I am in stage ready condition today. I would never turn down an opiate because I have chronic pain. I also use them with restraint. I do not like to feel sick or high or nausuea I like to not feel my lower back pain. I will take one painkiller before training back or legs not crush up 5 and snort them. But I also dont hang out with drug addicts and dealers. I have not had an opiate since last summer when prescribed.
What effect does weed have on your pain ?? IME, and some others, it can actually affect how pain "reverberates" increasing pain or emotional processing of that pain or any pain like in emotional pain, trauma etc. But I know many also say it decreases pain in a big way. Opiates and opioids decrease the sensation of pain numbing you emotionally, unlike weed. Some say they don't decrease pain exactly, just the "caring" about it so to say. Many specialists say opiates shouldn't be used in back pain, especially long term as they also increase pain eventually, actually sensitizing your pain receptors. I was looking at treatments for back pain, something affectin me right now in a big way, not lower back but up between my shoulders, possible hernia, waiting for a xray appointment right now. Docs were discouraging me about xrays or MRIs because "we actually don't, and can't, do much wrt to back pain, except surgery in some cases but they will most likely not operate on you anyway."