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I'ld like to hear from anyone who uses an opioid to fight depression.

Excellent post and I'm sorry to hear about your struggle with opiates. But trust me mate, you have nothing to be jealous about. This is not a life, this is just a fight for survival. Endone is a immediate release oxy and I really don't have any "happy" effects. But it does the job and gets me out of bed in the morning. Not everything is perfect because a day has 24 hours. But morning depression is the worst so I have to be grateful because there's no cure for TRD and PTSD.

I asked my Psychiatrist about tolerance and he said it shouldn't be a problem at such a small dose. The only problem is that I feel like a criminal as my Dr. just reapplied for another year of Endone therapy. My life literally depends on Governments Health Department decision because they are only interested in pain management as Oxy is not officially approved for TRD. So I am still waiting and hoping because I don't have a plan B.
If you don‘t mind me asking what country you reside in?
Where I am from no doctor in the whole universe would give me Oxy and on paper I am diagnosed with the exact same stuff: treatment resistant depression and PTSD (and a couple of other stuff like past history with body dysmorphia, and now multiple substance abuse).
Oxy is only prescribed here after surgeries and stuff.
Funny little side story: I took them too back in 2022; funny enough I OD‘d in the hospital bc they mistakenly gave me too high dosage. Never had an opiate in my system back then and they slammed me with a way too high dosage. Left me with 60/30 blood pressure and unconscious having to be hooked with Narcan and then feel the worst physical insane pain bc I was only a few hours awake after being cut open crazily.

Would take this horrible day ANY DAY over what I have to go through today. The stuff I experience now is worse than any of this. For real.
 
If you don‘t mind me asking what country you reside in?
Where I am from no doctor in the whole universe would give me Oxy and on paper I am diagnosed with the exact same stuff: treatment resistant depression and PTSD (and a couple of other stuff like past history with body dysmorphia, and now multiple substance abuse).
Oxy is only prescribed here after surgeries and stuff.
Funny little side story: I took them too back in 2022; funny enough I OD‘d in the hospital bc they mistakenly gave me too high dosage. Never had an opiate in my system back then and they slammed me with a way too high dosage. Left me with 60/30 blood pressure and unconscious having to be hooked with Narcan and then feel the worst physical insane pain bc I was only a few hours awake after being cut open crazily.

Would take this horrible day ANY DAY over what I have to go through today. The stuff I experience now is worse than any of this. For real.
I'm from Australia and the rules here have drastically changed in the past couple of years. Its impossible to get Oxy as a new patient but I'm suffering from these symptoms for the last 20 years. I guess that's one of reasons why they approved it.

I was taking Endone in the past after each of my 5 surgeries and never abused it. That could be a reason number 2.

I am seeing my Psychiatrist, Neurologist and GP on a regular basis for the last 20 years. This should be a 3. reason.

But all of this is not important if my case is reviewed by the government bureaucrat who is just "following the rules".

If you think that you're ready l would strongly suggest that you have an honest conversation with your Psychiatrist and see what your options are? Besides esketamine, MDMA, and psilocybin which are extremely expensive, small dose of Oxy is your best chance. Good luck!
 
I'm from Australia and the rules here have drastically changed in the past couple of years. Its impossible to get Oxy as a new patient but I'm suffering from these symptoms for the last 20 years. I guess that's one of reasons why they approved it.

I was taking Endone in the past after each of my 5 surgeries and never abused it. That could be a reason number 2.

I am seeing my Psychiatrist, Neurologist and GP on a regular basis for the last 20 years. This should be a 3. reason.

But all of this is not important if my case is reviewed by the government bureaucrat who is just "following the rules".

If you think that you're ready l would strongly suggest that you have an honest conversation with your Psychiatrist and see what your options are? Besides esketamine, MDMA, and psilocybin which are extremely expensive, small dose of Oxy is your best chance. Good luck!
Ahh sounds good👍.

I won‘t get oxys and especially no instant release one, in my country it‘s impossible. But I don‘t mind that much, I wanna get clean but I am a severe addict. Feeling awful sober. I am currently substituted but I will hopefully very soon get Bupe as it‘s the best bet for people like me (better than Methadone for cravings). Currently substituted with another delayed release opiate (Tramadol). Then stay on Bupe until my life circumstances turn for the better.

