OxyChronicles

[arthritisbites]

Touchy ground.
Many have reported that if your body has never been addicted to Heroin... not refined synthetic Opioids, then
Methadone makes them quite sick and uncomfortable.
I have never had direct experience with this, however I read that recently, methadone has been used to manage cancer pain and other chronic pain states.

I have never been addicted to (or even taken) heroin, but I have been on methadone for chronic pain for over a decade now. I have quite literally been on every narcotic that is produced (I have also been accidentally overdosed at the hospital and been given narcan because the levels of narcotics that they needed to use on me walked that line).

Methadone is not for acute and passing pain situations. It is for chronic, long-term pain control - And what is wonderful about it is it has an extremely long half life. As in, it takes many days for the medication to leave your system. That affords a much more constant level of medication instead of the 4 to 6 hour ups and downs that short term narcotics (and marijuana) provide.

But it’s definitely a medication that you need to be consistent about, it’s not something that you can just take here and there and be fine. You need to stay at the same dose all the time, or you’re going to feel real bad.

On a side note...Narcotic bowel syndrome - I have suffered from this very severely throughout the years...

Ok, if you don’t want to read about a graphic poop story, look away now. You’ve been warned!!

While it thankfully isn’t as much of an issue now, for several years I had to manually remove my impacted feces every day. I kept a box of latex gloves next to the toilet, and I would literally have to reach inside and pry the poop out a chunk at a time. There were several times that I had to go to the emergency room due to the pain from the constipation. I was taking the narcotics to deal with chronic pain from arthritis, but I ended up having to take more to deal with the pain from the constipation! It was ridiculous!

 

[arthritisbites]

In my experience, you can't become a junkie unless you consciously use this stuff to get high. I don't, nor do I want to. Based on a lot of experience last year, I know it's not a realistic concern for me.

Sadly this isn’t true, many people have become accidentally addicted by following their prescribing doctor‘s instructions regarding the narcotics. They were just so over-prescribed for so long based on the lies, ahem, I mean marketing strategy of the pharmaceutical companies. And a certain percentage of the population really does have an “addictive personality” - that is, there’s something about opioids that their brain just likes. Same reason some people can drink alcohol all the time without an issue, and others can’t touch a drop without becoming out of control.

I lucked out in that regard at least. I have been forced to take thousands and thousands of pills over the last 4 decades to deal with my pain, and I’ve never even remotely been psychologically addicted. I have gone through physical withdrawal many times, like after the hospital would dose me almost into a coma in order to control the pain during acute episodes, and then I’d be sent home with just my normal regimen after weeks of being on insane doses. So I would go through withdrawal. It sucked. But I just never craved the medication. I actually dislike how it makes me feel, to be honest.

By the way, my apologies to everyone, the poop story from my previous post was for @hibeam in answer to their query. I realized too late I probably should’ve put something that gross into a private message

 

[Indigo]

No, I think people need to know, and you warned them about it properly.

I dislike how it makes me feel as well. I want to be functional, I don't want to lose even more use of my mind through being too out of it to think straight. One thing I'm finding hard to manage when talking to people about using weed medicinally is that's most people using weed like being stoned, and I don't. I'm looking into it because it may be better than the prescription alternatives.

Agreed about some people being prescribed pain meds for genuine pain, and then finding they become psychologically addicted. As mentioned above, I'm watching a friend go through that. I've tried to warn her, we all know she has a serious history of addiction, and she's not been able to listen when I've tried to explain about addiction/tolerance/withdrawal/dependency. Yesterday she was posting online saying she'd run out of pain meds and her friends were offering to send her their spares. Ouch. I've given friends prescription meds in emergency situations a couple of times, if I know they should definitely be getting them anyway, and this is not a good situation where you do that.

 

[arthritisbites]

No, I think people need to know, and you warned them about it properly.

I dislike how it makes me feel as well. I want to be functional, I don't want to lose even more use of my mind through being too out of it to think straight. One thing I'm finding hard to manage when talking to people about using weed medicinally is that's most people using weed like being stoned, and I don't. I'm looking into it because it may be better than the prescription alternatives.

Agreed about some people being prescribed pain meds for genuine pain, and then finding they become psychologically addicted. As mentioned above, I'm watching a friend go through that. I've tried to warn her, we all know she has a serious history of addiction, and she's not been able to listen when I've tried to explain about addiction/tolerance/withdrawal/dependency. Yesterday she was posting online saying she'd run out of pain meds and her friends were offering to send her their spares. Ouch. I've given friends prescription meds in emergency situations a couple of times, if I know they should definitely be getting them anyway, and this is not a good situation where you do that.

