General Discussion

Vinca

(53,960 posts)

120. Absolutely.

Mon Nov 24, 2014, 09:41 AM

Nov 2014

A few years ago I had a complication from shingles called "postherpetic neuralgia." It sounds benign enough, but the pain was beyond imagination. I ended up in the ER for the first time in 40 years when I couldn't walk without lightning bolts of pain in one side. At the ER they gave me Demerol IV and it barely touched it (and I'm a person who has never taken any painkillers). The neurologist I eventually saw told me what I was experiencing was probably the worst pain a human being can endure. I took serious pain meds for about a week until it began to subside. Addiction crossed my mind when I started taking the stuff, but it became apparent when I went off them that if the pain was gone the usefulness of the pain meds was also gone. GET THE SHINGLES VACCINE!!!

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Do you think opiate pain medications should be outlawed for noncancer sufferers as in chronic pain? [View all] UglyGreed Nov 2014 OP

Absolutely not. greatlaurel Nov 2014 #1

Thank you for reply UglyGreed Nov 2014 #18

I agree, absolutely. DeadLetterOffice Nov 2014 #42

My wife has had a severe pain at the base of her skull for 79+ years caused by polio in the brain indepat Nov 2014 #63

That is so suck-y. truedelphi Nov 2014 #207

My wife had taken bleeder pain pills until she nearly bled to death about twenty years ago, then indepat Nov 2014 #211

agreed 100%. medical treatment should not be a political decision. nt magical thyme Nov 2014 #117

If you read the article, you see that they're rubberstamping the CDC guidelines Warpy Nov 2014 #178

No I would not ban it for non cancer reasons yeoman6987 Nov 2014 #2

I included that info UglyGreed Nov 2014 #12

There is a critical distinction between experiencing euphoria as a side effect loyalsister Nov 2014 #75

If a doctor ever said that to me, I'd be hard pressed to keep my temper. Liberal Veteran Nov 2014 #79

Me too! loyalsister Nov 2014 #80

They tried that addiction crap with my mom. easychoice Nov 2014 #96

You're right, loyalsister. I've never really experienced the "drug high" folks talk about. catbyte Nov 2014 #157

Big difference between addiction and dependence. reflection Nov 2014 #166

Considering most insurance has a specialist copay that's higher than normal.... moriah Nov 2014 #16

Great points UglyGreed Nov 2014 #34

I don't take pain medicine except very rarely Mojorabbit Nov 2014 #93

You are obviously not someone in chronic pain with limited resourced. Ms. Toad Nov 2014 #200

No (nt) bigwillq Nov 2014 #3

Why would you single out cancer? Nye Bevan Nov 2014 #4

many doctors/people feel that end of life UglyGreed Nov 2014 #5

Those kind of doctors are either paranoid of the DEA or lacking in empathy. Liberal Veteran Nov 2014 #15

AAN Warns Against Opioids in Chronic Noncancer Pain UglyGreed Nov 2014 #38

Even then you see doctors now afraid to prescribe necessary pain meds... DeadLetterOffice Nov 2014 #47

Not post surgical patients? I doubt that many surgeons feel that way. n/t pnwmom Nov 2014 #74

Well when I had two surgeries UglyGreed Nov 2014 #103

absolutely not. Warren Stupidity Nov 2014 #6

Goodness no. That would lead to completely avoidable suffering Takket Nov 2014 #7

Absolutely not. Liberal Veteran Nov 2014 #8

As a six time kidney stone patient, fuck no. longship Nov 2014 #9

Does Toradol do you any good? moriah Nov 2014 #11

Never tried it. My last kidney stone attack was summer, 2013. longship Nov 2014 #19

here ya go UglyGreed Nov 2014 #44

Toradol is great, but limited to less than 5 days use due to high risk of GI bleeding. Liberal Veteran Nov 2014 #24

Fortunately kidney stones are usually an acute situation. moriah Nov 2014 #26

Yeah, my experience with toradol was a little over a month ago (kidney stones). Liberal Veteran Nov 2014 #31

To me it was more like being repeatedly stabbed in the kidney with a dull steak knife.. EX500rider Nov 2014 #58

