Pain killer addiction and recovery

Addiction to prescription painkillers is a disease that has become increasingly prevalent in the United States and elsewhere. Opiate, or narcotic pain medications such as Vicodin, OxyContin, Norco, and Hydrocodone are commonly prescribed by physicians to treat pain. Often, patients continue taking their medication as prescribed and become physically dependent upon the drug. This means that even if they want to stop taking the medication, it becomes extremely uncomfortable due to symptoms of withdrawal. This happens because of the following physical process:

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The brain has responded to the presence of the pain medicine by increasing the number of receptors for the drug, and the nerve cells in the brain cease to function normally.
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The body stops producing endorphins (the body’s natural painkillers) because it is receiving opiates instead..
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The degeneration of the nerve cells in the brain causes a physical dependency on an external supply of opiates, and reducing or stopping intake of the drug causes a painful series of physical changes called the withdrawal syndrome.



At this point the patient may continue taking the pain medication to avoid the withdrawal symptoms, rather than taking it to treat the pain that caused them to take the medicine initially. When this occurs the patient is considered to be dependent on or addicted to the prescription pain medicine.

Becoming addicted to pain medication is a disease. Taking the painkillers causes a change in one’s brain chemistry that is not under the individual’s control.. It is absolutely not anyone’s fault. Addiction is a chemical, physical disease, one that requires expert medical treatment in a safe, humane environment.
Prescription pain medicine addiction is common

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Director Nora Volkow has stated that up to 7% of patients who are prescribed narcotic or opioid analgesics to treat chronic pain will become addicted. It is estimated today that there are more than 4.7 million Americans dependent on prescription painkillers, which represents up to 2% of the US adult population overall, and this number continues to grow every year.9,14,21
Pain killers are not always needed to treat chronic pain

It is important to be aware that taking painkillers may in fact increase a patient’s sensitivity to pain, a phenomenon called hyperalgesia.5-8,19 Often, patients are surprised to discover that, once off their opiate medications, their pain is much less than they thought, or even completely gone. This is because the chronic, long term use of opiate painkillers has caused a decrease in the ability to tolerate pain, and an increased sensitivity to pain. After long term use of prescription painkillers, even if the underlying injury has long ago healed, the intensity of pain is often significantly increased, leading patients to believe they need to continue taking the medication and at higher doses than they were on initially.

In addition, it is very easy to confuse the general body aches and pains of early onset withdrawal with the original underlying condition. The patient takes the pills and feels better, so it is assumed that the medication is working. In reality, the pills are no longer needed for the original problem, but only because the body has become dependant on them. Getting off the painkillers once they are no longer needed is important in order to avoid physiologic dependence and to return to normal life again.
Treatment considerations for painkiller addiction

Sudden discontinuation of opiates, “going cold turkey”, is associated with intense withdrawal symptoms, which although rarely life threatening, can be severe and prolonged, lasting up to two to three weeks. Opiate withdrawal is characterized by severe discomfort, including diarrhea, abdominal pain and cramping, vomiting, runny nose, eye tearing, yawning, sweating, agitation, restlessness, twitching and tremors, back and bone pain, and intense craving for the drug.

It is important to note that there is a difference between being dependent on narcotics and being addicted. Many patients can becomedependent even in a relatively short postoperative course of narcotic medications. In such cases, withdrawal symptoms are to be expected, but the vast majority of patients can tolerate the withdrawal symptoms if theyknow that it is normal and not dangerous to feel anxious, flushed, etc. as the body withdraws from the pain medication. A few patients mayneed a medication such as clonidine, which helpsblock the sympathetic overdrive that makes them feel these symptoms. In these shorter lived problems, the symptoms should resolve in daysand not weeks. These patients also need to know that they are not addicted but have only become dependent on the drugs. However, for patients who are addicted to narcotic pain medications, a detoxification program is often needed.

Traditional methods of detoxification force patients unnecessarily to suffer through this withdrawal, and as a result of the intensity and extreme discomfort of withdrawal, many individuals do not even attempt detoxification. Among those who do, there is a significant dropout rate. Even when patients complete traditional detox methods the success rates are poor and the vast majority of patients return to the drug within a few months. The ideal opiate detoxification method should be safe, relatively brief, with a minimum experience of withdrawal symptoms, providing individuals with the ability to achieve and maintain abstinence, and to return to healthy, productive lives.

I wanted to bring this information to the board because of the recent new laws that have been signed. No matter where you're at in your health condition or legitimate need for opiates to live a somewhat normal life, the facts are there. The reality that the availability to receive proper pain management is becoming harder to come by. And with the DEA & government stepping in trying even more so to control the availability of proper treatment, we are going to be forced to find alternative methods to deal with pain. I just wanted to add some info that may give ppl hope, that we can get through this. And some of our issues may not be as bad as we fear. Alot of ppl get caught up in the opiate trap. And once free, some may find there are ways to cope with life & pain without opiates.
But for those that have no choice but to live on opiates, my heart goes out to you. And I hope doors open for you as some of these other doors close.

2Cool,

I know it's tough right now, but I think relief is coming. It has been so long since we had a Democrat in the High office, it is hard to remember how it was.

I think Obama is a smart man and will try to learn so thing off Canada for health care. Stay patient, I think relief is near.

Wayne-

Great post 2C!

Thanks!

-SKB

quote:

Originally posted by NUMB3RS:
2Cool,

I know it's tough right now, but I think relief is coming. It has been so long since we had a Democrat in the High office, it is hard to remember how it was.