My heart hurts for your friend, nobody wins in that situation. Like you said, her other friends are trying to be there for her, not realizing that they’re making her problems worse. And unfortunately, this is the exact situation that has given opioids a bad name now, such that people who are in legitimate need of the medications are now being denied it (looking your way @Aimless Ryan)

I am in the same boat as you regarding not wanting the feeling of being stoned. Now, to put this into context, I really enjoyed marijuana recreationally in college. I loved the way pot made me feel, as opposed to alcohol or any other substance. And I do still enjoy, to a degree, the feeling of being stoned IF that is what I am going for. However, like you, I am now using pot as a replacement for opioids. My greatest wish is to be stone cold sober and not in pain. Unfortunately, not all wishes come true. And so, we make do with what we can.

All that being said, even two people who are both trying to get stoned for fun may have different goals for the experience they are seeking. And so, when reading about people’s experiences and methods, I try not to look at it as recreational vs medicinal, but rather: Is this person seeking the same type of experience that I am, did they accomplish it, and if so, how?

 

[chris 71]

I have used percocets a few times for pain and tylonal 3 . the first time i used percocets was after i hurt my back. i had stactica.

i now have a heniated disc a buldging disc and tears in something called anular . anyway the first time i got perscribed the perccosets the doc gave me 100 of them lol
I took the script to the pharmists and he looked at me funny and said i will have to call the doctors office to confirm this before i can fill it for you . this was like 18 years ago before the real opiod epedemic started . i had not taken any of these pills before and had know idea what they would feel like .

Anyway it was after 5 pm and the pharmist couldnt reach my doc so he said i can give you a few for now but you will have to come back tommow after i confirm with your doctor . i said oh thats ok i will juat come back tommor and gwt the whole perscription and left .

Next day i go pick them up and take one . wow i got a buzz lol i continued to take them they made me feel great as well as take the pain away . i took the whole amount they made me feel happy as well as take care of my pain .

After that 100 was gone i went back and asked for more i think i got like 30 or 40 more . after these were gone i went back again . i told my doctor these things are great they help me with any depression and anxity and that i thought they could really change my life for the better .

He just kind of smilled and said thats not really what they are for but he did give me more . anyway long story short i guess i was addicted .

That all stopped though when i couldnt crap any more . to this day i really dont understand how people can keep taking them for this reason alone the discomfort i experienced from that was worse then any pain i have had in my life . i have broken bones had sticthes in my eye lid form boxing , and just recently had my appendex removed after rolling in bed in pain for 18 hours . other various broken bones and strains and sprain. Tooth extraction ect ect , but the discomfort from the stomach and bowel issues i had made it impossible for me to keep taking them .

I did take a few after my appendectomy but it was only for a couple days and i started to feel that discomfort again and stopped taking them . screw that crap lol literaly.

Anyway i am not taking them anymore and the only way i would is if i broke my leg or something major .

And even then i would only take them if i absolutly couldnt stand the pain .

If they didnt screw up my guts like they did i would be addicted to them .

I also do not under stand how people say that cannabis can do what opiods do . no way pot can substitute for how opiods can stop pain . if that is the case i would say the person probbably doesnt need opiods to begin with .

Anyway if you got through my long post and still reading what is your guys take on what i have herd many people say .

In that the more you take the opiods the more you feel pain ?

 

[Indigo]

Well, I'm having less fibro pain since stopping tramadol two months ago, though funnily enough today is a bad pain day. It's too early to see how close the link is, though. I've also been meditating, under less stress, and sleeping in a slightly different position.

I got fissures with tramadol, that's one reason why I stopped it. Horrible things, and the treatment gives you migraine.

I've never yet had pain relief from weed, but I keep hoping that some day it'll help something or other, and try it occasionally. Right now we're brewing it into cubes for my partner's anxiety.

No bloody doctor should be handing out opiates like that!

 

[chris 71]

No bloody doctor should be handing out opiates like that!

I agree but like i said this was a long time ago maybe even 20 years ago im not sure . maybe back when the docs were getting special incentives to do so from drug companies i think it was before the population in general realized how people would get so addicted . i had fissures too . i guess im lucky that my guts stop me from being able to keep taking them im that its a sort of fail stop against addiction for me .

