Question:

I’ll try to keep it short. I’m 29 and have suffered from moderate to severe depression all my life. Nothing suicidal. I was overhyper as a kid so early on I took ritalin which did nothing. Later I was given high Lithium doses which did nothing, somewhere in there was a little red pill but forget the name.. again- nothing. The diagnosis’s ranged from bipolar to sociopath, manic-depressive to borderline and back again for another round ~~ For years I gave up and just dealt with it as I grew, then around 24 I started seeking help again, so far I’ve tried Prozac, Paxil, Wellbutrin, Zoloft… etc.. all of which have done nothing. Then I went to the dentist, and was prescribed Vicodin after a major root canal. The prescription was for 30 tabs, I took one a day for 15 days, then went in for another root canal. Got another prescription for 30 more, I just kept taking them at the same 1 a day rate. The first week I started taking them I noticed a MAJOR improvement in my life. I was stunned and realized it had to be the vicodin, cause nothing else had changed. I was happy, energetic, spending more time with my daughter, sleeping well (usually suffer from insomnia) working better(boss has been very impressed), enjoying hobbies and completing projects and not spending time on the couch feeling woeful and in a world of darkness! Headaches & migraines are gone. I did some reading about vicodin and learned that it gives you a feeling of "euphoria" .. I never felt euphoric, just normal. Like a normal happy person. I decided to make sure and experiment a little. I stopped taking them for 1 week, by day 2 I was back on the couch, irritable, sad with the not knowing why,  by day 4 I was back to the insomnia crap. When the week was up, I started with the 1 a day again, no euphoria or buzz or anything but by the 2nd or 3rd day I was feeling like a normal happy person again. Has anyone else had a similar experience? The little bit of reading I’ve done hasn’t given me much of an answer. I’m considering going back to my doc and asking what’s up but am almost certain I’ll be labeled as a junkie, (I’m with an HMO). Another part of me says "so the hell what." Let this be my new life and let the search begin! Any help would be greatly appreciated. Please email me privately.

Response:

Gee Teddy, I had dentistry that you make YOU cry in the last year.  (Like 4 root canals and lost 3 teeth was just some of my fun.  Can chew worth sh*t now.)  I nearly had to give my dentist a BJ to get Tylenol with Codeine, how did you get so lucky? Carrie ;o)

| I’ll try to keep it short. | I’m 29 and have suffered from moderate to severe depression all my | life. Nothing suicidal. I was overhyper as a kid so early on I took | ritalin which did nothing. Later I was given high Lithium doses which | did nothing, somewhere in there was a little red pill but forget the | name.. again- nothing. The diagnosis’s ranged from bipolar to | sociopath, manic-depressive to borderline and back again for another | round ~~ For years I gave up and just dealt with it as I grew, then | around 24 I started seeking help again, so far I’ve tried Prozac, | Paxil, Wellbutrin, Zoloft… etc.. all of which have done nothing. | | Then I went to the dentist, and was prescribed Vicodin after a major | root canal. The prescription was for 30 tabs, I took one a day for 15 | days, then went in for another root canal. Got another prescription | for 30 more, I just kept taking them at the same 1 a day rate. | The first week I started taking them I noticed a MAJOR improvement in | my life. I was stunned and realized it had to be the vicodin, cause | nothing else had changed. I was happy, energetic, spending more time | with my daughter, sleeping well (usually suffer from insomnia) working | better(boss has been very impressed), enjoying hobbies and completing | projects and not spending time on the couch feeling woeful and in a | world of darkness! Headaches & migraines are gone. I did some reading | about vicodin and learned that it gives you a feeling of "euphoria" .. | I never felt euphoric, just normal. Like a normal happy person. | | I decided to make sure and experiment a little. I stopped taking them | for 1 week, by day 2 I was back on the couch, irritable, sad with the | not knowing why,  by day 4 I was back to the insomnia crap. When the | week was up, I started with the 1 a day again, no euphoria or buzz or | anything but by the 2nd or 3rd day I was feeling like a normal happy | person again. | | Has anyone else had a similar experience? The little bit of reading | I’ve done hasn’t given me much of an answer. I’m considering going | back to my doc and asking what’s up but am almost certain I’ll be | labeled as a junkie, (I’m with an HMO). Another part of me says "so | the hell what." Let this be my new life and let the search begin! | | Any help would be greatly appreciated. | Please email me privately.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I’ll try to keep it short. > I’m 29 and have suffered from moderate to severe depression all my > life. Nothing suicidal. I was overhyper as a kid so early on I took > ritalin which did nothing. Later I was given high Lithium doses which > did nothing, somewhere in there was a little red pill but forget the > name.. again- nothing. The diagnosis’s ranged from bipolar to > sociopath, manic-depressive to borderline and back again for another > round ~~ For years I gave up and just dealt with it as I grew, then > around 24 I started seeking help again, so far I’ve tried Prozac, > Paxil, Wellbutrin, Zoloft… etc.. all of which have done nothing. > Then I went to the dentist, and was prescribed Vicodin after a major > root canal. The prescription was for 30 tabs, I took one a day for 15 > days, then went in for another root canal. Got another prescription > for 30 more, I just kept taking them at the same 1 a day rate. > The first week I started taking them I noticed a MAJOR improvement in > my life. I was stunned and realized it had to be the vicodin, cause > nothing else had changed. I was happy, energetic, spending more time > with my daughter, sleeping well (usually suffer from insomnia) working > better(boss has been very impressed), enjoying hobbies and completing > projects and not spending time on the couch feeling woeful and in a > world of darkness! Headaches & migraines are gone. I did some reading > about vicodin and learned that it gives you a feeling of "euphoria" .. > I never felt euphoric, just normal. Like a normal happy person. > I decided to make sure and experiment a little. I stopped taking them > for 1 week, by day 2 I was back on the couch, irritable, sad with the > not knowing why,  by day 4 I was back to the insomnia crap. When the > week was up, I started with the 1 a day again, no euphoria or buzz or > anything but by the 2nd or 3rd day I was feeling like a normal happy > person again. > Has anyone else had a similar experience? The little bit of reading > I’ve done hasn’t given me much of an answer. I’m considering going > back to my doc and asking what’s up but am almost certain I’ll be > labeled as a junkie, (I’m with an HMO). Another part of me says "so > the hell what." Let this be my new life and let the search begin! > Any help would be greatly appreciated. > Please email me privately.