I think Obama is a smart man and will try to learn so thing off Canada for health care. Stay patient, I think relief is near.

Wayne-

I hope so Wayne...I hope so!

-SKB

EXCELLENT POST 2COO BUT UNFORTUNATELY I WILL HAVE TO LIVE MY LIFE WITH THE NORCO. I HAVE TO HAVE IT TO CONTROL MY PAIN . W/O OUT IT IT RAISES MY BP TOO HIGH AND MY DR.S FEAR THAT WILL CAUSE ANOTHER BRAIN ANEURYSM OR STROKE. HE SAYS THAT THE SURVIVAL OF THE FIRST ONE WAS A MIRACLE AND THEY DON'T BELIEVE U GET 2 IN A LIFETIME!

I HOPE I WON'T UPSET ANYONE BUT I THINK OBAMA IS VERY DANGEROUS. SOME OF THE RESEARCH I HAVE DONE ON HIM HONESTLY SCARES ME.
BLESSED BE!

Lilgal,
It's sad, but yes...some ppl reach a point in their lives to where they have no choice but to rely on pain meds, & will have to the rest of their lives....just to function.
PPL that use opiates can fall into many categories. And the use of opiates can br very tricky. Some ppl just out & out use them recreationally. For some, they have an injury that causes them to depend on opiates for a term. But when they try to stop using, opiates can fool ya into thinking you still need them for an injury, due to rebound pain. But if that person stops & presses through, it can take a month or so to see what your actual pain is. But then there are those that will have no choice for the rest of their lives but to depend on them. And in a lot of cases still, while even using them have to deal with quite a bit of pain. And for each person, no matter the reason of use, still have to deal with tolerance issues. It's a personal journey. No one is in your body but you. And each of us have to weigh out our use & also find ways to deal with tolerance. I just think this board is great, offering up much info, no matter where we each are in our health issues.
Bless you, & I hope you can find some form of relief.

2C

My feeling on this is that as long as someone is maintaining some value of life, they should use ANY drug to their advantage. That is, legitament use of ANY drug.

If we limit quality of life improving drugs from needy people, just in the name of "the war on drugs," we have done a huge disservice.

We DEFINITELY need an overhaul of our health care system. I am glad Hilary Clinton is being asked to be Secretary of State. Good Start.

Wayne-

Wayne,
I agree with you about using whatever drugs needed for the best quality of life. And it bugs the crap out of me how others in higher positions with no clue of what we feel, are up on their pedilstal taking away our access to proper medical care. But also, on the other hand....the least amount of drugs one can use & still deal with life, the best. We can get some pretty crazy cocktails of drugs going there. That in the long run, can do us more harm than good. And we can fall in the trap of over medicating. It's a fine line that we have to tread lightly. It's an individual situation. Each person needing to be treated according to their needs & health issues.

All the best....

2C00L 2 BE ME IS 2 RIGHT!
BLESSED BE!

2Cool * Thank you for this post. I see it more and more everyday that everyone feels they know what is best for the patient. The Nurses at the M.D.'s Office, The Clerks at the Pharmacy, The Pharmacist...it's sad to be a person in pain that needs medication. Everyone is judgeing you. I know someone that works at Kaiser and it's sad to say that when they take a call from a patient in pain..as soon as the patient asks for a re-fill on their pain med's..all they do is roll their eyes and laugh to themselves "Oh..here's another pill-popper calling for MORE Med's" I mean that is shameful! They are automatically labeled an addict

I have to agree with Pea~ on this...years ago I worked for a large clinic with many doctors and that was the same thing I witnessed. The pharmacists do the same thing.

There seems to be less sympathy and empathy~

I AGREE WITH ALL MY MUCH LOVED PW FAMILY.
U NEVER CEASE TO AMAZE ME WITH YOUR KNOWLEDGE.COMPASSION AND FAITH!

I WOULD LOVE TO NEVER TAKE ANOTHER PILL. BUT, AS U ALL KNOW THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE FOR ME.
A WHILE BACK I STOPPED FOR 3 MOS., BUT BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF ANOTHER ANEURYSM AND I HAVEN'T MENTIONED IT BEFORE THE MOS SPENT CRYING FROM THE PAIN AND THE INABILITY TO LITERALLY MOVE AND MY BODY CONSTANTLY DRAWING ITSELF UP INTO A FETAL POSITION AND HAVING TO CRAWL ANYWHERE IN MY HOME MADE THE DECISION FOR ME. MY PM DR. EVEN SAID "I TOLD U SO THAT HE LOOKED EVERY DAY FOR ME IN THE OBITS!" SO I SYMPATHIZE WITH THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE TO LIVE AS I DO!

STILL A GREAT POST 2 COOL!

DON'T BE ANGRY WITH ME WAYNE BUT EVERY TIME I HEAR HILLART'S NAME I THINK OF "THE DEVIL WITH THE BLUE DRESS ON!" AND AS FORREST GUMP WOULD SAY"THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT!"
BLESSED BE MY FAMILY AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

2 Cool,

Love, my only point is that people need to receive the right amount of meds. No more, no less. At this point, I think most are undermedicatied, that's amost a universal rule, in Amerca.

People in chronic pain or continual panic situations, should be able to go to their dortor and get the meds and support they. need.

I guess that's all I really meant.

Take care ,love,
Wayne-

Wayne,
I took no offense to what you posted, nor was I being defensive. You & I just spoke of two separate, yet accurate points on the same subject.

KSDJ,
I don't see where you stating you take or need a med that has improved your life makes you sound like a junkie.

2C