Answer to 'Requesting Comments': Yes, those are all side-effects...

Answer to 'Requesting Comments': Yes, those are all side-effects that I (and others) have noticed. Have you talked to your doctor about it? The main question here is, have you become addicted to the stuff, or could you taper off and do with something else, or with smaller doses? I asked my pharmacist to fill the prescription with 100mg capsules instead of 300 mg ones, and have been tapering myself off for the last 6 or so months. So, I only take as much as my pain and discomfort seem to require. Much of the symptoms you describe have abated -- and I had a test to show kidney functioning (which came out 'normal'), so the pain over the kidneys problem is not so frightening now. However, the BEST thing to do is ask your doctor to help you addrress this problem together with you -- and if he/she won't then you need another doctor. Hope this helps, JanK