Dear CURIOUS and to anyone else who would like to understand the
difference between Drug Addiction and Drug Dependence. There is a big
difference between the two. First of all, Drug Addiction is a physical
and psyclological dependence on a drug for something other than medical
purposes. It is a behavorial problem which causes the person to crave
a drug. If for instance, a person ever experiences a high, a rush, or euphoria then he will probably end up addicted also. He will go
through withdrawal from the drug if stopped. Drug Dependence is
different. If you have the right "power" of mediction for your pain,
you will not experience a rush, a high, or euphoria. You will have pain relief. Say that the mediction is Pac Man. It comes into your
system and eats up the little dots, which in this case are pain dots.
If you take a medication that is not strong enough for your pain,
the pain mediction(Pac Man)will come in and maybe eat up a few pain
dots. You may experience a little relief. If say, you take a medication that is much stronger for your pain, it will come in like
Pac Man and eat up almost all the little pain dots and you will
experience a lot of pain relief. If say, that you take this
mediction on a constant basis, you will become drug dependent and
have withdrawals if you stop the mediciation abruptly. The difference
here is that you can be slowly tapered down on the medication and
then finally off if a cure or other mediction is ever found. Since you do not have a psycohological craving for the drug, you will have no problems in tapering off. And there lies the big difference between the two.
Unfortunately, most doctors believe in addiction and not in dependence. But the chances of someone becoming addicted to a drug they are taking for intractable chronic pain is one in 10,000.(Good
Housekeeping,l994)
Texas and California are the only two states at this time that have
some sort of Intractable Pain Law that helps cover doctors when they
give narcotics to those who need them.
So,in most cases, the doctor is in constant fear that his license
will be taken away or that his pratice will be looked into. This could
cause his practice to be shut down for several days at the least while
this is being done. So it's no wonder that most doctors will do any
thing to avoid this if they can. And one way is by not prescribing
strong narcotics. Fortunately, there are a few doctors that are willing to help those in intractable chronic pain and will give
the narcotics on a constant basis. Finding these doctors is the problem. I appauld any doctor that has the compassion to help those
of us in this circumstance. It takes strong dedication to his patients
and in many cases a fight with the legal system to help us. Many people in intractable pain are no longer with us because there was no
one there to help them.
I hope that in some way, this knowlege might be useful to you.
Denise <djolly8314@aol.com>
Midland, Tx. USA - Date: 11/02/98 (Mon)
Time: 02:30:37 AM
This mail is in reference to Barbaras mail. I just found this
site tonight. I just suffered from a migraine for the past day and
half. What a great way to spend the weekend! I suffer from what I
think is migraines before, during, and after my period each month.
Every month I know I will first one day get the migraine on my left
side and then the next day on my right side or vice versa. The pain
starts in my neck and shoulders and my neck muscles turn hard as a
rock. The pain then travels up over my head to my temple. It is
awful. I use Imitrex and Norgesic Forte. Neither really work for me.
I don't really like imitrex because it makes my chest tight when I take it. I was wondering if anyone has found a doctor or medication
for this same problem.
My friends, neighbors, and co-workers have a hard time understanding
this problem. Life is pretty much miserable with these migraines.
Good Luck to all of you!
Trish Voller <vollmers@jps.net>
Salt Lake City, UT USA - Date: 11/01/98 (Sun)
Time: 11:13:30 PM
I've been gone a few days from this journal. Anyone who would like a copy of the Des Moines Register regarding Dr. Horst Blume, please email me your address and I will send it. Maybe there is a way for us to show our support of Dr. Blume by writing to the State Medical Board. I don't know, I've never done anything like that, but maybe those of you who were/are his patients might have an idea. I was just treated the best ever by an ER doc last night. He dimmed the lights in the room, didn't shine that flashlight in my eyes, gave me demerol and then gave me a script for Stadol to have on hand. He didn't even question my misery! What a pleasant change. As a result I feel good today and am able to get a lot of things done that I have had to put off due to pain. Why can't all docs be so great?
