Effects of Opiates... Please read & RESPOND!! :)

[ProdigalGirl]

Ok, I need everyone who is kind enough to respond to give me their complete and honest opinion on the use of opiate medication. The brand, strength or length of use does not matter.Just has to be an opiate and at the prescribed dose from your doctor. Does anyone experience the following.

1. mood swings
2.  short tempered behavior
3. feeling withdrawn from family and friends
4. lethargy
5. depression
6.paranoia    
7. forgetfullness, confusion
8. apathy
9.Not wanting to attend important events. Guess that falls under the withdrawn category.


I know that I experience some of these symtoms from time to time. But, I know that chronic pain can make us feel some of these symptoms too. One of the worst for me is the paranoia. Always worrying that everyone knows I take pain medication even though it is prescribed.Worried that I won't have my medication should the pharmacy not have stock or even better the pharmaceutical company goes belly up like Ethex has. I wish I could relax with feeling this way, but sometimes I just can't. I have even given thought to going off the meds which I need for quality of life due to these worries. I do suffer from a generalized anxiety disorder and am not sure if this is what is making me feel this way. A person I know is going off opiates for some of the above reasons and after talking to him it got me thinking that I feel this way too and maybe it isn't my anxiety disorder. This is why it's so important I hear from as many people as possible on this.


Thank you in advance for your honesty!

Have a peaceful and restful evening :)

ProdigalGirl

[Babs1469]

I have some of the same concerns I'm always wondering what happens if my pain management docotor leaves the practice or goes away suddenly and I'm left without my meds. I get them on a monthly basis and I have only enough to get me through until my next visit, The idea of withdrawl scares the heck out of me and that makes me think that I'm an addict. also sometimes the meds make me itch and I'm sure people notice and think I'm "ON" something i shouldn't be. Life with pain ***** but Life with pain and paranoia ***** even more. All I can say is I wish you the best and hope you know you are not alone.

[Banned1]

I'm so sorry you are suffering.  Getting off of Vicodan is a decision you'll have to make on your own because. if you are forced into it, you won't quit.  It's a decision you have to make on your own.  You have to really want it.  If you have a family doctor that you trust, ask for some help when you are ready and they will wean you off slowly.

All the best,

Sam

[nic374]

Im a long time user of vicodin and all of what you listed I have felt one degree to another.  I really thing that people who abuse have anxity problems or it sure feels that way while your taking them.  I dont know what state your from but I live in the Northern part of ILL and this state amoung other states can make your life living hell.  All the controlled substances that can be abused are logged in by your name and date birth, etc. Your info gets sent to a central database.  So when ever we see a doctor or get our precriptions filled they are able to track you to see if you use other doctors or phramacys for the same meds or ones that are similar your getting filled or asking your doc about .  So far I have probably lost at least 8 doctos and several precriptions  due to there ablity to look you up its a website that they log into thru the Dept of Human Srvs, and what bothers me most of this I want to stop taking Vicodin but I dont like being forced into it.  Good luck!

[fluffypurrcat]

Hi, I understand your concerns and I think many of us who have been on opiates of some sort have experienced some of the ones you listed. I think some of the paranoia you are experiencing may be a result of the anxiety meds you mentioned that you take, or at least they play a role. I know my son also experiences severe anxiety, depression, and paranoia to some degree just being arouond groups of people and he has just been clean and sober for not quite a year now after about ten years of drug use.
           I myself have chronic pan in my back from an on the job injury and have been on Opiates continuoulsy since 1998 with no break whatso ever with the dosage changing and or meds changing ever since. I have been on Methadone continuoulsly now since 2004 and it is the only drug that really helps with my back pain. I am waiting to see a neurosurgeon for possible back surgery in April, and I can't wait.

     For me the biggest side effects are the following.

     Forgetfullness, not remembering very simple things, where things were put, forgetting peoples names, calling my children the wrong name. Though that doens't happen as often as it did
       Drowsiness esp with the methadone. if I keep busy I am fine, if I sit on the couch and try to watch a movie with my husband, I will be asleep in 15 minuted, doing something like spiling a cup of cola or coffee on myself because I am falling asleep.
I am fine as long as I am active, if I relax, I am done for.
        I don't really feel withdrrawn as I have never been a social person, I have allways felt uncomfortable in group situations except for in the workplace
         Paranoia, only as far as my meds go, and not being able to get them when I need them. I have allwalys stockpiled, even extra Norco which is not my drug of choice but I keep my prescriptions up to date incase of break through pain or my Methadone is running out. My injury is a Workmans comp injury and they are supposed to pay for all my meds, but after 10 years of lawyers, dr.s various pharmacies and working with inept adjustors and crappy insurance groups, I use my Medicare as back up so if one won't pay for my meds, the Medicare will.

