[Random]

It seems like every week I see something on the news about the evils of narcotic pain meds and how doctors are handing them out like candy and it must be stopped. I feel like Im living in the twilight zone. It took me forever to get a prescription that was semi reliable for pain meds and to get there I had to take a urine test 1x/month, go to group therapy 1x/week, physical therapy 2x/week etc. I dont even get that many to take(1-2 pills a day). Seeing these stories on tv or the radio just makes me so angry. They always have some former patient who took a pain med and it didnt agree with them or they were instantly addicted. One guy last week said he was at a hospital and they gave him 3 pills over 2 days and when he realized it was a narcotic pain med he stopped taking it and felt himself go through withdrawl for 6 days. Thats ridiculous. Does this make anyone else angry? Everytime I see or hear one of these stories I feel so anxious that pretty soon no matter how much pain you're in you'll be lucky to get an advil and its cause the media is making it sound like chronic pain is a ruse and its just a bunch of addicts.

Random i know what you mean. They seem to take one or two of the worse people possible to demonize all of us who need the medication and do not abuse it. Here doctors have taken people off of pain meds they been on for years to NOTHING.... so these people are out of their minds in pain... most have gone to the liquor store and bought booze for the pain cause the medical profession is so afraid of making drug addicts that they negate their usefulness. And people are fed up so they buy the booze. It actually is cheaper but not as smart cause booze is far more addicting than medications. Oh well... i guess we have to be grateful for what we have and take it each day. tc

[Skeezyks]

The media idiots who peddle this drivel should all get kidney stones...

I can completely agree with you. I mean, food probably kills more people than pain medication right? But on the other side of things, I've watched 2 people suffer with pain med addictions. From reading information on the subject, I was surprised at how many accidental addicts there are out there. People who were not warned properly by their doctors. I guess it's unfair to assume that everyone is familiar with pain med addiction. I think quality pain control should be available to everyone in need, period! Shouldn't be like pulling teeth to get help. I hope you are feeling well.

[yagr]

I took me three years to get pain meds...and by then I had been referred (for the first time in my life) to a psychiatrist because, go figure, I was losing my mind.

[Nammu]

pisses me off. People who are dying can't get pain meds cause they might get addicted! soon H will will surplant RX and crime will go up.

[yagr]

Originally Posted by Nammu

pisses me off. People who are dying can't get pain meds cause they might get addicted! soon H will will surplant RX and crime will go up.

Funny you should say that. I brought in a bottle of methadone to my doctors office and asked him if that was a better choice - because I was going to start taking something for the pain with or without his help.

[jaynedough]

Medicare is also trying to make it difficult to get muscle relaxers. I understand that people, especially the elderly, can have balance issues, but I have a hard time moving much without the pain killer/ muscle relaxer mix. Among other things, I have advanced degenerative disc disease in all areas of my back, with disc compression and narrowing of the spinal canal. Sometimes even breathing is painful.

There have been a lot of heroin ODs where I live lately, some lethal some not. I asked the doctor who prescribes my meds about it. He said it's partly because people have found that it's easier and cheaper to get heroin than prescription pain meds.

[Travelinglady]

I do think they are going to extremes about it. I have medical reasons (documented) for needing pain meds. Plus pain makes my depression worse. I can only get a month's supply of my meds (Tramadol and Vicodin), only get them from one doctor, and have to take random drug tests.

That said, some people do become addicted to them. I had been given all sorts of other techniques to help me with pain before being prescribed prescription pain meds. I only take what I am prescribed and would do that even without the drug tests.

[Raindropvampire]

Originally Posted by Nammu

pisses me off. People who are dying can't get pain meds cause they might get addicted! soon H will will surplant RX and crime will go up.

I live in Indianapolis and it already has happened here. Our cops had to petition for funding for them to start carrying H od kits. The stats for our city are abominable but hey at least you can't get your hands on pain pills

My husband is now on Suboxone because when his pain meds were cut by over 80% he was told he didn't need quality of life because he's on disability, why can't he sleep 20 hours a day. No one that made these laws cares the least bit or has an iota of empathy for the pain they are causing

[PandorasAquarium]

It is beyond frustrating. I've done nearly a solid year of PT, taken umpteen different meds to try and help, had 3 surgeries, injections, and 6 weeks of specialized treatments that was an hour drive one way to get - all in just the last year, with more surgeries to come. Now they want me on a "non-narcotic" med that will inevitably destroy my liver, probably make my hair fall out in clumps, and has only a 50% chance working in 6 months, no sooner. But heaven forbid I take an opioid as directed long term - I might get constipation.

