Re: driving while usisng narcotics

[Guest guest]

Hi Kaye! I totally agree with you! I just wasn't as assertive in my

response as you. What I meant by it being an individual decison is

just that I know that I can give my opinion, but so many times,

people are going to do what they want no matter what I think. I say

it's an individual decision, but I also think it's a bad one. I

know b/c I made it & that's why I won't even have a car available to

me.

D

[Guest guest]

Not that I disagree with the things that have been said about

NOT driving if there are narcotics in the system, but I think that

the absolute declaration of NEVER driving while taking these

meds is a little harsh and leaves very little room for debate.

There are differences in opinions about this issue with the

experts in anesthesiology ( the pain management specialty) and

even our prescription botlle warnings only say that use caution

with driving a car or operating machinary. It goes on to say that

until you know how you respond to the medication you should

avoid hazardous tasks. As you know, individual responses to

medications is vast. When a friend of mine takes one little

darvocet she is " looped " for the night. I on the other hand, have

become tolerant to the oxycodone that I rarely have any reactions

of this type with a 5mg dose. However I know that if I have to

double up I will have noticable cognitive fuzziness (or if I take it

on an empty stomach). Therefore, I believe that the individual

will come to know what his or her unique response is to the

medication and what limitations, under what conditions, should

be made. After all, we are taking these medications so we can

live as normal a life as possible and driving and working (which

spawned a similar thread to this about a month or so ago) is

such an integral part of normal life that to make it an either / or

proposition is defeating the purpose of seeking long term

management of chronic pain and illness.

I am comfortable with my decision making process when it

comes to driving and taking my pain meds. However, I realize

that what I am taking may not even be worth mentioning

compared to others....I just wanted to offer a different point of

view. It is such an individual and personal matter that I do not

think we can make global pronouncements.

Respectfully offering my opinion only,

Laurie