To wish I always felt like I did on painkillers...

[StormcloakNord]

Bit of a random one - I have horrific periods so once a month, for three days I take paracetamol and dihydrocodeine. This gets me over the worst of the pain, and whilst the doctor said it would be okay, I don't like taking it for any more than three days.

Also worth noting I suffer with depression and have for years, on medication etc.

Ive noticed that for those three days of each month I'm a happier person. The painkillers make me feel ever so slightly spaced out but not enough to notice in my speech, behaviour etc. I just feel so much happier in myself, more calm etc.

I don't really know what I'm asking here... I just wish I was always that happy/content/calm. Im on an even keel with the anti-depressants but I rarely feel properly happy.

I took co codamol for a mc and it really helped. Mentally and physically

Weirdly after vaccine I felt quite out of it on just paracetamol

Luckily I know not to touch drugs like this as it really is a nice feeling at the time

Tramadol made me hallucinate. Codeine makes me really dopey. OxyContin knocked me out completely. I do worry that people are driving around on these tablets!

I have a bottle of oramorph left from an injury a couple of years ago - I bloody love that 'whoosh' and the knowledge that everything will be great in a minute or two, but haven't yet been tempted to take some for 'fun', but I haven't disposed of it. No idea of the shelf life though.

I felt like this about valium. Ended up in rehab.

I had tramadol after an operation a few years ago. I still remember how bloody fantastic it was.

I have never forgotten the feeling of morphine post OP.
I understand why people become opioid addict.

Codeine and morphine just make me sleep. Don't get a buzz from it more a satisfying calming feeling before falling asleep. I've taken it on and off for almost a decade now and can stop and start it without any issues. So I guess I'm one of the lucky ones who doesn't get addicted to it for whatever reason?
I rarely take it for more than a week now because a) my pain issues are better managed and I have other methods of pain management in place and b) it just makes me so damn tired.

Can't take tramadol though - the restless legs and horrific dreams were just awful!

Im taking codeine now for chronic pain and I dont feel anything positive towards it at all. I dread the times I have to take it, partly because of the woozy head but also because it rarely fully gets rid of the pain, so Im stuck in one position trying to breathe through pain while feeling really weird. I struggle with brufen etc as they upset my stomach and I havent found one that touches the pain the way codeine does. But Im also hyper aware of becoming dependent on it so take as little as possible and have a very low quality of life as a consequence

I think my body must be broken! When I was on the dihydrocodiene I said above I was also on maximum doses of paracetamol, naproxen, diazepam, oramorph.. and still working FT

Also ping awake from a GA, demand food and tea and then don't sleep for 2 days as I'm wired. They discharged me last time 21hrs after a 5hr spinal op as "stubborn" and were very at how awake I was. Downside is it takes a LOT to anaesthetise me, I need a shit ton of local and it wears off really quickly

@user16395699

Pregabalin is hideous to come off. Like alcohol, if you stop taking it suddenly you're at risk of seizures.

It's a controlled drug too for a reason.

You really frightened me with this post. I checked and it is not a controlled drug in Canada. Perhaps it should be.

I have stopped taking it at least once with no problems but it is good to know I should taper.

I am on a low dose before bed and honestly don't notice any intoxicated feeling. I just go to sleep without tossing and turning with restless legs and aching joints for hours. I don't go to sleep instantly, just drift off normally.

I have taken zopiclone in the past and I find that much more intrusive in my life. I also wake more often and have trouble getting back to sleep.

For now, the Lyrica is working for me and I feel much more energy in the day to do things.

@JaneJeffer

Tramadol made me hallucinate. Codeine makes me really dopey. OxyContin knocked me out completely. I do worry that people are driving around on these tablets!

It’s legal to drive on them as long as you’re not impacted. You’d be surprised at how normal you can feel on high doses of opiates when your body has had time to adjust. Your own experience of feeling dopey and hallucinating isn’t the same for everyone, if that helps ease your worries!

Agree OP. Because life is so 'meh' most of the time, that buzz feels great. It's the reason I drink alcohol as it gives me the same happy feeling that life just doesn't. I've only had tramadol once and it was fabulous. Codeine does nothing for me pain wise. Can totally see how people end up addicted.

