A Brief Thought About Pain Medications

I once had surgery, and was given a prescription of Tylenol-3. After taking one dose, the feeling of euphoria had me high as a kite: I felt like I was on the ceiling. Unnerved by the experience, I stopped taking the rest of the T-3s and suffered through the pain of healing.

A week after I healed, I took one more T3 and *didn't get the same feeling at all*. That only proves that codeine gives me a high tolerance after one dose.

For my current problem with insomnia and pain, I'll stick to gabapentin and baclofen at bedtime. There is no tolerance to either medication, and the risk of addiction is low. As well, moderate exercise makes the pain go away during the day.

During the day, sitting at the computer also tends to lead to pain. Frequent breaks away from my computer lead to toleration for pain. Most of my pain is due to sitting for too long in my chair. I find that taking a break at least once an hour helps reduce the pain.

When I walk too often, my left hip and left knee will start to bother me. Though, the pain subsides after reducing how fast I walk. My left shoulder joint also bothers me. It is most likely a combination of sleep position at night that leads to pain.

Baclofen relieves pain in my shoulder, and gabapentin reduces neurological pain. I used to take cyclobenzaprine but recently decided to change my medication because its use becomes less necessary after three weeks.

An added bonus is that baclofen use may reduce addiction cravings. As well, gabapentin helps improve sleep.

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Baclofen: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baclofen

Baclofen Alternative to reduce addiction cravings: https://plus.google.com/+RadhaSantadharma/posts/NVd5tR9WJ2j

Cyclobenzaprine: http://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-8888-8087/cyclobenzaprine-oral/cyclobenzaprine-oral/details

My blog posts on cyclobenzaprine: http://gandhara.blogspot.ca/search/label/cyclobenzaprine

Treatment Effects of Gabapentin for Primary Insomnia: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20124884

My blog posts on gabapentin: http://gandhara.blogspot.ca/search/label/gabapentin

Fuck Instant Relief (satire)

I do not understand why a person would rush into the arms of opiates when faced with pain, be it psychic or somatic. Something has gone horribly wrong with the ability to cope when at the first signs of an ache medicine is demanded.

While I understand the need for relief from extreme, nagging pain, it is a mystery to me to see people get high just because they can't stand the pain of loneliness.

If I turned to a drug for the temporary aches and pains, then I wouldn't be here to write about it. For I'd be too busy enjoying it, unaware of a well-lived life without drugs.

Is a life any more lived when most of the time one is out of it due to a narcotic?

Even though I am naîve to narcotics, I know that it is easier to exercise to release the body's endorphins, because despite the lack of instant relief, it is a natural and refreshing way of coping.

Perhaps because of my years of meditation, it's easier to cope with pain. Even though there is a twinge of pain, I don't seek instant relief. Instead, I have learned to accept pain on its terms.

If that twinge didn't go away, I'd probably reach for the acetominophen. If it lasted a day, then I'd probably book an appointment with my doctor. However, because of those natural painkillers, even though the pain is still there, it is less intense than it was on waking.

That proves to me that the pain wasn't due to an injury or a life-threatening illness. As for the pain of loneliness, I don't have time to whine. Life is too short to cry about how horrible it is.

So why would I need an opiate? My body is releasing them as I write. The pain is gone.

Fuck instant relief.