todd, I wish you every success with whichever new med your neuros decide on. I am not being facetious here, I mean that sincerely.
But I would really like to know why you have ruled out an experiment with psilocybin or LSD, just to satisfy my own curiosity.
pinky