I am like that. I can take it sometimes and it will just knock me out and other times, I can take it and work hard all day. I am like that with a lot of meds though. Xanax is another one and Flexaril. But I have to say, when I was put on Ritalin and fell over at my desk at work to sleep, I was like, Whats up with that? My doc laughed and told me that if I had ADHD then it would do the opposite to me than it would someone else. I had a friend that took it to get her energy back from a drastic weight loss. I am GLAD to be off of them things and on the Adderall!

there is a lot different about opiates than other drugs. Certain drugs specifically work on only one or two neurotransmitters. Large amounts at certain receptor sites or less amounts at certain receptor sites can make you sleepy or make you wired. Cocaine specifically increases dopamine. SSRI's like prozac and zoloft speciafcally increase serotonin. While opiates work on certain opiate receptor sites to increase endorphins (your natural opiates-there are different types and different types of opiate receptors) The stimulation of and binding to these opiate receptors in turn can stimulate GABA (primarily your GABAa receptoes with neuropathways in the brain and spinal cord) and the stimulation of certain receptors in the VTA can in turn also stimulate certain dopamine receptors. Opiates usually cause a euphoric effect rather than just a drowsiness or feeling "wired." There are some opiates that also work on serotonin like tramadol. It is a very complex process that varies in each type of opiate. And I understand that you want to know exactly what it is that is happening in your body. This is a good thing, you should read up on it some.

xoxo- D.

I must be the strange one. (was there ever any doubt. lol) Before they found the malignant tumor, my dr. had me take two vicodin every four hours. I was on that dose for a year and it helped my pain, but didn't take it all away. I had no trouble w/d'g from it. I went down to taking one in the morning and one at night and then none.

I don't understand it because I have an addictive personality. The only reason I can think of is that the vicodin wasn't taking away all of my pain and I never abused it or got high on it. It took a year before they found a surgeon that could do the proceedure I needed done. I had to go down to I U hospital to have it done. About a three  hour drive.

I would be so happy if no one had to go through w/d. It's certainly not something we want to do.

Take Care....hugs....LS

That's not strange at all. You see it's not abuse or getting high that causes physical dependence. You take a medication as your doctor prescribes and you are still putting artificial opiates into your body over time causing your body not to produce them as much or in severe cases not at all. When you stop suddenly the lack of this neurotransmitter causes everything to go "haywire" (in a nutshell) it's a pretty complex process. You kind of tapered yourself off of the meds. though. You decreased your dose and then you stopped, this will greatly decrease w/d. Even patients receiving morphine or hydrocodone after surgery for 5-7 days or so will often experience mild -moderate w/d symptoms. It took me over 7-8 years before I experienced any w/d symptoms from hydrocodone. And if you tapered that quickly without w/d then where did you get the idea that you have an addictive personality? I may not have worded that very nicely but I just wonder if you saw a doctor or if you have more of an issue with the psychological craving for the drug and not so much the physical w/d? An addictiver personality would suggest that you are someone that will crave the drug and act on that craving long after physical w/d has gone. And from the posts I have read from you, you just don't seem to have an addictive personality to me.

xoxo- D.

I took the vicodin as prescribed by my Dr. I figure I have an addictive personality because I was addicted to valium for 13 years. The w/d from that was pure hell. I ended up in the hospital.

I didn't get a good feeling from the vicodin. My Dr. told me it was because it had real pain to work on. She said people who take it just to get high, with no physical pain, are more likely to have a worse w/d.

To be honest, I have been through a lot and the main thing I want is to be off the fentanyl.

Thanks for your input and I do respect it.

Hugs.......LS

Well the Valium being a benzodiazepine is extremely addictive and within a very short period of time (similar to opiates) this does not means that you have an addictive personality it means you have a human brain. Unlike opiates, however, benzo's are very dangereous to withdrawal from often causing seizures, stroke, and can be fatal. If you had an addictive personality you would be someone who was still craving the benzo's even though you have long since been off of them and you would be taking them even if you did not need them. See the withdrawal is physical, you have no control over this whatsoever. An addictive personality is a psychological and social thing that can be worked on. It does not sound to me like you have ever even attempted to get these drugs, you simply like most others, took a medication your doctor prescribed and went through w/d when you stopped. No doctor who wants to keep his license and stay out of jail takes a patient off of benzos without tapering them. I know it happens, I've seen it happen, most often to patients who don't realize their doctor is liable. This doesn't even begin to describe an addictive personality though. That's one stigma you should not have to live with if it's really not you.

xoxo- D.

You're right. I never asked for any drugs. When I was 19 I had what was referred to at the time as a "nervous breakdown." My Dr. put me on valium and I took it. I never abused it and I never craved it. My Dr. told me after 13 years to stop taking it and that it wasn't addictive. DAMN!! I was very lucky that I didn't have seizures or convulsions or even death. When I got to the hospital they put me on librium for the w/d. I hadn't eaten, talked to anyone. I comepletely shut down. I was blessed with parents that cared for my two little girls I had by that time.  The Dr. did this has long since died.  He's the one that told me that I had an addictive personality.

The family Dr. I have now is wonderful. She always has time to listen and while I'm trying to w/d from these fentanyl patches, she has given me her home phone # and said I could call day or night. I am much older now and my girls are married with families of their own. I don't think there is anything I couldn't talk to her about.

OOPS: I just realized I didn't sent this. I typed it and then started watching American Idol and forgot to hit send. Sorry.

Take Care.....Hugs....LS