Hello Dr. Rynne, I am a wife and mother, and I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis about 4 years ago. My MS is a very aggressive form, and I went from being an avid marathon runner and high achiever in the workplace, to being unable to walk without assistance and unable to work a full time job of any kind. Now all of this has hit me very suddenly, and I am still trying to understand how I am going to cope with such drastic life changes. MS has potential to be a very painful disease. I have spasticity in my legs that feel like a constant Charlie Horse cramp that won t release. I also have trigeminal neuralgia, agonizing face pain. So, all of this to offer you background. My problem is that I have become addicted to narcotic pain medication. I can t stand that I need to use it. I would like to know that since I have to be on this medication for the rest of my life (unless there is a cure or new medication). Can you tell me what kind of damage will happen to my body over the upcoming years as a result of less active lifestyle in combination with a drug addiction? I am very concerned about my future. In essence I would like to know the long-term risks of daily narcotic medication use. Thank you so very much for taking the time to answer my question! Regards, Cindy