Pain Meds Questions

[mrskitty007]

Ok, So This is something that most people won't talk about, But I need an answer.
When taking pain meds, why is it that a person gets angry? Thats one question, the 2nd is,  Why do I get tired when my meds are wearing  off,but when I take my meds I get energy. I want to get energy WITH- OUT taking my pain meds. I truly would love a answer and what I can do to fix this .

[mrskitty007]

Thank you so very much, I have been on the same meds and the same amount for 6yrs, I won't ever take more then I have to, BUT I will defiantly try to get a smaller dose,
When you said that opiates stimulate the pleasure-feeling areas of the brain, Is that why allot of people that have bipolar disorder seem to like to take opiates, I've talked to some and they say it helps them to be happy and to live a normal life, Even though they don't have pain., I have one more question, What are the long-term health problems for the use of opiates,Thank you

[Jaybay]

The "energy" you describe is also referred to as a buzz or a high.  That feeling is what gets a whole lot of people into trouble when they get into pain management.  Eventually, that feeling goes away as your body gets used to the medication.  Unfortunately, it's that feeling that makes opiates work the way they do.  It's really a misnomer to call opiates "pain killers."  They don't really get to the cause of the pain and get rid of it the way drugs like ibuprofen, aspirin and anti-inflammatories do.  Opiates merely stimulate the pleasure-feeling areas of the brain.  The pain is still there, the underlying condition is untouched, but we feel so good we really don't notice the pain or care much about it.

The short temper you mention is also common with opiate therapy, and one reason some people simply can't take these medications.  Everything you write tells me that you're over-medicated.  Yes, you'll lose that "energy" feeling you get now, but if you can get to a lower dose or even better, get off the meds altogether, your natural energy will return.

Can you explain what you mean by "I put myself on this...?"  

[mrskitty007]

Thank you for getting back to me, I'm on Dilaudid 4mg every 5hrs, I put myself on this because the dr had me on over 12,000 mg of opiates, Yes this is true.All were different meds, I slowly took myself off of all of them, Anyways getting to the anger, I actually I ask a dr about the anger and she says that the opiates are attacking my liver, Now if thats true or not I don't know. I do know that I use to run a Pain Management Group, I was just the one that got everyone together, But others have told me that at the end of the day they to seem to have NO patients.And about the my energy, I did think about that, But Its not, Also Allot of people tell me that they get energy when taking pain meds,I truly don't know what to think. Thank you for talking to me.

[namnam46]

Hi mrskitty007,

First, I want to welcome you to the Pain Management Forum and let you know that we are glad you found this Forum. I want to let you know that there are NO Doctors on this Forum, only CP  {Chronic Pain}  Patients that help each other with our OWN expertise and experiences that we have developed through our OWN CP Issues.

I'd like to ask you a question if I may.  What meds are you currently taking?  The reason I ask this is because I'm on the Fentanyl Patch, Percocet 10/325 for BT {Break Through} Pain, Baclofen for muscle spasms and Gabopentin for nerve pain.  They ALL work together to make me ALMOST pain free. That said, none of them make me energetic when I take them and none of them make me angry and none make me tired when I DON'T take them.  They all just make my life as pain free as possible.  I'm wondering if you are on the wrong meds for what you need.  

Most of the PM {Pain Management} Patients on here have the same results that I do and fortunately don't have the same reaction that you are.  

Could you be mistaking pain relief for a feeling of energy?  And mistaking tiredness for when your relief is wearing off?  After all, that's what happens when we lose our relief from our meds we DO feel like we don't have the energy to do anything because we don't feel as well as we could. :{  

You said that you are on only one med now.  Is it Long-Acting or short-term?  If it's long-acting then I'm assuming that you don't have anything for BT Meds.  That may be what's wrong with your regime.  You either need something long-acting OR you need something for BT meds.

I hope this has helped you some. :}

I'll be looking forward to your update..........Sherry  :}