I have allso found out the hard way that many drs. are unaware of what a wonderful pain med Methadone is and after having a recent surgery, they were unaware just how much tolerance I had built up to pain meds and after foot surgery and leaving the surgery center I was in agony within 2 hrs of getting home. The Percocet they gave me did nothing. I ended up in the dr.s office for a shot of Tordol which did nothing and a prescription for Dilaudid which did nothing. For two days I was in agony . I went back to Dr.s office two days after surgery after no sleep and pain non stop crying it was so bad for 48+ hrs. He upped my Dilaudid and then after unwrapping my foot found out I had a bad allergic reaction . If he would have looked at me when I first showed up at his office 2 hrs after leaving the surgery center I wouldn['t have to had go through this. It was shortly after this I also found out that they never completly had my foot in a nerve block either. The Dr. refused to believe what type of pain tolerance I had. ( they never dealt with somone like me.) When I went back to this dr. for another foot surgery, Fusion of the same foot, ) he didn't question my pain tolerance and gave me the diluadid right away knowing the Methadone did nothing except for my back pain, no other body pain. Also he gave me the right amount of pain med to block my foot in surgery. So many dr.s in emergency rooms, etc. question the amount of pain meds a person takes thinking they only want a high or are lying about the amount they take.
       I have not gotten a " high" off any pain med in over 9 years. When you take them as long as we do, we are lucky if they just take the edge off of the pain.

         for the record, I am 55 , haven't worked from my teaching job and or in home health care since 2000 when I was laid off because of my 1999 back injury and have been on SSI and Social SEcurity since 2000 because of it. NOone will hire me because of my back injury and when you say Methadone, they think you are a junkie or recovering Heroin addict. People are uninformed.
  Also as several other people here mentioned, one med may work well for one person and another person may either not react to it pain wise, or may have adverse reactions to it. I was also on Neurontin while on Methadone, and started hallucinating, something I was not enjoyng at all. My pharmaist informed me this was a common reaction when combining the two, and I had to quit the neurontin. So mayby you are having some drug interactions that need to be looked at more closely. Mayby your dose needs to be adjusted. Also one med that you may have taken for years or quite some time, can at some point react differently and or give you adverse reactions as well.
Also other medical conditions you have can effect the meds you take and the way you feel. I was fine on some meds but when my Thyroid went haywire, my meds had to be tweaked with and after a hysterectomy in Jan 2006, everythng had to be adjusted again, as my body was not the same and my meds reacted as well.

            Good luck and keep looking for answers and you will get them.   Fluffypurrcat

[kiddthekatt]

Very well said. I told my Rheumy that I was almost 54 years old, I have severe Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue, and the pain is more than I can handle without my pain meds I told him at my age, I am more worried about being able to function in my daily life than I was of becoming addicted to opiates. If that ever occurs I'll worry about it then, but now I need my meds to be human and to take care of business. My hubby and I are raising our 14 year old grandson, he needs me to be mobile.

gentle hugs to all
Angel

[Banned1]

Well-said!  :)  Thank you,

Sam

[turbo236]

"by authrjenn, Jun 08, 2008 09:38PM
To: fsmjf
There is a big difference between a drug seker and someone who is dependent on a medication so they can feel better. Don't let anyone ever tell you, you don't deserve to feel better.."

Found this in an old post concerning narcotic med use for pain control.  Jenn, I was a little offended when I read your reply to ProdigalGirl.  While a person who uses narcotics for recreation may exhibit abnormal behavior, including behavior listed in the original post, I do not believe that responsible patients who display this behavior should be labeled as a drug abuser and told they should seek intervention.  All of us who suffer from chronic pain and use our prescribed narcotics responsibly, the way they are prescribed, will probably agree that the relief they offer from the pain and the part of our life they allow us to return to is worth the occasional depressing, lethargic or forgetful day.  Don't get me wrong, anyone in here will tell you that they would gladly give up these meds if it weren't for the pain, but for now these meds are what work for us.  Please forgive me for depending on my medication to be as pain free as I can be.

[authrjenn]

All of the above are symptoms of drug addiction. If possible, get some intervention and detox asap. Suicide is really possible or arrest. Hope this helps. Sorry....

[JaynesInPain]

Every person has their own chemical reaction to various meds.  For instance both myself & my grandmother do not respond well to oxycontin for pain treatment, despite it's claim to fame.  Dilaudid made me feel anxious/depressed.  Norco (10mg hydrocodone) helped better than Percocet (which is supposed to be stronger).  It is really a "trial & error" situation.  I recommend talking w/both the pharmacist & your prescribing Dr. about various options until you find the medicine & dosage that helps your pain w/least sideaffects.  I would say the key thing that would help you to reassure yourself as regards use of narcotics, is to periodically ask yourself if you really "need" to take the pill.  Try postponing it for 2 hrs.  If you are able to do this then maybe you could reduce the # of pills you take.  Only YOU can know if you really need the medicine for pain.  Chemically our body does become addicted overtime no matter what the dosage or type of narc. even if the pain improves.  People do not know you are on pain meds unless you tell them (unless of course you are slurring your speech & acting out of character).  I too hate that I have to take pain meds, but I am trying to view them as a tool to help me manage the current situation I am in, with hopes of improvement & no need for them in the future.  As long as we take as prescribed & only use as necessary- they are really a blessing.  Hope this helps.

