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Health, pain and the fragility of mind.

sandandfoam

sandandfoam

Veteran Member
My body is giving me some grief again and it has got me thinking about health, pain and the fragility of my mind.
Maybe it's just the drugs ... :D
But I don't think so. I've been seriously ill before and while I am not even close to being seriously ill this time I am experiencing a lot of pain. The pain completely takes over my consciousness, the medication dulls it but it also dulls my consciousness. I was at a meeting yesterday, I am usually engaged and enjoy arguing my case at these meetings. Yesterday I was there but I wasn't. Several of my colleagues mentioned that I didn't seem like myself. This thing that I am seems rainbow like - it's there but it's not.
My awareness seems robust but my mind seems fragile. Disturbances in levels of health and pain seem to throw this into sharp relief.
Do you agree or think that it's just the drugs?
 
CarlinKnew

CarlinKnew

Well-Known Member
Being hungry, chilly, or too warm reduces written exam performance. If factors as minor as that interfere with brain function, then surely pain does as well. It's like constant noise in the background of consciousness.
 
sojourner

sojourner

Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
"There is no pain, you are receding --
a distant ship-smoke on the horizon.
You are only coming through in waves;
your lips move, but I can't hear what you say...
I have become comfortably numb."
-- Roger Waters
 
C

connermt

Well-Known Member
stephenw said:
My body is giving me some grief again and it has got me thinking about health, pain and the fragility of my mind.
Maybe it's just the drugs ... :D
But I don't think so. I've been seriously ill before and while I am not even close to being seriously ill this time I am experiencing a lot of pain. The pain completely takes over my consciousness, the medication dulls it but it also dulls my consciousness. I was at a meeting yesterday, I am usually engaged and enjoy arguing my case at these meetings. Yesterday I was there but I wasn't. Several of my colleagues mentioned that I didn't seem like myself. This thing that I am seems rainbow like - it's there but it's not.
My awareness seems robust but my mind seems fragile. Disturbances in levels of health and pain seem to throw this into sharp relief.
Do you agree or think that it's just the drugs?
Click to expand...

Could be a myriad of things, but the drugs likely have a lot to do with it, in some fashion.
 
sojourner

sojourner

Annoyingly Progressive Since 2006
"Look, man, if there's one thing I know, it's how to drive while I'm stoned. It's like you know your perspective's ****** so you just let your hands work the controls as if you were straight."
 
CynthiaCypher

CynthiaCypher

Well-Known Member
What pain meds are you taking. You might need to take a vitamin b12 supplement in order to reduce the adverse affects of the pain meds on your nervous system and brain functioning.
 
CynthiaCypher

CynthiaCypher

Well-Known Member
stephenw said:
Lyrica and codeine. B12 sounds worth a go.
Click to expand...

Codeine can cause significant damage to the nervous system, so definately look into taking a b12 supplement.

But it is the Lyrica that is worrisome.


Adverse drug reactions associated with the use of pregabalin include:
Very common (>10% of patients): dizziness, drowsiness
Common (1–10% of patients): blurred vision, diplopia, increased appetite, euphoria, confusion, vivid dreams, changes in libido (increase or decrease), irritability, ataxia, attention changes, abnormal coordination, memory impairment, tremors, dysarthria, parasthesia, vertigo, dry mouth and constipation, vomiting and flatulence, erectile dysfunction, fatigue, peripheral edema, drunkenness, abnormal walking, weight gain.
Infrequent (0.1–1% of patients): depression, lethargy, agitation, hallucinations, myoclonus, hypoaesthesia, hyperaesthesia, tachycardia, excessive salivation, sweating, flushing, rash, muscle cramp, myalgia, arthralgia, urinary incontinence, dysuria, thrombocytopenia, kidney calculus
Rare (<0.1% of patients): neutropenia, first degree heart block, hypotension, hypertension, pancreatitis, dysphagia, oliguria, rhabdomyolysis, suicidal thoughts or behavior.
Pregabalin may also cause withdrawal effects after long-term use if discontinued abruptly. When prescribed for seizures, quitting "cold turkey" can increase the strength of the seizures and possibly cause the seizures to reoccur. Withdrawal symptoms include restlessness, insomnia, and anxiety. Pregabalin should be reduced gradually when finishing treatment. Because of complication risk associated with certain common side-effects in patients affected by other health issues, Pregabalin should not be used without regular medical supervision and any side effect should immediately be reported.

If you are suffering any of the Infrequent to Rare adverse affects you should consult your prescribing physician immediately.
 
