NetWellness Addiction and Substance Abuse

Symptoms of a Recovered Addict Are What?

Ted Parran MD — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 14:12:00 EST

Question: I would like to know if there have been any studies on addicts that have been clean for more than a decade? I am a recoverying addict now for eleven years, my sister say`s that my memory is distortied of my childhood life due to my drug usage. I did crack for 13 years, only 3 years of heavy usage. I . . .

Answer: Thanks for your excellent question. The likelihood is that your recollection of your home life, now that you are looking at it through the lens of being sober, is more accurate than your sister's recollection.

Think about it this way: BEFORE you got sober, did you comple . . .

Ask an Expert: Ted Parran MD, Addiction and Substance Abuse

How Do I Know if I Took Drinking to Far?

Ted Parran MD — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 04:11:00 EST

Question: I know I have taking it to far, but after drinking very heavy for several days I have gastritis very bad, and my kidneys have some pain. My lower right stomach has some to. In the past this has happen, and I stopped drinking and the pain went away. The gastritis is much worse this time around. I`ve . . .

Answer: Thank you for your question. There is clearly nothing normal about your use of alcohol and you should quit drinking. You deserve to feel better than you do.

You can and will be successful in quitting, and the sooner you quit the less physical, personal and emotional pain and sufferi . . .

Ask an Expert: Ted Parran MD, Addiction and Substance Abuse

Am I Permanently Damaged from Crack?

Christina Delos Reyes MD — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:11:00 EST

Question: I USED CRACK ALL DAY EVERY DAY FOR APPROX 3 YEARS...IT HAS NOW BEEN NEAR 3 YEARS SINCE I HAVE USED...I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING SEVERE ANXIETY/PANIC ATTACKS OVER THE PAST 6 MONTHS AND I JUST DONT FEEL LIKE THE SAME PERSON...IS THERE ANY CHANCE THAT I HAVE PERMANENTLY DAMAGED MY CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM . . .

Answer: Cocaine can have many long-term effects. The link below contains more information. It is difficult to say with certainty that your past use of cocaine is the only cause of your anxiety and panic attacks--after long-term cocaine use, the brain of some individuals are more vulnerable to mental illness . . .

Ask an Expert: Christina Delos Reyes MD, Addiction and Substance Abuse

Is It Possible He Is Using Cocaine?

Christina Delos Reyes MD — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 09:10:00 EST

Question: I suspect my son is using cocaine. Often find hollowed out pens in his room/car. Often has flu like symptoms for a few days and then ok again for a while. Lots of sniffing, rubbing nose, sores in nose. Periods of severe insomnia. When I talk to him about it he says I can take him for a test, but if . . .

Answer: It is very difficult to confirm when a person is using drugs and even more difficult to figure out exactly what drugs are being used.

Some of the symptoms you describe are consistent with the use of cocaine, like the insomnia and sores in nose. However when you mentioned flu-like symptoms . . .

Ask an Expert: Christina Delos Reyes MD, Addiction and Substance Abuse

Klonopin Discontinue Problems

Christina Delos Reyes MD — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 15:08:00 EST

Question: AVM /lft.hemiparesis-walk aid & afo brace-left side--at age 43-am 75 now. On Keppra for partial seizures-been on Paxil & Klonopin .25mg.for 15 yrs-had major depression & anxiety years before stroke. Just want to reduce so many sedating drugs so dropped down the benzo to 12.5 for 3 days-- . . .

Answer: My first comment is that it is best to consult your own personal physician in cases such as this. It is, of course, difficult to comment so specifically on the story of someone that I have neither physically seen nor examined.

Nevertheless, if I understand correctly, you experienced what . . .

Ask an Expert: Christina Delos Reyes MD, Addiction and Substance Abuse

10 Years of Daily Cocain Use

Ted Parran MD — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 06:08:00 EST

Question: For over 10 years now i have put heavy doses of cocaine in my body, 5years snorting and now over 5yrs of smoking it. I am now over 40years old and am experiencing so many symptoms in several areas of my body. I know that you will advise me to see a doctor, of course I understand that is the only rea . . .

Answer: Thank you for you questions. You describe many aspects of deterioration that can be related to cocaine addiction. I do not recommend that you spend time researching these symptoms on the web.

It would be much better for you to spend that same time: 1) seeing a physician immediately to ge . . .

Ask an Expert: Ted Parran MD, Addiction and Substance Abuse

Acetaminophen PM Addiction

Christina Delos Reyes MD — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 02:07:00 EST

Question: I have been taking pm for about 15 years.Starting at 4 per night, but my body has become immune to The pm`s, so I started taking more and more I am up to 20 or 25 at night. I want to quit so very much, because I cant do it on my own.My doctors answer to this is to stop taking them. Words dont help I . . .

Answer: It seems that you are psychologically and perhaps physically dependent on the diphenhydramine (Benadryl) portion of the Tylenol PM.

I am concerned that the amount of Tylenol you are taking may be hazardous to your liver. You may want to take diphenhydramine in a plain form vs. mixed with . . .

Ask an Expert: Christina Delos Reyes MD, Addiction and Substance Abuse

Seroquel Withdrawal Symptoms

Edna Jones MD, MRO — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 09:07:00 EST

Question: I`d like to direct my question to Dr Edna M Jones. I`m taking 450mg Seroquel and my doctor is not sure whether the drug is doing anything beneficial for me or not. ( I was put on the drug by a different doctor). At the moment I`m trying to come off the drug however I`m very scared of withdrawl sympt . . .

Answer: Seroquel does not cause what we consider to be "true withdrawal." However, having said that, it can cause some symptoms if removed too quickly, when someone has been on it for too long.

Because of your worry, I would suggest a slow medication reduction of 50 mg per week unt . . .

Ask an Expert: Edna Jones MD, MRO, Addiction and Substance Abuse

Cocaine Brain Damage?

Ted Parran MD — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 10:03:00 EST

Question: I have used cocaine for 18 months and recently quit 5 weeks ago when I first noticed severe impairments in memory, concentration, problem solving, and analytical thought. First week I was experiencing severe cognitive deficits and there was slight improvement a week after and since then no noticeab . . .

Answer: Thank you for your question. There can be very real thinking and memory effects of cocaine addiction, some of which you describe. Typically these effects ease up and go away after several weeks to a few months, with people reporting being pretty much back to normal by 6 months or so.

&nbs . . .

Ask an Expert: Ted Parran MD, Addiction and Substance Abuse

Stomach Pressure and Lower Abdominal Pain

Christina Delos Reyes MD — Sat, 12 Feb 2011 15:02:00 EST

Question: Hello, I hope you can help me with this. I have been smoking marijuana and drinking for about 20 years, Im 32 now. Recently I smoked some marijuana from a friend and it gave me somesort of stomach problems that no marijuana has ever given me. after I smoked it I noticed my stomach or abdominal area . . .

Answer: It is difficult to do a true assessment of your condition without an in-person history, physical exam and lab work.

I would advise that you err on the side of caution and get medical help. My biggest concern is that your friend's marijuana may have been contaminated with something that is . . .

Ask an Expert: Christina Delos Reyes MD, Addiction and Substance Abuse