Side effects - How to cope with the long term effects of Opiod/Opiate Use?

[Panic_Upset]

Hi there,
I know there is probably a thread somewhere out there in regards to this but I wasn't able to find one that dealt with this directly. Jupiter, my dog, has been hopelessly in love with this horrible mistress for many years and has found her to be a wonderful lover but a terrible companion. Jupiter is mostly wheelchair bound now because when he was 15 he found out that he had rapid degeneration of the tissues in his spine. Now up there in the years, he has played with pretty much every opiate known to man, eah... I mean " Know to Dogkind". Anyways, he suffers from chronic constipation and occasional urinary retention due to the amount of daily intake. Jupiter, actually will not admit to how much he intakes because quite frankly is embarrassed to say. It is an amount that would put an opiate tolerant individual into a coma. He does have legit reasons for use (maybe not in the amount he is taking but..), because he suffers from chronic excruciating pain. To put it plainly, his spine is breaking down (or is it already broke down). Further More, He would like to hear how others deal with the long term side effects induced by long term opiate therapy. He has gone to many extremes including having to insert his own foley catheter to help beat the occasional urinary retention . Also, he uses laxatives, enemas, etc... to combat the chronic constipation. Please share how SWIY copes with their own long term side effects. I am desperate for suggestions, so please contribute your ideas to help this ol' dog out! Thank you in advance for taking the time to read my long winded post and taking the time to reply! As always, If you think twice before you do something you might not want to do it all...

- Jupiter Out

[538wireman]

One of the ways that Swim "copes" is by taking "stool softner" gel-caps daily. Also, by drinking plenty of water every day. Swiy can hardly ever go wrong by drinking 7-8 12oz. glasses of water spread out over the course of a day.
Hope this helps some.

[Herbal Healer 019]

SWIM is by no means an opiate addicted individual nor does he have much of a tolerance, if any, to opiates but frequently uses opiates ranging from very strong (oxycodone, buprenorphine, morphine) to moderately strong opiates (hydrocodone, tramadol, codeine) ussualy 1-3x a week.

But SWIM would imagine using cannabis (extracted via alcohol, basic oral consumption, or vaporized) would help SWIY to cut their opiate use drastically down seeing as cannabis always synergizes well with opiates in terms of analgesia (pain killing properties) & euphoria. Just a suggestion, & probably a wise one at that seeing as SWIY's tolerance allows them to use doses of opiates that would send most into a coma & probably is putting SWIY at risk for respiratory (breathing) failure.

Other suggestions would be to maintain a healthy diet (fruits & vegetables, water, eating enough) to combat constipation & overall bad health

[msmogadon]

Originally Posted by Herbal Healer 019

But SWIM would imagine using cannabis (extracted via alcohol, basic oral consumption, or vaporized) would help SWIY to cut their opiate use drastically down seeing as cannabis always synergizes well with opiates in terms of analgesia (pain killing properties) & euphoria. Just a suggestion, & probably a wise one at that seeing as SWIY's tolerance allows them to use doses of opiates that would send most into a coma & probably is putting SWIY at risk for respiratory (breathing) failure.

Other suggestions would be to maintain a healthy diet (fruits & vegetables, water, eating enough) to combat constipation & overall bad health

This is top class advice and don't worry SWIwe opiate abusers have all done the laxative/enema thing

[Panic_Upset]

Jupiter does Smoke a little Dope... Generally what ever Jupe's students give him. God bless their little souls! Jupe probably should up the Cannabis and down the Opiate use. Damn the heavenly blanket of warmth and love that opiates provide! Jupe generally uses cannabis as social drug though. Does SWIY really think is will help with the pain as much as opiods? Thank you all for taking the time to read my post and making very thoughtful replys!

- Jupiter Out

[Herbal Healer 019]

Yes cannabis is prescribed for various painfull illnesses & is deemed effective for reducing pain. Indica strains of cannabis are notoriously used for treating pain & give downer effects.

SWIM can say from his personal experience that cannabis combined with opiates greatly intensifies analgesia (numbness) when combined with opiates.