Alex_G

Alex_G

Enlightner of the Senses
stephenw said:
My body is giving me some grief again and it has got me thinking about health, pain and the fragility of my mind.
Maybe it's just the drugs ... :D
But I don't think so. I've been seriously ill before and while I am not even close to being seriously ill this time I am experiencing a lot of pain. The pain completely takes over my consciousness, the medication dulls it but it also dulls my consciousness. I was at a meeting yesterday, I am usually engaged and enjoy arguing my case at these meetings. Yesterday I was there but I wasn't. Several of my colleagues mentioned that I didn't seem like myself. This thing that I am seems rainbow like - it's there but it's not.
My awareness seems robust but my mind seems fragile. Disturbances in levels of health and pain seem to throw this into sharp relief.
Do you agree or think that it's just the drugs?
Click to expand...

Pain most definitely can impact on a persons mental state. In the short term, immediate effect, it can stop you functioning properly both from a distractional means, not being able to focus on anything else, but also it can affect ones general alertness and cognitive functioning. This is seen more commonly in old people, who can more easily get delirious due to being more frail to begin with. Pain acts the same way as fever, hypoxia and electrolyte imbalances, they all if severe enough, can contribute to a delirious state. This is different for everyone, and different people will have different thresholds and personal circumstances.

Also long term pain can be a real downer, and make people feel quite depressed. Within the umbrella of depression, one can feel many things beyond just low mood, such as low attention, poor concentration, distanced from surroundings, lack of enjoyment and ability to engage with things u used to do.

Just to note on your meds, the non codein one is gabapentin or pregabalin I think. This can affect your head too, increasing drowsiness and dizziness etc. Essentially it's mechanism is to mimick GABA, a neurotransmitter found in the brain. Essentially GABA is an inhibitory chemical, and acts to down regulate excitatable brain activity. So it's generic buffering effect on excitory neural activity is where it gets it's ability to take the edge off pain, especially neuropathic pain. So basically, it could theoretically affect many things, such as dulling your sense of consciousness as you described.

Of course the answer is almost always 'it's prob due to a little bit of everything :p '

Alex
 
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Sunstone

Sunstone

De Diablo Del Fora
Premium Member
stephenw said:
My body is giving me some grief again and it has got me thinking about health, pain and the fragility of my mind.
Maybe it's just the drugs ... :D
But I don't think so. I've been seriously ill before and while I am not even close to being seriously ill this time I am experiencing a lot of pain. The pain completely takes over my consciousness, the medication dulls it but it also dulls my consciousness. I was at a meeting yesterday, I am usually engaged and enjoy arguing my case at these meetings. Yesterday I was there but I wasn't. Several of my colleagues mentioned that I didn't seem like myself. This thing that I am seems rainbow like - it's there but it's not.
My awareness seems robust but my mind seems fragile. Disturbances in levels of health and pain seem to throw this into sharp relief.
Do you agree or think that it's just the drugs?
Click to expand...

I once experienced severe back pain for about a month. For instance, I was unable to sleep except in a sitting position and then only for two hours at a time. During that period, my reasoning became somewhat distorted and I might even have experienced a bit of psychosis. So, yes, I think pain can have a profound effect on our mental functioning.
 
Kathryn

Kathryn

It was on fire when I laid down on it.
stephenw said:
My body is giving me some grief again and it has got me thinking about health, pain and the fragility of my mind.
Maybe it's just the drugs ... :D
But I don't think so. I've been seriously ill before and while I am not even close to being seriously ill this time I am experiencing a lot of pain. The pain completely takes over my consciousness, the medication dulls it but it also dulls my consciousness. I was at a meeting yesterday, I am usually engaged and enjoy arguing my case at these meetings. Yesterday I was there but I wasn't. Several of my colleagues mentioned that I didn't seem like myself. This thing that I am seems rainbow like - it's there but it's not.
My awareness seems robust but my mind seems fragile. Disturbances in levels of health and pain seem to throw this into sharp relief.
Do you agree or think that it's just the drugs?
Click to expand...

Last year, I tore my Achilles tendon and had to have surgery, 8 months of casts, crutches, and physical therapy, and several rounds of Vicodin - the only bright spot in the whole scenario! I was in pain, inconvenienced, frustrated, tired, you name it.

Sure, the drugs may have something to do with some of your symptoms, but I believe that when we are experiencing pain, it barrels to the forefront of our mind, and crowds out oxygen or something :rolleyes:, and generally wreaks havoc with our psyche.

Longterm, chronic pain is exhausting in and of itself, and exhaustion messes with our head too. Throw in frustration and a wallop of depression, and you've got one doozy of a head trip.
 
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