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consequences of stupidity
by Thinline, May 15, 2008 04:15AM
I have Reiters Syndrome (Reactive Arthritis) and have been on opiates and fentanyl patches for the past six months. At the moment I’m having a massive relapse, but I’m very frustrated that the meds don’t seem to be helping. Today I started on high doses of cortisone (I am also type 1 diabetic and asthmatic), but I wrote the following to a friend and would like anyone on opiates to read it in the hope that it will help someone someday.
I have Reiters Syndrome (Reactive Arthritis) and have been on opiates and fentanyl patches for the past six months. At the moment I’m having a massive relapse, but I’m very frustrated that the meds don’t seem to be helping. Today I started on high doses of cortisone (I am also type 1 diabetic and asthmatic), but I wrote the following to a friend and would like anyone on opiates to read it in the hope that it will help someone someday.
I decided to test out my pulmonogist’s theory that I can’t become a drug addict, and my Pain Specialist’s view that people with chronic pain don’t become addicts. So the long and the short of it is that I have not had a fentanyl patch on for the past 36 or so hours. I thought I was doing brilliantly last night, never told a soul what I was up to and I was very impressed by the lack of withdrawal symptoms. You all know what’s coming don’t you……
Turns out I am most certainly physically addicted to opiates. I got up this morning, I felt incredibly sore particularly in the back and fingers. Still I did not feel anything different. After being up for about two hours I started feeling a bit odd, so I had a snack thing maybe my sugar was out of whack. I also took a big dose of cortisone to try help with the joint pain. About 15 minutes later it hit me like a ton of bricks! Heart started beating out of rhythm, my mind started jumping all over the place, my body felt like it was separate to my brain, and I started getting a huge panic attack. I had no horrible desire to take any drug, so I guess it’s true that I’m not mentally addicted.
I took some Ativan hoping it would help – no.
I took a bath thinking it would relax me – no.
I tried a bit of meditation – no, no, I couldn’t make my mind still or empty.
I realized what a huge mistake I had made and stuck an new fentanyl patch on. Won’t work for a while. Long ago a doctor gave me methadone after I’d been having morphine injections for a few weeks (I had broken 3 ribs from coughing so hard because I had pneumonia so I needed strong meds for the pain). I only needed the methadone for a short time and I still had some in the bottle (thank goodness), so I’ve taken that and it has settled things right down.
My heart rate is steady but fast, my mind has slowed down, and I feel a lot more relaxed. I’ve called my GP but he was unable to speak to me as he’s stitching someone up but will call back later (just now in SA language) and I’ll tell him what I did, what the results were and ask where we should go from here.
I’m sitting here typing and watching a tv reality show called “Interventions”, and I’m thinking I’m as stupid as some of those who choose to become an addict. Well I’ve learned a major lesson today. If anyone reads this and is even considering doing such a dumb thing, please, think again. Get expert advice first!!!!!!!!!!
I have Reiters Syndrome (Reactive Arthritis) and have been on opiates and fentanyl patches for the past six months. At the moment I’m having a massive relapse, but I’m very frustrated that the meds don’t seem to be helping. Today I started on high doses of cortisone (I am also type 1 diabetic and asthmatic), but I wrote the following to a friend and would like anyone on opiates to read it in the hope that it will help someone someday.
I decided to test out my pulmonogist’s theory that I can’t become a drug addict, and my Pain Specialist’s view that people with chronic pain don’t become addicts. So the long and the short of it is that I have not had a fentanyl patch on for the past 36 or so hours. I thought I was doing brilliantly last night, never told a soul what I was up to and I was very impressed by the lack of withdrawal symptoms. You all know what’s coming don’t you……
Turns out I am most certainly physically addicted to opiates. I got up this morning, I felt incredibly sore particularly in the back and fingers. Still I did not feel anything different. After being up for about two hours I started feeling a bit odd, so I had a snack thing maybe my sugar was out of whack. I also took a big dose of cortisone to try help with the joint pain. About 15 minutes later it hit me like a ton of bricks! Heart started beating out of rhythm, my mind started jumping all over the place, my body felt like it was separate to my brain, and I started getting a huge panic attack. I had no horrible desire to take any drug, so I guess it’s true that I’m not mentally addicted.
I took some Ativan hoping it would help – no.
I took a bath thinking it would relax me – no.
I tried a bit of meditation – no, no, I couldn’t make my mind still or empty.
I realized what a huge mistake I had made and stuck an new fentanyl patch on. Won’t work for a while. Long ago a doctor gave me methadone after I’d been having morphine injections for a few weeks (I had broken 3 ribs from coughing so hard because I had pneumonia so I needed strong meds for the pain). I only needed the methadone for a short time and I still had some in the bottle (thank goodness), so I’ve taken that and it has settled things right down.
My heart rate is steady but fast, my mind has slowed down, and I feel a lot more relaxed. I’ve called my GP but he was unable to speak to me as he’s stitching someone up but will call back later (just now in SA language) and I’ll tell him what I did, what the results were and ask where we should go from here.
I’m sitting here typing and watching a tv reality show called “Interventions”, and I’m thinking I’m as stupid as some of those who choose to become an addict. Well I’ve learned a major lesson today. If anyone reads this and is even considering doing such a dumb thing, please, think again. Get expert advice first!!!!!!!!!!
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