There is a huge difference between addiction and dependence. I read somewhere that only 5% of chronic pain sufferers actually develop an addiction. I don't know how accurate that is, but I believe it's fairly close. I am unfortunately dependent on my meds right now. I hate that. I don't enjoy taking them, beyond the brief respite I recieve from the pain. And I'd give anything not to have this wretched, endless pain so I could stop taking these meds altogether and get on with my life.

Instead, I have several under-researched, incurable diseases that are compared to end-stage cancer pain. I follow the diet, I do my PT, I see a MT therapist, I go to every specialist they suggest, do every treatment, and still I am in daily pain. The only thing that gives me a resemblance of the life I once had is hard hitting pain meds, and even then it only works for a few hours.

Now they want to take that away. It's scary, cruel, and downright inhumane. We treat our pets better. Its like we're being punished for our bodies malfunctioning. No wonder people turn to street drugs. It's a horrific prospect, but when your baseline daily pain level is a 6 on meds, I think a person would do just about anything for relief. That's scary. I'm afraid these restrictions will end up recreating behaviors and black markets like the alcohol prohibition of the early 20th century.

It's bad enough we live in pain because our bodies (or our doctors) have failed us, but worse that it is more acceptable for a human being to suffer than possibly develop a dependence on a medication that provides them with a little quality of life.

Whew sorry, rant over.

[Nammu]

Had I not had the pain meds I had I would have committed suicide to ex cape the pain. As it was with all the meds I was on they only reduced the pain to a tolerable level. Thank god I was able to finally see a surgeon who listened to me. After the surgery I was able to quit the meds, but like I say had I not had them.....

This fanatical obsession of throwing everyone in the same boat and denying quality of life meds is only going to fuel heron use.

[ZypCzyk]

@PandorasAquarium: Your story is exactly like mine and I agree with you completely.

We are being persecuted because other people are overdosing on a medication we happen to need to preserve our quality of life. It's the opioid abusers and addicts that cause problems, not pain patients.

You are right, the rate pf addiction in legitimate chronic pain patients is < 3.27%. (I'm not allowed to post the link to the article, but I have it on my blog).

There's no other equally effective treatment for pain than opioids and none with fewer side effects. Opioids have been in use and tested for thousands of years, which makes them much better understood than any other pain medication.

I feel these new restrictions violate the Americans with Disability Act and I don't understand why no one is mentioning how horrible the effects of this discrimination are for pain patients that are already suffering enough. Being denied relief for our suffering when it's easily available is simply torture.

When I was once almost cut off from opioids entirely by a doctor who believed "opioids are bad for you", my pain took over, I began self-harming and became suicidal. I was saved by an addiction specialty therapist who determined and documented that I was not addicted, but just a person in pain.

Otherwise...? I sure wouldn't be sitting here writing this post.

[-jimi-]

I think this happens because some doctors are drug pushers. That will give people ideas that all doctors are. I know two people, both in USA, one who suffers from a terrible injury years after, has to fight all the time for pain treatment, then I know another, with a very mild injury who gets anything he asks for from his doc, methadone, oxycodone, several muscle relaxers, really hefty dosages of Xanax, Lyrica, other pills to drug him down... exactly everything he wants or that the doc thinks he should have. He never had physical therapy that would help him. He never had help with stopping weight gain (main reason for his pain since the injury is small). Never EVER had a drug test. Got a wheelchair even if he could walk. He was suggested surgery with a very high success rate but refused and continued to get drugs, tons of drugs. The other guy was forced into this and that pain management program, had to jump through hoops, had to pass drug tests etc. And when he refused surgery that only came with a less than 30 % success rate, they cut his med in half for non compliance.

Things are really different... these two worlds never seem to meet.

Docs like the first guy has, they really really destroy things for responsible pain patients. They create this rumor that everyone can get opiates and muscle relaxers, because THEY give out those meds very easily to the wrong patients. When things go bad like this, there is often overprescribing at one end as a problem, and underprescribing at some other end.

[A18793715]

I'm only 24 and can't get really any relief. All I can take is Tylenol. I can't take NSAIDs do the stomach surgery. Tramadol makes me sick, even with zofran. Codine makes me itchy. The doctors just shrug and pass me off to someone else. But no one is willing to let me just take medication. If I'm very well aware of the physical dependency, addiction (which I highly see from happening) and all the yummy side effects of long term use. I've done my research. But doctors are too scared of the DEA that they refuse to help people, even with solid proof of pain like MRI films. But no. For me, my only option is back surgery. At 24. No.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by Random

It seems like every week I see something on the news about the evils of narcotic pain meds and how doctors are handing them out like candy and it must be stopped. I feel like Im living in the twilight zone. It took me forever to get a prescription that was semi reliable for pain meds and to get there I had to take a urine test 1x/month, go to group therapy 1x/week, physical therapy 2x/week etc. I dont even get that many to take(1-2 pills a day). Seeing these stories on tv or the radio just makes me so angry. They always have some former patient who took a pain med and it didnt agree with them or they were instantly addicted. One guy last week said he was at a hospital and they gave him 3 pills over 2 days and when he realized it was a narcotic pain med he stopped taking it and felt himself go through withdrawl for 6 days. Thats ridiculous. Does this make anyone else angry? Everytime I see or hear one of these stories I feel so anxious that pretty soon no matter how much pain you're in you'll be lucky to get an advil and its cause the media is making it sound like chronic pain is a ruse and its just a bunch of addicts.

