Thank you for being a valued part of the CNET community. As of December 1, 2020, the forums are in read-only format. In early 2021, CNET Forums will no longer be available. We are grateful for the participation and advice you have provided to one another over the years.

Thanks,

CNET Support

General discussion

About a treatment for opioid addiction.

Apr 11, 2018 6:59PM PDT
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43420999
Some years ago one of the Law and Orders featured a legal-in-Europe treatment that sounded like this. One-time, guaranteed release from craving. I don't know if it was this, or a screenwriter's invention.
Interesting. One side effect is sudden death, but that's true of many of the legal drugs we're presented with in TV ads.
One stat, though, is 19 deaths in 20 years; another is 'there were more deaths from methadone'.
The new ebola vaccine was used 'pending approval' or some such under
> emergency conditions
> in a third-world environment
> when several medics had already succumbed [although it didn't save Dr Singh].
And, opioid overdoses occur usually in habitual users, not in a child walking through the bush.
The expense is not trivial, and the US has already several expensive projects on its hands. It's ironic that one of those is the war for security of the homeland.

Discussion is locked

- Collapse -
where does Percocet fit into that?
Apr 11, 2018 7:09PM PDT

Have to take it for 2 weeks after surgery this past Tuesday.

- Collapse -
https://www.rxlist.com/percocet-drug.htm
Apr 11, 2018 9:46PM PDT

says it's oxycodone and acetominaphen. That makes it opioid. Tough it out; use as little as possible; resist temptation to refill. And to refill your bank account on the mean streets of Baltimore, where you would be welcomed by users and undercover alike..
IMO naproxen OTC should be tried instead. After a day or so. My Rx from the VA is 375 mg. If OTC is weaker, double up. My body weight is ~180 for reference.
My doc says I should be 7" taller; working on it.

- Collapse -
Trying again to reply.
Apr 11, 2018 10:12PM PDT

It's opioid. Be careful. I recommend trying naproxen after the first couple of days. NSAID, OTC.

- Collapse -
Advil seems to work better
Apr 12, 2018 9:40AM PDT

When I hurt my back 30 years ago in AF they gave me Codeine and I didn't like that either, it put what I called "cobwebs" in my brain when using it.

- Collapse -
And a point there is, it works for you.
Apr 14, 2018 6:43PM PDT

Plenty of room for safe experimentation among the OTCs, before we get to the hard stuff.
Remember, in painkiller tests using terminal cancer patients, the standard is still aspirin.

- Collapse -
Sounds like back or joint replacement surgery
Apr 12, 2018 2:11AM PDT

I had to take a similar med after back surgery years ago. If you're like me and probably most other people, you'll want to get off of that stuff as soon as you can. The terrible side affects are not worth the few minutes of euphoria you might (or might not) experience after taking the medicine. Listen to your brain and use common sense as a guide. AFAIK, there is nothing in the instructions that require you to take the medicine at all as you'll usually be given an incremental suggestion followed by "as needed". If you find yourself craving the drug too soon before the next dose is due and the pain level is less than 10, you could be vulnerable to becoming addicted. If you can extend the period between doses, by all means, do so. Good luck.

- Collapse -
umbilical hernia repair
Apr 12, 2018 9:23AM PDT

about size of my fist. I don't know how anyone could actually WANT the Percocet. I switched to Advil last night and had better sleep than the night before. Have huge compression band on top of bandaging. Can't shower till Saturday, just change underwear. 2 hours surgery, 2 hours in recovery, and took all day for the general anesthesia to completey wear off. Wife drove me home, and here with me this week. Trying hard NOT to cough. I kept thinking of "The Rock" and Nicholas Cage, "I'm gonna gut you like a fish boy...."

So, taking it easy for awhile it seems. It had ruptured, bled out about pint and half of blood in Florida and I came back to Maryland after it was taped up tight, to get surgery here "in area" and where someone could care for me during recovery.

- Collapse -
Did it affect your vision at all?
Apr 12, 2018 9:37AM PDT

My visions been a bit more blurry since the operation. Hope that goes back to normal soon. Great hospital in Rockville, Shady Rock Adventist Medical Center. Even had regular prayers for all patients over loudspeaker too! Recliner type rolling chairs which is better than most hospitals use, those standard type wheel chairs. Very attentive personnel and great care while there. Everyone seemed happy working there too, very kind people. Time heals all wounds they say, but will take a few weeks for this I guess. See surgeon again in 2 weeks when I can remove the compression bands, I hope.

- Collapse -
What I had way hydrocodone
Apr 14, 2018 5:13PM PDT

which is a close relative to Percoset and also contains the 325mg of acetaminophen. Actually, I needed to be sedated in order to have the MRI as the pain from my ruptured disc was so intense that I couldn't hold still for the 30 or so minutes needed for the scan. After the surgery, I took hydrocodone along with a couple of other meds such as a muscle relaxer. Blurry vision isn't something I remember but, after the surgery, my eyes burned a bit. This lasted less than a day and I think it's due to dryness in the eye caused by the anaesthesia. It does sound as though you found a good hospital. I've been fortunate in that I've spent a lot more time visiting patients than being one. The medical staff has always been wonderful and this goes even for those who clean the rooms. I've been impressed.

- Collapse -
Percocet
Apr 12, 2018 8:08AM PDT

I was given a script for that stuff years ago.

It took me about 3 days to figure out if I never wanted to have a bowel movement again continue using that stuff.

It went right in the trash.

YMMV.

- Collapse -
I'll keep that in mind
Apr 12, 2018 9:26AM PDT

Been 2-3 days with no BM. Eating some prunes, orange juice, and only soft food like "cream of this or that" soup.

- Collapse -
I'm afraid you're both wrong.
Apr 12, 2018 1:18PM PDT

Big Pharma says opioids are safe, effective and without side effects.
In case of sudden death, call your lawyer.

- Collapse -
Not exactly correct
Apr 14, 2018 5:18PM PDT

For every side affect, there's another pill to take. Of course, it has side affects too so...more pills for that. It's like a falling rock that loosens two or more on it's way down and loosened ones continue until we have a cascade. In case of the meds, the cascade is in the form of cash for some people.

- Collapse -
My story on that is from a schizophrenic friend.
Apr 14, 2018 6:48PM PDT

The effective med stops the voices, but comes with side effects. As you say, there are meds for those - which have street value. So, you sell those, the side effects get ugly, you stop taking the main med, and ... "Look, Mommy, that man is talking to himself."