I do belive that in some cases that opiods are needed ofcoarse but also i know from experience only for the most acute type of pain i would say not really for chronic pain . also for end of life suffering

 

[MinnBobber]

Anyway if you got through my long post and still reading what is your guys take on what i have herd many people say .

In that the more you take the opiods the more you feel pain ?

...........................................................................................................
Yes, that is a known side effect for some on opioids----after continued use, they can actually make you more sensitive to pain for some patients.

Cannabis cannot replace opioids for those most severe (10/10) pains BUT cannabis can be used in WITH opioids to dramatically lower the amount of the opioids needed for the same pain relief. Again, within reason ---

 

[Indigo]

Oh, is that what you're meant to do? I'm having a bad pain day today, as it happens, but I can't take tramadol this late even if I decided to.

 

[arthritisbites]

I also do not under stand how people say that cannabis can do what opiods do . no way pot can substitute for how opiods can stop pain . if that is the case i would say the person probbably doesnt need opiods to begin with .

Actually, it depends on what the pain is from. I suffer from severe muscle spasticity, like getting a Charlie horse. But imagine Charlie horses in many muscles at once, for hours and days and weeks at a time. Mine happen mostly in my back, and as anyone who’s ever thrown out their back can attest to, if you’re back isn’t moving well, neither are you. Marijuana has anti-spasmodic properties, that is, it’s a muscle relaxer. Lucky for me, it works better than the Percocets ever did.

The day I started vaping was the last day I had a Percocet. That was about 9 months ago. And I was taking six Percocets a day, 10 mg pills. Now, I still do require some narcotics to maintain my functionality. Pot is not able to do for me by itself at this point. But, as science advances and researchers make more discoveries, I’m hopeful that new pain control methods will be found.

Cannabis cannot replace opioids for those most severe (10/10) pains BUT cannabis can be used in WITH opioids to dramatically lower the amount of the opioids needed for the same pain relief. Again, within reason ---

Exactly!

 

[Indigo]

I'm still finding out what my pain pattern is like without tramadol (and with regular meditation and no more abusive home care agency, though also no more home care). I had to take 2mg diazepam with the first dose of tramadol, otherwise it wouldn't work, so I definitely needed the muscle relaxant component. I needed a lot of tramadol, I was up to 150mg for the first two doses, and it still wasn't really enough half the time.

Well, sex saw off the pain last night, hooray, but I've woken up in pain (cramp? Knee pain Not sure, I was sleepy), then the dry nose started up (it's going to be three months before I get to rheumatology and they confirm that I have Sjögren’s possibly lupus too). So now I'm awake, and a mite concerned about how blurry my right eye is, though it's starting to clear up. Fun times, eh.

 

[chris 71]

I definatly can relate to the back going out mussel spasm thing . it happens to me quite regularly. With my injured back. . To the point of making it from the bed to the bathroom is a lesson in pain . its a chronic pain problem for sure . when it happens to me i am pretty much bedridden untill it passes and my body unlocks it self .

Unfortunenatly for me , cannabis even with all its touted mussel relaxing abillities does not even touch on this problem either . i find robaxecet works better then cannabis in this regard .

I wish cannabis worked as well for me but i dont know ro me it only can really help in the most mildest types of pain by perhaps distraction in the sence of lifting my spirits a little bit as so the pain is less .

But ya for me cannabis doesnt do much at all for pain it does help me personally much more with metal well being but pain ya not even hardly

 

[Indigo]

I hear of some people using it for serious pain, but not enough to be able to get a general consensus on it.

 

[arthritisbites]

I hear of some people using it for serious pain, but not enough to be able to get a general consensus on it.

Yeah, it is super varied amongst people I think. I am using pot for serious pain, but not by itself. It is in addition to narcotics, muscle relaxers, and other medications. I also regularly get pain relieving procedures, such as radio frequency ablation’s of the facets in my spine. That is actually the thing that saved my life. I was able to get a 90% reduction in narcotic use after I started the ablations. At first they only lasted about a year before I had to get them again, but now they can last as long as two or even 2 1/2 years in between.

@chris 71 To be honest, I was completely and utterly shocked that it worked for me. I was just desperate. I had heard that it was good for spasticity, but I didn’t put much faith into it. However, at that point I was willing to try anything. I was either asleep or in pain, there was no in between.

Imagine my surprise, the day I started using marijuana was the last day I had a Percocet. And I was taking 20 mg of Percocet three times a day. And that was just my breakthrough pain medication. I’m still on a base level of narcotics, but I was able to ditch the Percocet with the pot.