There’s a good chance that tramadol (Ultram) will work for you then. It has mild MAOI properties, in addition to it’s narcotic effects. Very low likelihood for narcotic sedation, and other "side-effects", if taken in smaller doses. Larry

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I’ll try to keep it short. > I’m 29 and have suffered from moderate to severe depression all my > life. Nothing suicidal. I was overhyper as a kid so early on I took > ritalin which did nothing. Later I was given high Lithium doses which > did nothing, somewhere in there was a little red pill but forget the > name.. again- nothing. The diagnosis’s ranged from bipolar to > sociopath, manic-depressive to borderline and back again for another > round ~~ For years I gave up and just dealt with it as I grew, then > around 24 I started seeking help again, so far I’ve tried Prozac, > Paxil, Wellbutrin, Zoloft… etc.. all of which have done nothing. > Then I went to the dentist, and was prescribed Vicodin after a major > root canal. The prescription was for 30 tabs, I took one a day for 15 > days, then went in for another root canal. Got another prescription > for 30 more, I just kept taking them at the same 1 a day rate. > The first week I started taking them I noticed a MAJOR improvement in > my life. I was stunned and realized it had to be the vicodin, cause > nothing else had changed. I was happy, energetic, spending more time > with my daughter, sleeping well (usually suffer from insomnia) working > better(boss has been very impressed), enjoying hobbies and completing > projects and not spending time on the couch feeling woeful and in a > world of darkness! Headaches & migraines are gone. I did some reading > about vicodin and learned that it gives you a feeling of "euphoria" .. > I never felt euphoric, just normal. Like a normal happy person. > I decided to make sure and experiment a little. I stopped taking them > for 1 week, by day 2 I was back on the couch, irritable, sad with the > not knowing why,  by day 4 I was back to the insomnia crap. When the > week was up, I started with the 1 a day again, no euphoria or buzz or > anything but by the 2nd or 3rd day I was feeling like a normal happy > person again. > Has anyone else had a similar experience? The little bit of reading > I’ve done hasn’t given me much of an answer. I’m considering going > back to my doc and asking what’s up but am almost certain I’ll be > labeled as a junkie, (I’m with an HMO). Another part of me says "so > the hell what." Let this be my new life and let the search begin! > Any help would be greatly appreciated. > Please email me privately.

Hi Teddy, I have always wished I could opiates for anything  - they sound so wonderful. You are fortunate your dentist gave you a taste.  Unfortunately, they are all very addicting, and I think that is why they are not used, except illegally or as in your case, special short-term situations. Here is something on it: Squiggles http://extratv.warnerbros.com/dailynews/extraspin/03_01/03_15b.html

Response:

