after the first 2 months, I no longer felt tired or any other effects from this medication except pain relief. the down part is that once you begin, good luck stopping. this has one of the if not The Worst withdrawals of any prescribed medication. (many detox centers that take in heroin addicts and other opiate addictions have refused to take those on methadone, citing the terrible withdrawals from doses over 25 mg.) That must always be a concern when starting this medication, as with any medical regime of course. and if you do not plan on remaining on it I would say do not start it..
but for me... it was the only solution. and the benefits very much outweighed the negative aspects. I was stuck in my bed... or if an attempt was made to go outside, chances were I'd end up rolling on some grass in pain. not what I envisioned my life - but it is what it is.
and so I've been taking this med for 8 plus years, and it has given my life back. no balling up in pain. and yes if I ever had to withdrawal it would be beyond awful physically... but I see it as a life-long medication treatment. because it works - when I started it there was no other avenue - and after the first few months any side effects were minimized or dissipated completely. Pain medication doesn't always mean drowsy and falling asleep and out of it. Like most opiates the side effects though minimal at the start for me, subside after a few months anyways. So the feeling when beginning pain meds doesn't last that long - so I hope people will keep that in mind when pain is at it's worst, that this is an option and doesn't mean you'll be perpetually "out of it".
I know many people are afraid of physical addiction to medications... a diabetic must take insulin to live... so why not analgesics with severe pain? I do not see it as a weakness, but as an avenue to regaining my life again. I just hope someone who's suffering greatly with this because their experience with morphine and other meds makes them fear that would be the extent of their life if taken daily - but for the most part, those side effects are transient, and go away over a short period of time.
and if I may comment on the furls of negative emails in the last few days.... I saw rudeness, nothing that I'd ever call 'remarks fueled by passion'. people were hurt, uncomfortable, and some people here were just plain self-righteous. may that be the end of that sort of thing here - here in a place that should be a safe place.
Jack
-------------------------------------------------- From: "Katie" <katie_scarlett67@hotmail.com> -------------------------------------------------- Sent: Thursday, January 29, 2009 10:08 AM
-- -------------------------------------------------- To: "Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS" <adhesions@mail.obgyn.net> Subject: Re: Passion and anger> I have to say, my husband has been amazing throughout all of this. I > can't begin to give him or my 2 boys (ages 14 & 11), enough credit. In > 4 years they have seen me go from extremely active and alive and bubbly > to ... well, whatever this stage is now. > > I still have a sense of humor and I try not to complain out loud very > much and I refuse to take prescription painkillers ... for now. But it > has definitely affected how much we travel, when we travel, what I can > and can't do with them physically, what we eat, and so on. > > I agree though, that if more men suffered from ARD, this would be making > national headlines and probably even getting government-funded research. > Especially if they got ARD in their penises! God forbid we sit idly by > and allow disfunction of THAT organ! (Although if it were to happen, I > could see millions of men lining up for the massages.) LMAO! > > Hugs to all, > Katie > > http://www.adhesions.org/forums/message.htm >