Oral toradol is a very new thing. DeadLetterOffice Nov 2014 #43

Most people I know are heading to the ER in a kidney stone attack. moriah Nov 2014 #78

Just curious, is Toradol an NSAID? catbyte Nov 2014 #86

Yes, a very strong one. Thus the stomach shreadding side effect. DeadLetterOffice Nov 2014 #112

Bummer. I heard it was good for migraines, but I developed an anaphylactic catbyte Nov 2014 #156

Something you might want to check out: blue neen Nov 2014 #205

I've never heard of that. Thanks so much! I'll discuss it with my doctor. catbyte Nov 2014 #212

It's great at making new business for dialysis clinics. nt LeftyMom Nov 2014 #56

u said it MFM008 Nov 2014 #100

Of course not. Your decision to go off of painkillers is one thing. moriah Nov 2014 #10

I said no in my OP UglyGreed Nov 2014 #13

My doctor was using the pain medication UglyGreed Nov 2014 #14

Most people are just like you when they've taken opiates. Mariana Nov 2014 #17

I did worry UglyGreed Nov 2014 #25

Fortunately, opiate withdrawal Mariana Nov 2014 #46

Well my pain is disturbing my UglyGreed Nov 2014 #104

I'm in the same boat with you here... Ghost in the Machine Nov 2014 #151

Thank you for your reply UglyGreed Nov 2014 #174

This message was self-deleted by its author Recursion Nov 2014 #72

Great sentence in your post, and worth repeating: truedelphi Nov 2014 #208

hell no. two words...kidney stones. spanone Nov 2014 #20

Yup! See my posts up thread. longship Nov 2014 #52

exactly. spanone Nov 2014 #61

Wow gollygee Nov 2014 #21

That happens with my UglyGreed Nov 2014 #27

They should be legal for anyone. nt bemildred Nov 2014 #22

They don't really work for me Aerows Nov 2014 #23

I've known too many Seniors get addicted in Florida HockeyMom Nov 2014 #28

So you are for oulawing them for UglyGreed Nov 2014 #30

You know, pecwae Nov 2014 #109

exactly MFM008 Nov 2014 #171

I'm so glad that UglyGreed Nov 2014 #29

fuck no Kali Nov 2014 #32

I changed over from percocet UglyGreed Nov 2014 #35

I've always wondered how many fatal "overdoses" Mariana Nov 2014 #50

I believe the overdoses might be UglyGreed Nov 2014 #105

whether it should be legal or not, drawing the line based on having cancer or not makes no sense. unblock Nov 2014 #33

Huh? So if you have major surgery or are in a car accident, you should not be able to madinmaryland Nov 2014 #36

Please reread my OP and my posts UglyGreed Nov 2014 #39

BTW if you are in a hospital UglyGreed Nov 2014 #41

This is actually correct in some ways Texasgal Nov 2014 #66

Samething happened to my wife, except... madinmaryland Nov 2014 #68

Thank you for reply UglyGreed Nov 2014 #106

Why? ecstatic Nov 2014 #140

Because ERS Texasgal Nov 2014 #162

No, I don't. MoonRiver Nov 2014 #37

Other diseases like Shingles are unbearably painful Wella Nov 2014 #40

My husband didn't even take Tylenol for his Shingles HockeyMom Nov 2014 #116

Your husband was lucky and had a mild case; I know several cases in which the Wella Nov 2014 #198

Guess his Aunt was very lucky too HockeyMom Nov 2014 #199

Yes she was. I've known 3 very bad cases in my own circle Wella Nov 2014 #201

My husband and his Aunt are the only people HockeyMom Nov 2014 #202

Did you read the medical information I posted? Wella Nov 2014 #203

I don't think anyone who is not your Dr should tell you what you can and cannot take or do NightWatcher Nov 2014 #45

My doctor was the one who told us UglyGreed Nov 2014 #48

Been there. My Dr's answer to my pain is to throw more muscle relaxers at me NightWatcher Nov 2014 #49

I know I've seen your UglyGreed Nov 2014 #51

It should be a human right to not feel pain from a disease or any pain causing medical condition. L0oniX Nov 2014 #53