[Lilkim703]

I have definitely experienced the feeling of being withdrawan from family & friends and the overwhelming desire to avoid important events with lots of people in attendance.  After my second surgery I shut myself up in my house with my dog and did not answer the phone or the door for weeks.  I was also depressed due to the causes of my surgery which prompted me to see a psychologist and I was subscribed an antidepressant which has seemed to help.  Even now, about 3 years later, I avoid most social situations and prefer to be at home when not at work - I am no longer on pain meds but I can isolate that these feelings all started when the opiates started.  

[fpainestam]

Hi, ProdigalGirl.  I have been on various morphine or opiode meds for going on five years, which I only mention because the breadth of experience may add some credibility to my thoughts.  I have experienced all of the symptoms/feelings that you listed at various times, but I have always attributed them much more to the chronic pain than to the meds.

Hope this helps...fpainestam

[Mollyrae]

It sounds like your experiencing some real anxiety with the pain meds. I have felt this as well. I have worried about the pharmacy not having the meds or my Doctor going out of practice and it has often taken my breath away. You are not alone with your feelings. With the others you've listed, I have had all of them to some degree. Some more than others.
I think you should seek out some kind of professional help with these feelings your experiencing. They can definitly interfere with ones life.
Using the Fentanyl patch has really pushed my anxiety level to the extreme. I really have to sit myself down and reason with these feelings. I can usually get them under control.
I hope this was helpful. Please take care and good luck with your post.
Mollyrae

[jollyman069]

at times i feel some of all that you mentioned.. i have been with a pain specialist for 4 years now but my life ina whole has gone up 100% i can do things with my kids and grandkids and not have to saty in bed for a week after wards so i guess there re trade offs and i know everyone in here if gthey didint have to take narcotics none of us would

[Tuckamore]

I experience some of symptoms you are describing. They vary in intensity and from week to week or day to day. I do not "worry" about the pharmacy not having my medications or experience paranoia.

Your list in general is fairly indicative of feelings that I beleive many CP patients experience at some time in their journey through this affliction. There have been times that I worried what someone would think about my need for pain control through narcotics.
1. Mood swings..not often, but to a degree this is not uncommon with narcotic usage.
2. Short tempered behavior.....on occasion, again can be associate with narcotics.
3. Feeling withdrawn from family and friends....sometimes because I cannot physically
    participate in some planned activities or do spare of the moment things I feel a bit "left
    out" even though they are not excluding me.
4. Lethargy.....only when I have to take more meds due to a pain increase.
5. Depression....not often but it happens after a few days in a flare.
6. Paranoia....never have I felt the true definition of this word.    
7. Forgetfulness, confusion...sometimes forgetful, never confused.
8. Apathy...If that means that I don't care that I don't care about this or that,
    occasionally
9. Not wanting to attend important events.....I have never liked social events but if  
    it is an important one I do attend....70% of the time. The other 30% my pain prevents
    me from attending.

We all respond differently to CP. If you are feeling these emotions from time to time it probably is not abnormal. Could it be that your anxiety disorder just makes you more concerned that you are experiencing fairly normal CP emotions? And/or could it be that your anxiety disorder makes normal feelings and concerns a bit more pronounced?  

Sandee offers a great suggestion. If you are feeling uncomfortable with these emotions or they prevent you from living comfortably they are serious. You should always consult with your therapist or physicians when you have concerns.

Good luck and let us know how you are doing. I will look forward to your next post. Take Care, Tuck

[ProdigalGirl]

Thank you

[sandee1818]

I am sorry I am getting a late start today.
I think you should definatly speak with a pain physcoligist, he/she can help with these feelings your having. I can't say if they are normal or not for someone who suffers chronic pain but if these worries are stopping you from being who you are then in my opinion it is serious. I do worry sometimes about taking these meds for the rest of my life but then see it as part of the diease of having chronic pain.
others will give their opinions but you should speak to at least a theripist that can help you with these feelings.

[Banned1]

Hi there:

I'm surprised no one has responded to your inquiry.  I can honestly say that
1. mood swings - NO
2.  short tempered behavior  - NO
3. feeling withdrawn from family and friends - NO  {I am physically withdrawn from my family and friends becaue I'm ill.  I can no longer participate in events.  I feel as close to my family and friends as ever and delight in being able to join them in activities again one day soon.}
4. lethargy  - NO {I am fatigued because I am ill but I am alert.}
5. depression - NO {I get the blues and occasionally feel sorry for myself but I know that others have it much worse.}
6.paranoia  - NO
7. forgetfullness, confusion  - YES {I'm not sure if it's med-related or illness relate but I do have a kind of mental fog and I have been quite forgetful since I've been ill.}
8. apathy - NO
9.Not wanting to attend important events. Guess that falls under the withdrawn category.  NO - {I can't wait to attend events as soon as I am able.  I just can't right now.}

Hope that helps and gets the ball rolling for others to answer, too.

All the best,

Sam