All the best to you ❤️
 
Ahh sounds good👍.

I won‘t get oxys and especially no instant release one, in my country it‘s impossible. But I don‘t mind that much, I wanna get clean but I am a severe addict. Feeling awful sober. I am currently substituted but I will hopefully very soon get Bupe as it‘s the best bet for people like me (better than Methadone for cravings). Currently substituted with another delayed release opiate (Tramadol). Then stay on Bupe until my life circumstances turn for the better.

All the best to you ❤️
If you are talking about Suboxone it could be a life saver for you. But be careful mate and start with moderate dose. I was taking it for almost a year for chronic pain and TRD. Everything was perfect for 9 months and I was ready to stay on it for life. Then literally l collapsed overnight. Mentally and physically.

Why that happened nobody knows as I didn't change the dose (8mg) or start taking any new medication. It took me 3 months to tapper it down and almost a year to recover. But that's just me. Plenty of people owe their life to Suboxone, especially long time addicts. I hope you will be one of them.

One more thing. It will ruin your teeth so try to brush and rinse immediately after the film dissolve. Once again, good luck mate. Suboxone could be a life saver for you. It works miracles for TRD and chronic pain as well. ✌️
 
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For the end let's summarise this topic. Conclusion: opioids DO work for TRD and chronic pain but only when taken responsibly and in a small doses.

1. Cheapest option: ($30 p/m) Oxycodone, not more than 10mg per day.
2. Medium price: ($50-100 p/m) Suboxone, average dose of 8mg p/d.
3. Most expensive: ($3-4000 p/m) Spravato nasal spray (esketamine).
 
I have chronic pain but also severe PTSD … and I’ll admit when I wake up from night terrors all shaking & covered in sweat, tensed up in pain ect … it definitely helps my PTSD to take an opioid
You are absolutely right. It's the only thing that gets me out of bed. But I must emphasise this again: Only in a small doses.
 
Here's the fruit of my experience for anyone who might care to listen . . . and might benefit. Amitriptyline is very constipating. Add an opioid to that, and the gut slows way down. The result is constipation and belly pain.

There is a solution. Take an osmotic laxative, as often as needed, to make sure you poop every day. Otherwise you can damage your colon and end up with diverticulitis. (Happened to me.) Stimulant laxatives - like senna - irritate the lining of your gut. They're not the best choice. Osmotic laxatives - like Miralax or milk of magnesia - are the absolute best choice. Taking a dose of either one every day will not harm you. Miralax is great stuff. (The store generic knockoff is cheaper and is exactly the same stuff.). You can even take several doses in one day, if badly blocked up. (This is the same stuff they give you to clean out before getting a colonoscopy.)

The only caveat is this: Don't take any laxative, if your problem could possibly be appendicitis. You'll just get sicker. An X-Ray at the ER can pinpoint the problem for you, if you're not sure.

One more caveat: Don't swallow anything, if you feel very nauseated. Otherwise you might throw up and accidentally inhale your own vomit. That can be life-threatening.

Normal poop is not hard or painful to pass. Anyone who is passing hard poop should be taking an osmotic laxative, as often as needed to maintain soft stools. Doing that faithfully can stave off some really bad problems and the misery that goes with them.
My understanding of FDA guidance is that opioid mono therapy requires instantiating of stims laxative—- osmotic does not stimulate peristalsis muscles which is what is needed. I’ve tried both, ended up hospitalized e w impactions from osmo. By contrast a simple glass of raw leaf senna tea a day has kept me out of the hospital for years. I personally have notice no stomach issues
 
My understanding of FDA guidance is that opioid mono therapy requires instantiating of stims laxative—- osmotic does not stimulate peristalsis muscles which is what is needed. I’ve tried both, ended up hospitalized e w impactions from osmo. By contrast a simple glass of raw leaf senna tea a day has kept me out of the hospital for years. I personally have notice no stomach issues

I'm glad that's working for you.

"Smooth Move" is a senna tea that I've found helpful in the past.
 
