Posted by BrittPark on April 7, 2003, at 21:34:58
In reply to has anyone here been precribed opiates for BP?, posted by bobby on April 4, 2003, at 7:28:38
I don't know about opioids for BP specifically. They have been and still are used in the treatment of depression. 1 5/500 vicodin a day is part of my cocktail and is helpful. 4 or 5 times that would probably be very helpful but I'm disinclined to bet that I'm one of the non-tolerance-builders. Lots of other people on PB have had good responses to opioids. Others are not helped at all.
There has been a small amount of clinical research supporting the use of Buprenorphine and Tramadol as ADs. Do a search on PB and you'll find references to the papers.
The number of psychiatrists who would suggest opioids is probably vanishingly small. The number who would, given a reasoned request from a patient is much higher. But, the majority would be constitutionally opposed to opioid treatment even given research results. They are too concerned about insurance issues, or fretted by fears of their state licencing board, or generally swallow the propaganda that the DEA pushes in the name of the puritanical American people. The general logic that seems to cover the treatment of affective disorders is that any drug that makes non-ill people feel good is inappropriate for the treatment of people who are ill.
Apologies for my bitterness, but as you can tell I'm not particularly happy about some of the ways my tax money is spent, and more than a little peeved by the sluggish pace at which improved treatments for affective disorders are found.
To address your original post: ask yourself what difference it makes if the reason you feel better on opioids is because of some obscure neurological pathway, or because of the already understood euphoriant effects of opioids. To paraphrase Alexander Pope "Whatever works is right."
poster:BrittPark
thread:216127
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030407/msgs/217239.html