How long have you been on a paticular med

[JonnyC]

Hi, I was wondering how long you've been on your type of medication and basically...if it's doing any long term damage?....

For example; I'm on Methadone (plus Diazepam now and again) and I was wondering if there were any long term effects to taking certain drugs for long periods at a time.
I asked my GP and he said " I have patients who have been on Methadone for 40 years and they're fine ".

I know Methadone is supposed to break down so as not to do as much damage....don't know if thats that "half life thingy". but does anyone else have any opinions on this matter?

Thanks for listening.

[NetoAnAstro]

I started taking Tradol(Tramadol) late 2002 and it made me feel a lot better. I asked if it was very addicting and the docs said no. Since I was getting the drops and didn't require a prescription to buy them, I felt it would save me money. One day that I didn't have drops or $20 to buy a bottle. I went a few hour w/o them and started sweating, anxiety kicked in, and a few hours later I felt like I wasn't all there. I even made decisions I don't remember talking about. I asked my doctors and they said that my body was addicted to this medication because i'd been taking it so long. I've tried to get off of them with the same withdrawl sintomes. Drops are hard to get in the U.S. and have only found them in Mexico. I just recently started taking 50 mg pills instead and they are cheaper and the effect is longer. I am happy.

[JonnyC]

Iread one of your other posts and I think its discusting that you can't get the releif you need because of money or insurance etc.
Over here I can get what I want, when I want, for nothing. all the best dude.

[WonderDerek]

I have been on Vicodin/Percocet/Skelaxin since the third hospital I was at. 3months ago I think and I have recently quit taking pain meds, except Gabapentin, all together because I became addicted to them and my tolerance for them was so strong 13 Vicodin's didn't help. It sucks without pain meds but now I'm not addicited.

[ChopperChick]

Net, what is tramadol?

[Tarkus]

Net, what is tramadol?

It's one of the milder pain relievers.

http://www.medicinenet.com/tramadol/article.htm

I've had good success with it.

Regards,
Alan

[WonderDerek]

It's one of the milder pain relievers.

http://www.medicinenet.com/tramadol/article.htm

I've had good success with it.

Regards,
AlanWhere at would it be? Above Vicodin, Vicodin ES's, etc?

[rollin64]

Where at would it be? Above Vicodin, Vicodin ES's, etc?

after seeing the link. ultram/tramadol is one i tried when i first got hurt. it's way milder than vicoden/hydrocodone. i have a high drug tolerance. it did nothing for me.

[Tarkus]

after seeing the link. ultram/tramadol is one i tried when i first got hurt. it's way milder than vicoden/hydrocodone. i have a high drug tolerance. it did nothing for me.

Way below the opiates. Also have a high tolerance for drugs (might have been college in the early 1970's ;) )

I'm also fortunate that I have a high tolerance for pain because I have enough Vicodin, oxy & hydrocodone and a supply of Fentanyl to drug up a small country. Doctors love to prescribe it to me because they know I can't take it.

Damn bowels suck any of the fun out of this........

All of the above are the kiss of death if chronic constipation happens to be one of your lucky symptoms as it is mine.

[danius]

I use MS Contin twice a day for back pain, but I wish I could get off it. I have tried Baclofin, Tens Unit, and loads of other other treatments. Next I will see if I can get the metal removed from my back because my physiatrist feels it could be the cause of all the pain. Unfortunatelly, my hardware was done in Thailand so it will be a different Neuro Sergon doing the surgery here in the U.S.

[firesmurf]

Neto,just an FYI here,but I do believe what you experienced was not an actual "addiction"? but just the natural dependence that comes along for the ride when you have been taking just about ANY med on a long term basis.addiction is more a set of 'behaviors' not just because your body went thru WDs like it did.when someones body and the brain,are used to getting a specific med on an ongoing daily basis,there can be some big problems when it just suddenly stops getting it like you did with the tramadol.

this can and does happen with narcotics,anti siezure meds high BP meds(without it the BP will go way up because it is used to being kept low by a chemical that is always in the body)with the anti depressants,the same thing would happen and could cause suicidal thoughts or even a phsycotic episode.my son has to take a ton of anti rejection meds to keep his transplanted liver,if he stops,he will lose it.this means he is dependant on these meds for the rest of his life,as if he stops,there will be dire consequences.he is not addicted,but totally dependant on these meds in order to just stay alive.

anytime a persons body has an adverse type of reaction when the normal med is suddenly stopped,would be considered dependant,and not always just addicted.you know what i mean?there is a really huge difference between the two that even some docs don't really get either.this is why many meds have to be tapered onto and tapered off of.just to avoid the WDs that come with a dependency.

i hope that clears it up for you.i really doubt that what you had was a full blown addiction but jsut the normal reaction to any narcotic type of med.tramadol also has an anti depressant quality to it which would have made things quite a bit worse than just coming off of a pure narcotic.i am sure what you went thru was not the least bit pleasent,but it would be consisered 'normal' for what you were taking.

geez,be careful what you buy in mexico,you just do not have the FDA there checking out just what you are really taking.they just did a show on I think it was either dateline or 20/20 about the illegal pharms that people are getting their meds from over the internet and going to mexico to get their meds without knowing just what in the heck they are actually taking.you never know just what they are using as fillers or even the main ingedient.one pharm was actually using lead based paint in the manufacturing of their particular meds just to give it the "right" color.just be very very careful.marcia

[Hunker]

I have always taken Valium. Started 2 mg 3 time a day now I take 10 mg four times a day. It helps my spasms good so I take them after work when my legs get tight. When my back hurt I like Ibuprophen, for some reason if I take Valium it make my back relax and hurt so that is why I take the all late in the day after I can transfer out of this wheelchair and put my feet up.

[Tarkus]

I have always taken Valium. Started 2 mg 3 time a day now I take 10 mg four times a day. It helps my spasms good so I take them after work when my legs get tight. When my back hurt I like Ibuprophen, for some reason if I take Valium it make my back relax and hurt so that is why I take the all late in the day after I can transfer out of this wheelchair and put my feet up.

As I stated before I am now using Lyrica with little side effect.

But as far as the pain, I had one doctor that put me om 10mg twice/day of "Mothers little helper" as we called it in the 60's.

Valium, and it worked. The problem is that there is little incentive for doctors to prescribe when the drug co. are not giving away vacations for doing so.

Yes, I understand the problems with drugs like valium, but they are the same as the opiates that doctors love to push.

Just my cynical side showing !!!!!;)

Alan

[Jadis]

The only medications I am on now (quit taking the majority of them) is Tramadol and Zanaflex. On a good day I take 100 mg of Tramadol and 4 mg of Zanaflex. On a bad day I am taking 100mg Tramadol and 8mg Zanaflex every 4 hrs.

I had to go off Neurontin and Zonagran. I can't afford lyrica or any other nerve pain meds. So, I drink 2 oz of malt alcohol once a day on the days where I don't take high doses of meds.

Doing good to afford what I have now. Also trying to avoid building up a tolerance and thinking of my liver and kidneys. So on the days that I can grit my teeth and deal with the pain, I don't take anything.

Zanaflex is very damaging, so every 6 months I have a liver panel done. I've been taking both since 1999.