I get Vicodin 10/325 for back pain. I'm struggling with depression that recently got real bad. I find that two of those Vicodin tablets taken together gives me a slight easing up of the depression. Since I just got my monthly refill, I treated myself to two tablets an hour ago. It gave me a small, but noticeable, boost. I'm careful not to use up my prescription too fast because 36 hours without a tablet will put me in withdrawal, where I get horrible restless leg syndrome.

I've been put on dozens of prescribed psych meds. Most were useless. This is getting to be a nightmare.
 
I get Vicodin 10/325 for back pain. I'm struggling with depression that recently got real bad. I find that two of those Vicodin tablets taken together gives me a slight easing up of the depression. Since I just got my monthly refill, I treated myself to two tablets an hour ago. It gave me a small, but noticeable, boost. I'm careful not to use up my prescription too fast because 36 hours without a tablet will put me in withdrawal, where I get horrible restless leg syndrome.

I've been put on dozens of prescribed psych meds. Most were useless. This is getting to be a nightmare.
I don't know if it will work, but gabapentin which they seem to give out a lot is something that may help with the. Restless leg syndrome. Neurontin or gabapentin is what a family member used for diabetic leg neuropathy and like a million of things, ask your doctor if that will help you and yes I also looked it up. Be careful because it is a strange drug. You will not od on it but if use more than you need a tolerance can build fast, also they may potentiate you vicodin so be careful if you get some and with driving. Also if the vicodin stops helping go the route of saying to your doctor these aren't working and I am scared of the acetaminophen and if your they are and/or you really need something stronger ask for oxycodone 10's without acetaminophen, they might not only help with the pain but be careful, if your the mood lift, in some people( like me) is/ can be massive and they really kill pain. I have a screwed up my liver( so no acetaminophen but the oxy 10's have 11 MG of pure oxycodone and the regular oxy 10's are 8.9mg oxycodone and 325 MG of acetaminophen but I would wait till it doesn't work anymore; some don't like them; most people love them. People have been known to prefer it to heroin.
They are rated as 1.5x as strong as morphine. Don't try for Oxycontin. First of all they don't work as well and doctors are more likely to write for plain oxycodone is they notice any liver issue.
I had pancreatitus and I was on morphine 24/7, didn't help much, varies for person to person orally, bioavailibility
 
I get Vicodin 10/325 for back pain. I'm struggling with depression that recently got real bad. I find that two of those Vicodin tablets taken together gives me a slight easing up of the depression. Since I just got my monthly refill, I treated myself to two tablets an hour ago. It gave me a small, but noticeable, boost. I'm careful not to use up my prescription too fast because 36 hours without a tablet will put me in withdrawal, where I get horrible restless leg syndrome.

I've been put on dozens of prescribed psych meds. Most were useless. This is getting to be a nightmare
I don't know if it will work, but gabapentin which they seem to give out a lot is something that may help with the. Restless leg syndrome. Neurontin or gabapentin is what a family member used for diabetic leg neuropathy and like a million of things, ask your doctor if that will help you and yes I also looked it up. Be careful because it is a strange drug. You will not od on it but if use more than you need a tolerance can build fast, also they may potentiate you vicodin so be careful if you get some and with driving. Also if the vicodin stops helping go the route of saying to your doctor these aren't working and I am scared of the acetaminophen and if your they are and/or you really need something stronger ask for oxycodone 10's without acetaminophen, they might not only help with the pain but be careful, if your the mood lift, in some people( like me) is/ can be massive and they really kill pain. I have a screwed up my liver( so no acetaminophen but the oxy 10's have 11 MG of pure oxycodone and the regular oxy 10's are 8.9mg oxycodone and 325 MG of acetaminophen but I would wait till it doesn't work anymore; some don't like them; most people love them. People have been known to prefer it to heroin.
They are rated as 1.5x as strong as morphine. Don't try for Oxycontin. First of all they don't work as well and doctors are more likely to write for plain oxycodone is they notice any liver issue.
I had pancreatitus and I was on morphine 24/7, didn't help much, varies for person to person orally, bioavailibility

No doctor is going to give me any other opioid. I know about the acetaminophen being bad on the liver. I'll be lucky if my MD doesn't try to get me off this hydrocodone.
 
