Opiate Induced Hyperalgesia

my pain dr has become an advocate for the theory of opiate induced hyperalgesia.we have had a three year dialectic on the possibilities in my case. I've been disabled for 11 years as a result of degenerative disc disease. Iwas affecteted on all five lumbar discs, at the first attempt for fusion the screws backed out of the bone and they had to perform a 360 degree fusion anchored on my s.i. joint. iam solid from my tail bone though five now solid discs. I suffer chronic pain and even with high doses of opiates if I try to live an ordinary life I am pretty much fighting through pain every day in order to have some semblance of my previous life . I've comr to believe now that oxycontin has become ineffective that I may as well suffer through the next 4 months to attain 8 weeks opium free to see if there is some science to the theory that continued use of opiates in chronic pain cases causes a buildup of receptors in the brain that actually cause pain. In your reading and experience is there much evidence that this is good science or I am not setting myself up for 4 months of hell for no good reason?

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I don't know much about this theory, however, what I can tell you is that if you stop opiates abruptly, even if you haven't been abusing them, you will still experience some withdrawal symptoms, because your body becomes dependent on them.

In addition to the withdrawal symptoms, you will more than likely experience rebound pain, which can be just as bad or worse, than the pain that caused you to start taking them to begin with.

I stopped cold turkey, several years ago, after having been on high doses of Morphine and Oxycodone for quite a few years and the misery of the withdrawals and pain lasted for about 8 weeks.

Thus, you will want to be careful and you may want to cut your dosage down gradually, rather than just stop taking them, all at once.

https:/­/­rxchat.com/­wiki/­OxyContin/­

Does anyone else have any advice to add?

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In my experience, opiate use has definitely increased my sensitivity to pain. I have fibromyalgia, which has the effect (in me) of allowing me to actually feel nerves that are overstimulated buzzing or shooting pain. I definitely feel the effect of overexcited nerves not just from opiates, but also from all the ssri's (antidepressants) that are supposed to lessen fibro. pain. So I'm going au natural as far as drugs are concerned, and find this is a better way to manage pain. I've taken up meditation, and I eat very lightly and lots of fruits and veggies. It's the only way for me. So I think you may well benefit, too, from getting off the drugs (all pain-killers) as much as you can.

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