[melodyl]

My experience with narcotics confirms your belief that they could be the cause of many of your problems. I was on almost every pain medication available for 4 to 5 years prior to a revision lumbar surgery and then a 3 level cervical ADR surgery. A combination of fentanyl patches and short acting oxycodone helped with the pain....but the side effects made life challenging at times. I could deal with the daily fuzzy feeling.....but sometimes....for no apparent reason, I would be overcome with exhaustion....so extreme that I could hardly get out of bed or off of the couch. These episodes of fatigue usually lasted for 3 to 5 days. During them, I had zero appetite and felt depressed. When I talked to my G.P. about the symptoms, he suggested it was from a build up of the medication in my body. Sometimes my body and organs processed the medication without causing problems and other times it built up and pretty much knocked me out for a few days. My last surgery was over 3 months ago and I have tapered off of most of the pain meds I was on. My energy and appetite are increasing with each reduction of the narcotics! Although the withdrawal symptoms have not been fun.....the return to life without a bunch of narcotics in my body is well worth it! I took off my last fentanyl patch 4 days ago (Yeah!) I bet you will feel a whole lot better after surgery and recovery. Good luck! Keep everyone posted on your situation. Melody