I don't know if it will work, but gabapentin which they seem to give out a lot is something that may help with the. Restless leg syndrome. Neurontin or gabapentin is what a family member used for diabetic leg neuropathy and like a million of things, ask your doctor if that will help you and yes I also looked it up. Be careful because it is a strange drug. You will not od on it but if use more than you need a tolerance can build fast, also they may potentiate you vicodin so be careful if you get some and with driving. Also if the vicodin stops helping go the route of saying to your doctor these aren't working and I am scared of the acetaminophen and if your they are and/or you really need something stronger ask for oxycodone 10's without acetaminophen, they might not only help with the pain but be careful, if your the mood lift, in some people( like me) is/ can be massive and they really kill pain. I have a screwed up my liver( so no acetaminophen but the oxy 10's have 11 MG of pure oxycodone and the regular oxy 10's are 8.9mg oxycodone and 325 MG of acetaminophen but I would wait till it doesn't work anymore; some don't like them; most people love them. People have been known to prefer it to heroin.
They are rated as 1.5x as strong as morphine. Don't try for Oxycontin. First of all they don't work as well and doctors are more likely to write for plain oxycodone is they notice any liver issue.
I had pancreatitus and I was on morphine 24/7, didn't help much, varies for person to person orally, bioavailibility
I was on Gabapentin. It gave me a voracious appetite at night. I didn't like it. It was supposed to reduce anxiety. It didn't.
 
It's definitely more related to dopamine and to a lesser extent serotonin release, and other related downstream effects. Most pharma and popular street opioids have negligible effect on KOR (kappa opioid receptor).

Salvia mainly and strongly effects the KOR, and is very well known as an acutely dysphoric drug. Ketamine's benefit as an antidepressant has nothing to do with activating kappa as far as I know.
If I'm not mistakes, mu agonism increases kappa activity. Kappa makes you stressed and depressed among other things. The more you use the stronger the kappa action, hence you use opioids to tone that down. I'm entirely out of money and 24hrs into heavy codeine withdrawal (600mg-1g) and I want to kill myself. Moreover than that, I still wanna kill myself after I dose. Been using for a year but since last week it has zero effects at all besides making me not sick. The more I keep using the stronger my depression is.

I started using it because I had a very heavy kratom addiction (one and a half 100g bags at least per week) which resulted in me waking up in severe withdrawal at 07 AM despite dosing heavily at 10-11 PM. It felt unlivable like that and because codeine is otc where I live I jumped on 150mg. I was very sad for a few days after that but I countered it with amphetamine in huge amounts, didn't sleep for 3 days and then reseted myself. Was fine ever since and only used 150mg a day to maintain but I abused stimulants. In October I doubled my codeine dose and reduced the amount of stims as well as the frequency. I was severely depressed and lethargic over the Christmas holidays but then I kinda bounced back and was so and so. Since May I started taking 600mg in 2 doses. Felt better for a while but now that it stopped working entirely unless I take 600 at once and then some, I got suicidal depression. Granted, this could be caused by a two month escitalopram regimen and if I think about it that is when I started feeling suicidal for the first time since 2016.

I really hope that escitalopram is the reason I feel like this and it will pass soon. This drug is poison for me.

On the other hand, I wanna detox off codeine and wait two weeks to see if my KOR theory is right.
 
I was on Gabapentin. It gave me a voracious appetite at night. I didn't like it. It was supposed to reduce anxiety. It didn't.
Did you try Lyrica, it's big brother.

No, I didn't say another, I meant if it ( Norco 10's) doesn't work anymore; try oxycodone 10's no acetaminophen, most love, some hate it. Just say that they are both schedule 2.


I was saying if the Norco 10's don't work try oxycodone instead, with no acetaminophen. The huge euphoria is an added bonus, besides being stronger.
 
Yeah opioids may help a bit with depression but only for that short amount of time, the come wd it will make your depression more exaggerated.. the benzo is probably playing it's role and your high doses of Kratom definitely was not helping.

I think you should see your Dr. Might put you on an SSRI which they try to push on everyone but truth is it's really important for people with severe depression with suicidal ideation.
 
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