Re: I've missed you guys. to Lily

[Guest guest]

Well, Lily, now that witch season is over I guess you've had to retire

your broomstick and now have enough time to check in...

Yes, you are so right about taper, taper, taper! I think it's

irresponsible for any doctor to abruptly stop a patient's med, and

could be very dangerous to personally stop any of them " cold turkey "

after taking them a long time!

I wondered about the Methadone, though, knowing that this was the drug

of choice for addicts who wanted to quit. That's what the doctors put

them on, so I would think that the withdrawals wouldn't be that severe?

How's everything going up in your neck of the woods? Are 's

sports keeping you busy enough? LOL!! We've really missed you, too!!

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

www.pancassociation.org/anthology#Heidi.html

Bluffton, SC

SC State & SE Regional Representative

Pancreatitis Association, International

Note: All comments or advice are based on personal experience or

opinion only, and should not be substituted for professional medical

consultation.

[Guest guest]

Just want to chime in about this drug.

My older brother was a heroin addict for many years. He went on

methadone and had just a hard time coming off the stuff as he did

the heroin.

He said " same difference " , they are both addictive drugs and you

trade one addiction for the other. Many people are methodone

junkies, is what he said, because it's cheaper, lasts longer and is

given out by the state in clinics.

Not judging the taking of methadone, as I understand it is needed

for pain, my point is that it is addictive and just as hard to come

off of. He had horrible withdrawals.

Eileen

>

> I wondered about the Methadone, though, knowing that this was the

drug

> of choice for addicts who wanted to quit. That's what the doctors

put

> them on, so I would think that the withdrawals wouldn't be that

severe?

>

[Guest guest]

Remember though, addicts (people who abuse drugs to get high) have

much more trouble coming off of ANY drug than people who are just

dependant (people who use drugs properly for pain control).

People who use drugs for pain control aren't addicted, they're just

dependant. Big difference. Much easier to get a dependant person off

of a drug than an addict. Still gotta taper, though!

Interestingly enough, the drug I have the most trouble withdrawing

from (Demerol, which I call the " pink spiders crawling down the wall "

drug) is also the same drug my cousin became addicted to, and abused.

Individual reactions to drugs are, well, individual!

Margaret

> Just want to chime in about this drug.

> My older brother was a heroin addict for many years. He went on

> methadone and had just a hard time coming off the stuff as he did

> the heroin.

>

>

[Guest guest]

I absolutely agree.

I hope I did'nt come across as saying the opposite. What I meant was

my brother told me it's as horrible to come off as heroin.

The first and only time I had Demerol, I went to the ER with

horrible pain in the center of my sternum, just under the ribcage.

It sent me to my knees, in tears.

The doctor told me to lie down and he prepared the injection and I

said " why " " and he said, " you'll find out " . A few seconds later I

almost passed out from the strength of it. I would have fell to the

floor, so it's a good thing he had me lay down. I remember

saying " Blessed peace " because the pain I was feeling just drifted

away.

I remember reading WInona Ryder was shooting the stuff up.Wow.That

is potent medicine. Is it an opiate? I can't imagine coming off that

stuff. It must have been a nightmare.

Eileen

>

> Remember though, addicts (people who abuse drugs to get high) have

> much more trouble coming off of ANY drug than people who are just

> dependant (people who use drugs properly for pain control).

> People who use drugs for pain control aren't addicted, they're

just

> dependant. Big difference. Much easier to get a dependant person

off

> of a drug than an addict. Still gotta taper, though!

> Interestingly enough, the drug I have the most trouble withdrawing

> from (Demerol, which I call the " pink spiders crawling down the

wall "

> drug) is also the same drug my cousin became addicted to, and

abused.

> Individual reactions to drugs are, well, individual!

>

> Margaret

>

>

> > Just want to chime in about this drug.

> > My older brother was a heroin addict for many years. He went on

> > methadone and had just a hard time coming off the stuff as he

did

> > the heroin.

> >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Didn't mean to sound grumpy...I was just compulsively doing my

general " public service announcement " on addiction vs. dependance

(shamefaced grin). The topic comes up so very much on my other list

its like pulling the string on a Chatty Cathy doll-someone

says " addiction " and about 80 people will pop up with varients of

that post-LOL!

Demerol is a narcotic (in my case its a " pro-psychotic " narcotic <G>)

I was on it for only a couple of weeks (last time I was in ICU) and

had the worst time getting off I've ever had with anything!

Sleepless, runny nose, angry outbursts, twitchy. I was a mess. Don't

want to do that again any time soon. Poor Wynona. I'm looking forward

to seeing her in _A Scanner Darkly_glad she's working again.

Margaret

> I absolutely agree.

>

> I hope I did'nt come across as saying the opposite. What I meant

was

> my brother told me it's as horrible to come off as heroin.

>

> The first and only time I had Demerol, I went to the ER with

> horrible pain in the center of my sternum, just under the ribcage.

> It sent me to my knees, in tears.

>

>