Are there any happy drug addicts out there?

How long does it take for a druggie to go over the top...to reach the point where the drug of choice no longer gives pleasure and instead brings a load of misery?

I have reasons for wanting to know this. I live with chronic pain and it's wearing me out.

I've gone from one specialist to another with no relief. Matter of fact, I've taken my clothes off for these guys so often, I feel like the town ho being passed around from man to man. And they don't even buy me dinner...or send flowers....or call the next day! And, most important of all, they don't resolve the problem.

Today I was ordered to see a neurosurgeon...yet another naked encounter with no candel light and wine.

That got me to thinking...I know, I know..not a great idea.
None the less, I began to question how I'd like to spend the rest of my days.

The way I figure it, I've probably got somewhere between 10 and 15 years left to go, if I'm lucky. This time might be shortened a bit if I get lucky with on line dating.:-)

Now...if I find a drug that relieves my pain...either legal or illegal, would I be justified in taking it to relieve the pain and live a happier life, even though I knew I would become addicted? How long would it take me to become addicted...how long could I take it before I started asking directions to the crack house?

Now, I don't want anything I have to administer with a needle..remember, I'm trying to get away from pain.

I really don't relish the idea of snorting anything up my nose...doesn't sound very lady-like to me.

But, suppose, just suppose there was a pill I could take that would give me freedom of movement without pain. Say I started taking them once a day.

After a while, maybe I would require two a day...or three...or four...or however many. That would probably mean I'm addicted, right?

Is that a bad thing?

Which would be better...to live life in constant pain...or to take a handfull of pills and enjoy each day with a meaningfull quality of life?

Now, before you get your knickers in a knot...I am NOT on any addictive medication at this time...I am not actively seeking narcotics...I am just asking a question I'm sure many people have thought about.

I think our doctors today know very little about pain control. As a nurse, I spent many years seeing older people suffer through their pain with little or no help from the medical profession.

It's not that pain relief is unavailable...it's the fear that "Old Audrey" will become addicted to the pain medication. So what? Nobody lives forever and at best, I'm looking at another 10 or 15 years.

When you get to be my age, each day is precious and I would rather live 5 days pain free than 5 years in agony.

Watch those knickers. I'm not anxious to exit this world..I kinda like it here and would enjoy it so much more if I were free of pain.

I'm not complaining, I know I have lots of company in this situation and there are many people who are much worse off than I am.

I AM trying to draw attention to an ever increasing problem..we are living longer, some of our parts wear out before others and those parts that are left don't always work the way they should...consequently we often suffer pain.

The side effects from some medications can be worse than the illness...but, there are alternatives that can be tried til the doctor finds one that is right for you.

Surgery is risky at any age, but especially so when one reaches the "golden" years. I've had enough surgery...seems like they're taking my body a piece at a time...a uterus...ovaries...appendix...breast...jeesh..by the time I die, there'll be nothing left to donate to the medical school!

As I asked in the beginning.....are there any happy druggies out there?

:-)