Guest guest Posted November 13, 2001 Report Share Posted November 13, 2001 Thanks Theresa. I never thought of addiction because they are prescribed drugs - doh! And, no, I don't do the 2 prescription thing. In fact, my doc was supposed to give me a two week prescription to hold me over until my mail order pills came but I received them so I called my doc to cancel the script. HUGS, dee --- Theresa wrote: > Dee, > > It sounds like you are taking your meds exactly as > prescribed and > it's doing its job to block the pain. No, I don't > think you are > addicted. Understand, that taking medicine for pain > management is > critical. If you are trying to fill two > prescriptions from two > different doctors, or if the medications are > interfering with your > life, then you have a problem. We Americans are so > hung up on drug > abuse, we don't prescribe or take medications as > needed! > > Don't worry, please. > > Big hugs, > Theresa > > > > > > OK--I can't resist! > > > > > > > > Who's taking or has taken Dilaudid for > moderate to > > > severe pain of > > > any > > > > kind? What was your dosage? Do you live in a > > > state with > > > triplicate > > > > prescription laws and was this drug hard to > get? > > > > > > > > I'm thinking about " ordering " some for > > > post-op--but just 7-10 days' > > > > worth, so don't worry! > > > > > > > > Thanks, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > -- > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 14, 2001 Report Share Posted November 14, 2001 Hey, Dee. I agree with , mostly! We ARE way too hung up on drug abuse in this country, and so have become afraid to take effective medicines. Pain management IS important, and what said earlier about NOT taking them as scheduled (and only when pain crops up and becomes unbearable) seems indicative of problem behavior. Here's where I don't agree with . Anyone who's been taking opiates/opioids for a longish period of time most likely IS physically addicted to some degree or other. WAIT!! Don't freak out yet, anyone! Let me qualify this, because I truly believe that it's no big deal. Even though someone is physically addicted, all that person needs to do is come off them gradually, and not stop taking them all at once (when the time comes, of course). For instance, when I first started taking Xanax (.5 mg. 3X daily) years ago, I knew that taking this much, this frequently, would make me physically dependent to some degree, and it probably did. When it was time to start coming off of them, I did it VERY slowly (over the course of weeks). Granted, benzodiazapines are not opioids, but the comparison still stands. Maybe be extra careful with the opioids. Best, > > > > OK--I can't resist! > > > > > > > > Who's taking or has taken Dilaudid for moderate to > > > severe pain of > > > any > > > > kind? What was your dosage? Do you live in a > > > state with > > > triplicate > > > > prescription laws and was this drug hard to get? > > > > > > > > I'm thinking about " ordering " some for > > > post-op--but just 7-10 days' > > > > worth, so don't worry! > > > > > > > > Thanks, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------ -- > -- > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 14, 2001 Report Share Posted November 14, 2001 Opioids/opiates...that was the word I was looking for...demerol, vicodin, morphine, etc. Those are the ones that cause constipation. Makes me wonder why someone would want to get hooked on them in the first place. LOL! Yes, the pain meds are addictive. The longer you're on them the higher the risk that you'll become addicted. I personally have never feared addiction because all my prescriptions (for past surgeries and one injury) have been good for two weeks at the most with no refills. I never took the whole prescription and it never occured to me to ask my Doc for more. I've been told, however, that I have a very high pain tolerance. I did stop taking pain meds within 24hrs of my lap gallbladder removal. The Doc told me to take " as needed " for the week following the surgery, but I didn't want to risk constipation and I figured I'd never know if I could tolerate the pain if I didn't know what the pain was. I also figured that if the pain was bad, it would take no more than an hour for the meds to kick back in again. After the meds wore off, the pain wasn't that bad after all. YMMV, of course...and that was a different surgery than the DS. I suspect I'll try the same tactic after my hospital stay. ttfn, maria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 14, 2001 Report Share Posted November 14, 2001 , I agree with you completely. Many many prescription medicines do cause a physical addiction. It is our connotation of the word addiction that scares folks. Most people think that an addiction to any drug means you are cruising dark neighborhoods trying to score and are abusing your medications. This is not correct. Caffeine is probably the single most addicting substance used. I don't know of too many people who would sell their children for a " hit " of coffee...although on occassion...well I digress! Anyway, taking your pain meds as prescribed, on time and the correct amount is not a problem. Reducing those meds as prescribed is not aproblem. If you find you are taking the medications on your own schedule, doubling or tripling up on them, if they interfere with your ability to work, or interact with your family, then its time to get help. Thanks for clarifying that . Good point! Hugs, Theresa > > > > > OK--I can't resist! > > > > > > > > > > Who's taking or has taken Dilaudid for moderate to > > > > severe pain of > > > > any > > > > > kind? What was your dosage? Do you live in a > > > > state with > > > > triplicate > > > > > prescription laws and was this drug hard to get? > > > > > > > > > > I'm thinking about " ordering " some for > > > > post-op--but just 7-10 days' > > > > > worth, so don't worry! > > > > > > > > > > Thanks, > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------- -- > -- > > -- > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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