Guest guest Posted June 10, 2002 Report Share Posted June 10, 2002 Aletta-- (and All) Thanks for the detailed and informative response. I am also curious about longterm use of rx painkillers prior to dx of MSA -- I have acute lumbar scoliosis, which has been increasingly painful over the years, and, as with MSA, is degenerative and in my case not amenable to surgery.One of my thoughts is that this pain is interwtined with the MSA-related pain in muscles and joints in particular, and it's hard to disentangle them. Fosset injections with steroids every 9 wks help somewhat, prescribed drugs such as hydrocodone or oxycodone or meperidine help, but at best take the edge off. Standing for anything more than 10 minutes is awful (pain + weakness), &c. I'm interested in seeing if any work has been done on opiates as perhaps an enabling agent to destruction of dopamine producing cells. I really appreciate your thoughts. Tony PS to All: Have you had experience in dealing with pre-MSA/dx pain and use of synthetic opiates or other rx meds as painkillers? > > > Hey, All- > > > > > > Does anyone know of any studies relating to long-term use of > > > synthetic opiate painkillers and symptoms of MSA? > > > > > > Tony > > > in Boston > > > > > >If you do not wish to belong to shydrager, you may > >unsubscribe by sending a blank email to > > > >shydrager-unsubscribe@y... > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 10, 2002 Report Share Posted June 10, 2002 I briefly took demerol for a knee injusry when I was 18 (dancing was my life and taking time out to recover was never an option), and once more for about 3 days after an automobile accident. I took nothing, not even aspirin until the MSA was pronounced and pain relief essential (about three years ago). At Monday 6/10/02 02:19 PM, you wrote: Tony, Rob had only one experience with synthetic opiates. He had a terrible skiing accident about 15 years ago --- broke his collar bone and ALL his ribs on his left side. He took high doses of percocet for about 3 weeks. But that's IT. No other use. Carol & Rob Lexington, MA --- swartzlloyd2 wrote: > Aletta-- (and All) > > Thanks for the detailed and informative response. > > I am also curious about longterm use of rx > painkillers prior to dx > of MSA -- I have acute lumbar scoliosis, which has > been > increasingly painful over the years, and, as with > MSA, is > degenerative and in my case not amenable to > surgery.One of my > thoughts is that this pain is interwtined with the > MSA-related pain > in muscles and joints in particular, and it's hard > to disentangle > them. Fosset injections with steroids every 9 wks > help somewhat, > prescribed drugs such as hydrocodone or oxycodone or > meperidine help, > but at best take the edge off. Standing for anything > more than 10 > minutes is awful (pain + weakness), & c. I'm > interested in seeing if > any work has been done on opiates as perhaps an > enabling agent to > destruction of dopamine producing cells. I really > appreciate your > thoughts. > > Tony > > PS to All: > > Have you had experience in dealing with pre-MSA/dx > pain and use of > synthetic opiates or other rx meds as painkillers? > > > > > Addition = need and use of a substance to feel > good, attain a > euphoric state > > Dependence = need and use of a substance to feel > and function > better or well > > > > I worked in a methadone clinic. The reason for > putting addicts on > > methadone rather than heroin had less to do with > addiction then > harm > > reduction. Harm reduction meaning; hygienic > improvements through > weaning > > addicts from using and sharing dirty needles; > changing the supply > of the > > substance from and illegal to a legal one; > eventually it is hoped > tha > > addict will want rehabilitation. > > > > Methadone (a synthetic), when not used for pain > has almost the > identical > > effect of heroin (the opiate), it does take a > little more of the > > methadone. In a medical setting the synthetic vs. > the opiate is > simply > > preference, the likelyhood of addiction is the > same. Cost factors > may also > > decide which you might get (the opiate is usually > cheaper because > generic > > ones are available.) According to seasoned heroin > addicts the high > is the > > same on methadone, and their overall functioning > is not improved, > they do > > however, have a chance to get that high > hygienically and without > the life > > of crime usually attached to addiction, and in BC > it is covered by > Pharmacare. > > > > Many drugs other than opiates are addictive, when > used > irresponsibly. > > Ritalin is sold on the street, so is Dexedrine, > most muscle > relaxants, > > allergy medications (even the over the counter > variety) and many > > others. Any addict can rattle off the entire list > of what fetches > a good > > price at the street corner. The pain an addict > self-medicates is a > > psychological one. No amount of drugs will ever > be enough until > that is > > addressed. Psycholocgically healthy people taking > prescribed drugs > as > > directed by a physician run no risk of becoming > addicted. > > > > Dependence is a different matter, we a most > probably all dependent > on > > something (try prying the neurontin from me). The > human being, as > an > > organism wants to feel well and capable, when our > bodies fail us > that > > dependence is part of our wish to survive and > ought to be > respected. I > > remember drinking rum on occasion because I was so > desperate for > sleep and > > an escape from the pain, it did not make me an > alcoholic, once my > doctor > > addressed the sleeplessness and pain with proper > medication I no > longer > > needed the rum (suppose that to was harm > reduction. > > > > For myself I prefer my medications to have very > long track records > when it > > comes to efficacy and safety. Used as prescribed > opiates are very > safe, > > cheap and available. I like poppies in my garden, > poppyseed in my > cakes, > > and I don't get a buzz from the codeine, what I > get is pain > relief. When > > it ceases to work I will choose with my doctor > another medication, > it may > > be synthetic or not. I've yet to see a medication > not cause any > side > > effects, the choices should be made well-informed, > and well > monitored. It > > (taking opiates) does carry a lot of bad publicity > (much of it > generated by > > opposing pharmaceutical companies, and puritanical > rabble rousers), > doctors > > seem more comfortable prescribing the synthetics > feeling they are > less > > likely to be accused of causing addiction. In > truth the misuse of > drugs by > > people of all walks of life have caused doctors to > feel this way, > but > > responsibility lies with the user. Anorexics > misuse diet > medications and > > laxatives (still an addiction). > > > > If you are using the medication and it is > effective, this is good. > If it > > is not effective have your doctor find another. > Pain medications > should > > always stop when the source of pain clears up, > chronic pain does > not clear > > up and I've found nothing (nor has my doctor) to > suggest long-term > use is > > dangerous in cases of chronic debilitating pain, > insomnia, > narcolepsy > > etc. YOU DO HOWEVER CARRY THE RESPONSIBILITY OF > USING DUE CAUTION. > > > > With regard to studies, any medication on the > market and still in > common > > use after 20-100 years has withstood the test of > time. New > === message truncated === __________________________________________________ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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