Pain killer alternatives

[broom]

I'm a computer programmer.
I have tendenitis on both forarms,
Ehler Danlos (mild), and a history
of drug addiction.  The drugs
were from age 13-18, and I've been
clean about 20 years (rehab, NA, AA).

I live on Viox for my arms, 50MG a day.
I'm still in a lot of pain, and I can only
code for an hour or 2 before I can't
type anymore.

What are my alternative drugs?  Anaprox
and familiy rip holes through my stomach,
and real opiates are off limits.  I see
Ultram, but it seems like some kind off
opiate cross-over that I should stay away
from.

[spook]

Morphine Euphoria;

Pleasant euphoric state, including strong feeling of contentment, well-being,exquisite orgasmic tingly, luscious yum, yum like feeling all over body and brain,beautiful vivid dreams while still awake,feels like every atom in the universe is in just the right place and lack of concern with reality"sorry whats that,I forgot",shut the F..k up would you,emotions,life,death...forming part of the affective reinforcing response of the drug.
Opioid stimulation of positive reward system, normally "reserved" to species-specific `survival` behaviors, provides the kind, sensitive-human user/abuser/and rampant drug fiend deviant with an experience that brain equates(substitutes) with profoundly important events like eating, drinking, and sex-"oh how naughty,I am disgusted","I told you to keep quiet,this is important,alright","uh, oh Alrighty then Man,chill out".

Opioid-induced Sedation and Anxiolysis

Produces anxiolysis, sedation, and drowsiness,"sorry what was that again"?"ah!!!" Produces anxiolysis, sedation, and drowsiness,I said, but level of sedation is not as deep as that produced by CNS depressants."um sorry I just fell asleep could you repeat that?". I said, but level of sedation is not as deep as that produced by CNS depressants."um sorry I just fell asleep AGAIN could you repeat that?".Oh well stuff YOU, miss out then on this really important knowledge.

Mental clouding prominent, accompanied by lack of concentration, apathy, complacency, lethargy, reduced mentation, and sense of tranquility,"whats that man,you say tranquility,like in STP,wow man sounds cool,anyway what was that white powder you injected into me about 20 minutes ago,got any more"."I told you to be quiet"(silence).But in dependent people,increased mentation,motor activation,more concentration-unless you got a Liddle BId too stoned.
Anxiolytic actions from `mu` receptor inhibition of neuronal activity in locus coeruleus, (norepinephrine).  
Withdrawal events will be perceived as life-threatening,"are you threatening me","Shut up PLEASE"!"you are starting to embarrass me", and subsequent physiologic reactions often lead to renewed opioid consumption.
Users self-inject for many reasons:
1. to try to re-experience `extreme` euphoria experienced after first few injections,tablets,snorts,whatever and if they stopped for a few months or more could get nicely HIGH again.
2. to maintain state of pleasure and well-being
3. to prevent mental discomfort associated with reality(reality is a disease caused by lack of drugs,we all know that!right?,anybody,help,;^ or
4. to prevent withdrawal symptoms.

Behavioral "theories" accounting for continued opioid use:especially #7.

1. Continued use avoids distress and dysphoria associated with withdrawal.
2. Euphoria produced by opioids leads to continued use.
3. Preexisting dysphoric or painful affective states are alleviated.
4. Euphoric response is an atypical response to opioids that occurs in individuals with preexistent psychopathology or Hyper sensitive Opioid/VTA systems .
5. Preexisting psychopathology/sociopathology,screwed up society or having a bad life(blame your parents,society,anybody,but yourself) may be basis for initial experimentation and euphoria, but repeated use is prompted by desire to avoid withdrawal.
6. Some individuals have deficient endorphin systems that are corrected by opioid use.
7. Repeated use of opioids leads to "permanent" dysfunction in endorphin system such that normal function requires continued use of exogenous opioids.(hmm sounds like I could exploit this one)
8. Drug effects and drug withdrawal can become linked through environmental cues and internal mood states...emotions and external cues recall distress of withdrawal or memory of opioid euphoria or opioid reduction of dysphoria or painful affective states.

