On Rush

I have some perspective on the allegations that Limbaugh abused prescription painkillers.

See, Rush and I share a debilitating inner-ear problem that left both of us deaf. In my case the diagnosis was bilateral Meniere's disease; in his it was autoimmune inner-ear disease (AIED). These are closely related, only recently were separated into separate diagnoses, and may well be different manifestations of similar disorders. Not enough is known about them to say for sure. They are distinguished primarily by swiftness of onset. In lucky individuals such as Rush and myself, a cochlear implant can restore hearing. We even have the same doctors.

In addition to hearing loss, inner-ear disease can produce unpredictable episodes of absolutely terrifying vertigo that leaves the victim lying on the floor, clutching the carpet to hang on for dear life. Pertinently, they can cause an exquisitely crystalline pain in the inner ear. It is thought that fluid pressure imbalance in the cochlea is at the root of all this havoc. But no one knows for sure.

I deal with this every day. I manage it with anti-inflammatories-- Relafen for a long time, Motrin, naprosyn. I've been on heavy-duty courses of prednisone many times. Evil stuff. Lately I've found that good old-fashioned aspirin is sufficient for keeping things under control most days, but there are times when nothing works. Allergies, fatigue and viral infections cause flare-ups. It's absolutely critical that I inject myself with allergy antigens on a set schedule.

Now, someone with the above profile who also happened to be a high-powered media mogul would present a perfect profile for painkiller addiction. And they would have my wholehearted sympathies. When your inner ear is on a rampage, you want to bash your own head in with a sledgehammer.

In other words, the allegations have a certain believability. There are puzzlements, of course: early reports had the maid speaking of dealing to Rush in New York, but he's been a Florida resident for some years. And what sort of deal would keep the maid from being prosecuted herself? If an eager prosecutor targeted Rush for reasons of his deliciously high political profile and celebrity quotient, that is just evil.

And this is the problem with the war on drugs: it criminalizes victimless behavior that is at worst self-destructive and, in this case, something quite easy to sympathize with. I mean, the poor man. He's lost his hearing to a mysterious and relentless progressive disorder, is quite possibly afflicted with episodes of searing pain, and yet he soldiered on to become the first deaf radio talk-show host, and a brilliant one at that.

The war on drugs is like Prohibition, but with unconstitutionality piled on top of futility. I hope this awful episode awakens the libertarian in Rush. The WOD is an abomination.

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

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

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

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.

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