Any traders with ADD/ADHD?

[slammajamma]

Quote from plumlazy:

Is this statement borne of the facts?
Don't be pickin on us mountain men, we got moonshine - we don't need opiates!

All jokes aside - I have chronic pain - 24/7/365 - I sleep very little.
I take prescribed medication - hydrocodone: generic version of loretab. (opiate)

I dislike it, but I dislike the pain even more. I don't even begin to try to become pain free with the pills. I use enough to make it bearable, that's it. (often break them in half)

Bearable still hurt's quite a bit.

If I start to feel sorry for myself - I take the time to ponder the situation of Chris Reeve.www.christopherreeve.com I think that this man would love to have my pain. He can't even rub his eye if it itches.

The way I see it, if this man can deal with his situation and maintain a positive outlook then surely I can, too. Even though I believe that it's important for me not to deny my pain or my feelings about it (even though it's tough), it just doesn't compare to what many others go through. Therefore, I can grin and bear it much of the time.

When I can't, I do have the pills. I have been concerned about the effects of long term usage.(I've had to take them for several years) However, even though this statement probably sounds addictive - I don't know what I would do without them at times. I'm hurting right now - I've been awake since 6:30 am tuesday morning - it has now been about 22 hours.

This is not unusual for me. As a matter of fact it's typical - I will go to sleep when I'm completely exhasted (maybe). Sometimes this can take up to two days.(even then I typically sleep only 2 - 4 hours and I'm awake again)

But I can still walk and I can still do physical things. My back is the primary culprit and it usually doesn't hurt any worse to lift something, at least not when I'm lifting it. It can and will hurt more for several days afterward, depending on what I did today.

Most of the time my hands, legs, and ankles hurt as well. I think that's just arthritis. Growing older is not for sissies

I like to laugh and cut up quite a bit - I figure that at least half (most likely way more than that) of my life has passed by. The heck with spending the rest of it being bitter. Besides being bitter takes too much effort and they don't call me plumlazy for nothing.

Best regards!

Is your sleep situation solely a result of your back pain?

Did you sleep in a more normal fashion before you had chronic back pain.

Even if the answer is yes, you should seek a sleep therapist, a doctor who specializes in sleep disorders as there may be another factor involved. It may be that the pain medication is disturbing your sleep cycle - as well as the pain - and there may be an organic issue unrelated to the pain.

 

[demonet]

Quote from rowenwood:

I think you should know that you seem a little too exuberant about your appreciation of opiates. It may be you're utterly addicted to oxy?

No, but I am addicted to educating individuals about the absurdity of our drug laws and the incredible harm they cause.

I don't know the sentiment behind your post--whether it was to be a joke, or if you just wanted to say something impulsive. My aunt did have fibromyalgia, and spent a year in pain under those same misconcepts and guilt that she had in perhaps thinking she deserved something to rid her of her pain.

She ultimately found a doctor, at my behest, and she is has her life back again. that 1.5 years ago. She still thanks me to this day---and she looks 10 years younger. Is she addicted to oxycontin? I could care less, nor should she. She is living a pain-free life and I would imagine very few can imagine what that is like if you have not suffered in that way.

 

[rowenwood]

because I wasn't intending to annoy you. I enjoy reading your posts. It really doesn't matter if if you are addicted. I appreciate your knowledge and openmindedness. I've taken oxy before, but there is a better pharm than that. I was once given a shot of a mysterious drug in hospital. It was the best high I've ever had, and made me go unconscious while they operated on me. It wasn't morphine, which I've had. I encourage you to discover this drug, or if you know what it is, to inform me of its name.

 

[demonet]

Quote from rowenwood:

because I wasn't intending to annoy you. I enjoy reading your posts. It really doesn't matter if if you are addicted. I appreciate your knowledge and openmindedness. I've taken oxy before, but there is a better pharm than that. I was once given a shot of a mysterious drug in hospital. It was the best high I've ever had, and made me go unconscious while they operated on me. It wasn't morphine, which I've had. I encourage you to discover this drug, or if you know what it is, to inform me of its name.

If you told me what your surgery was (you can be general about it....I don't need to know if you had a growth the size of a grapefruit removed from your back or something like that ) and what type of anesthetic you were given (general or local), I can tell you what it was. Many times they give you sodium pentothal when you get a general anesthetic. Often when there is just a local anesthetic given or a nueural block of some sort (like women delivering babies) they will give you demerol, a fairly strong opiate. I have had iv demerol once while in the hospital, and for three days I could just ring the nurse for another several mg in my iv tube....I remember it being an extremely present 3 days--considering I was in a hospital bed for 23.5 hours each of those days.

So, yes, I do like opiates, and I also have taken them recreationally (i.e. old prescriptions). [They do a number on hangovers!] But, more importanly, opiates are very potent analgesics that people should have much easier access to and further, they should not feel guilty for trying to attain a pain-free life. Sure, I think Christopher Reeves is an inspiration, and if I was a quadraplegic I would probably read about him daily so I could be inspired and find my strength to keep going when I might want to quit. But there is no choice in that scenario. Plumlazy has a choice...he can feel normal again...he needs to throw away that destructive feeling of guilt, become empowered as to what is possible in the field of pain/analgesia and find the right doctor.

Parker