And thats about it folks,I have not had any Opioids for 15 days now and I just drank a bottle of beer and feel Terrific,but nothing like that injection of heroin I had about 6 weeks ago,oh well.I did not inject any white substance before writing this,I think the beer is just SOOOOO Pleasant and gets me so High.Lucky I only got one bottle...and only drink once a week or so;getting hungry now ,goodbye and `have a nice life`.  

[cindi]

I suppose we all have our own stories of pain etc.  GOd bless the "chosen One"  My love and prayers to you and Marty    How is she doing?  Love cindi

[J.B. to Brian and Vicky]

Yes, many of my family have had problems with drugs and alcohol. I was 19 years old when I got started on opiates for injuries sustained while serving in the military.  Prior to that time, I was innocent of anything(booze,nicotine,sex,etc.) When I returned stateside my family barely recognized me in more ways than the obvious.  I was a full blown addict and in search of drugs in Downtown Midwest USA.  Was I a chosen one?  You bet!
The drug found me before I even knew that it existed.  
I got little support from my family during those times and was mainly ostrasized in general. They cared little of the medals that adorned my uniform. I was sick and confused for a long time.  Thanks to my friends in AA and my own inner strength(God)I never pulled the trigger of the gun that I had pointed at my head!  J.B.

[cindi]

Ahhh  Euphoria, My first experience with Euphoria was the best feeling I have ever had, unfortuantely, I have not found that feeling since, (at least not an exact euphoria) and like Tom and JB my search for that has led me to many years of addiction.  I have a typical "addictive personality" and for many years I have been the "strong person" in my family, so in order to live up to that name, to hide the fact that I cry, hurt etc. just like everyone else I have found that if I stay in this state of "euphoria" I can keep from crying etc.and let thime think I am superwoman.  My grandpa was an alcoholic and I believe it did run on that side of the family, this could maybe have a direct correlation as to why I am the addict?  Not my sister, my mom etc.   Just me?  I am just curious, Tom and JB do you have anyone else in your family that suffers from addition like siblings etc?  or are you the chosen ones?  Thanks guys and have a great day    Love to all   cindi

[spook]

Buprenorphine trials(IV)take home dose,self administer, were carried out here in Perth Western Australia,by a Medical Doctor(15 or more years ago) who thought it may be a good idea,He ended up up with cues of people leading into the streets,All of them Opioid Addicts and all of them either abusing,selling,or failing to taper off the Buprenorphine.It is an Opioid mixed agonist/antagonist,and a reasonable (better than Codeine) painkiller and has abuse potential.It is apparently quite an antideppresant also.
In the end(about 2 years later) the project? was deemed a failure and shut down by the Health Dept,however,if used appropriately(sublingual) and with gradual taper and close personal councilling/obsevation,it would make an excellent step down from a strong Opioid dependence,but not in any way cure the Addiction component,for that you need specialized Psychiatric intervention and currently we have a lack of suitably trained professionals,and NO MONEY...
As far as Terahydroisoquinoline(THIQ) goes,it is present in the brains of alcoholics to a much larger degree than Normals(due to genetic reasons) and is the cause of their increased Euphoria from alcohol and subsequent alcoholism.It participates in the same Dopamine Euphoria regulation sytems that Opioids are ligands to however I am not familiar with any involvement of it in the Opioid Euphoric state.Any new knowledge or references would be appreciated.

[spook]

Currently Many Scientists believe that Some people not only have exquisite sensitivity to Opioid Euphoria,but also have Faulty or deficient Endorphin Systems leading to increased NEED states and modified responses to stress,etc.
They believe that Genetics underscores these Conditions,but have not found any Neurological or Biochemical evidence to Support this as far as I know.(I am going to look at some of the latest research papers)
N.b Practically Invariable ones first experience to Opioids produces Dysphoria not euphoria.So you may be onto something here.