There is a lot of misunderstanding about opiate pain meds. Statistically, the chances of a person who is actually in pain becoming addicted to opioid pain meds are surprisingly very low. People are far more likely to become addicted when they use opioids recreationally. Secondly, there is a difference between dependence and addiction. Dependence may occur with long term use, but this is NOT addiction. Dependence is basically having side effects or some withdrawal symptoms when the drug is abruptly stopped. With many drugs, they must be tapered off when it is time to discontinue it. This is true with many non-opioid medications as well, even laxatives, and does not indicate addiction, or a weakness in character or anything negative about the person. A person may also develop a tolerance for a medication over time and require adjustment of their dose. This is a natural side effect of many medications, not just opioids, and again, does not indicate anything negative about a person, and does not indicate addiction either. Addiction on the other hand is suspected when a person does illogical or dangerous things to obtain more and more medication in excess of their medical needs. Lying, stealing, exceeding the limits of your prescription would be signs of addiction. Addiction is treatable, and many people who do become addicted to opioid medications recover quite well if they seek treatment and comply with their treatment protocol. Addiction is a danger in any opioid medication, and all medications carry an element of risk. A good physician will weigh the risks against the benefits and prescribe accordingly. It should also be clearly understood that pain in and of itself is not a benign condition. Continued pain can be a more serious threat to health than opioid medication. Pain causes blood pressure and pulse to rise, and causes chemical changes in the brain that can adversely affect your health, both physical and mental, in ways that are far worse than opiate pain treatment. As long as you do not take your pain medication in excess of your physical pain requirements, and do not exceed your prescription, and pay attention to your actions, you should not worry too much. You should always be open and honest with your doctor and your pharmacist about your medication use, and if you find yourself tempted to lie about how you are using your medication, or exceeding your true pain treatment needs, do not be ashamed or embarrassed to call this to the attention of your health care provider. There is no shame in pain, nor are there any points awarded for unnecessary suffering. Pain is a potentially serious medical condition that should be treated appropriately. But just use a little common sense, and try not to worry. It is very rare for people to become addicted if they follow instructions and only use the medication for it's intended purpose. There is a lot of information about pain, opioid treatment, dependence, tolerance and addiction out there. Educating yourself on these matters will alleviate your fears and help you protect yourself against unintended negative outcomes in your pain treatment. Best of luck to you, and I hope you get to feeling better soon. Oh, and about the lack of relief with your first dose, check with your pharmacist about it. It may be that it takes a while or several doses before it works at it's fullest potential, but I'm not sure. I am not familiar with that particular medication, but I'm sure your pharmacist can help, and yes, opioids can cause a headache, especially when you first start them. In some people this side effect goes away, in others it does not. Do not be alarmed if your doctor changes you to a different medication as some are more prone to cause headaches than others. Many people say that Trammadol (Ultram) works well for their ME, but I can not tolerate because it gives me headaches, as does plain codeine. I hope this helps.