 

[HerbieVonVapster]

Yeah, it is super varied amongst people I think. I am using pot for serious pain, but not by itself. It is in addition to narcotics, muscle relaxers, and other medications. I also regularly get pain relieving procedures, such as radio frequency ablation’s of the facets in my spine. That is actually the thing that saved my life. I was able to get a 90% reduction in narcotic use after I started the ablations. At first they only lasted about a year before I had to get them again, but now they can last as long as two or even 2 1/2 years in between.

I agree.... most of the honest people in true chronic pain don't want to even take narcotics. Other than pain relief i don't feel much from them other than side effects.. I have tried or use other medications... over the counter treatments mindfulness list goes on and on.

Not saying there isn't a real issue here with over doses and abuse. It's not the pain suffers that are fueling the problem. It's the cheap herion and fentanyl combined now with discontinuing stable long term pain patients medications. When you are in so much pain you can't function you become desperate. It's driving more people to unsafe street drugs. Very few people on long term opioid treatment that follow dosage overdose.

It's a shame the current policy is becoming so inhumane to legit people in pain. Forcing them to off a drug thats working. Making them feel it's either in there head or that there weak and should be able to deal with the pain. Now you got the do gooders that really don't understand the issues making rash choices. Sorry to vent just read about another death where someone gave up on life due to unable deal with pain.

Not to be a downer but has anyone heard from the Ryan? Looks like he stopped posting here.

 

[arthritisbites]

I agree.... most of the honest people in true chronic pain don't want to even take narcotics. Other than pain relief i don't feel much from them other than side effects.. I have tried or use other medications... over the counter treatments mindfulness list goes on and on.

Not saying there isn't a real issue here with over doses and abuse. It's not the pain suffers that are fueling the problem. It's the cheap herion and fentanyl combined now with discontinuing stable long term pain patients medications. When you are in so much pain you can't function you become desperate. It's driving more people to unsafe street drugs. Very few people on long term opioid treatment that follow dosage overdose.

It's a shame the current policy is becoming so inhumane to legit people in pain. Forcing them to off a drug thats working. Making them feel it's either in there head or that there weak and should be able to deal with the pain. Now you got the do gooders that really don't understand the issues making rash choices. Sorry to vent just read about another death where someone gave up on life due to unable deal with pain.

Not to be a downer but has anyone heard from the Ryan? Looks like he stopped posting here.

Yes yes and yes. To everything you said.
If I could never take a narcotic again, it would make me the happiest person ever! I have gotten all the nasty side effects, especially the constipation.

And I was concerned about Ryan as well, but I’m a new member and didn’t want to overstep...

 

[MyCollie]

I’m a just about two-decade survivor of a rare form of cancer. The subtype is less than 1% of all cancers. It’s deadly if it recurs and considering my case I’m lucky to be walking around. I’ve probably written about this a few times in the past.

I’ve watched as pain treatment for cancer patients has changed over the years. I was stage four about 10 years ago. My experiences were mostly tolerable with the exception of terrible pain at different points.

When I first went through treatment there were OxyContin posters and other literature in all of my oncologists offices. If you needed Percocet...no problem. One doctor gave me a prescription for one of those jumbo orange medicine bottles full of Percocet. I only needed maybe 1/3... I didn’t take the rest. A few years later “let’s try gabapentin first, and we’ll try Percocet as needed” a few years after that, still pushing the gabapentin but tramadol would be prescribed if you asked. Tramadol helped but Gabapentin really didn’t cut it for severe nerve pain or the occasional bad pain I get now. Dilauded is for breakthrough pain and I used that briefly.

I was cut off from all pain meds with the exception of Advil two weeks or so after a tumor resection. The doctor was at a rehab hospital that wasn’t affiliated with the hospital where I had the surgery. He lectured me about the opiate epidemic and said he wasn’t following the surgeons orders. No joke. I told him I had a MMJ card a few months before the surgery and explained that after I left I’d just go home and vape until I passed out. I don’t really remember what he said. I guess it doesn’t matter any more. He probably didn’t care. I didn’t even ask for that many Percocet. I even asked for tramadol and it was a no go with that guy. I think he sent might have sent me home with a few pills maybe (as in 3-5) to make me comfortable getting in and out of the car for my trip home. So, I went home and was clearing volcano bags and mighty bowls at night. Not contacting the surgeon was a mistake on my part.

