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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Fenny3 on October 29, 2002, at 19:01:31
If it's not appropriate please let me know...
Fenny
Posted by joy on October 29, 2002, at 22:36:35
In reply to Can I ask about methadone here?, posted by Fenny3 on October 29, 2002, at 19:01:31
I know some people take it for migraines. I think it is appropriate to inquire, and I believe it is legal in many places.
Joy
Posted by Ed O`Flaherty on October 31, 2002, at 2:58:31
In reply to Re: Can I ask about methadone here?, posted by joy on October 29, 2002, at 22:36:35
Methadone is a very powerful opiate with strong addictive properties.It is excellent for relief of severe pain.It would not normally be used for migraine because it is so addictive.It is mostly used as a heroin replacement in addicts.Fatal dose is as low as 40mg for those who are not addicted.Try another neurologist for an opinion of how to treat your migraine if it is very severe.
Posted by Festus on October 31, 2002, at 22:13:10
In reply to Re: Can I ask about methadone here?, posted by Ed O`Flaherty on October 31, 2002, at 2:58:31
Howdy Folks,
In regards to Methadone being highly addictive,I think it would be fair to say that ANY C-2 drug would be considered highly addictive.Those drugs are classified by the DEA as the ones that are most likely to be so.A lot of the Opiates,ADHD stims,and a few barbituates fall into this class.I find Methadone to be less likely to cause a "buzz" or high than,say,Oxycodone or Morphine.It will definitely cause a physical addiction,much different than a phsychological one.It is a very powerful pain killer.I have posted several times on Methadone here and have gotten little or no replies.I don,t see much about Opiates on this forum.is there a reason? Festus
Posted by BrittPark on November 1, 2002, at 11:38:04
In reply to Re: Can I ask about methadone here?, posted by Festus on October 31, 2002, at 22:13:10
I've started a couple of threads about opioids for depression. They have usually dwindled to nothing in a short time. A few posts from people successfully using opioids and a few obligatory "Are you crazy you'll become addicted." posts. The subject of opioids seems to be almost taboo, which, I suppose, is not surprising, given the "war on drugs" mentality that has infected the US. It's still disappointing. Research into the use of opioids for mental illness is sadly lacking also. To my knowledge there have been no more than 1/2 a dozen reports (all positive) about the use of opioids in the last 20 years.
BTW I've been taking one Vicodin 5/500 daily for many months, and it helps significantly with my hard to treat depression and anxiety. I think my depression might disappear if I were taking Vicodin t.i.d or even q.i.d. but I'm afraid of tolerance developing. There have been reports on PB of people taking relatively high doses of opioids for depression, without any tolerance development. I'm just not sure I'd be one of them.
Posted by Festus on November 1, 2002, at 22:17:12
In reply to Re: Can I ask about methadone here? » Festus, posted by BrittPark on November 1, 2002, at 11:38:04
I find this to be a very educational forum,but fail to understand the lack of posts about Opiods but dozens of posts about Stims.(They are BOTH DEA Class-2 drugs)There appears to be more than half of all the threads are about anti-depressants.Is there a reason for that? Festus
Posted by judy1 on November 2, 2002, at 9:43:12
In reply to Re: Can I ask about methadone here?, posted by Festus on November 1, 2002, at 22:17:12
I'm writing to 'Meow Mary' about opiates for depression, they have been quite successful for me. As far as methadone, I agree with the previous poster that it is just as addictive as many other drugs (including psychotropics that are not schedule 3s). It does not produce a high (I'm on morphine but have tried methadone in the past), and if it works for migraine pain, I say go for it. take care, judy
Posted by lostsailor on November 5, 2002, at 14:43:20
In reply to Re: Can I ask about methadone here? » Festus, posted by judy1 on November 2, 2002, at 9:43:12
for some reason i can't help but wonder if the discussion that is going on really has to do with the inital thread. Perhabs, a person with a mental illness and chemical addiction were wondering if this was a place he could toalk about his med rejime.
Also, I am curious how and in which sates they are being used. I am BP, with severe panic/ agorapohia and gad/ I take 60 mgs of valium or 10 of xanax depending on symptomatic needs at time (klonopin and ativan did not help). I take mood stabelizors and anti deps. Stimulant are no no according to my logic and doc that i am to nervous to beifit in the depression area. He is liberal, but we have never discussed opiate except when given by orthopod and reduction of benzos for time being. Is there more about opiates that doc and I have not looked at???
Posted by BrittPark on November 5, 2002, at 16:17:56
In reply to Re: Can I ask about methadone here?all, posted by lostsailor on November 5, 2002, at 14:43:20
There are lots of different opioids ;) Only two have been studied for the treatment of depression in recent years: buprenorphine and tramadol. There are a (small) number of psychiatrists who use opiods in treatment. I've heard of oxycodone, vicodin, even morphine being used. My psychiatrist was unaware of the use of opioids in depression, and he's considered to be one of the best psychopharmacologists in the S.F. bay area.
<rant not directed at anyone>
Historically however opioids have been used to treat depression. Before the rise of antidepressants there were 4 medical treatments for depression, opiates, stimulants, Shock treatments, and insulin shock treatment, the last two rather unpleasant. Opiates and Stimulants were both effective but naturally enough usually pooped out quickly.
The real shame is that essentially no research is being done on opioids in psychiatry. Given a political climate that gives us a "war on drugs" it's not surprising that grant proposals for antidepressant use of opioids are unlikely to be funded.From a scientific point of view this is ridiculous. Endogenous opioids are clearly implicated not only in pain perception but in regulation of mood. To ignore a whole branch of neurochemistry in the search for treatments for mental illnesses is scandalous. The logic seems to be along the lines of "If insulin got non-diabetics high, there would be no research into diabetes."
There was an antidepressant marketed in Europe called amineptine (the one and only selective dopamine reuptake inhibitor). Not only did the FDA not approve it for the USA but it used its political muscle to force European countries to remove amineptine from the market. Why? Because amineptine had the unwanted side-effect of making "normal" people feel better.
I note also that in the 50 years or so since the first antidepressants were discovered, no new antidepressant has been found to be better than those that have gone before. Yes their side-effect profiles have gotten better, but the efficacy of all antidepressants is statistically the same. Could it be the narrow focus on NE and Serotonin systems at the expense of dopamine, opioid, cannabinoid systems?
</rant>Everbody feel better (by whatever means),
Britt
Posted by judy1 on November 5, 2002, at 17:26:02
In reply to Re: Can I ask about methadone here?all » lostsailor, posted by BrittPark on November 5, 2002, at 16:17:56
Posted by shar on November 7, 2002, at 23:33:34
In reply to Re: Can I ask about methadone here?all » lostsailor, posted by BrittPark on November 5, 2002, at 16:17:56
This is the end of the thread.
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