Being off Tincture of Opium for a year and a half

[parkinglot]

I was diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis in my early teens, and then Ulcerative Colitis in my mid teens.  Around 18 I had the ileo-anal j-pouch surgery, and had a bunch of complications after the first surgery but eventually that turned out alright.   I've had difficulty for the most part ever since, and have never had much success in finding a way to make my stomach not feel like an acidic mess for the past 9 years.  After I had my 2nd surgery to reconnect my small intestine to the pouch a little early (there were major complications with the first surgery and below the ostomy opening) it's been hard to be on a normal diet where things even as simple as eggs and bananas manage to bother me.  A associate of one of my surgical Dr.'s prescribed me Tincture of Opium shortly after as every other medication would do nothing to slow down digestion or anything else (I was using the bathroom on min. 12 times a day).   The Tincture of Opium really worked and allowed me a method to reasonably slow down digestion, and manage to ignore and get through any discomfort.  It also helped with the fact I had only been sleeping about 3 hours max. a day previously.

[J T Junig, MD PhD]

Gosh--- You are the first person I've heard describe addiction to that particular compound-- but I would expect you to have all of the usual considerations for a person who has become dependent on opioids.  There is NO doubt that opioids have positive effects.  They treat pain and diarrhea, of course-- and they also elevate mood in most people.  Frankly, they make a person feel good.  The problem, though, is that there is simply NO FUTURE in them.  There is no way to make the opioid effects continue; tolerance will ALWAYS take any positive effects away, leaving only misery and pain in their place.

I encourage you to let go of that fantasy-- the idea that you can return to taking opium and enjoy the benefits without experiencing the consequences.  We can all read the ambivalence in your question- the logical part of you vs the part that 'kind of desires' to do something that you know will cause you misery.  I encourage you to speak with your doctor, speaking openly and truthfully about your situation.  I would think that there are other medications that would slow your intestinal system besides opioid agonists.

[parkinglot]

Thank you very much for your response Dr. Junig.  It is appreciated, and I will continue looking at other options.  Opioids do serve their purpose medically and help many people, and it was something that had benefits of the way it made me feel.   It was unfortunate that it ran it's course with me physically and mentally.

A little perspective and writing things out help, as does hearing someone else.  So again, thanks.

[parkinglot]

Unfortunately after about 2-3 years of using the drug the correct way it started to lose it's effect and potency and I kind of got a little out of control with it for about 4 years.   I mean it still helped but by this time I was taking about 3-4 doses of about 1.5 mls from a syringe (I weigh 135LBs and stand 6').   After about 4 years of this I realized I was just going down the wrong path and I needed to stop, so I did so cold turkey and just flushed all the bottles I had.  I have no insurance right now (I moved far away from my home in New England) so it's not like I could ever manage to buy the $800 prescription myself.   However my health has become a big question again in terms of what I can manage to eat and not have to worry about constantly needing a bathroom in an emergency.  I know I made the right choice to stop using the Opium Tincture, but it's really a huge struggle and nothing else has been able to help.  I mean I really kind of desire to find a prescription again, but I know that might be wrong...