 

[HerbieVonVapster]

I’m a just about two-decade survivor of a rare form of cancer. The subtype is less than 1% of all cancers. It’s deadly if it recurs and considering my case I’m lucky to be walking around. I’ve probably written about this a few times in the past.

I’ve watched as pain treatment for cancer patients has changed over the years. I was stage four about 10 years ago. My experiences were mostly tolerable with the exception of terrible pain at different points.

When I first went through treatment there were OxyContin posters and other literature in all of my oncologists offices. If you needed Percocet...no problem. One doctor gave me a prescription for one of those jumbo orange medicine bottles full of Percocet. I only needed maybe 1/3... I didn’t take the rest. A few years later “let’s try gabapentin first, and we’ll try Percocet as needed” a few years after that, still pushing the gabapentin but tramadol would be prescribed if you asked. Tramadol helped but Gabapentin really didn’t cut it for severe nerve pain or the occasional bad pain I get now. Dilauded is for breakthrough pain and I used that briefly.

I was cut off from all pain meds with the exception of Advil two weeks or so after a tumor resection. The doctor was at a rehab hospital that wasn’t affiliated with the hospital where I had the surgery. He lectured me about the opiate epidemic and said he wasn’t following the surgeons orders. No joke. I told him I had a MMJ card a few months before the surgery and explained that after I left I’d just go home and vape until I passed out. I don’t really remember what he said. I guess it doesn’t matter any more. He probably didn’t care. I didn’t even ask for that many Percocet. I even asked for tramadol and it was a no go with that guy. I think he sent might have sent me home with a few pills maybe (as in 3-5) to make me comfortable getting in and out of the car for my trip home. So, I went home and was clearing volcano bags and mighty bowls at night. Not contacting the surgeon was a mistake on my part.

Thank you for sharing you're story. Sadly you are becoming more the norm than exception now a days. Stories like ours don't seem to make the media news. Much more reporting goes into the overdose deaths than pain patients suffering.

Please be careful with advil. It kills 16,000 people and sends another 100,000 to the hospital. Between the effect of untreated pain. The discontinuing you're meds without tapering down. Sadly the doctor did more harm to you're health than helping you. Did he even discussing other options with you?

I just wish there was more honest reporting on this subject. Just looking at the data from 2016 shows where the main issue are at.
https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-t...-other-synthetic-opioids-drug-overdose-deaths

It's a small precent of people that overdose on opioid that take them as prescribed. Most of the current deaths are due to abuse. Sadly now people that where doing find are driven to unsafe street drugs. Or worse give up and end the pain.

Kinda a long read but couldn't find links I was looking for put worth a read.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5659223/

 

[fernand]

There are so many stupid sheep in the world doing harm.

Patients have different illnesses, different needs. How hard
is that to comprehend ?

 

[Madri-Gal]

No, I think people need to know, and you warned them about it properly.

I dislike how it makes me feel as well. I want to be functional, I don't want to lose even more use of my mind through being too out of it to think straight. One thing I'm finding hard to manage when talking to people about using weed medicinally is that's most people using weed like being stoned, and I don't. I'm looking into it because it may be better than the prescription alternatives.

Agreed about some people being prescribed pain meds for genuine pain, and then finding they become psychologically addicted. As mentioned above, I'm watching a friend go through that. I've tried to warn her, we all know she has a serious history of addiction, and she's not been able to listen when I've tried to explain about addiction/tolerance/withdrawal/dependency. Yesterday she was posting online saying she'd run out of pain meds and her friends were offering to send her their spares. Ouch. I've given friends prescription meds in emergency situations a couple of times, if I know they should definitely be getting them anyway, and this is not a good situation where you do that.

Just curious, you say one thing you find hard to manage when talking to people about using weed is that most people like being stoned, and you don't. Why is thus difficult for you? Should other people also dislike it? Is it wrong to like being stoned? Have you tried high CBD and low or no THC so you don't have to suffer from the high? Have you tried Micro-dosing? It works wonders for many.
I hope you find relief, and that you find something that works for you. I hope your friend finds the love and support, and pain relief she needs. It sounds like she is in terrible pain, and needs to not hurt. I'm glad she has friends to come to her aid so quickly. All of that light and love should help her. It touched me to hear she sent an S.O.S. and her friends were there for her. So many people are isolated and lonely. It's wonderful to hear someone reaching out and getting love back. I've never transferred my pain meds to another person ( at my pain clinic you had to sign an agreement that you wouldn't) but I can see wanting to help a friend not suffer. It was kind and compassionate for you to help. I'm sure she'll always remember that you were there for her in her time of need. You are a good friend to cherish her and be so good and loyal to her. It makes your suffering so much harder to hear about, when you are so compassionate yourself . I found chronic pain made me far more aware of the pain and despair of others, and moves me to want to help others. I'd never share an opiate, but I try to grow enough to help friends that aren't able to grow themselves.

