Pain Killer Addiction: Methadone Facts

Question: Pain killer addiction?

(Posted by: DMan on 2008-11-04 07:08:32)

If someone was addicted to a strong pain killer for more than one year, and the drugs built up in their body so they think they need more than they really do, does that mean the pain killer actually stops working for them or do they just feel numb all the time?

Posted by: Margie on 2008-11-04, 07:12:58

They have probably built up a tolerance and do need more to feel numb

Posted by: donetello99 on 2008-11-04, 07:14:20

The pain killer is working in their body but they built up a tolerance to the medications that they were taken.......... if it is as strong as you say and they were on it for a year they should go get there stomach and other organs looked at it can cause stomach bleeding and other syptomes that can be deadly but yes the pain killer is working they just got high tolerance

Posted by: TC on 2008-11-04, 07:14:45

Basically, The body builds up a tolerance to the opioid. Thus, needing more of it to really work on the pain or high.

Posted by: Rog P on 2008-11-04, 07:14:46

JUST GETTING IMMUNE TO THE PAIN KILLER OR THE PAIN IS PROGRESSING....SAD TO BE FORCED TO BE AN ADDICT BECAUSE OF SOME WITCH DOCTOR.

Posted by: Papagenu II on 2008-11-04, 07:15:32

It depends opiate pain killers stop workig and leave you with addiction, so I'm guessing most of the stuff on the market stops working eventually But nobody walks around feeling numb, your body doesnt work that way. It adjusts itself to the drug you keep taking, and tunes your nerves in so you can still feel pain Thats right, your body actually tries to reject pain killers because it wants to feel things, your adrenaline and other hormones will kick in and block out the receptors absorbing the drugs making them useless thats why you should never get addicted to pain killers, it will end up with you hurting more and the drug wearing off

Posted by: you are all in my heart forever on 2008-11-04, 07:15:35

After a year the pain killer may feel like their body needs more. no it doesn't stop working but the addiction becomes stronger. it's physical. it's a real thing. they will feel shaky, etc. i take vicodin every 4-6 hours for a illness i have and will always have. i have been taking it close to two years. if i have to go longer than 5 hours for whatever reason, i become very ill. i shake, get nauseous, headache, etc. it has nothing to do with a mental willingness to overcome the addiction. i do not like having to live my life around when i take my drugs, but it is prescribed by a doctor for a very real and devastating illness

Posted by: Missy on 2008-11-04, 07:16:24

Happened to me. Your body builds up a resistance to where they don't work anymore. You need to completely go off of them for quite a while before they will ever work again. If you stop taking them and you suffer severe withdrawals, you really NEED to talk to your Dr. about Suboxone. It helps ALOT!! You can almost never do it alone. But, yes...your body gets used to the painkillers to where you have to keep going stronger and stronger, and more and more of them for them to work. Even that stops working eventually.

Posted by: bunny on 2008-11-04, 07:18:45

Hi and although I m not an addict, I have been taking pain killers for about 11 years. I am not numb and feel pain constantly. I do not know about addicts as I only use the correct amount of medicine that my doctors prescribe. I would happen a guess that they feel numb.

Posted by: River Euphrates on 2008-11-04, 07:19:53

It depends on the individual, and what drug (or combination of drugs) they are taking. Some peoples bodies/ minds react differently to medications and continuous use/ abuse. One person might get numb, while another will require more of the drug to get the same effect (and it's not always just in their head). Some people just have addictive personalities, and will get hooked on anything that comes along.