Hi, all. I'm pretty much new to posting here, though I've been a long time reader. I was wondering what your input is on this. Here's the deal: I've been dealing with bipolar disorder since I was a kid, but it didn't get bad until I was a teen and the depressive episodes got way worse around 20ish and progressed until I finally got a diagnosis a few years ago. I'm 31 now, by the way. I've tried antidepressants, Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Trazodone, Nortriptyline. Also recently discontinued my only bipolar med, Depakote since I can't afford it. It wasn't doing me much good and costing me a bundle. What I've found works better than anything is a regular dose of oxycodone and hydrocodone each day. I'm talking about smaller doses like 10 to 20mg of each per day. The times I've been on pain meds are the times I'm happiest, most normal and productive, sleeping best, and generally feeling good. I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this. Keep in mind that I've been taking this kind of stuff on and off since I was about 23. My doses have never gotten out of control, and when I do stop, the withdrawals are mainly anxiety, depression, tiredness and loss of appetite. So, is it medically efficient to use this as a treatment? Why would it be any different than someone taking 4 or 5 different pills a day and getting unwanted side effects. Many anti-depressants produce a period of withdrawal if they're suddenly discontinued. The body becomes physically dependent on them, just as with pain meds. After quitting Depakote, I didn't feel right for a good month.. I had alot of anxiety and just didn't feel right; and that was only with 500mg a day. I've been using the pain meds in place of it and getting good results. I still get the occasional off day where I don't feel all that great, but it's better than going without anything. My anxiety is terrible otherwise. Just wondering what your feedback is on this and how I might approach my doctor about asking for this alternate therapy. I'm just afraid they'll label me a user or addict and decline me pain meds if I end up with a broken leg or something. I also have chronic migraines and back pain due to a degenerated disc between L5 and S1. At work, I'm sitting for 6 to 7 hours a night and it kills my back to sit that long. Let me know what you think. Thanks.
i wouldn't use opiates as mood-stabilizers. i would just ask for an old-fashioned mood-stabilizer. i personally take lamotrigine. as you said that there can be withdrawal symptoms, in my (non-medical) opinion, relying on opiates to feel better, whether mentally of physically, could lead you down a path of addiction without even knowing it. but if you really think this is for you, then i would suggest asking for a doctors opinion. if you go to see a medical professional about pain management, let them know you have been taking your pain-meds and how you've been using them. what he'll probably do is give you a mood-stabilizer to take along with your pain meds, while he may lower your dose of pain meds. to answer your question, if it is making you feel better physically and mentally, then it is effective, but i wouldn't personally say it is medically effective, as it could be harmful in the long run. while i think (i could be wrong) what you want is to feel better, taking opiates as a form of self-medication for your mental health (albeit perscribed for your physical pain) isn't really making you feel better, its just making you feel less. so again, in my (non-medical) opinion, i think you should see your doctor to talk about what is best for you, while if you really believe the opiates are helping and you're sure you aren't getting addicted (as addiction can be quick and unnoticable if there aren't times where you aren't on whatever it is you need to realize that you really do need it), then stick with your regiment. the choice is ultimately up to you.
Seeing as you are 31, there probably isn't a med you haven't tried. Mood stabilizers, anti-depressants, benzodiazepines and SSRI's all do damage in the long run. The withdrawal from those can be bad, especially if use over a period of time... It is a road many people scoff at and say, "My doctor prescribed this to me" So what, addiction is addiction.. whether you get the drugs from the doctor or the street. If opiates do help, I suggest research so you are prepared next time you meet with the doctor. Google can be your best friend.
Thanks for the replies! I've taken pain meds for years and know that they help and maybe mentioning it to my doc could give them to some clue as to how to treat me better. I was on the mood stablizer, Depakote for about 2 and a half years; it was decent but I still had hypomania, depression and insomnia but it helped with my anxiety the most. I just learned that there's a generic equivalent for it that recently hit the market, so I may try that if I do need it. It's funny how when I take opiates, I don't feel like I need any other meds. I'm functional, productive and generally happy. I may try a good month or 2 cleanout from them to see how I feel without any meds at all. Truth is that I've grown reliant on some type of med for either pain, sleep, anxiety or depression and it may take awhile to adjust. After the death of my friend last year, I got severely depressed and took whatever I could find.. I'm finally past that now and doing much better. My fear on bringing it up to the doctor is that they'll label me as a drug seeker/abuser since I'm obtaining them w/o a script and be screwed if I have a serious injury and end up with inadequate pain control. I seem to have a good normal range of emotion and feeling when I'm self medicated, but it's possible I'm trying to numb something. I just don't want to end up suicidally depressed like I have so many times in the past. That's the worst! Perhaps, I'll bring it up, say I've taken this stuff on and off for my back and mention that it leveled out my moods as well. But not push the issue. Yeah, I'm doing all the research I can to be in the "know" when and if I present this at my next appt! Oh, I've had a few scripts for Tylenol #3 for bad headaches and migraines, as well as Fiorinal w/codeine. Thanks for your replies! Any more ideas are welcomed.
