Longtime (legal) opiate user w/ history of alcohol canabis abuse

[Njmummy]

I have been lurking here for...years now, I suppose. I have a severe pain condition (I won't bore you with the details), I am on opiates 24/7. I try to get information about opiate use from mainstream medical sites, but invariably wind up here or other similar type sites. Why? For the simple reason that you people seem to know what you are talking about, and when you don't, you at least put forward intelligent hypothesis.

Not sure what else to write, happy to answer questions.

 

[Njmummy]

One thing I did forget to mention, I had gastric bypass about 12 years ago, lost about half my body weight and have kept the weight off except for the last 6 months. I gained some weight from menopause and some because apparently I have been sleepwalking and eating in my sleep. (Awesome) It's "only" about 20lbs, but I am devastated by this for obvious reasons.

The bypass can be tricky to medicate around as often ER medications either pass through too quickly or build up to dangerous levels. (Hello Mr. EMT!) I have recently come off fentanyl patches (my choice) because I was running out of places on my body that weren't raw from repeated use.

I have an AWESOME doctor who actually listens to me and I have a lot of say in what goes into my body. I do tend to wean myself of medications on a whim and then he gets mad at me. I'm a bit of a control freak. (Gross understatement!)