Oh yes, hopeful, I would take narcotic drugs in a heartbeat if I could.

I know you can become dependent, but the difference between addiction and dependency is huge. When a medication is taken for pain relief, rather than to deal with life, there may be dependence, but not addiction. No one would say that a diabetic is addicted to insulin for example.

I've actually never experienced anything like a 'high' with any narcotic except one.

When doctors were searching for something that I might not have such a terrible reaction to, one came up with an older narcotic called Talwin in 2010. It had been around for over 30 years, and wasn't used much.

I took the first dose, the pain went away, and I felt marvelous, floating and wonderful. When it wore off, I looked forward to the second pill.

And all hell broke loose. My lips swelled, my eyes swelled, and I had that terrible stabbing itch that is more like huge wasp stings over and over all over your body, and burning skin.

After the Talwin my husband just kept loading me up with Benadryl, and I didn't have to go to the ER. But I was completely out of it the next day. And THAT day I tore the meniscus in my left knee, jamming a piece in my knee joint.


To go through the next FOUR MONTHS of excruciating pain, surgery and recovery with only Tylenol......well, I did it.

And so I have for all of my pain, Cymbalta, Aleve, Turmeric, and relaxation and meditation.

But since I started the Medrol (Methylprednisolone) most of my pain is gone. Since most of my pain is from inflammation, the anti-inflammatory effect of the Medrol relieves my pain. I still take Cymbalta, of course, and the Turmeric. But I've stopped the Aleve for now.

And of course many take narcotic medications successfully for years.

Research has shown that those who become addicted have a difference in their brain structure that the addictive substance addresses, to increase their sense of well being.

Most of us don't have that brain structure, and don't 'feel better', just have less pain with narcotics.

And some of us cannot take them at all.

Hugs, Elaine