Drug Makers Hope to Kill the Kick in Pain Relief

NY Times ^ | April 20, 2004 | SANDRA BLAKESLEE

[CMOTB]

I have heard that the makers of Oxycontin didn't want to put an antagonist in the drug because it could cause a limit peak on how much pain it could relieve. There are many people in chronic pain that I think are willing to put up with an addiction if it is in relation to the relief of pain. If they live with pain the rest of their lives, I think the addiction is the least of their worries. New drugs that can do the same thing as the strong narcotics are coming and maybe we should just wait until then. And not let the abusers cause the ones who truly need these drugs to suffer.

[Monty22]

Addictive drugs all have *tolerance*. So in a month it takes a lot more than today. 2 months later, a LOT more. Eventually, no amount helps.

That's why it's bad. That's why research here is needed.

[RagingBull]

I think capsaicin is the substance that they want to use to cause the nasty burning sensation. It might be quite agreeable to people that love red pepper.

More true than you might realize. The body will release endorphins in response to pain. Endorphins are natural painkillers and produce a euphoria. People eat hot peppers, run, cut themselves, etc. to get that endorphin rush -- a "runner's high" or a "pepper high".

The capsaicin may actually be the wrong answer -- not only will you get the opiate euphoria, you might also get an endorphin euphoria.

[AntiGuv]

BTW, my only issue here is when perfectly law-abiding people who are unduly penalized in a multitude of ways by the hysterical quest to keep some relative handful from getting high. CMOTB neatly summarized my thoughts on this matter.

[Monty22]

If it were a handful, there'd be no problem.

It's a big problem.

Your libertarian anarchism does not change this.

[AntiGuv]

It is a relative handful. About 5-10% to be precise according to this article.

[Monty22]

sigh.

Your agenda does not interest me.

I'm for addiction-free treatment without any highs.

Just relief from pain.

Sorry that's such an issue for you. Goodbye.

[Ichneumon]

Your agenda does not interest me.

Then spare us from yours.

[AntiGuv]

And the actual number of concern is even less than that, since the 5-10% includes a significant number that don't do anything illegal. That number is closer to 2.5% (estimated at 6.2 million).

[AntiGuv]

Goodbye.

:'(

[Jorge]

A lot of people get addicted by medication now. I think it's wonderful that they can make non-addictive medication that'll kill pain but not produce any other effects. The best thing imaginable.

I don't know how well this will work.

I've noticed that the most effective pain killers don't seem to work primarily by deadening the pain at it's source, but rather by giving an overall numbed out, high feeling which comforts you most by giving a sensation of being detached from the source of the pain.

In other words, the pain is still there, but it seems far away. That is the high feeling, and I think if you take that away, the drug will be much less effective when it comes to pain relief.

[LisaMalia]

My surgeon gave me Vicodin post back surgery a couple years ago. They told me it would make me "drowsy". Quite the contrary. I was up doing housework and working from my laptop 2 days after my surgery. I have never felt that kind of "high", and never want to again. Lord knows what damage I did to my back, since I was so euphoric at the time, and didn't get the rest I should have.

Thank goodness I had no refills, because I could have easily become addicted. I still have back pain, but I try to manage it without narcotics.

[Monty22]

Ask jorge and antiguv what's the deal though.

They are all druggie users.

And they will bitch and moan endlessly if you touch their golden calf with criticism.

[CMOTB]

I totally agree.
And feel that there will have to be a transition time from the newer non addictive drugs to replace the strong narcotics in use now.

[billhilly]

Thanks for posting that. I'm an older male, born in 1937, and I remember households such as ours, poor as Church Mice, having paregoric, liquid opiate and Codine, which was mashed up and mixed with water to help with pain relief.

Of course, in those days, doctor care was often not available, and no one wanted their kids or elderly parents suffering needlessly, therefore, I for one, am glad that we had them.

On the other side of the coin, I also remember my mother telling me that a particularly gaunt and unhealthy neighbor was addicted to Opium.

"The more things change, the more they stay the same."

[Jorge]

BTW, Ultram, aka tramadol, is a semi-synthetic opiate, and a relatively small number of folks have become addicted to it, IIRC. It does have abuse potential.

I have used ultram/tramadol and found though it didn't quite the "high" feeling of vicodin or percocet, it does have addictive qualities.

I noticed that after taking it for a couple of days, I would go through similar withdrawal symptoms.

[neverdem]

See comment# 34. I was thinking about mentioning "runner's high", etc., but I wanted to keep it brief.

[AntiGuv]

I don't use any drugs besides Bayer 81mg children's aspirin and a glass of red wine every other month or so. Dumb***.

[AntiGuv]

Oh, and green tea with ginseng. *gasp!*

[LisaMalia]

I wouldn't pass judgement on anyone. I know how bad the pain can be. Whatever gets you through it.