Unfortunately, many people think that these medications are going to make them addicts. 
Very few chronic pain sufferers become addicted. They will become dependent on the medication, and will experience withdrawal if they stop their medications suddenly.

Addiction is very different and is more an emotional behavioural problem.

Pain patients can safely take opioids for life if necessary with no damage to organs or to tissues.

Opioid medications do not work for everybody, and are often just one part of a pain management program.

If opioid medications reduce pain, increase function and improve quality of life then it is an option worth trying.
 


Comments

John Marriott
11/28/2011 08:33

Isn't there a risk that motility of the digestive tract will be disrupted by prolonged morphine (or opiate) use, which will interfere with eliminating waste and thus will lead to inability to absorb nutrients or water?

Reply
Renée
02/26/2012 09:18

Not if you drink lots of water ! A stool softener helps , but needs to be taken 2 hours away from any pain med. I keep a pallet of water bottles by my bed . Fruit & bran help too .

Reply
Jacques Boulet
12/12/2011 11:05

Mr. Marriot is correct. This information is misleading and contrary to FDA standards published. It is not good medical practice to prescribe opiates for long term suffering. I have direct experience with opiate over medication by professionals which led to severe aggravated pancreatitus. I am free of narcotics now and remain a strong proponent of alternative therapy. Medical marijuana is easily digeted and has no discernable bodily side effects and has improved my pancreatic condition. Opiates are addictive. Opiates will cause an extreme dependency, and opiates will do bodily, mental, and spiritual harm over long periods. To say otherwise is dishonest medicine and unhealthy practice.

Reply
Renée
02/26/2012 09:23

I agree long term is detrimental , however long term pain suffer's need to have relief . Marijuana is in itself addictive as are the pills. If terminal a patient should go for these things . But id be worried about lung damage. So much we do not know regarding all these meds. I'm very sorry to hear that your pancrious is suffering ! Horrible :(

Reply
Laurie
04/19/2012 11:52

No substance, in and of itself, creates addiction. Studies have shown that people who become addicted to opiates had prior substance abuse issues. (So do stores cause the addiction in people who are addicted to shopping? People can become addicted to anything; it has nothing to do with the thing and everything to do with the person.) Opiates have their place in a well-managed treatment program.

I agree that marijuana should be the first option. So how does one get a doctor to allow this treatment? (Please let me know!) However, some of us are being offered NO options for severe chronic pain, or, at best, offered off-label options with dangerous side effects (including death).

Personally, I think being denied the safest, most effective treatments for pain is evil. I'm living in this Hell right now, with my child along for the ride.

Reply
Rachel
01/09/2012 10:54

I've been on different types of narcotic pain medication since age eleven, and I'm now twenty-two; so basically I've been on them half my life. I've never had any problems with addiction or dependency, as when my pain decreased, I've always been able to decrease whichever medication I was currently taking. My organs have never suffered any side effects from any of the medication I've taken over the years, nor has my mental health dwindled as a result of taking anything. Because you personally did not achieve the desired results from that particular kind of medication, you shouldn't be so quick to generalise on the matter and say that it's dangerous and addictive for everyone who's ever taken it.

Reply
Rachel
01/09/2012 10:59

I neglected to mention another thing, which is that if you're taking strong painkillers for the right reasons -- pain, obviously -- you aren't going to get a 'high' off of it, which is what you would get if used incorrectly (ie. recreationally). Addiction would come much more naturally to those who experience any psychedelic side effects, which is much less likely to happen when the medication is going to use to kill the pain.

Reply
Renée
02/26/2012 09:34

I agree with Rachel to an extent . I've been on pain meds for a botched suguery for half my life (42) never had issues of anything except Cymbalta . Dangerous drug .
I believe we all have different tendencies ! I'm not an addictive person . Therefore I don't over med myself . My pain ranges from 6-9 out of ten daily . I've tried tons of different types . It's an on going thing. Most ( I find) chronic pain sufferes , develope ways of coping . Unfortunately we also get nasty side effects & other chronic illness's due to our bodies inability to ward off even a cold . I myself have now got MS . Being in chronic pain has taught me not one drug is as good for one as another ! Please read up on your drugs , mostly withdrawal . Cymbalta almost killed me read withdrawal effects not just side effects .

Reply
Jane
04/02/2012 23:46

Medical Marajuana is not for everyone. Nor are opioids. However THC(the active drug in marajuana) is not addictive. There are no dependency or withdrawal effects with use. Obtaining medical marajuana from a legal, organic grower ensures a cleaner, natural product

Reply
Jane
04/02/2012 23:52

As far as lung damage goes with smoking marajuana. Yes some minor effects of frequent Inhalation may happen. But generally for pain treatment, consuming THC in food is more effective to aliviate pain and as well ad bring the stress level down. There are many treatment options other than smoking.

Reply
Laurie
04/19/2012 11:34

I hope that this association is doing it's best to get this information to the doctors that treat us (or deny us treatment). I have been living with severe chronic pain now for 14 months and have zero quality of life left. Apparently I am on a waiting list that is over 2 years long. Perhaps I could change my situation, throw in the towel, if I were not a single mother! I don't have the option of "checking out", though I think about it often.
Only dangerous, off-label medications have been offered with "adverse effects" including cancer and completed suicide! What can I do in order to be treated with dignity and compassion with effective, natural medications that won't destroy my health????
I'm beyond desperate. I want to live.