Mary Jo <mdaniels@ncn.net>
IA USA - Date: 11/01/98 (Sun)
Time: 03:13:48 PM
To Chuck: I am very concerned about your doctor's medical knowledge since he has you on so much moriphine for your
migraines. It sounds very strange. Maybe you are having
rebounds and it is a wonder why being you are on moriphine
daily. If I were you I would check into that type of reasoning
that you doctor is doing about the moriphine. Very strange!
I personally know of no doctor who would prescribe such a
strong RX like that everyday!
Curious
USA - Date: 11/01/98 (Sun)
Time: 01:29:06 PM
Fellow Chronic Migraine Sufferers,
I started seeing one of the nations most reputable Pain Specialists in
July of this year. Prior to seeing him I had been on medical leave since
May. I returned to work shortly after seeing this Pain Doc. I have not
had to go the ER or my family Doc for a shot since July. Previous to
then I had been to the ER for narcotic pain shots 70 time and my family
doc 32 times all in a 11 week preiod. My doctor is William Hurwirtz and
his practive is in Mclean, Virginia. He has me taking large doses of
Morphine from 360mg to 1200mg a day; depending on the severity of pain.
I still have daily pain but am ble to control it with the Morphine.
The Morphine does not make me drowsy at any dose. I am ab;e to work,
take my Dad fishing and am once again a good husband, friend and lover
for my wonderful wife. In essence I have my life back. I have had 4
neuro docs, several family docs, 2 shrinks, a chiropractor and have undergone
2 surgeries, countless medication protocols and every test imaginable.
I even spent a week at the Diamond Headache Clinic in Chicago. In a last
ditch effort to save my life I contacted Dr. Hurwitz and he saved me.
He can save you too. If you are seriously interested in controlling your
pain he will help you. Contact him by email at drbill@drhurwitz.com or
by phone (703) 790-0880. He will respond personally and immediately, even
on weekends or at night. He is the most personable doctor I have ever known,
often calling me out of the blue to see how I am doing. He talks to
my wife or other family members who are concerned abot me taking opiods.
He cares and he can help. Call him if you need help. Contact me if you have
questions. I look forward to your response and hope you get the help
you need. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER ANYMORE. I NO LONGER SUFFER AFTER
25 YEARS! MY EMAIL IS LISTED HERE AND I WILL PROVIDE MY HOME PHONE NUMBER IF
YOU REQUEST IT BY EMAIL.
Chuck Raines <craine@ibm.com>
Reidsville, NC USA - Date: 11/01/98 (Sun)
Time: 12:08:34 PM
It's happening again, like it seems to happen each month lately, the headache that preceeds the onset of my period. It can range from almost non-perceptable to throbbing, and there is'nt much I can do about it. I just have to wait until it finally starts, and then pray that I don't get another bad one in the middle, or at end of my period. I wonder how many of us suffer this way each month? This is in addition to other migraines I may get during the month. My period coming is just one more factor, and makes it more likely that a bad headache will come on. Has anyone tried Zomig for menstrual migraines? I have heard that Zomig is very good at knocking this kind of migraine out of your system. I hate having my day messed up by feeling lousy because of a darned hormonal fluctutation. If anyone has had any luck, please post it here! I'll be looking forward to having some answers as to how good the results with Zomig are.
Barbara B
USA - Date: 11/01/98 (Sun)
Time: 11:29:58 AM
I discovered this site after an effort to find some other method or alternative of treating migraines on the net. I suffered a migraine attack yesterday, which required me to go to the emergency room for an injection of anti inflamatory. I have been suffering migraines since I was about 16, and am now 24, and my GP isn't very interested in finding out what is causing them, just prefers to prescribe drugs which don't do much except wipe me out for the rest of the day. I am wondering if anyone knows information on ways to find possible triggers as I cannot see anything obvious that is causing them.
I am thankful that I haven't had them anywhere near as bad as some of the entries I have read on here. I empathize with you in a big way. But I also want some answers that my GP isn't willing to give.
I am going to try eliminating certain foods from my diet to see if that will work, here's hoping it might be something like that.
Alison <ooli@xtra.co.nz>
Auckland, New Zealand - Date: 10/31/98 (Sat)
Time: 10:15:57 PM