I have a frozen shoulder and I'm taking giant co-codamol and naproxin but they're not touching the pain overnight. Terrified to ask the doctor for something to help me sleep/ramp up the pain relief overnight - though I think the lack of sleep is massively contributing to my MH at the moment.

I've had most pain killers mentioned apart from morphine but I've never experienced the feelings you've described.

I've had fentanyl twice and oh my god. As they were putting it in just before my gall bladder removal I actually said to the anaesthetist "I can see how people get addicted to this stuff"

It was heaven and everyone I've spoken to who's had it agrees.

I’ve been taking morphine every morning and evening for years (same dose, no increase) and I feel nothing. No buzz; tbh it barely masks the pain. Not everyone gets the opiate “whoosh”.
Btw, the PP with the bottle of oramorph: liquid morphine denatures when exposed to air so open bottles of morphine have a very short shelf life-it’ll say three months on the bottle and tbh I think that’s too long. I dispose of what’s left of my bottle at the end of every month for that reason. Your bottle will have long gone off.

I also do not get this effect from opiate medication... I have several chronic pain conditions and it is the only medication that actually enables me to do basic things in life such as walk and play with my children. Even with these meds I am still limited but without I would literally be bed bound.

I'm on Oramorph and slow release morphine also too.

Yet I fall into the category of the opiate addict stigma simply due to needing medication for my pain. I have dealt with this for years and the attitude of numerous so called medical professionals have been absolutely disgusting as all they can see is someone who can walk... not very good but walk so they immediately go down the ignorant route of asking why are you on these meds despite me pointing out I can only walk due to having them!

Always the judgmental nurses who come out with that despite the fact I have a brilliant pain team supporting me and GP.

Far too many people don't realise that these meds are needed for many people to be able to have a somewhat "normal" life. I still cannot run after my children however it enables me to do the basics which means the absolute world to me.

I am aware I have a tolerance however that is what happens when it is needed daily to help ease pain somewhat. Whenever I have a flare up or post op pain then it is always a very difficult time trying to get on top of it as my body is used to these meds. If only something as simple as co codamol or dihydrocodeine would help after a procedure I would save them a whole lot of time and effort!

As for driving, I am allowed to drive on these meds. It has the usual standard print stating if drowsy do not drink or drive etc. However I'm on a high dose yet not drowsy in the slightest. Therefore safe to be in charge of a vehicle.

Also the poster with the Oramorph bottle if it has been opened then it will need disposed of as lifespan is three months.

Could anyone begin to explain why even strong opiates do nothing for me mood enhancing wise and why I have to take a lot of different types to get even a modicum of pain relief. Off them now but still feeling badly affected by them.

@toystoyseverywhere I totally get you with the stigma! I have chronic pain following an injury and will be on strong painkillers for the rest of my life (though I don't get any of the 'fun' side effects people have mentioned thankfully, so can function on them!) - when I was pregnant, all the information I was given was the same as had I been someone addicted to illegal drugs and the treatment at times not dissimilar, despite the fact that it was (of course) all being carefully managed with my consultant!

Me again, also codeine makes me very ill very quickly but tolerated it with no problem when I was younger.

I have been taking Gabapentin (it's non opioid) for over a year for sciatica and lower back pain

My pain is definitely controlled on it

I've been in codeine for several weeks now for back pain and I don't really feel anything on it, it barely even helps the pain really, just dulls it for an hour or so.

I love it! I got some for a sore back years ago and i loved taking it. You just need to think it's not real happiness, y'know! I then fibbed that my back was sore again and got another 100. Took 2 at bed time every night because I slept great on them. Haven't touched them since because I realised it probably was a bit of a slippery slope! Plus the constipation was awful!

X

Prescription and otc codeine addiction is pretty scary.
I was an unwitting addict for 10 Years, still don't go near opiates.
Because I had an idea of what a smack head was I didn't know I was one until I got to the stage of lying for a scrip!
I have chronic pain still but only take a tiny dose of pregablin as an emergency and use cbd/thc for management with all the problems that has.

Apparently paracetamol has an effect on mental pain as well: www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2020/feb/18/painkiller-emotional-pain-acetaminophen-paracetamol

This article is from 2020 but I first read about it 4-5 years ago so there's been a number of studies going on. It's not just with opiates.