The Benefits of Opioids

[RussBLib]

Dammit, I had to change my insurance company at the end of 2017, and change doctors, and now I am facing the prospect of being cut off of pain killers. Why? Because I have smoked weed. Weed is one of the few things that can decrease my nausea and mellow me out when I get stressed. The opioids keep my foot pain at bay, but Pain Management docs will NOT give you pain medicine IF you test positive for weed. WHEN THE FUCK IS CONGRESS GOING TO REMOVE WEED FROM SCHEDULE I OF THE CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES ACT?!?! Congress is responsible for a lot of the opioid overdoses by making it harder and harder to get opioids. I have been taking hydrocodone for about 10 years now, and I take an average of 1-2 per day. This is not addiction. Yet, I am on the verge of being totally cut off. If this happens, life is about to start sucking. Badly. It will probably drive me to the black market.

The Benefits of Opioids
by David Leonhardt of the New York Times

About 100 million Americans — or nearly one out of every three — suffers from chronic pain. For a good number of them, the pain is severe. Some haven’t found any way to reduce the pain, and it dominates their lives. Others have found successful strategies, including exercise, stretching, physical therapy, meditation and medicine. Of those who use medicine, a significant number rely on opioids.

By now, you may think of opioids as nothing other than a problem. And they are indeed a problem, responsible for many of the 64,000 fatal drug overdoses in the United States in 2016. But opioids aren’t only a problem. They can also be highly effective medications that make the difference between a functional and dysfunctional life. In a new article in Reason magazine, Jacob Sullum makes this case. The federal crackdown on opioids has failed to solve the overdose problem — indeed, it has made it worse — while also saddling many people with chronic pain, Sullum writes. Among his points:

• “Contrary to the impression left by most press coverage of the issue, opioid-related deaths do not usually involve drug-naive patients who accidentally get hooked while being treated for pain,” he writes. “Instead, they usually involve people with histories of substance abuse and psychological problems who use multiple drugs, not just opioids.”
• So making it harder for people with chronic pain to get opioid prescriptions is a mistake, Sullum argues. “The truth is,” he writes, “that patients who take opioids for pain rarely become addicted.” A large majority of opioid deaths don’t come from prescribed medicine; they come from illegally produced substances like heroin.
• Illegal use of pain medications has declined in recent years, even as deaths have surged — another sign that the main problem isn’t prescribed medicine.

Sullum’s article is an important corrective. The opioid issue is more complicated than it’s often portrayed.

Original.

[safeinOhio]

1. I need a new drug.

One that won’t make sick and won’t make me crash my car......
Huey Lewis and the News

[RussBLib]

2. opioids are the only thing that really allows me to function like a "normal" person

I have tried so many other drugs: the nerve drugs like Lyrica, Neurontin (and they made me hear voices); yoga has helped a little; I've had multiple shots in my feet to try to quell the nerves (had Morton's Neuromas in both feet and the pain was excrutiating); done electro-stimulation; massage; various herbal concoctions; you name it, I've tried it, and hydrocodone has been the only thing to consistently ease the pain, temporarily.

Before I started using pain killers, the pain was so intense I was contemplating suicide. I can only imagine the pain of centuries past, when there were only herbal remedies, and the life expectancy was 40, 50, etc. Ugh. Brutal, and short.

[Heartstrings]

3. I have Chronic Migraine Syndrome

and narcotics don't help me, in fact they usually just offer up a rebound "headache" after use.

That being said, I do know many people who benefit greatly from narcotics for pain relief, and the federal crack downs have dramatically affected them being able to get a script for even a minimal amount. Every single one of those people use their script for what it's intended for. Not one of them are abusers, in fact most will wait the maximum time while in excruciating pain, before taking another dosage. There are most certainly cases where narcotics are needed on an every day basis. No one I know takes them because they necessarily like the "high", that feeling is just an added perk of the pain being gone or lessened, along with the anxiety and relief for the most part, imo.

My board certified neurologist would not give me a script for any narcotic but would write me a script today for marijuana to ease the pain, curb the nausea, let me sleep, etc....She's read many studies of the benefits and is a believer....

Unfortunately, her writing a script is a moot point as it's still illegal in my state (WI)....

Yes, Beauregard....it's time to take marijuana off the Schedule 1 classification. After all God produced this gem, not the devil as you proclaim....

