My experiences with Demerol (Meperidine)
A few years back during a very stressful time in my life when it seems everything was going the wrong way, my appendix decided it had enough and wanted out of my body. After a night of vomiting and a general feeling of being hung over, I visited the doctor in the morning and asked him what was wrong. It took him about 10 seconds to tell I had appendicitis and to head to the hospital.
Once at the hospital, I was brought into the back where all the other sick people where and put on IV, later that night I was in the surgery room – my appendix got its wish. This was my first time in surgery so I figured I would try to fight off the anesthetic they gave me, so I cracked a joke to the doctor and about 1 second later I was waking up. I asked the nurse what happened and she said surgery was done, I didn’t believe her so she told me to check and surely enough, it was done.
Introduction to an opiate
I woke up the next day, not sure when but feeling so tired even though I slept all night. I asked the nurse if this was normal and she told me it was because I was on alternating IVs of antibiotics and an opioid called demerol (meperidine). I figured since I was in the hospital, I might as well experiment so I asked the nurse if she could hook me up with some morphine, I was curious about it but she told me Demerol produced similar results with less side effects. My experimentation was over and my curiosity was satisfied.
I think I was in the hospital for a total of 3 days, sometimes very alert and other times just drifting in and out of consciousness. It was a weird state, people would come visit me and I would fall asleep when I wanted to talk to them or I would try to say something but I could barely muster the strength to say it loud enough.
Suffice it to say, after 3 days being drugged at the hospital I couldn’t wait to get out. I was walking a little bit but I generally didn’t feel myself at all, I hate being in a hospital and even worse when I am a patient. Thankfully, I haven’t returned as neither since.
Second hit of opiate
About a year ago, I went in for a colonoscopy to check a few things out, the doctor who was performing the procedure mentioned the word Demerol to me for pain management but at first I refused. Around the end of the procedure, I told the doc to inject me, as I wasn’t feeling very well with too much hose up inside of me. Right after the injection, I felt very easy going – the stress just melted away and I was very relaxed.
Am I hooked?
From my two experiences with a mild opiate thus far in my life, I can easily say NO. It is probably safe to say that heroin, oxycodone (oxyContin), methadone (dolophine), morphine sulfateand and all those other opioids out there probably have a much stronger effect on the mind/ body then demerol. But for me, I actually enjoy knowing what is going on in my body, not somewhat spaced out. I enjoy the process of thinking clearly.
If you suffer from chronic pain, I can completely see the reason why opiates would be an attractive venture but if your perfectly healthy, I fail to see the point.
The Bottom Line
I can’t fathom the attraction to being strung out like I was for 3 days at the hospital and calling that a life. My two sisters seem to, and it even cost one of them their life, but I guess that I either physical or mental block as to craving or wanting that type of lifestyle. That is a good thing
Tragedy can take on many forms, but I can’t think of one that comes closer than loosing a relative who struggled through life due to a series of bad decisions. We are all born with the same opportunity – to reach our full potential. Some people can clearly see the road ahead of them while others need a map with directions but thankfully, most of us do eventually find our passion for life.
