DEAR DR. GOTT: I greatly enjoy your column and have learned much through it. Some time ago, you ran an article from a reader who asked if body piercings could affect a person’s health, and you gave a list of medical procedures and appropriate tests. I think you missed an important possibility. In my experience, the young lady who would not go for counseling or testing is most likely addicted to prescription drugs. The symptoms described are common in withdrawal from opiates (which feels like the worst flu you’ve ever had). Kidney stones are often invoked ways of getting pain relievers. The frequency of the “illnesses” probably means she’s running out of medicine before it’s time to refill her prescription. The parents should check this out and may want to arrange an intervention to get her into rehab. Her lack of motivation could also be due to amotivational syndrome, not uncommon in longtime marijuana users. I hope this helps.
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Drug addiction could be cause of illness
Addiction hard to kick
DEAR DR. GOTT: I took Tramadol for years for osteoarthritis pain and found if I were late for a dose, I would start getting flu-like symptoms. I was taking three 50-milligram doses a day. Finally, with my doctor’s help, I tapered off totally but began having awful nasal allergies and constant water running out of my head. One night, because I was sick and hurting, I took two of the leftover Tramadols and, lo and behold, by morning I felt terrific. I’m 66 years old and started taking one Tramadol a day to try to keep the allergies away, but I feel better if I take two of them. My doctor doesn’t seem concerned one way or the other, but I want to know why I cannot stop taking the drug. I cannot find anything on the subject anywhere. It doesn’t seem to help the pain much, but I cannot stop taking it. HELP!
DEAR READER: Tramadol is an opiate agonist, a narcotic-like pain reliever used to treat moderate-to-severe pain. In the United States, it is marketed as Ultram, Rybix, Ultracet containing acetaminophen or Ryzolt; in Canada, Ralivia; in Mexico, Durodor Retard and Trexol. The regular tablet is generally taken every four to six hours. The extended-release tablet should be taken once daily.
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Smoking habit is harmful
DEAR DR. GOTT: Please write an article on smoking.
DEAR READER: Smoking is the most common form of drug addiction in the United States. In fact, according to the American Cancer Society, studies have determined that nicotine in tobacco products is as addictive as alcohol, cocaine and heroin. Cigarette smoke is a complex blend of such chemicals as cyanide, formaldehyde, acetylene, benzene, methanol and ammonia. Using any form of tobacco causes the combination to reach the brain within seconds, where it works on the central nervous system to provide a seemingly pleasant, relaxing, satisfying sensation. Furthermore, those enjoyable effects wear off rapidly, so the smoker reaches for yet another cigarette or nicotine-containing product to maintain that euphoric “high.” And so it goes. [Read more...]
Take first step to detox
DEAR DR. GOTT: I am writing to you with a very serious problem that I have not seen addressed before, yet must plague a great number of people.
I am addicted to narcotics. The drugs have been prescribed to me for chronic pain (spinal) and I have used them regularly for 2 years.
I feel they are no longer necessary and would prefer some other form of pain therapy; however, I cannot stop taking them without extreme physical sickness from the withdrawal.
It is to the point now that I take the medicine (Oxycontin and Percocet) to stave off the withdrawal sickness instead of for the pain. I never intended or expected this to happen. Would you please inform me as to the proper regimen to follow which will eventually leave me drug free and not addicted?
Please help!
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