[RussBLib]

5. I am long past the euphoria

Damn, I've had a couple of migraines and I would not wish that on anyone, even Trump.

In the first couple of years, I would get a short burst of euphoria when taking hydrocodone. That gradually lessened and now I really don't feel any euphoria, just relief when my feet quit burning and tingling.

Yeah, Beauregard recently said that "Good people don't smoke marijuana." Oh, FUCK YOU! Talk about revealing your absolute stupidity. Or, maybe he's so deep in the pocket of Big Pharma he's not allowed to even budge on weed. Big Pharma must have half the Congress in their pocket to keep weed on the Schedule I list. And the other half has sold out to the NRA. We need some wholesale change in Congress.

And of course Trump said on the campaign trail that would leave marijuana alone, in essence protecting it from the government. Chalk it up to just another lie to get elected.

[BigmanPigman]

12. I had/have migraines every day and was

going to jump,off a bridge (really). It happened suddenly too. I was vomiting, hallucinations, colors, severe pain and caffeine, aspirin and Tylenol didn't work. I tried Imitrex and it DID but only to a degree. When I went for a mammogram I was in pain (as usual) and the radiologist told me who her doctor was that prescribed her Botox. My primary care doctor prescribed stuff that had zero effect and I documented everything I ate, drank, how I felt every hour for 6 months. When I was finally able to see the neurologist and brought all of my prescribed meds that did not work and my documentation she said I was OK to try Botox and I did. Everything that she said about it happened as she said it would. It took 9 months for it to work completely. It saved my life. The insur company had to approve it and finally did (very expensive). I still get migraines almost everyday but with the Botox shots in my scalp every three months, caffeine, aspirin, Tylenol and Imitrex/sumatriptan taken within 20 min of a headache I am able to stop it before it starts one of the 4 or 5 day migraines from Hell.
I suggest you check it out.

[Heartstrings]

14. Thanks BigmanPigman!

I've had Botox pre-auth'd with my insurance. Of the $3,000. charge, they will pay 80%, leaving approximately $375. out of pocket every 3 months that I just can't afford. You know the whole social security/limited income thing. Now that I'm retired I can suffer without inconveniencing co-workers who used to just piss me off when they'd say something like " well, I have a migraine and I'm here". I call bs, you have a headache, if you had a true migraine you would NOT be at work....

Neurologist has me on the last drug to try.....it's Memantine and it's not doing jack! Imitrex does help, if I can catch it in time.

Barometric pressure is my biggest trigger and there's not one I can do to control that...would have been a great meteorologist tho!

[BigmanPigman]

15. That is what I have to pay out of pocket too.

I haven't been to more than 2 movies in 3 years, cut my own hair, do not buy any new clothes and do not go out and only spend money on utilities, insur, and rent and coupon foods since I am on disability from another disease and on a very fixed income. I have to do this or I will jump off a bridge...serioisly...I have one picked out from before the Botox. This is my fun filled life now. That is the least of my health problems. I have other stuff that is too depressing to go onto but I can tell you that I tried opiods from a neighbor for a disease that is seriously painful and it was like taking vitamins...no effect at all. Only a series of expensive surgeries until I die will help the pain I will be getting again and again. Fun fun! I wish the fucking moron and the GOP had no insur or money and had to suffer like a ton of Americans that DID NOT vote for them.

[Heartstrings]

18. Well, the moron and his posse

Want us all dead so.....let's hope for the blue tsunami 🌊 for some aid.....geesh! Life wasn't supposed to get more difficult as we age. Whatever happened to the "golden years"?

Hang in there! That's all we can do.....plus resist and GOTV.....

[JayhawkSD]

19. Migraines are highly individual.

What works for one person may not work for another. Your neurologist should be willing to try a wide variety to find one that works, and you need to find a neurologist that has broad experience with migraine. Not all do.

Mine tried about three different things to replace the Cafergot that worked but which I could not take as frequently as needed since I was sometimes having migraines at the rate of three per week. Several of the new miracle migraine supressives did nothing, and finally Axert did a nice job.

We also worked on prophylactic measures. Tried several things, including one medication used for Alzheimers, and finally found that Topomax reduced the frequency very sharply, but only after increasing the original dosage several times.