If you don't have any drug charges, trips to rehab, etc.. there shouldn't be a problem approaching your doctor. If you have been struggling with meds, maybe you should find some documents through google that discuss alternate meds or something. The kind of documents that are somewhat legitemate. Print and take those papers in to your doctor, have a nice long talk with him.
Hey, Does2, there isn't anything on my record or even medical records about drug problems. I like the idea of printing out some credible documents to present, but I don't want to look like I'm desperate or pushing. It's such a touchy thing in the medical industry. I'm thinking I'll just approach about the backache, neck pain and migraines, which I have a long history of and just briefly mention that my mood seems in check when I'm taking these meds without putting much stress on it. Most people seem against using opiates to manipulate moods, but if I can get pain control legally and have a good mental stability as a side effect, I'm all for it. The danger is if my doses go up with tolerance, but so far, I've managed to keep it in check after 8 years of use! Yeah, I wanted to run this by a few people and gather opinions before opening my big mouth at the doc office! A good friend of mine works with my doc, I'll talk to her and see what she thinks the doc's opinion might be. Thanks again, man!
I am bipolar and if you bring up opiates, your going to be blacklisted from ever getting opiates RX'd by any doctor.Illicit drug use by us is deemed manic behavior and abuse, if you seriously attempt this you will regret it.I cannot believe anyone here would suggest such action.I am also a chronic pain patient as well, I had to sign contracts w/ my doctor/P-Doc that say at anytime they feel my behavior/ or a urine test fail then I am outta there.Even with this i do not get enough to cover my pain at all.Opiates are NOT the answer, try cognitive behavior therapy it helped me greatly.I even got a year off my mood stabilizer to see how well it did work.Then a loss of family member, my back going out I lost it.
They sure stabilize my mood out as well. First of all I can concentrate a 100% better. I have better and deeper communication skills. I'm more relaxed but I warn you if someone pushes my buttons the wrong way to much I will explode!
In my opinion i think it would be a bad idea to talk to your doctor about this. They will not prescribe pain meds for anxiety/depression. I mean, being anxious and depressed is what leads most people to opiate use, at least chronic use. And your tolerance is gonna rise. 2 percs with become 4 in no time and so on. trust me opiates are a nice solution at first but things can get out of hand real fast and all of a sudden you need them to just feel ok nevermind feeling good.
Thank you all for the replies! I've now decided what I'm going to do. I scratched the idea of bringing it up as a mood altering medication since that will be viewed as manic, addictive and abusive self medication. I need to figure out why my back has been giving me so much grief lately. Most likely the degeneration between L5 and S1 that my MRI revealed a few years ago. I'll mainly leave it up to them to decide what to do, but mention that I tried norco and percocet for it and it's been getting me through my shifts at work since Ibuprofen, Naprosyn and Tylenol haven't helped. It's not the perfect mood stabilizer, obviously since last night my mind was going like crazy until 5:30am when I finally was able to sleep. Today, I feel depressed and distraught even though I've had 1 an 1/2 vicodins and 10mgs of oxycodone. This also marks the 1 year anniversary of when my friend died of a Soma overdose, so that's bothering me as well. Got a migraine on top of it all. I'll get through it. One of these days, I'll make a post and update you on how the doc visit with the back problem! Thank again, peeps. Happy Thankxgiving.
Good luck with everything sorry to hear that about your friend. That's why I think these forums are such a great thing. If someone wants to do drugs they are going to and going to a place like this you can learn how to be safe about things. I hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving
if you haven't already tried, i'd suggest smoking the highest grade indica marijuana strains because that usually puts me in a good mood. i'd say marijuana is the best medicine there is. And: Ben Stone: Yeah, it's a cure-all. My buddy Jonah broke his elbow one time. He just smoked some weed. It still clicks, but it's cool.
Hell yeah, I think I'm better off not saying anything about these pills as a mood regulator afterall. The bottom line is that people are going to do what they're going to do, so they may as well get good info, do it safely and enjoy it in moderation. My friend was taking 12 to 16 Soma tablets once to twice a day for a good while before it finally killed him. I tried to get him out of the house, get him moving around and busy to help him out. He was severely depressed since he lost his g/f to a morphine overdose on his prescripton. She did that intentionally, I believe, right after a surgery. Beatnick, I was a stoner for a long time and thought it was allright, but weed tends to get me anxious, catatonic and depressed. It's the opposite of what most people get from it. Nothing lifts my spirits like 10 to 20mg of oxycodone! Well, I just took my last little bit of oxy this morning and won't get more until sometime next week. We'll see how this goes....
yeah but not all weed is the same. I must agree that a heavy indica definitely does the trick. Being an opiate addict, usually smoking weed when im not using just makes me crave hard drugs, but if its a nice heavy indica then it usually does the trick. I have some cherry kush right now that knocks the shit outta me!
Nice, yea, I know what you're talking about OP, I know people that has happened to, but with indica it didn't. But I know when I take a few good rips of some kush, that all I can do for the next 30 minutes is giggle and space out.