 

[macbill]

Medical Marijuana and Older Adults
Well tolerated among elderly patients; nearly a third reduced opioids

Medical cannabis was well-tolerated among elderly patients and provided significant symptomatic benefits, a retrospective chart review showed.

Adults who were an average age of 81 experienced relief in chronic pain, sleep, neuropathy, and anxiety with medical cannabis, reported Laszlo Mechtler, MD, of Dent Neurologic Institute in Buffalo, New York, and colleagues, in an early-release abstract from the American Academy of Neurology meeting to be held here in May.

Moreover, 32% reduced their opioid pain medication, they added.

 

[Vitolo]

I'm 67.
Using MMJ, I went from 80mg of Oxycontin 3X daily.... with break through meds......
all the way down to 20mg 2X daily.... but my loving wife reported to the MD that I was cracking my remaining teeth in the night, and waking up with cuts on the heels of my hands.
They tried to get me to go to 40mg... but my argument was convincing, and we compromised at 30mg twice a day with no break through meds.
All hail Nature's natural gift to mankind!
Out of a couple hundred patients I have introduced to vaporization over the past two years... 4 patients were able to ditch the opioids entirely and rely uniquely on MMJ for pain control.
Four patients may not seem like a large number, but it is 4 more patients unlocked from the "pharma- train" entirely.
My Doctors are still surprised at my decrease down to 30mg 2X daily from the outrageous number of 80mg 3X(with breakthrough meds.
It is my hope that more and more Opioid Users get the opportunity to reduce their dosages by use of MMJ.
*Nice post @macbill

 

[arthritisbites]

I am almost 40, mother of 3 young children. For me, MMJ has been nothing short of miraculous (very much to my surprise). I have severe juvenile onset spondyloarthropathy (arthritis) that causes intractable muscle spasms and joint degeneration. I was mostly bedbound from the pain and narcotic induced drowsiness, unable to care for my children or myself.

After hearing about the anti-spasmodic properties of MMJ, I started vaping MMJ about 2 years ago. I was able to eliminate my breakthrough pain Percocets (60mg a day) and was also able to start getting out of bed again. It gave me some of my life back. While I still need to use narcotics, my need for them is vastly decreased by having MMJ in my pain medication arsenal.

 

[Vitolo]

While I still need to use narcotics, my need for them is vastly decreased by having MMJ in my pain medication arsenal.

That's what I like to hear.
Elimination of narcotics does not feel like an answer to me.
Taking aim at judicious use of Narcotics, with the help of God's Green Gift is where my head is at.
Thanks @arthritisbites for sharing the story of another successful REDUCTION of Opiods, through the utilization of Medical Marijuana.
I tried decreasing the Narcotics even farther, but my sweet wife complained to the Doctor that I was on edge a good deal of the time, and that my teeth were cracking in my sleep from the pain ( (I am down to 21 teeth now). I also was cutting the heals of both hands from my thumbnails digging in.
The more and better quality of the meds I vape allow me great reduction in my Narcotic regime, but the fact is, Vapor and good quality meds, do not make it all the way through the night.
Narcotics have a place when used with wisdom and respect.

......it only can really help in the most mildest types of pain by perhaps distraction in the sence of lifting my spirits a little bit as so the pain is less

Distraction from pain.... being in a better mood during painful times.....
You can't ask much more than that!

 

[Aimless Ryan]

I just returned to FC for the first time in a while. Seeing that there have been a few new replies in this thread, I feel I should provide an update.

Last summer, eight years too late, I was diagnosed with arachnoiditis. That's in addition to MS and other things. As I already knew two years before hearing of arachnoiditis, the only known effective treatment for arachnoiditis is opioids. I still receive no treatment.

I have a video that went kind of viral a few weeks ago (after receiving about 200 views the first six months it was published). Hopefully all this attention I've received lately will get me the help I need. Nothing yet, though.

The video is going to get its 200,000th view later today. Not slowing down, either.