Chronic Pain

Progesterone converts into another hormone, allopregnanolone, which activates the brain’s Xanax receptors, the GABA receptors. Females should think of Progesterone as their Xanax hormone. Opiate-induced Progesterone deficiency obviously causes increased electrical current throughout the brain and body – thus any electrical pain signal will be amplified. The ultimate result of taking opiate pain medication on a daily basis is a myriad of detrimental biochemical changes that make the brain more sensitive to physical pain!. Opioid dependent patients also suffer symptoms of depression, anxiety, insomnia, memory loss, chronic fatigue, weakness, lethargy, bone loss, muscle loss, weakened immune function, insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, and increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Thyroid Hormone activates every cell in our body – opiate-induced hypothyroidism causes under activity of every body system. Our Brain’s Pleasure or Reward Center runs on dopamine, but dopamine cannot activate our “happy receptors” when thyroid levels are suboptimal, hence opiate induced hypothyroidism causes depression and increased sensitivity to incoming electrical pain signals.

Epinephrine is one of our primary “get up and go” chemicals. If you suffer opiate-induced epinephrine deficiency, you also suffer chronic fatigue, depression, and lack of motivation. Adrenaline cannot activate adrenaline receptors on our nerves without optimal Cortisol levels.

We can’t manufacture endorphins without DHEA, therefore, DHEA deficiency causes increased Physical Pain! DHEA is called the grace hormone in Europe. It is the strongest anti-inflammatory hormone. Our brain uses six times more DHEA than any other hormone. DHEA increases production of natural killer cells, the white blood cells that attack and kill cancer cells, bacteria and viruses.

Opiate-induced testosterone deficiency causes increased pain via decreased dopamine activity in the Brain’s Reward Center. Dopamine cannot activate the Brain’s dopamine receptors in the Reward Center without adequate testosterone! As with Thyroid Hormone deficiency, Testosterone deficiency down-regulates activity in our Brain’s Reward Center causing depression and increased brain sensitivity to incoming electrical pain signals.

Opiate-induced estradiol deficiency causes depression, anxiety, insomnia, and increased brain sensitivity to incoming pain signals. In the female brain, serotonin receptors close and are unavailable for activation by serotonin molecules when estradiol levels fall below a critical level. Females with normal serotonin levels but suboptimal estradiol levels suffer serotonin deficiency symptoms including an overactive emotional center making the brain more sensitive to incoming electrical pain signals.

MSH is not just for skin pigmentation, it has 22 other functions, furthermore, recent research has proven that MSH is a “mother modulating hormone” that controls the activity of all our hormones. We cannot make our natural opiates, endorphins, without MSH. If your MSH production has been suppressed by opiate pain medications, you may notice that you sunburn more easily than you used to.