From your lips/finger tips UglyGreed Nov 2014 #54

No - but I do think there should be caution for long term use csziggy Nov 2014 #55

No drug should be outlawed Man from Pickens Nov 2014 #57

I think people should mind their own business. What the DR and the Patient decide should be the onl demtenjeep Nov 2014 #59

No Way! southern_belle Nov 2014 #60

no way williesgirl Nov 2014 #62

No way! Nt riderinthestorm Nov 2014 #64

No, of course not. Blue_In_AK Nov 2014 #65

I had a horrible tooth infection that lasted for a week & used oxycodone for pain relief. U4ikLefty Nov 2014 #67

Dentist receptionist chased me to my car HockeyMom Nov 2014 #113

Anthony Bourdain, Episode 7, Parts Unknown on CNN locks Nov 2014 #69

Why? malokvale77 Nov 2014 #70

Hell no! loyalsister Nov 2014 #71

The US uses more opioids than the rest of the world put together Recursion Nov 2014 #73

But should we allow people to UglyGreed Nov 2014 #107

Perhaps our constant state of war adds to the number of people using pain medication. UglyGreed Nov 2014 #183

Could well be. My Legion post does a lot of work with returning vets Recursion Nov 2014 #185

Don't get me wrong if these men UglyGreed Nov 2014 #196

No. I saw hubby suffer too much pain his last illness madfloridian Nov 2014 #76

Sorry to hear about your UglyGreed Nov 2014 #108

As somebody who is about to undergo major grade knee surgery, no mythology Nov 2014 #77

Of course not Spirochete Nov 2014 #81

No. End the war on drugs. nt ZombieHorde Nov 2014 #82

Not just no but FUCK NO! Prophet 451 Nov 2014 #83

Are you kidding? catbyte Nov 2014 #84

I hear you UglyGreed Nov 2014 #110

Anyone wanting it outlawed have probably never suffered from incurable ongoing severe RKP5637 Nov 2014 #85

Exactly. n/t truedelphi Nov 2014 #206

No. Jamastiene Nov 2014 #87

Absolultely not KMOD Nov 2014 #88

I think government should stay out of medicine. WhiteAndNerdy Nov 2014 #89

No Marrah_G Nov 2014 #90

No. Warren DeMontague Nov 2014 #91

there's all kinds of pain. mine DesertFlower Nov 2014 #92

you've got to be kidding. screw the nanny-state. nt TheFrenchRazor Nov 2014 #94

No LeftishBrit Nov 2014 #95

No. cali Nov 2014 #97

NEED the option MFM008 Nov 2014 #98

I think we should help people in pain get relief from their pain, whatever works for them. eShirl Nov 2014 #99

No JustAnotherGen Nov 2014 #101

NO CountAllVotes Nov 2014 #102

No, there is nothing unique about cancer pain that would indicate this Yo_Mama Nov 2014 #111

Your thread title is a strawman - they are not talking about 'outlawing' them muriel_volestrangler Nov 2014 #114

So sue me N/T UglyGreed Nov 2014 #115

In #107, you said "the non-opiates ones caused me more harm than good" muriel_volestrangler Nov 2014 #122

No since I don't think any medication that UglyGreed Nov 2014 #128

There's a war on pain meds because of the deaths and addictions adigal Nov 2014 #132

So I should suffer UglyGreed Nov 2014 #142

There are other drugs when used in combination are just as effective adigal Nov 2014 #150

I've tried eleven other medications UglyGreed Nov 2014 #175

Spoken like someone who has never suffered from chronic pain kcr Nov 2014 #177

Plus my OP was a question for DUers not a UglyGreed Nov 2014 #118

That's a strawman, then muriel_volestrangler Nov 2014 #119

This message was self-deleted by its author UglyGreed Nov 2014 #130

When doctors refuse to prescribe UglyGreed Nov 2014 #131

+1 Go Vols Nov 2014 #159

Absolutely. Vinca Nov 2014 #120

Not just no, but HELL NO (n/t) Seeking Serenity Nov 2014 #121

Of course not. Iggo Nov 2014 #123

God no. I just had major surgery in Serbia (which only uses opoid medication while the patient is MillennialDem Nov 2014 #124

