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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

Concerta causing pain relief?

ScreamingButterfly

Greenlighter
Joined
Jun 21, 2011
Messages
43
Location
Pennsylvania
I have a question and I hope I put this in the right section. I suffer from chronic pain and have taken a variety of opiates over years, but I am currently on suboxone. It helps my pain and drug cravings some what. Recently I was put on concerta and after taking it for a few days I realized I barely had any pain at all and my condition improved greatly. Has anyone else had this or can explain why it has that effect? Also I noticed after being on this medicine for like a month I had no cravings for any other drugs. That in combination with the suboxone worked wonders in that aspect as well. Am I the only person who has these effects? I appreciate any insight.
 
From my experience, stimulants (in general) seem to help with pain. I have a bad back and am prescribed 85mg oxycodone a day. However, I do enjoy it a little too much which has caused me to run out numerous times. Anywho, I also noticed that when taking stimulants it seemed to help with pain, even to the point that it made my withdrawals bearable. The best answer I can think of is the fact that Concerta, amphetamines, cocaine, etc, all affect norepinephrine and dopamine. The increase in the neurochems may be the cause of this pain relief. "Dopamine has been demonstrated to play a role in pain processing in multiple levels of the central nervous system including the spinal cord" -from wikipedia. That's the best answer I can think of. Hope it helps, or at least points you in the direction towards your full answer.
 
Stimulants that work on serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine can cause pain relief, yes. If Concerta works for you for pain and drug cravings, good for you.
 
Thanks for the replies what you both said definitely makes sense. I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one to have this side effect from the medicine.
 
I have chronic pain and have played with some stimulants like methylphenidate a little bit and I noticed pain relief too but when used regularly this faded much quicker than with traditional analgesics (especially opioids). They can be useful adjuvants to more conventional pain medication, especially if used sparingly, but they will never really challenge their overall analgesic usefulness.

What are you doing to manage your pain aside from using pharmaceuticals?
 
The only things besides medicine that was recommended was physical therapy. I did try it for a while but it seemed to put me in more agony. I try to exercise a bit by walking a few times a week as I was told sometimes keeping active can help the pain and keep me mobile. I've been to a few pain management clinics but I was never offered more then medication. Maybe because I have fibromyalgia they didn't think I had many options? If you have any suggestions I am surely open to them.
 
Vasoconstriction... simple as that

Which is why some girls (or men) like to plug stimulants such as meth before anal sex, it reduces the pain by vasoconstriction in the ass
 
To the OP, I would look further than just western medicine. I believe in drug therapy, without a doubt, but as an adjunct something like accupunture or reflexology could be of great help. Accupuncture actually does help. I was a skeptic, but it induces a very nice feeling, both physically and mentally. I don't know if you take more than Concerta and Suboxone, but I do advise at least looking into some alternative therapies. Gentle yoga is great, too. Cold showers and baths (be careful not to stay in too long). I am just giving you some suggestions that are coming to mind.
 
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