Posted by femlite on September 15, 2003, at 10:39:31
In reply to Re: Rant, posted by craig allen on September 14, 2003, at 0:28:11
> i'm with you on the rant. the problem of tolerance with opiates is huge however. my experience is that within days, they stop being effective and the doseage continually needs to be increased. as this happens, the withdrawal becomes a constant battle and before you know it, you're in a bad addictive cycle and the depression is a lot worse than it was before. until they develop a drug that eliminates this tolerance process, the opiates aren't going to improve depression long term. they make it much worse. i'm not speaking from a theoretic perspective - i'm basing this on experience. a lot of it. the potential good news, i guess, is that some drugs are in the works. i looked at the website one of the previous posters suggested, Pain Therapeutics, and they are at least claiming to be on to something. if they are, then the battle will be getting psychiatrists to prescribe it. i'll believe all of it when i see it. has anyone been on a long acting opiate with low dose naltrexone? apparently, that is what Pain Therapeutics is developing (a combination drug). if so, how did it work?
Hi Craig Allen and QUESTIONMARK,
I guess this is a case of individuals responding differently, just like all the other drugs posted about on this site.
I agree, the tolerance side effect is an issue. But it did not seem like a serious issue for me.
I stayed at the same dose for months When I did move up, I had to split and even quarter my pills to prevent the side effects of sedation or nausea.
So my dose would would increase by quarter doses for a month or so. Maybe I wasnt on them long enough to experience the side effect you describe.
But a year isn't a short amount of time.I am also frustrated at how hysterical people get when the issue of opiods used for depression is brought up.
I had little to no side effects using theraputic doses of opiods, UNLIKE the AD Im on now.
And I quit taking them cold, had a little achiness for a week and then I was fine.I appreciate the courage you all have displayed to bring up this subject. Maybe opiods in their current form are lacking, but as more people speak up, and the demand for research increases, an answer will be found.
The research Ive read indicates that 2 out of every hundred people end up with an abuse problem.
The point you make about opiods increasing depression is a valid concern. It may indicate, (as in the case of other ADs) that opiods are not the right med for some people, a point that needs further research and observation.
Courage
poster:femlite
thread:120871
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030912/msgs/260205.html