I've been exposed to numerous theories on the effect(s) of long-term opiate use on brain chemistry and comprehend some of the aspects of unique biochemical realities. That being said, I would like more information. I have been "using" opiates for, almost, 50 years and have serious concerns about my own body electric...
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Effect(s) of Long-Term Opiate Use on Brain Chemistry
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pally pete
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In the last 3 & 1/2 years I've no doubt my brain chemistry has changed, but in that time I have abused Beznos & Opiates so I'm unsure which was has done more of the damage?
My guess is the Benzos but I'm not entirely certain.... Either way I hope it's not permanent...
In the last 3 & 1/2 years I've no doubt my brain chemistry has changed, but in that time I have abused Beznos & Opiates so I'm unsure which was has done more of the damage?
My guess is the Benzos but I'm not entirely certain.... Either way I hope it's not permanent...
pally pete:
I've the same hope - but must confess serious concerns about this issue due to the length of time I've "used" opiates ( and a LOT of other drugs).
I hope this thread will generate some information from many knowledgeable people on BL!Bump i am curious as well.
Not to be a downer but if you have been using opiates for 50 years i am pretty sure your ability to feel dopamine induced pleasure from normal life events will be subpar.
Also please explain your usage, were you a daily user for most of that time. Or once a week, few times a weak etc? It makes a huge difference.
pofacedhoe
Bluelight Crew
the WD's from benzos last quite a while and are very horrible giving rise to the "my brain chemistry has changed", because it has and it takes a long while to get back to normal
Started with opiates (pills) about '65 w/ heavy use of hallucinogens (60's). Tied to a Spike (heroin) in '68. Next decade (+) - lots of heroin w/ addition of coke, crank and [IV] barbiturates. 70's are a blur - smeared with constant drug abuse. Some notable O.D's in 70's with an extremely serious OD in '79 resulting in arrest, treatment, and prison. Director of treatment tells me [close quote] "...out of, about, every 5,000 Heroin addicts I see, there is always one like you - determined to die the hardest way possible. I don't know if there is any help, for you". Yeh, right - and me - fresh out of prizes...
4 years (on a dime) behind walls - little drug use. Out. Back to opiates (mostly prescription). So it goes. 1993 - 10 years on Methadone followed by another 10 (years) on [high dose] Bupe. Recent relapse. Now going back on Methadone (until my knees are replaced - sometime this June) then back to Bupe.
I am seriously concerned about [my] body's ability to return to normal chemical functioning.
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So there are numerous studies demonstrating that opiate usage (at nod, or even pre-nod levels) creates a net decrease in the amount of oxygen in the blood, which probably translates to cell death. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/...sCustomisedMessage=&userIsAuthenticated=false, http://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/242729
and these: http://journals.lww.com/neuroreport...rked_decrease_of_immunolabelled_68_kDa.3.aspx, http://academicpublishingplatforms....gnitive_impairments_at_various_pp.108-114.pdf
It does appear to be neurotoxic from chronic use.grooveholmes
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is there any research as to moderating or dispersing dosings so as to avoid such complications over the duration of long term use. I have chronic back problems and they won't give me any chronic in my state. opiates or opioids and muscle relaxers are now looking to be the method of pain modification. problem being, i quite enjoy opiates but i don't want to become a chronic user. i find with such things in life, being high all the time is not being high at all, and i suspect the same rule of thumb will ultimately apply to the back pain, which despite physical therapy and much medical investigation will not go away.My advice would be to try methods such as acupuncture, and other non-drug methods of relieving pain (meditation is one I highly recommend, which will reduce pain and will definitely mitigate your usage predicated on just wanting to feel buzzed). Other than that, use aspirin and acetaminophen when possible, and take the lowest dose possible. Exercise, though I know it can be very hard in lieu of pain, should help.grooveholmes
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i literally cant even sit up straight in like a pseudo half ass lotus (thats how far i get) for more than maybe like 7 minutes. it sucks, and the back starts messin with me like straight away so meditation is very difficult for me. I have been looking at possibly doing some acupuncture, and massage therapy is nice (although my issues are nerve and skeletal/structure related as much as muscular), unfortunately, my insurance isn't too inclined towards such things :/Can you lay down flat in a comfortable position? Or cay you lay down at all? Look up Jon Kabat-Zinn's MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction); it did me worlds of good for a long time, and takes nothing but your mind and a CD telling you what to do. Its extremely relaxing; I'd liken it to a feeling of an opiate and GABAergic combined with focus and restfulness, with no crash or negative effects. If you want full benefits, you must do it for eight weeks every day; I know this can seem like a lot, but start slowly if you must, maybe once a week, and see how you feel. I definitely felt a profound effect after doing it just once. It can be found online or probably at your local library. At most you'll pay a couple hours of work for it. Good luck!grooveholmes
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Most excellent. Laying down is my favorite. I will surely give it a shot. Prolly get a scrip too tho haha
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Thanks for the information and links:
I will review this information, with care. Any resulting question - will post.
Any additional information/perspective(s) appreciated; I will give full attention and diligent investigation to all.I'd have to disagree, or more like I don't want to believe studies suggesting opiates are neurotoxic. I've had a 3+ year opiate habit of almost daily use... but on/off. On top of that I've got a 2+ year benzo habit which I was almost quitting, until some tragedy struck and I made a month or two worth of steps back. I seriously think benzos will cause me more damage but hopefully not permanent. I plan to quit them asap but I got a lot in my plate right now. Opiates on the other hand are more manageable, being their WDs are not potentially lethal but I'm sure I've caused great discomfort to my Endorphin system.. but I doubt anything beyond repair.
Epsilon Alpha
Bluelighter
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23414717
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21564086
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15849022
30 seconds on pubmed. This will explain both endocrine, gene expression, and mu receptor regulation.
None of that is even indirectly a proper argument regarding the cytotoxicity of opioid use though, side-effects or the dangers of withdrawing are not really a good measure for that.
Review of #23414717 confirms information linking [some] personal health issues w/ my history of abuse. The issues include, but aren't limited to, peripheral edema, immune suppression, hyperalgesia, sleep apnea, and some changes in endocrine functioning related to sexual function, decreased libido, mood, osteoporosis & osteopenia. A physician treating hepatitis C referred me to a well known addiction specialist after manifestations of severe/near fatal reactions to the 3 drugs used to treat the disease; the treating physician concluded - at least some - of my reactions were due to probable effects of long-term opiate abuse. The addiction specialist agreed recommending immediate termination of the treatment. A decision, I firmly believe, which saved my life.
The addiction specialist was the first physician [I've encountered] to initiate sharp focus on possible, probable, and likely systemic consequences of long-term opiate abuse.
Thank you for the links; I look forward to more information to help cultivate objective understanding of a serious issue worthy of significant discussion.annajaneleona
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From much personal experience as well as research plus just plain common sense: if one injestd any type of drug (or foreign substance) into the body, said body's chemistry is changed. There are many factors to consider, of course: your genetic profile, initial psychological state, quality of substance injested, etc. But inevitably if one continues to use, for example, opiates for a length of time much shorter than 50 years, manic depression (NOT the schizoid type - usually) will result. It should be classified as a type of manic depression but insurance companies would cause much jumping thru hoops for treatment. And this is just one example, which I use as it is so prevalent and applies to not just opioids, and also happens to be one I have done research. The possibilities of other chemical changes are as myriad as the types of opioids, cuts, country of import, etc. Extrapolate from there when you consider the spectrum of drugs.
