Painkillers

Originally Posted by Silvergirl

I think it's bad to make people who have pain feel guilty for taking them or make them worry that they might become addicted or 'habituated' to them. And I feel there are always some sort of 'exercises' that a person can do to lessen their pains, one just has to experiment or do research about that.

I completely agree!
This is one of these things which is entirely down to the individual to decide upon, there's no problem if someone feels that their quality of life is improved - if that's the case then they should.

Personally, I no longer to try to take them, I can't actually remember the last time I used paracetamol or ibuprofen. However, I don't have any serious health complaints or issues that need addressing.
The only thing I suffer from is stiff joints and swollen, crampy muscles. Instead of using painkillers when it gets particularly bad, I instead decided to try Glucosamine Sulphate (as recommended by people on this very forum!). It's made with natural ingredients, so I felt a bit better about taking it, although since the weather has been improving, my symptoms have been getting better also.

It's good to try different remedies, natural or otherwise, to find what suits you best. So long as it helps you, that's really all that matters.

Over perscribed, over depended on, over rated.

I belive there are very few pepole who actualy need them. IF you are truley in constant pain, and if they help that is great, and I wouldnt w ant to condem the responsible use of them.


I dont take them myself and I suffer from migraines and have a pintched nerve in my back, even when the pain makes me tear up. When I do actualy take something ( usualy after a week long mingraine, or back pain), I take ibprofin, or aleive. No tylonol, no perscroption meds. Even after my knee sugery they offered me perks, which i declined.


ITs just to easy to use them as a crutch. Have a head ache? Use pills!! Tired? Use pills!!!!! Have a dependancy on pills? Take more pills!!!! Some times the headache can be from a lack vitamins, or sleep, or not eating, and we mask that with medication, same with some body aches.

We shouldnt even bee spending billions on medication to mask the problem, it should be billions helping people live the proper lifestyle so many of the things that are attibuted to pain are stopped before they start and actualy curing the problem or pain.

Originally Posted by Silvergirl

Sigh, ER's are not the most compassionate places I hear. I could tell you a story or two about people I know that got treated not so nice for no good reason. That is a crying shame.

The ER is usually ok, they tend to just go ahead and give me something. Its the admission/hospitalists that get assinine about pain relief. Last time I was in, the day I was to be discharged they refused me anything saying that since I would be going home they didn't want me on narcotics. The problem is "going home" takes no less than 4 hours from the time the doctor decides to discharge me, so if she had given me something when she saw me to tell me this, it would have been out of my system before I walked out the door.

In my experience, pills are bad. They open doors to dangerous rooms, and once you've found your way in, oftentimes the doors slam shut behind you.

I'm a recovering addict. Trauma, chronic pain, and other things of the like are already complicated enough without placing a bottle of temptation - or potential temptation - within arm's reach.

When my Wiccan mother found out about my addiction to painkillers, she threw all sorts of healing at me from quite a few directions. My house is filled with charged gemstones, she's made me protective jewelry, she keeps an alter in my office, and I get more healing vibes from her and her gaggle of friends than I know what to do with. It's made a very positive change in my otherwise bleak life. I began working a Twelve-Step program - replacing "God" with "Higher Power" or "Universe" - and really felt things change for the better, and the more clean time I rack up, the more in touch with the Universe I've become.

So no, I don't think painkillers are a good idea, unless every other option is ruled out first. The evils they can bring are rarely worth it.

I personally don't use them. Those I know who do, depend on them for pain relief. I sympathize with all you who suffer from pain, I would be inclined to try more natural remedies, as all prescription drugs have side effects, and long term use can harm your liver. The big drug companies make billions on them, I think that's what it's all about.

[Squatchit]

Originally Posted by primrose

The big drug companies make billions on them, I think that's what it's all about.

I agree, if a quick fix can be found then it will be used. I've gone the holistic 'it will take time' route and it just doesn't work with pain. Pain needs to be treated immediately. I'm not talking about toothache. I'm talking about pain. Pain that stops you in your tracks.

[blackraven]

Originally Posted by Squatchit

I have a love/hate relationship with painkillers.

Ordinarily, I hate them because I believe they mask what's really going on.

Practically I love them because they take away the immediate pain.

I spent most of today in sharp pain until I took strong painkillers. I now feel relaxed, mellow and normal.

What's your views about painkillers?

Squatchit - I think if you're in serious pain that causes you great grief than pain-killers can be a God-send for short stints. But I do think you have to ask yourself if you are really in serious pain before reaching for the bottle. My father-in-law has his doctor filling a vicodin every month and he takes them almost daily like candy. I believe he uses them to dull the pain of missing his deceased wife. He tells me when he takes them he is "high" and can sleep all day and have crazy dreams. So he basically checks out. Someone must have talked to him about being addicted to them because he has admitted to being dependent on them and wanting to kick them. It's sad too because he used to clean his house, take walks outside in his 2 acre yard and do yard work and now all he does is stay in the bed. He's a shell of the person he used to be because of vocodin.

Blackraven