nrclark

Hi, i have been using hydromorphone (2mg.-12mg.+) for almost three years now since a m.v.a. (broken C-2 vertabrae). I was just lookin for people with similar, or anybody with a history of "chronic" use of similar ...
I have been having some "issues" and would like a sounding board etc.
Thanks to all replies in advance.

VitaminH

I'm a pharmacist, can I help? I'd need to know a little more than you're having "issues" however. Feel free to PM me if you don't want to discuss it in public.

__________________
"Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever."
- Napoleon Bonaparte

nrclark

Thanks for your reply "Vitamin"
I don’t mind posting in public, in the possibility that it may help others as well.
The issues I have been having are more along the lines of long term "chronic" use of this stuff. The dosage of Hydromorphone keeps going up. I started with 2 mg. and now I take anywhere from 12 mg's up to 30 mg's, depending on the headaches and neck pain. I understand the concept of becoming immune to the stuff, but what are the side effects of using that much of it, for such a long period of time?
Will it eventually do damage to anything internally? Would it be beneficial to switch periodically to some other pain killer? My doctor says "as far as he knows" there is no problems with long term use, other than the withdrawing procedure. I know that will have to be done in a hospital / clinic type setting and monitored very closely. (ain't looking forward to that!) That’s if they figure out how to get rid of the pain.....
Will appreciate any light you may put on the subject
N.R. Clark

VitaminH

Essentially other than the "normal" side effects of an opiate such as hydromorphone such as constipation, drowsiness and the like you shouldn't have anything internally damaged as you fear. The problem is your body will become dependant on it, and you'll have withdrawl problems such as you seem to know. The dose keeps going up because your body devlops a tolerance to it and the same dose no longer becomes effective.

When they take you off it it should be a step down type thing where you'll slowly lower your dose and/or space out the time between doses so you can come down more easily, going cold turkey would be bad, very bad, right up there with quitting heroin cold turkey, and I doubt you want to go through that.

For switching to another drug, it really won't make much of a difference. If you're requiring this high of a dose of hydromorphone our only real option would be to switch you to another opiate, which is just going to do the same thing to your body, the other painkillers out there are all akin to ibuprofen and the like, and aren't likely going to be enough for you if you're needing such high doses of hydromorphone.

As far as I know however, taking a dose that high shouldn't cause any organ damage or the like, your only problem is going to be withdrawing from it when the time comes.

Hope this helps and good luck!

__________________
"Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever."
- Napoleon Bonaparte

nrclark

Thats about as clear and concise as ive ever had it put to me."Thanks", that really does ease the mind.
And i'm not looking forward to that "time" when it does eventually come. I had a feeling it was "heroin" bad.
Well, i just got up in the middle of the night, (stupid cat walked across my face), so back to the sack!
Thanks again "V"!

nrclark

ooops ! ... sorry ... moved post to new thread

VitaminH

No problem, I'm glad to give out and advice and help out where I can. It is my job I suppose after all. As for "heroin" bad, I could have been overstating too. I use that anaolgy to make a point that it's not going to be plesant, but it shouldn't be AS bad as heroin either I suppose. Heroin I believe is the most addictive subsatnce we know about, these are derivatives of it that aren't as addictive, so you won't be quite at the Trainspotting (if you've seen the movie) levels, but it wouldn't be a plesant experience to go cold turkey either.

With proper care and managment we can step you down to no drug with little effects, so don't worry to much. Just make sure you keep in the mindset that you WILL at some point need to get off it, so you're not stuck on it for the rest of your life.

Cheers mate, feel free to PM me or post with any future questions.

__________________
"Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever."
- Napoleon Bonaparte