Interestingly, I pretty much stopped having migraines altogether after I had a couple of strokes, probably related to heart condition. Neurologist said this is quite common and that they have no idea why it happens. Migraines and strokes should not, he says, be in any way related.

[BigmanPigman]

20. They have been doing studies and the most recent one

have shown that Migraines are a genetic defect (it is a brain disease) and has to do with the Calcitonin Gene- related peptide (CPRG). It is a chemical in our body that accumulates and we can't get rid of it. It activates the nerves to the head and it sends out pain. They are starting some patients on a new thing that is actually implanted into the body and you don't need Botox anymore. For some reason women have this more than men. I guess the old excuse of "Not now dear, I have a headache" may not have been an excuse at all but the real thing.

[MaryMagdaline]

4. I feel horrible for you

A lot of people need opioids to function. Even some of the people who overdosed would not be willing to live without their pills. It's pretty arrogant to deny the patient his/ her choice to suffer pain or possibly shorten life. I would choose to be without pain.

[aikoaiko]

6. These are bad times for legit users of opiods. Very bad times.

The amount of suffering that is caused by opioid restrictions is inhumane.

[narnian60]

7. +100

[Farmer-Rick]

8. Yeah my uncle is in the last stages of kidney disease

and has all sorts of slipped discs in his back. They give him a hassle every time he renews his prescription. He's on the transplant list but because of his blood type may never get one. Yet they think it matters if he gets just a little too much relief.

Why can't they legalize pot for pain management? Opioids do not address the nausea, vomiting, lack of appetite or itching. There really isn't much out there for pain besides milder aspirin and Tylenol. And he's allergic to aspirin.

[RussBLib]

11. That's fucked up

Geez, in the last stages of life is when you should get some relief. So many things about this country are fucked up. I wanna go out in a blaze of acid, or Ayahuasca.

[pamela]

9. Have you tried Kratom?

It's great for pain.

[RussBLib]

10. That's one I have not tried yet

But I've heard some odd things about it lately. Then again, we hear crazy shit about weed and other relatively benign substances. I'll look into it.

[pamela]

16. FDA has been attacking it lately.

It's largely bullshit. They say there have been 40 deaths, for example, but when Kratom researchers looked into it, all of the deaths were from people using multiple substances. There are zero deaths attributed to Kratom alone. It's virtually impossible to overdose on it because it doesn't effect your respiration.

[BigmanPigman]

13. NEVER EVER tell any doctor or insur company that you have ever smoked

weed. My friend told me that 30 years ago and I found out it is excellent advice. He couldn't get life insur when he got married due to it.

The opioid thing SUCKS! My 84 year old dad who never takes painkillers had severe back problems recently and his doctor would only prescribe a 3 day supply. This is such BS. The people who really need it can't get it due to the doctors and big Pharm who abused it and got rich for 20 years making addicts of people who did not need it. Now when people do and never abused it can't get any they suffer. I am about to go to Bitcoin and order some from China for my poor dad. I know how he feels and will do anything to help him out.

[RussBLib]

17. I told my GP doc in Houston I smoked weed

And he told me he doesn't include the THC panel in his blood work. This was a gay doc who catered to the gay crowd, and was very good at it. He was very sympathetic and wrote me hydrocodone Rx's for several years. He retired in 2017, which is part of my problem.

Another part of my problem is I still live in Texas, which is largely run by Neanderthals.

But overall, in probably 99% of cases, your advice is good.

[Nitram]

21. Research indicates that opioids are most effective for short term us for acute pain

following an injury or surgery. Over time their effectiveness decreases as tolerance takes its toll. Studies show that acetaminophen is more effective for chronic pain over long periods. Particularly in combination with non-pharmaceutical practices such as meditation.

[RussBLib]

22. i have not been taking much acetaminophen

I'll try that again.

In the early days of my foot pain, I could indeed go for hours and hours on one hydrocodone. Now, 10 years later, each pill lasts about six hours, then begins to wear off and I will take another. So I have built up a tolerance. Still, the relief is palpable, so they are still working, just not quite as well as they used to. I would love to get off of these pills, but until I can find something that works as well, I want to keep the hydro. I have little doubt that I have also built up a bit of psychological "addiction" to the pills, but still, two per day is not excessive use.