Drug and Alcohol Self Medication - What we all do but not a good thing for long term

Has anyone else on this site had experience with this group?

This is the appropriate place and the link to your website is fixed.

Sorry if I cross the boundaries here, but I gave my word that I would pass this info on.
I'm new to the forum, and a long time sufferer of PTSD. I was living with this condition for about 8 yrs without even knowing what was wrong with me. My family left, I ended up in Jail, on probation, was ordered to attend Anger Management seminars, became dependent on alcohol and pushed my friends away. I used a wide variety of meds to help deal with this condition, along with years of therapy and coping mechanisms. The pills made me numb and were very ineffective. Along the way, I found medical cannabis and thought I would give it a try. One of the best decisions I could have made.
I have found a new business in the Oromocto area that helps Canadian Veterans deal with their trauma, and allows those with PTSD and other illnesses be able to find a natural alternative to the synthetic medications that are making everyone feel disconnected from ourselves, society and most importantly friends and family. They are able to help everyone in Canada, not just the local Oromocto area.
I know that some people may feel that medical marijuana is just another drug, and is the same as all others, but for me that is far from being the truth. Medical cannabis has changed my life; allowing me to live again and process my trauma, getting my family back, being active and social again, and laying off the booze.
This company, "Marijuana For Trauma Inc" are a group of Veterans that provide medical marijuana, run educational seminars informing other Veterans (and some civilians) of the positive effects of medical marijuana, other natural remedies and also help with filling out DVA forms. They brought in doctors to speak, a nutrition specialist, and the owner gave a talk on his experiences with managing PTSD, and also informed everyone of the services they provide each client. The surprising thing is, their service is free and 100% legal. April 1st, medical marijuana will be considered a medication, and can be prescribed by any doctor in Canada. I was asked to spread the word to my fellow Vets, so hopefully it will reach as many Veterans as possible.
Visit their site... www.mftgroup.ca

I admit after trying so many types of pills my shot of scotch is the best pain killer I have found. As for surgery get all the information first - which I am sure you will.

You still out there BoltAction308? Hope all is well with you. After years pills and booze I am re-approaching (again) spinal cortisone and/or surgery. What a spooky crap shoot. Pinger.

Not likely to try illegal stuff on my own even though it is for medicinal use.
I'm one of those - try it once and get arrested types. My luck I would end up buying from an undercover.

I dont know how to go about it at DVA but your first stop would be your doctor to chat about it.
You may also want to try it on your own to see what the impact is. I have heard from many that it has a very good effect....seriously not the other effect for those that may think my comment funny. That said I have also heard from others it does little to nothing. I personally am dealing with pain and I dont touch the stuff as I dont like the affect. For me it is Opium based drugs that work best. Problem with that is I dont like the pill form crap I prefer the actual plant extract in its pure form.

Advil is covered by DVA. I get 400mg or 600mg tabs by prescription. They help me if I get a headache with my other pain.
I have tried many pain relievers and other pain control methods but nothing so far has helped with break-through pain or really bad days.
I was told that marihuana might work. THC or "Nabilone" is the prescription that we request? If so please tell us how that goes.

The chronic pain I experience daily wrt neck, back, knee and hand/forearm injuries is elevated due to the fact that I refuse to accept Oxycontin/Neo as a form of pain relief.

This is my decision based on info from the web and personal experiences from individuals that relate the horror stories of the potency and side effects.

Since day one I have tried everything but and still haven't had a day off from the relentess pain.

Celebrex, Vioxx, Flexeril, Tramadol, Tramacet, T3's, Lyrica, Gabapentin, Baclofen, Cyclobenzaprine, Naropin(needle injections), Ketlar(block differential), Benzodiazepins(klonopin), Naproxen, etc.

It gets extremely frustrating when you get prescribed a different medication hoping to find relief when after a month there is no suppression of the pain.
and the cycle begins again.

I have been written up from my doctor the prescription Nabilone(synthetic thc) have submitted the paperwork and am waiting back for approval.

Hopefully this might be the right med to decrease pain levels.

You did the right thing Bolt. You can't even say someone is dying these days at home, because it's usually with Morphine to assist with the pain.

Ain't that the truth Rags! I'm in Newfoundland now and couldn't believe how many people were abusing it on the streets! I opened my mouth one day while shooting the shit with a bunch of acquaintances that i was on Oxy and how it was prescribed to me legitimately. Well, that was the worse thing I could've done because I'd say 1/3 of the people that heard me started hounding me to sell them a pill. I made up some bullshit that I was no longer on them and had switched to a non-narcotic medication.

To this day lock up all my meds in my gun safe. I have 2 teenaged sons and even though i know they wouldn't dare touch my meds, I sooner err on the side of caution.

Grow Poppies, But I hear ya the change was to stop all the street crap that is going on and it is bad. I cant believe the amount of oxy that is or was on the street pre change over. Huge abuse.

Speaking of Oxycontin vs OxyNeo, is anyone else on Oxy? If so, if you're on the Neo, have you noticed that they take hours before they "kick in?"

For example, when I get up I take my med and when it was Oxycontin, i could feel my back and hip loosen up after about half an hour. with the Neo, I still fight tight for a good 2 hours before it only slightly loosens up. I mentioned this to my doctor and asked him if I could go back on the generic Oxycontin and he flatly refused. I mentioned how I've already proven to him I don't abuse them and how I don't sell them and never once have i ever came in earlier for a refill, therefore I'm not one of those pill heads that abuse them. It did no good at all and he wouldn't re-write my script for the generic Oxycontin which really sucks for me because the old formulation worked amazingly well for me as compared to this new garbage.

Just last month I had to get a script refilled but my usual doctor was on holidays. His replacement wrote me a script for the generic Oxycontin. As much as I wanted the old formulation or the generic Oxycontin I figured my doctor once he returned would've freaked on me (and rightly so) when he found out. So with that, I told the replacement doctor that my regular doc didn't want me having the new formulation and I had her re-write the script for the garbage Neo.

Now all that being said, I've noticed that if I take 2 percocet at the same time as one Neo, it works perfectly! Now I need to figure out a way to get my doctor to write me anew script to go from 3 times a day to 2 times a day with Percocet for break-through pain which I doubt he'll agree with.

It sucks because many of us are legitimate chronic pain patients but the abuse from street users screws it up for those of us who legitimately benefit from these pills. It's a no win situation sadly.

I hear what you're saying Bigrex, and much like yourself, my doctor at the time when I first started on Oxycontin, I was told the same thing. I was led to believe if a patient takes narcotic painkillers for legitimate pain and takes them as directed and prescribed, they cannot become addicted. I'm definitely dependent on them at this point that's for sure!

I am taking Dilaudid 18 mg twice a day and 4mg for breakthrough pain. I mentioned my concerns about addiction to my pain specialist and he said that I am dependent on the pain meds, much like a diabetic is dependent on Insulin. Just because we need these narcotics to get through the day does not mean it is an addiction. We aren't over using them. We aren't out buying street drugs to get the feeling of getting high. We are using these drugs to allow are bodies to push through the pain that we endure. the same goes for those of use using prescribed marijuana. In fact, if you are uncomfortable with smoking the weed, it now comes in a pill format, or even an oral spray (which my Dr would be a better fit for me).