Question: Sister in-law addicted to the drugs prescribed for her Migraines?
Answer:
Full Question:
This question is concerning my husband's
sister. We believe, and she seems to agree, that she has become addicted to the
drugs prescribed for her migraine headaches. She has at her disposal 180
Percocet pills a month, Demerol shots to use as needed, two anti-seizure
medications (for she also has seizures), one of those being Neurontin. She takes
14 different medications she recently told us, but we don't even know half of
what they are. She recently told my husband that she would like to get off all
the medicine and start over, but her doctor doesn't agree to this. We're not
residing near enough to her to really get to know what is truly going on. But we
do believe that some of these drugs perhaps should not be used together and that
if we could share something from a different doctor in that regard, she might
consider either getting a new doctor or getting help. What advice could you give
based on this little bit of information? If this helps at all, she has told us
that the seizures are due to a lack of oxygen to the brain caused by an absent
blood vessel or artery in her neck. Thank-you! T.
Answer:
Dear T.;
It's really impossible for us to tell if your sister in-law is addicted to
any of her medications or not. So, let me just run through some important points
for you. Since you only list a few medications, we can only address those...
Antiseizure medications such as Neurontin are not addictive. As for getting off
all the medication and starting over, that can be very difficult for someone
with a seizure disorder. It's doubtful that she can completely discontinue here
antiseizure meds without possibly having a worse problem with seizures that
before.
You mention Percocet and Demerol. A person can become addicted to those
medications, but NOT if they're taking them only when they're actually in pain.
When people get addicted to such medications is in situations where their pain
has eased, but they still crave the emotional security of them and take them
even though they're not experiencing pain. A person in pain does not become
addicted. A person in pain can become dependent on medications, but that's
different than addiction. This might help you with that issue:
Addiction versus Dependence: A Call for Public Education
Pain creates a devastating situation for sufferers and those around
them. Pain, especially chronic pain, is a debilitating, very dehumanizing
condition. Albert Schweitzer said, "Pain is a more terrible lord than death
itself." Unfortunately, the misinformation about narcotics that rules the
U.S. is causing more and more people to be left in pain. Something must be
done. Article by guest author Stephen Proctor.
You said she has 180 Percocet per month at her disposal, but not whether she uses them or how frequently she takes them. There is the possibility of medication overuse/analgesic rebound headache with such medications. Please see:
Medication Overuse Headache: What's a person to do?
Unfortunately, it seems that any medication we take for headache or
Migraine relief has the potential to cause medication overuse headache if
used more than two or three days a week. We need to learn as much about it
as possible. Let’s take a look at what causes it, how to avoid it, and other
important issues.
One other point to help you learn so you and your husband can help is that Migraines are not actually headaches. Migraine is a genetic neurological disease. Headache is just one symptom of a Migraine attack, and some people have Migraines without the headache. It's important to understand that Migraine is a disease that needs to be treated, and daily preventive medications are strongly recommended for people who have frequent Migraines. See:
- Migraines, Not Really "Headaches"
When people who don't have migraines don't understand, it can be a problem. Let's start by realizing that migraines really aren't headaches.
-
Is
Migraine a Progressive Brain Disease?
A study and JAMA article, "Migraine as a Risk Factor for Subclinical Brain Lesions," examine the connection between Migraine disease, brain lesions, cerebral infarction (stroke), and the frequency of Migraine attacks. Some news articles have made this information sound very frightening. It's not, but it is information every Migraineur should take seriously, and keep Migraine prevention and early attack abortion seriously.
Based on the small amount of information you're able to provide, that's all we can tell you other than to recommend that perhaps your sister in-law needs to see a Migraine specialist. You'll find a link below for our directory of recommended specialists.
Good luck,
Teri Robert and John Claude Krusz
____________
To visit our directory of recommended specialists and clinics, click
HERE.
To visit our forums for an exchange of information and support, click HERE.
Published January 9, 2006
