Opioids and SSRIs

[somniferous1]

For about the past 10 years I have been a fan of painkillers. I've usually only find them a few times a year so I typically don't take them too often and when I do it's a pretty small dose.

For the last 3 years or so I have been having a different reaction to all painkillers. When it starts to wear off I feel like shit. I get anxious an uncomfortable, and then I have the most disrupted, restless sleep ever. I feel like I never even fall completely asleep. I get strange vivid dreams and wake up tired. I also tend to get anxiety as the drug wears off. Typically I will only take 1-2 5/500 hydrocodone. Years ago I could take 3 or 4 and feel great with virtually no after affects. Now I take 1 hydro and feel like shit afterwards.

Does anyone have any idea what could be causing this? It's driving me nuts because I really want to enjoy some painkillers but now I'm afraid to take them because of the after affects.

I currently take 10mg of Leaxapro (SSRI) daily. Can this be changing the way by body reacts to opioids? That would make sense but I have been taking the Lexapro for 6 years and it has only been about the last three years that I have been having the after affects from painkillers.

Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

 

[sekio]

It sounds like tolerance developing. This is just what happens if you take opioids for long durations of time.

SSRIs should actually work as pain relievers and mildly potentiate your opioids. I don't think they are causing the problem, esp. 6 years after they were introduced to your body.

 

[Cane2theLeft]

^ makes sense to me.

Let's try this out in Basic Drug Discussion.



OD>>>BDD

 

[effie]

SSRIs only affect serotonin in your brain so they shouldn't affect hydros at all (hydrocodone, right?) Some opiates do seem to affect serotonin, such as meperidine/pethidine/demerol and definitely tramadol, but not hydro as far as I know.

It's strange that you used to take 3 or 4 but now you can't take one with out ill effects.. If you were taking more I would blame the paracetamol/APAP but if you are only taking one or two then you are only getting 500mg-1g which is standard dose so doesn't seem like it could be that..

I feel a bit shitty when I come down off opiates, I can't sleep and feel restless and can feel sick. Maybe you were just lucky at first, but this is how your body handles it now..

Ultimately no one on BL can diagnose you over the net; I appreciate not being able to go to your doc over a pain pill issue but if you do become more unwell always important to seek medical help!