3. Effective Pain Management
Non-opioid medications can be highly effective in managing various types of pain, including musculoskeletal pain, arthritis, and other long term issues. They are often recommended as first-line treatments for chronic pain conditions due to their proven efficacy.
NSAIDs and acetaminophen are safer for extended use when monitored appropriately.
Some non-opioid medications, like antidepressants or anticonvulsants, can target the underlying causes of certain types of chronic pain, such as nerve pain or inflammation. This can lead to more sustained pain relief compared to simply masking symptoms with opioids.
WAIT A SECOND! Thats the SECOND time you've mentioned Antidepressants whats up with that?
Now that's an interesting question and while I have questioned my own Dr’s about it, and been told, “Well its a well documented side effect…” I’m not 100% sure I understand, but let me give you my view.
You hurt, you've broken your legs 48 – 50 times, your arms are about the same. Youve had 3 Hip replacements, they recommend you replace both knees and both shoulders. Even my own Dr. has said “You're going to be dealing with this for the rest of your life, right now there is no cure in sight.” Now I’ll admit I prefer folks with an optimistic attitude, but I appreciate his honesty.
One day I was talking with one of my Physicians, man I have assembled a grade A roster of genius Doctors let me tell you! He was a Psychiatrist whom I called because I was afraid I might be sliding toward clinical depression. Trust me if you have ever been thre you know you don’t want to go back, the pain and destruction you bring to people you care about is IMMENSE.
After some in depth testing he said, “Well sir over every patient I have ever worked with you are the most BALANCED individual Ive ever met. If a patient ever had a reason to be depressed that would be YOU, but I see nothing!” Then he started talking to about neuopathic pain and did I suffer from it and maybe he can help.
I've had 4 Doctors and an ARNP try and explain what neuropathic pain is, and I still don’t understand completely.
WEBSTERS DEFINITION: Neuropathic: : damage, disease, or dysfunction of one or more nerves especially of the 
peripheral nervous system that is typically marked by burning or shooting pain, numbness, tingling, or muscle weakness or atrophy, is often degenerative, and is usually caused by injury, infection, disease, drugs, toxins, or vitamin deficiency
So if that clears it up for you HOORAH~! If not I dunno, I trust my Dr’s.
So he prescribed some very low volume Duloxetine prescription:
WEBSTERS DEFINITION: Duloxetine : a drug that functions as an SNRI and is administered orally in the form of its hydrochloride C18H19NOS·HCl especially to treat depression, anxiety, and chronic pain (such as that associated with fibromyalgia and peripheral neuropathy)
Now remember I called him because I thought I might be depressed, because almost every day between 3 – 5 pm I hit this huge wall. I get weepy I get tired I lose my motivation I just start feeling depressed. Like all good Drs he pressed further, “What else happens during that time?” Well on my current schedule ALL my pain killers tend to wear off about 1630 – 1700, but I take the refill at 1630. Apparently, although common sense seems to lead on to believe that a 30 = 60minute overlap should certainly be enough, he points out that Biochemistry doesn't work that was. While dumping a lot of medicine at once will indeed make me feel better, they wear off at different time and in different ARCs. So while one medicine will slowly taper off, another one just slam shut. This will help fill that gap.
HOLY MOLY, where has this been all my life, the last 2 years anyway…..
But if you think about it, it kind of makes sense, one of the reasons I excited about the whole “micro-dosing” experiments that are being conducted, although Im not a fan of “Special K”. Consider it though, part of the ‘cognitive interference’ that folks call a “high” from opiates is an increased or all encompassing sense of EUPHORIA. So, if they can trigger the pints in your brain that naturally create that same sense of EUPHORIA, then your pain levels would automatically come down, or be perceived as less. This isan observation based on personal experience, if it doesn’t fit your situation, I’m sorry.
Scientific Insight: A systematic review in the Annals of Internal Medicine concluded that non-opioid medications, such as NSAIDs and acetaminophen, are effective for managing chronic pain and should be considered as first-line therapy. This review provides a strong foundation for the use of non-opioid pain relievers in clinical practice.
For example, a study in The Lancet (2019) found that while NSAIDs do carry risks like gastrointestinal issues, these are generally manageable and less severe than the risks of long-term opioid therapy. Furthermore, newer formulations, such as COX-2 inhibitors like celecoxib, have been developed to reduce the risk of side effects, making them even safer for chronic pain management.
PERSONALLY the side effects from the COx2 inhibitors were so bad I took myself off them, wow just horrible, and Ive heard other suffered the same way,
Research published in Pain Medicine (2020) reported that long-term opioid use is linked to significant cognitive deficits, which can impact memory, attention, and problem-solving skills. Non-opioids like acetaminophen, on the other hand, allow patients to maintain mental clarity while effectively managing pain, making them an ideal choice for individuals who need to stay active and engaged.