I'm more worried about the TBF Nov 2014 #125

You might want to distinguish between long term and post-operative and other short term use. merrily Nov 2014 #126

Ok I will edit my post UglyGreed Nov 2014 #133

Unqualified "No." Feral Child Nov 2014 #127

Yes. I have had three family members get addicted adigal Nov 2014 #129

Double-whammy with Lortab: the acetominophen Ilsa Nov 2014 #135

Candy really??? UglyGreed Nov 2014 #137

This is my opinion, which we were asked for adigal Nov 2014 #149

And I gave you mine UglyGreed Nov 2014 #180

Have yet to ever pecwae Nov 2014 #154

My sister-in-law was prescribed a powerful opiate for ten years adigal Nov 2014 #160

Pain is not always temporary. pecwae Nov 2014 #168

The addiction rate for people without previous addictive traits is less than 3% Xithras Nov 2014 #163

No, but doctors need to prescribe them to be taken over Ilsa Nov 2014 #134

I've been in pain UglyGreed Nov 2014 #141

There will always need to be exceptions. Ilsa Nov 2014 #155

unless Du'ers have degrees in pain management, their opinions are really going to be unnecessary La Lioness Priyanka Nov 2014 #136

What about my opinion UglyGreed Nov 2014 #138

its not about respect. my comment was said because most people have idiosyncratic opinions La Lioness Priyanka Nov 2014 #146

I understand UglyGreed Nov 2014 #148

no, i get it. this is what i mean, this conversation for those of us not in pain or those of us who La Lioness Priyanka Nov 2014 #152

People long to be accepted UglyGreed Nov 2014 #176

No, people in pain should have all medical options to stop pain. However, the Pharm. Corps Sunlei Nov 2014 #139

I imagine long term pain could lead to depression or worse ecstatic Nov 2014 #143

Can you agree that we all don't have the same threshold for pain? HockeyMom Nov 2014 #144

I was once like you. Boudica the Lyoness Nov 2014 #165

I walked around for days with that ruptured ectopic HockeyMom Nov 2014 #170

I agree with you. It's true, IMO. HOwever, every time this subject comes up on DU I have found so CTyankee Nov 2014 #173

This is such a slippery slope. First and paramount - pain is subjective and cannot be quantitated. Avalux Nov 2014 #145

No. Aristus Nov 2014 #147

No one should suffer fredamae Nov 2014 #153

Why would anyone want to sentence anyone else to constant pain? djean111 Nov 2014 #158

Apparently, because a chance for pecwae Nov 2014 #169

Suicide rate too low or something? One_Life_To_Give Nov 2014 #161

NO... abakan Nov 2014 #164

For fuck's sake no. TheKentuckian Nov 2014 #167

Don't force ANY Health Care on somebody else HockeyMom Nov 2014 #172

No, absolutely not. NaturalHigh Nov 2014 #179

I want to thank those UglyGreed Nov 2014 #181

BTW, I do agree with one recommendation here LeftishBrit Nov 2014 #182

Whistleblowers say military doctors and VA have overprescribed powerful narcotics UglyGreed Nov 2014 #184

Lewiston man pleads guilty in UPS medication theft case UglyGreed Nov 2014 #187

Not in my experience pecwae Nov 2014 #189

Well when these pain medications are shipped and they can be UglyGreed Nov 2014 #192

Pain meds I receive pecwae Nov 2014 #194

They can and do get stolen by UPS employees N/T UglyGreed Nov 2014 #195

Pharmacies get robbed. ret5hd Nov 2014 #209

You know what I have an idea. UglyGreed Nov 2014 #193

I think when people are referring to a candy store they mostly are talking about how easy it seaglass Nov 2014 #190

all I know is that when I started going to UglyGreed Nov 2014 #197

No. I let my pain killers sit half empty after a pancreatic Eleanors38 Nov 2014 #186

The hardest part is that UglyGreed Nov 2014 #188

This is true. Eleanors38 Nov 2014 #191

No - but we need team based treatment for chronic pain - hedgehog Nov 2014 #204

Having undergone gallbladder surgery a week and a half ago... 99Forever Nov 2014 #210