Drug Makers Hope to Kill the Kick in Pain Relief

NY Times ^ | April 20, 2004 | SANDRA BLAKESLEE

[Monty22]

Me too, I've had very severe pain and had to resort to hydrocodone. I wish there were more options. Thankfully I simply took the amount prescribed, and didn't have a problem.

Apparently though, the ideal of making drugs that cause a high to be harder to get is a real problem with some people, sadly.

They want to fill the emotional blankness with the drug. Not stop the pain.

[Jorge]

I'm for addiction-free treatment without any highs. Just relief from pain.

I a way I agree, but not 100%.

In some cases I believe the "high" is just as important as a psycholical relief from mental depression/anxiety etc. associated with the disease or injury causing the pain, as the actual physical pain relief is.

I don't see what's wrong with a person who's had some traumatic injury that's scared the crap out of them and put them in a state of mental trauma as well, not only to get the effects of relief from the physical pain but also the psycholical relief of the "high" to help them switch to a "everything's going to be alright" state of mind.

I think the "high" is just as important as the pain relief when if comes to dealing with some conditions.

[AntiGuv]

Sorry for calling you a dumb***. Don't call me a druggie. BTW, I have chronic pain in my left leg and could easily get narcotics prescribed if I wanted. I don't because I can't think clearly enough to write well on them. I am not a druggie by any stretch. A double espresso would probably do me in..

[Monty22]

The 'high' is an emotional situation, not anything related to physical.

For emotional trauma, they can get treatment tuned for it, such as antidepressants that are effective.

This pro-high talk is insane, and the most anti-moral thing I've ever heard.

But, since you're a 20 year pothead you said, what can I expect since that's your crutch in life?

[Jorge]

"Celebrex and Ultram are great."

Sure. But it would be nonsensical to think that they--especially Celebrex--have the analgesic potency of opiates.

Ultram actually IS an opiate. (synthetic)

[Monty22]

From my experience, pro-druggies are the same as pro-islam people. They are knee deep into it, and have an agenda.

I know it's not always the case, sometimes it's just ignorance. But the trend is clear.

[lucidloony]

Why don't you get your self righteous nose out of other peoples lives.

[wingnuts'nbolts]

Somewhere I read a report that said people who take pain killers do not become addicted if they really have pain. Only people taking pain killers for fun do! Huh? I have pain. I cannot get pain pills to stop the pain! I could become addicted! But, I won't because I can't get them! I will suffer alot, which is good, it is not addicting.

[AntiGuv]

Well, in my case I am not a druggie (or ignorant, but let's leave that aside). I had a short period of Percocet addiction after surgery in 1997 and a nasty withdrawal, if that makes you happy.. =)

[Monty22]

So.. You'd rather not find a non-addictive replacement for percocet?!!?

[wingnuts'nbolts]

Worse yet, these drugs Celebrex and Vioxx attack the kidneys! So, they cannot be taken regularly! Sporatically, maybe, if only you could get a Doctor to perscribe and believe that you do not want kidney problems and will take the drug sparingly.

[AntiGuv]

Geeezz.. I don't have a problem with researching and marketing non-addictive painkillers. I think it's a great idea!!

I have a problem with (a) frequently inadequate pain management that causes unnecessary suffering for many people; (b) the peripheral institutions of authoritarian coercion & control that have been built up around the Prohibition War; and (c) the immense amount of money wasted in misguided policies in that endeavor, that could be put to far better use.

I basically think that the objectives can be better achieved to the extent they can be achieved by much preferable methods. If I have any problem with this proposal above, it is more so in what motivates it and how it's likely to get implemented than certainly anything about the product itself.

[CMOTB]

I think that the point is that none of the current drugs are as of yet a replacement for the strong narcotic pain management drugs. And until there is a "psudo-narcotic" that can fool the brains dopamine receptors, there will be no replacement for them. Being someone who had to take them after I hurt my back so bad I was prenatally in tears, I thank God for creating this plant with such medicinal value.
My grandmother had cancer and was in such pain that she couldn't stand it. And still the doctors were reluctant to prescribe a strong pain med. And it was a fatal illness. And they worried about addition? She finally went to hospice and the were able to give morphine to keep her comfortable in her last days..

Sorry for my digressing, I tend to go on sometimes :)

[CMOTB]

Oops I meant practically in tears. Maybe those narcotics have effected my spelling. (major sarcasm)

[Monty22]

I hear what you are saying.

Pain sucks. But, people made it how many hundreds of thousands of years?

Now we have medications that are flawed. We need to work on fixing it so it'll fix the problem. For the terminally ill.. Well, give them what they need. Frankly, just euthanize them first. Why make them suffer at all for a few days/weeks?

I'd rather them just pass instead of a drugged/pain haze.

[CMOTB]

Thats a matter of religious belief. She considered life to be kept as a gift from God. And was grateful for the blessings in her life, and let God decide when it was time. And God didn't want any of us to suffer, I believe thats why these and future meds are possible.

[Jorge]

The 'high' is an emotional situation, not anything related to physical.

Actually they go hand in hand.

Anyone who has been treated for extreme pain with these drugs WILL tell you that the emotion situation of the trauma related to the pain was VERY MUCH helped by the "high" that went along with the pain relief.

This helped calm them psycholically and countered the fear and anxiety..which was an important part of the relief and healing process.

For emotional trauma, they can get treatment tuned for it, such as antidepressants that are effective.

With all due respect, this shows how little you know about medications and their safe use.

Antidepressants are stimulants which have the opposite effect of pain killers and could be dangerous if used in combination with them.

NO Doctor would prescribe antidepressants in combination with pain killers. That would be stupid.

This pro-high talk is insane, and the most anti-moral thing I've ever heard.

We're talking about SUFFERING here. Both physical and mental when it comes to many conditions, diseases or injuries.

When you are so upset that people going through such things might feel any kind of "high" as part of their relief from suffering...I hardly thing this gives you the moral high ground.

Most of us who've had loved ones go through the suffering of cancer etc. are only too glad to see them not only get relief from the physical pain but to be able to feel GOOD for a change...

But, since you're a 20 year pothead you said, what can I expect since that's your crutch in life?

Let me give you some advice;
You're not going to win anybody to your point of view by making personal attacks.

Secondly if you're going to bring up someone's personal life, at least be honest about it.

I said I WAS a real pothead for 20 years. From the time I was 15 years old until my mid 30's. I am turning 50 years old and am no longer a pothead. Not for a LONG time.

I was honest enough to reveal my past. You should be honest enough not to distort it in order to malign me anytime I disagree with you.
Fair enough?

[Ken H]

For the terminally ill.. Well, give them what they need. Frankly, just euthanize them first. Why make them suffer at all for a few days/weeks?

Why don't you let that decision be up the the patient and their physician?

I'd rather them just pass instead of a drugged/pain haze.

How about you keep your big fat nose out of other people's business.

[Monty22]

As a 20 year admitted pothead, I'll just ignore anything you ever say.. Fair enough?

[zook]

I figure that after suffering through a really bad migrain, I deserve a buzz from my medication.