Opioids Prescription Med Questions

[Stopthepain]

Hello Everyone,
New to the boards and while I am not a casual drug user, I am a chronic prescription medication user and will be for the rest of my life. I have asked the doctor some of these questions, but his answers are not as direct as I would like and I could use some answers from other. Okay here it goes:

1: I am in chronic pain from failed back surgery. I have been on every pain killer imaginable. From Fentynal, Oxycotin, Demerol, etc.. Currently we are managing the pain quite well with Morphine XR (60mg daily, down from 120mg daily) with Percocet a few times a day for breakthrough pain. The question I have is I have never, except when recieving Demerol through IV in the hospital, gotten a buzz on any of the pain meds. I have friends that claim that Percocet will get them loopy and I just don't get it. Keep in mind that I am not trying to get high, the only reason I am on the meds is the pain is unbearable without them, but I don't understand why I have never gotten a buzz even on high doses of Fentynal. Is my body immune to the effects or is this common?

2: The constant opiod use has taken a toll on me in the fact that it has sapped any energy that I have right out of me. I am tired all of the time and lack energy to do anything. The doc has recently put me on Adderall to counter act some of the effects of the opiods. I was very happy about it, but unsure of what to expect as I had never done stimulants before. I have been on the Adderall for 3 days now, a low dose it seem, only 5mg daily. The first day I was wide awake for 36 hours. Today I can't sleep and it is 5am. This isn't too bad, but I didn't seem to get the burst of energy that I was hoping for with the Adderall. Might I safely assume that the dosage I am on is too small for any kind of energy enhancement? And I don't suppose there is a way to lessen the lasting effect of being awake? Awake is great, not tired any longer. Staying awake for two days at a shot is not something I want to get as a habit. Should I not take the Adderall if I want to sleep that night or will I become adjusted to it shortly and be able to resume a normal schedule?

Thanks in advance for any light you can shed.

 

[TheLostBoys]

You shouldnt be taking adderall to get energy & staying awake for 36 hours is very unhealthy. Tell your doctor adderall is keeping you awake for days, which isnt good. If you want energy, why not try Ginseng or other over the counter herbs, maybe a 5 hour energy drink. Staying awake for 36 hours on adderall is retarded to me, but to each their own if you like it.


As for you pain meds, its only common that your tolerance will grow & depending on what you're taking, they wont help much anymore. Obviously Morphine will make you tired, is very sedating but some people like me like it sedating. If you want energy in a pain med, why not try oxycontin, the OP's, they will give you a ton of energy along with keeping you up & taking away your pain.

 

[suessmayr]

^ yeah this. Morphine, as a natural (i.e., non-synthetic) opiate, is one of the more sedating ones. Like codeine (which metabolises into morphine) it has a really heavy 'stone' and can induce lethargy. Synthetic or semi-synthetic opiates like oxycodone or buprenorphine are much less sedating. But morphine is still the 'gold-standard' of pain management, and if you've got adderall it probably doesn't matter. But 60mg oral morphine - even if you took it in instant release form - would not be enough to get you a buzz. You're probably just on doses which are too small for that. The doses used for pain management are lower than recreational doses, and unless you're an addict and know what to look for, you won't get any fun from the doses you're on.

I think it's very likely that you'll get used to the adderall. If not you may need to temporarily use something to help with sleep like a Z-drug or something natural like Valerian root.

 

[Stopthepain]

You shouldnt be taking adderall to get energy & staying awake for 36 hours is very unhealthy. Tell your doctor adderall is keeping you awake for days, which isnt good. If you want energy, why not try Ginseng or other over the counter herbs, maybe a 5 hour energy drink. Staying awake for 36 hours on adderall is retarded to me, but to each their own if you like it.

I agree that staying awake for 36 hours isn't a good thing. Not somethng that I want to happen, but the reason I stated that I am happy now that I am on Adderall is the fact that I am actually awake. Chronic Fatigue from medication horrible and cannot in anyway be understood unelss you have experienced it. I have just started the Adderall and as my doc said, we will have to experiment with the dose until we have the right one.
As far as energy was concerned, I wasn't taking Adderall specifically for an energy boost. The reason I mentioned it was all of the articles on the 'Net about the drug always mentioned the fact that this type of drug not only keeps someone awake, but provides energy. Something I am not experiencing, so thought I would ask. As far as things such as the 5 hour energy drinks, tried it and no effect at all. The only thing it achomplished was to leave a bad taste in my mouth.

And to clarify my OP. I am NOT in anyway seeking to get a high or buzz from the meds that I am taking. What I don't understand is, except for the pain relief (good), that I have never experienced any kind of "high" from any of the meds. I came to the conclusion that either my friends were exaggerating or flat out lying or my body processes opiods different.

 

[Roger&Me]

If you want energy, why not try Ginseng or other over the counter herbs, maybe a 5 hour energy drink.

LOL @ anyone who thinks ginseng will cut through the sedating effects of morphine. Are you serious?

To the OP: Its perfectly fine to take adderall to combat the sedation of morphine, this is common practice for chronic pain patients and if it helps improve your quality of life then go for it!

The reason its keeping you up nights is because you have a very low tolerance to stimulants, as you've never used them. I would recommend staying on the adderall and allowing your body to get adjusted to it; after a few more days you will have built a tolerance and it should stop keeping you awake at night.

If you're still having problems after a couple of weeks, then perhaps consider asking your doctor for another stimulant such as ritalin. It may take some experimentation before you find a regimen that works for you.

 

[DiverDave]

I take 5 hour energy, that helps alot.
(oh I take 80mg of methadone a day)
For pain managment.
You seem to be taking alot of pain meds, I got really tired at first,
but now I guess my body adjusted to it and I can do fine with a energy drink now and then.

 

[Stopthepain]

Thanks for the confirmation that this is a normal treatment. The amount of meds I am taken has always been a very big concern to me. I appreciate all of your replies.