Reply



Leave a Reply

 
Unfortunately, many people think that these medications are going to make them addicts. 
Very few chronic pain sufferers become addicted. They will become dependent on the medication, and will experience withdrawal if they stop their medications suddenly.

Addiction is very different and is more an emotional behavioural problem.

Pain patients can safely take opioids for life if necessary with no damage to organs or to tissues.

Opioid medications do not work for everybody, and are often just one part of a pain management program.

If opioid medications reduce pain, increase function and improve quality of life then it is an option worth trying.
 


Comments

John Marriott
11/28/2011 08:33

Isn't there a risk that motility of the digestive tract will be disrupted by prolonged morphine (or opiate) use, which will interfere with eliminating waste and thus will lead to inability to absorb nutrients or water?

Reply
Renée
02/26/2012 09:18

Not if you drink lots of water ! A stool softener helps , but needs to be taken 2 hours away from any pain med. I keep a pallet of water bottles by my bed . Fruit & bran help too .

Reply
Jacques Boulet
12/12/2011 11:05

Mr. Marriot is correct. This information is misleading and contrary to FDA standards published. It is not good medical practice to prescribe opiates for long term suffering. I have direct experience with opiate over medication by professionals which led to severe aggravated pancreatitus. I am free of narcotics now and remain a strong proponent of alternative therapy. Medical marijuana is easily digeted and has no discernable bodily side effects and has improved my pancreatic condition. Opiates are addictive. Opiates will cause an extreme dependency, and opiates will do bodily, mental, and spiritual harm over long periods. To say otherwise is dishonest medicine and unhealthy practice.

Reply
Renée
02/26/2012 09:23

I agree long term is detrimental , however long term pain suffer's need to have relief . Marijuana is in itself addictive as are the pills. If terminal a patient should go for these things . But id be worried about lung damage. So much we do not know regarding all these meds. I'm very sorry to hear that your pancrious is suffering ! Horrible :(

Reply
Laurie
04/19/2012 11:52

No substance, in and of itself, creates addiction. Studies have shown that people who become addicted to opiates had prior substance abuse issues. (So do stores cause the addiction in people who are addicted to shopping? People can become addicted to anything; it has nothing to do with the thing and everything to do with the person.) Opiates have their place in a well-managed treatment program.

I agree that marijuana should be the first option. So how does one get a doctor to allow this treatment? (Please let me know!) However, some of us are being offered NO options for severe chronic pain, or, at best, offered off-label options with dangerous side effects (including death).

Personally, I think being denied the safest, most effective treatments for pain is evil. I'm living in this Hell right now, with my child along for the ride.

Reply
Rachel
01/09/2012 10:54

I've been on different types of narcotic pain medication since age eleven, and I'm now twenty-two; so basically I've been on them half my life. I've never had any problems with addiction or dependency, as when my pain decreased, I've always been able to decrease whichever medication I was currently taking. My organs have never suffered any side effects from any of the medication I've taken over the years, nor has my mental health dwindled as a result of taking anything. Because you personally did not achieve the desired results from that particular kind of medication, you shouldn't be so quick to generalise on the matter and say that it's dangerous and addictive for everyone who's ever taken it.

Reply
Rachel
01/09/2012 10:59

I neglected to mention another thing, which is that if you're taking strong painkillers for the right reasons -- pain, obviously -- you aren't going to get a 'high' off of it, which is what you would get if used incorrectly (ie. recreationally). Addiction would come much more naturally to those who experience any psychedelic side effects, which is much less likely to happen when the medication is going to use to kill the pain.

Reply
Renée
02/26/2012 09:34

I agree with Rachel to an extent . I've been on pain meds for a botched suguery for half my life (42) never had issues of anything except Cymbalta . Dangerous drug .
I believe we all have different tendencies ! I'm not an addictive person . Therefore I don't over med myself . My pain ranges from 6-9 out of ten daily . I've tried tons of different types . It's an on going thing. Most ( I find) chronic pain sufferes , develope ways of coping . Unfortunately we also get nasty side effects & other chronic illness's due to our bodies inability to ward off even a cold . I myself have now got MS . Being in chronic pain has taught me not one drug is as good for one as another ! Please read up on your drugs , mostly withdrawal . Cymbalta almost killed me read withdrawal effects not just side effects .

Reply
Jane
04/02/2012 23:46

Medical Marajuana is not for everyone. Nor are opioids. However THC(the active drug in marajuana) is not addictive. There are no dependency or withdrawal effects with use. Obtaining medical marajuana from a legal, organic grower ensures a cleaner, natural product

Reply
Jane
04/02/2012 23:52

As far as lung damage goes with smoking marajuana. Yes some minor effects of frequent Inhalation may happen. But generally for pain treatment, consuming THC in food is more effective to aliviate pain and as well ad bring the stress level down. There are many treatment options other than smoking.

Reply
Laurie
04/19/2012 11:34

I hope that this association is doing it's best to get this information to the doctors that treat us (or deny us treatment). I have been living with severe chronic pain now for 14 months and have zero quality of life left. Apparently I am on a waiting list that is over 2 years long. Perhaps I could change my situation, throw in the towel, if I were not a single mother! I don't have the option of "checking out", though I think about it often.
Only dangerous, off-label medications have been offered with "adverse effects" including cancer and completed suicide! What can I do in order to be treated with dignity and compassion with effective, natural medications that won't destroy my health????
I'm beyond desperate. I want to live.

Reply



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