Posted by bsj on November 23, 2003, at 21:09:26
In reply to Re: Might Opiates in Moderation Fight Depresion?, posted by rxnurse on November 16, 2003, at 20:03:58
I'll say straight up that I take Wellbutrin plus 10mg of hydrocodone twice a day; I went through the antidepressant mill for five years before finding out how well hydrocodone works (including a stint on Adderall; I had to quit it because
I started having panic attacks).As for addiction: amphetamine (Adderall) is also considered an addictive drug, and in the two years I took it I had no problems. My dose was upped slightly around the 18 month mark because tolerance does occur--as it does with _all_
medications. I've yet to notice any tolerance at all with the hydrocodone, though, and it's been several months so far. The only drawback is that
hydrocodone causes physical dependence--then again, so do SSRIs and Effexor (I ended up in the ER when I went off Paxil--they thought I was a junkie going through withdrawal until my psychiatrist showed up; Paxil withdrawal
is nasty in the extreme).For some people there may be a danger of psychological addiction, but in some
cases opiates are simply as last resort to help restore someone's life. Without hydrocodone, I'd probably be dead, and that's no exagerration. The drug works for me with a minimum of side effects. Any psychiatrist who'd be reluctatant
to prescribe opiates for a refractory case because of addiction worries should have
his license revoked and be run out of town on a rail. Then I guess even among psychiatists there are those who believe one is better dead than addicted; it's part of the modern-day drug mythology.
poster:bsj
thread:280166
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/subs/20031014/msgs/283001.html