Pain Meds Messing With My Head!

April 22, 2005

Hi all.

I am so embarassed as to what I did while taking new pain meds

recently. I have been flaring really bad lately and having a terrible time

gaining control of my pain. I have been going from pain med to pain

med trying desperately to find one that works. I was recently given a

prescription for Oxycontin, and took it only at bedtime the first week. It

was making me very tired, but only slightly relieved the pain. After

visiting my doc again, he told me to take 1 tablet every 8 hours (slow

release - 40mg) because I needed to get the pain under control. Well, I

started taking them during the day a week ago, as instructed.....and

made a terrible mistake. I went to put gas in my car and for whatever

reason....put diesel into my tank instead! I didn't drive my car for 2

days after this because the meds were making me so tired that all I did

was sleep. I went to go to the store last Saturday, and my vehicle

wouldn't turn over. Keep in mind....I still hadn't clued in to what I'd

done. I had my vehicle towed on Monday....had it worked on by the

mechanic for 3 days....(he couldn't figure out what the heck was

wrong). $900.00 later.....the problem was discovered.

I was so looped up on the meds that I didn't even realize what I'd done.

I didn't feel drugged ..... just a little out of it is all. I am so lucky I

hadn't

put more into my vehicle or it would have been totally destroyed.

I've learned to take new pain meds with lots of supervision and NO

DRIVING, etc....until I know how I can function on them.

I am embarassed to post this, but figured it would be a good lesson for

others to learn from. Be careful when you start taking new meds. Don't

drive, etc. until you know you're capable of doing so.

Take care...

April 22, 2005

In a message dated 4/22/2005 5:40:27 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time,

writes:

Pain Meds Messing With My Head!

Wow, ! That is amazing. Makes me wonder how the rest of us fumble

through the days sometimes when we are hurting. Thanks you for being brave

enough to be vulnerable and share! I am sorry about your poor car-- sounds a

bit

like what happens with us in RA -- crossed signals in the body!!

Love and Prayers,

Beth

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

RA, or any other health challenge, is NOT a show-stopper!!!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

April 22, 2005

Dear ,

Your courage in sharing what happened to you might well save a life.

Thank You

Kathy Schark

Hamden CT

kschark@...

----- Original

April 22, 2005

Dear ,

Your courage in sharing what happened to you might well save a life.

Thank You

Kathy Schark

Hamden CT

kschark@...

----- Original

April 22, 2005

Thanks for sharing this with us, I know it's hard to do. I left my

rheumy's office one time after having a reaction to remicade.I felt

kind of disoriented, & got turned around in a mall parking lot, and

ran over one of those island things, thinking it was a speed bump for

some reason. My precious son in law was kind enough to come and look

at it, I had just shaken a bolt loose somewhere so I was fortunate

there. I didn't tell them why it happened so they were giving mom a

hard time about my navigating skills. But it really did shake me up

for a while. I am so sorry that it cost you so much to fix your car,

that's gotta be hard. A very timely reminder for those of us who are

on pain meds, which I guess is most of us.

Blessings to you

Jane

>

> Hi all.

>

> I am so embarassed as to what I did while taking new pain meds

> recently. I have been flaring really bad lately and having a

terrible time

> gaining control of my pain. I have been going from pain med to

pain

> med trying desperately to find one that works. I was recently

given a

> prescription for Oxycontin, and took it only at bedtime the first

week. It

> was making me very tired, but only slightly relieved the pain.

After

> visiting my doc again, he told me to take 1 tablet every 8 hours

(slow

> release - 40mg) because I needed to get the pain under control.

Well, I

> started taking them during the day a week ago, as

instructed.....and

> made a terrible mistake. I went to put gas in my car and for

whatever

> reason....put diesel into my tank instead! I didn't drive my car

for 2

> days after this because the meds were making me so tired that all I

did

> was sleep. I went to go to the store last Saturday, and my vehicle

> wouldn't turn over. Keep in mind....I still hadn't clued in to

what I'd

> done. I had my vehicle towed on Monday....had it worked on by the

> mechanic for 3 days....(he couldn't figure out what the heck was

> wrong). $900.00 later.....the problem was discovered.

>

> I was so looped up on the meds that I didn't even realize what I'd

done.

> I didn't feel drugged ..... just a little out of it is all. I am

so lucky I hadn't

> put more into my vehicle or it would have been totally destroyed.

>

> I've learned to take new pain meds with lots of supervision and NO

> DRIVING, etc....until I know how I can function on them.

>

> I am embarassed to post this, but figured it would be a good lesson

for

> others to learn from. Be careful when you start taking new meds.

Don't

> drive, etc. until you know you're capable of doing so.

>

> Take care...

>

April 22, 2005