Re: question on stents and pain meds

September 6, 2002

Hi ,

In answer to your question and concerns about becoming addicted to

pain meds, I can only tell you what my doc told me. He said that a

person who is in pain and needing pain medication will not become

addicted to it. The body utilizes it in the proper way. When people

take pain medication for anything other than pain that is when they

have problems with it. I don't know that I entirely believe him as

I'm so cautious about taking them too and tend to wait until the pain

is almost unbearable, but on the other hand somedays I ask myself why

I am suffering when I have them available and then I make myself take

them. He told me it's much easier to be on top of the pain that

trying to play catch up with it and that they should be taken

regularly.

I hope this helps you somewhat.

{{hugs}} Tummy

>

Does anyone know how long it takes to become addicted to pain meds?

Is there anything I can do to minimize my risk of becoming addicted?

>

September 6, 2002

,

The first time I had stents, I had four (two billiary and two pancreatic). It

took me three weeks AFTER I got of the hospital (I was admitted into critical

care, because I developed such horrible pancreatitis. I was infected - the

works.) I tried really hard to come back to work the Monday after I got out of

the hospital, but that didn't work. I tried three times that week, and gave up.

I stayed out another two weeks, and I finally got better. I took pain meds

every time my pain started to come back. I didn't care whether or not I became

addicted to anything during that time. I just wanted to feel better. Once the

pain started to fade, I just started fazing out the meds. Worked fine for me.

Don't worry about it right now. Take care of you and your pain. I have been

trying to deny myself meds in the last couple of weeks, and, finally, I just

said forget that! My pain is now much better, so I haven't had any meds in two

days. I am always glad when I can do this, as it is a sign that my body's

better and I'm not addicted to anything.

Rest lots right now, and just go ahead and take the meds. You won't need them

as much in a couple of days. I know you've been taking them daily since July,

but I took them every day for over a year, and I am fine right now. Everyone is

different, but it has worked for me. Good luck, and my prayers are with you.

in KY

Weston wrote:Hello all,

I have a question for those of you that have had stents. I just had one put in

the bile duct on Wednesday, Sep 28th. The GI said it was temporary and would

last for a month or two. My question is - does the stent come out on its own?

If so, where does it go? If it doesn't come out on its own, does the doc have

to do another ERCP to get it out? Why is it that the stent is only temporary?

I was doing better Monday and Tuesday, but begin getting worse again on

Wednesday. I stayed home yesterday and felt better by the late afternoon. I

thought I'd surely be able to make it to work today. However, I woke up at 2:30

a.m. with bad pain - not horrendous, but still bad. This is the second night in

a row that I've gone to bed feeling a little better only to be woken up with

pain. I have had two hydrocodones and one mepergan (demerol/phenergan) since

2:30 a.m. The pain will ease for a bit but then comes right back long before

the pain med should have worn off.

At first I was worse after the ERCP and stent but then got better, so I thought

they had fixed my problem - at least temporarily. However, it now seems I right

back to about the same as before the ERCP. I was given a hefty supply of pain

meds, so for the most part I am usually able to get comfortable (although not

this morning). I'm worried that if this pain continues beyond a couple more

days, I'll be out of pain med. I'm also worried that I may have become addicted

to the pain med since I've had only a few days that I've gone the whole day

without pain med since mid july when this all started again. Does anyone know

how long it takes to become addicted to pain meds? Is there anything I can do

to minimize my risk of becoming addicted?

September 6, 2002

, , and Tummy,

Thanks for the reassurance on the pain meds. Today even with the meds I can't

get the pain to stop. I've called my doctor and they are supposed to call me

back.

September 6, 2002

,

I don't know that I can answer the addiction question, but I was given a kind of

half acre description of why the stents aren't permanent on my last hospital

stay. It would seem that anytime any foreign objects are placed inside the

body, it is a natural reaction for the body to expel it in any fashion it can.

And if it can't expell it then we end up sick...so the stents are placed, with

the knowledge that within 10 days to 2 weeks it will pass naturally, if it

doesn't then of course we are going to experience more pain. Mine passed well

before the 10 day mark. In fact I think it must have passed within a week,

because the pain got worse (a lot) for a few days during the end of the first

week then got somewhat better... before I had the ten day xray... then it got

worse again after that...and has continually gotten worse since then.

The addiction thing... I agree with Tummy... if your body needs it it will use

it, if it doesn't then it just absorbs it thats when you will have the problems.

I have been on and off darvocet for the last 4 almost 5 years and I can take it

or leave it... most times I only take it when I have pain, but I take it at the

first sign of pain... I don't let it get out of control...because then its just

too hard to get it back in control. Don't deprive your body of the rest it

needs by n ot taking the meds, they are there to help and when your body doesn't

need help anymore, you will know it and stop.

I hope you feel better soon... {{{HUGZ}}}

---------------------------------

September 6, 2002