On Rush

Exclusive to FR ^ | 2 October 2003 | RightOnTheLeftCoast

[MarkL]

Whoa-- hydrocortisone is NOT a painkiller. It is an anti-inflammatory steroid. Take it the wrong way (such as taking a bunch at once to "finish the bottle" or fail to taper and sequence long-term doses properly), adrenal hemorrhage can kill you. Steroid drugs are some you do NOT want to take without a doctor's close supervision. Please take what I'm telling you VERY seriously.

He probably meant "hydrocodone." I can't imagine anyone "enjoying" a cortisone, especially prednisone. You're not kidding about it being a bad thing, but then its' side effects are trivial compared to the fact that the stuff keeps me alive...

I've been taking prednisone since about 1985, in doses ranging from 10 - 50 mg a day. I've got Crohns disease, and it's the only thing that can keep it under check. It's played hell with my body, but I have to take it. It really is a miracle drug, but with some very serious consequences.

Mark

[MarkL]

I had the exact opposite reaction to hydrocodone. I just recently had a c-section and my doctor gave me the hydrocodone to have for the pain once I got out of the hospital.

I thought I was just experiencing post-partum hormones, but it turned out the hydrocodone made me loopy. My skin itched, it gave me anxiety attacks and I had terrible insomnia. My dr. prescribed something else, but I opted to take a larger dose of Motrin for the pain. It didn't really help for the surgical pain, but it was better than being crazy from the medicine.

I know that I'm hypersensative to hydrocodone. If I have to take one for pain, I need to find a place to lie down for about 8 or 9 hours. I had them perscribed for pain of an extruded disk in my back, as well as for shingles. Luckily, I'm not "alergic" to it. I've heard that some people do have an alergic reaction to certain opiates. A radio talk show host was talking about just that sort of reaction to codene. He had to go to the hospital, and was saying how he was itching all over, and his airways actually begain to close.

Mark

[MarkL]

I don't remember hearing that, but it could certainly be true. It seems to me I've heard of a few sports guys who have had trouble with this kind of drug, they get so banged up. I remember hearing the Chevy Chase, the comedian, got into trouble with painkillers, as one of his trade marks was prat-falls. But it always looked to me like he wasn't really properly trained to do them, so no wonder he hurt himself!

The same thing happened with Jerry Lewis and Percodan.

Mark

[Ditter]

Thanks for tell us about your inner ear condition. I too suffer from inner ear disturbances but nothing as severe as yours. Allergy causes me to have dizzyness from time to time. Breathing certain chemicals & sprays will cause swelling in my inner ear & I am dizzy for a few days. Very agrivating but not serious I don't think.