I am a recovering opiate addict and im on methadone (150mg)and I have also noticed that it helped my depresion, BUT I don’t recomend shooting dope to treat depression. long term opiate use leads to decreased endorphin production, so after a while you need an opiate just to function as a "normal" person(in more ways than one) I have sustained long periods of total drug abstinance and I could never understand why I was so unhappy until I learned that I was an "endorphin deficent(sp?)" person, and that I will require metahdone for the rest of my life. since I have started methadone treatment I have been able to treat my depression/anxiety with some success(which was impossable before) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I’ll try to keep it short. > I’m 29 and have suffered from moderate to severe depression all my > life. Nothing suicidal. I was overhyper as a kid so early on I took > ritalin which did nothing. Later I was given high Lithium doses which > did nothing, somewhere in there was a little red pill but forget the > name.. again- nothing. The diagnosis’s ranged from bipolar to > sociopath, manic-depressive to borderline and back again for another > round ~~ For years I gave up and just dealt with it as I grew, then > around 24 I started seeking help again, so far I’ve tried Prozac, > Paxil, Wellbutrin, Zoloft… etc.. all of which have done nothing. > Then I went to the dentist, and was prescribed Vicodin after a major > root canal. The prescription was for 30 tabs, I took one a day for 15 > days, then went in for another root canal. Got another prescription > for 30 more, I just kept taking them at the same 1 a day rate. > The first week I started taking them I noticed a MAJOR improvement in > my life. I was stunned and realized it had to be the vicodin, cause > nothing else had changed. I was happy, energetic, spending more time > with my daughter, sleeping well (usually suffer from insomnia) working > better(boss has been very impressed), enjoying hobbies and completing > projects and not spending time on the couch feeling woeful and in a > world of darkness! Headaches & migraines are gone. I did some reading > about vicodin and learned that it gives you a feeling of "euphoria" .. > I never felt euphoric, just normal. Like a normal happy person. > I decided to make sure and experiment a little. I stopped taking them > for 1 week, by day 2 I was back on the couch, irritable, sad with the > not knowing why,  by day 4 I was back to the insomnia crap. When the > week was up, I started with the 1 a day again, no euphoria or buzz or > anything but by the 2nd or 3rd day I was feeling like a normal happy > person again. > Has anyone else had a similar experience? The little bit of reading > I’ve done hasn’t given me much of an answer. I’m considering going > back to my doc and asking what’s up but am almost certain I’ll be > labeled as a junkie, (I’m with an HMO). Another part of me says "so > the hell what." Let this be my new life and let the search begin! > Any help would be greatly appreciated. > Please email me privately. > Hi Teddy, > I have always wished I could opiates for anything  - they > sound so wonderful. You are fortunate your dentist gave you > a taste.  Unfortunately, they are all very addicting, and > I think that is why they are not used, except illegally or > as in your case, special short-term situations. > Here is something on it: > Squiggles > http://extratv.warnerbros.com/dailynews/extraspin/03_01/03_15b.html

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > I am a recovering opiate addict and im on methadone (150mg)and I have > also noticed that it helped my depresion, BUT I don’t recomend > shooting dope to treat depression. > long term opiate use leads to decreased endorphin production, so after > a while you need an opiate just to function as a "normal" person(in > more ways than one) I have sustained long periods of total drug > abstinance and I could never understand why I was so unhappy until I > learned that I was an "endorphin deficent(sp?)" person, and that I > will require metahdone for the rest of my life. > since I have started methadone treatment I have been able to treat my > depression/anxiety with some success(which was impossable before)

Glad the methodone works for you. Congratulations, and I hope you recover fully real soon.  I don’t think any addictive drug can possibly be used for a long term illness like depression, because ultimately you have to raise the dose. Squiggles

Response:

> I am a recovering opiate addict and im on methadone (150mg)and I have > also noticed that it helped my depresion, BUT I don’t recomend > shooting dope to treat depression. > long term opiate use leads to decreased endorphin production, so after > a while you need an opiate just to function as a "normal" person(in > more ways than one) I have sustained long periods of total drug > abstinance and I could never understand why I was so unhappy until I > learned that I was an "endorphin deficent(sp?)" person, and that I > will require metahdone for the rest of my life. > since I have started methadone treatment I have been able to treat my > depression/anxiety with some success(which was impossable before)

That is not what the point of Methadone treatment is for … the use of Methadone for the treatment of opiate addiction has, as its goal, to wean the person off of the treatment eventually — not to have substituted the one for the other. Eventually the program that you are in is going to want to start rolling back the dosage to wean you off of the Methadone so that you are eventually completely off of it — it is NOT a contemporary treatment for depression and anxiety. The only other recognised use for Methadone today is the treatment of chronic pain that is not responsive to other medications and when the patients are not responsive to things like sustained-release opiates such as Hydromorph Contin, Oxycontin or Trans-Dermal patches such as Fentanyl. Being "endorphin deficient" is not currently recognized  as a psychiatric (or medical) condition — it is an entirely subjective concept and I highly doubt that there are that many medical professionals that will accept the idea that someone "needs" to be on Methadone for the rest of their life without a diagnosis of chronic pain that cannot be treated with a more conventional approach (even if it is non-malignant). —