You're damned right it makes me angry. I've been through three pain management sessions (minimum 6 months) from 2003-2013. They have this machine that "reads" the areas and severity of pain (I know it's not an MRI, but it's something like that) but the pain management docs will tell you that 98% of what they rely on is subjective patient reporting. I hate that 1-10 scale. If I'm screaming so much that I can't get a 10 out, what do you think I might say?

3 pills over 2 days? Please.

I'm still in the midst of battle with my mental health providers. They will maintain my current psych medications as long as I'm on my narcotics for chronic pain but they won't change or increase anything unless I get off the pain meds.

At least one pdoc agreed to that. But as far as getting to talk to a pdoc who does ECT (which has worked for me previously, 14 years ago)? Not allowed to speak to one unless I get off the narcotics.

You have chronic pain, I assume? And a psychiatric illness? What if you had to chose between being treated for one or the other? My physical pain is exactly where the pain management docs say that it should be - tolerable. My mental pain? Not so good. To be honest...

I'm questioning the point of mental treatment these days. I have all of these specialists. Each knows exactly what medications that I take. Yet a nurse practitioner wanted to control all of my medications. I thought that she was joking at first and laughed. That made her mad. Then I got mad. It took her a couple of months, but she got back at me; she was the one who convinced all but one doc in the practice to, well, "fire me"(?) if I didn't comply with the demand to stop the pain meds.

So I'll keep going to see the therapist and the pdoc until I can find if there are any "old fashioned" shrinks around. Shrinks accustomed to treating someone with multiple chronic diagnoses. Shrinks that actually care if you get better.

I'm going to throw out a question concerning some of this when I think about it a little more.

Seeing the people in this group (the largest in my city, with 5 locations) is the first time I've ever encountered the "my look how many drugs you're on!" reaction. I also bring my two page list of illnesses but the very people who want to prescribe for those illnesses can't even tell you what 85% of them are (she saw the word 'sinus' and asked me what I took for my sinuses when she saw "sick sinus syndrome").

Yes, it makes me angry. It makes me furious. When I was screaming after surgery in November of 2014, the nurse practitioner on duty moved my bed to the room at the end of the wall so that my screams wouldn't wake anyone. He didn't want to wake the doctor on call. I had to wait until 9 in the morning for more pain meds.

I don't just blame the media, though. I blame an over-zealous government trying to solve a criminal problem by going after non-criminals and timid physicians who don't want to come close to being responsible for trusting their patients. Certainly there is a large problem with the criminal use of prescription drugs. I don't know how it works, but just as I know that I could get a gun in an hour I know that I could get Xanax in 30 minutes. A 2mg "plank" (just learned that word in 2012 and I'd been taking them since 1985) of Xanax for... $6! I couldn't afford to be a non-legitimate Xanax user! I could make $360 a month if I sold my prescription Xanax but where would I be?

To keep up my legitimate drug use, I would gladly take a monthly piss test. But, for goodness sake, treat me like a human being. That's all I really want. If I'm hurting, please help me instead of hurting me.

God, but you hit one of my "spots" and I know exactly how you feel.

[vonmoxie]

It's all about accountability. Lack thereof. The government and the health care and pharmacology industries are all complicit in allowing the drugging of citizens to be profit-driven, and of course there is fallout from that. Rather than take responsibility for their myriad prior mistakes in the drug trade that they control, the war is always on the people, through demonizing addiction and muddying the waters between what is legitimate use and abuse in the process. Demonizing old drugs when all they want to do is redirect purchasing to new drugs with new problems that won't be discovered for another decade but are surely there. There's no war on drugs. It's a fake premise, with a decoy target. The target is us. We are pre-calculated collateral damage.

Not that I have strong feelings on the subject or anything.

[Random]

That has to be even more infuriating than I can imagine, ciderguy. Going to the hospital and doctors with chronic pain and having a psych history is bad enough and something I can relate to but the psych meds being held hostage by some deranged nurse practitioner would be a lot harder.

I dont just blame the media either, it just triggers me a lot more as it seems weekly or even daily there is another story. I think it's irresponsible cops play doctor and decide if a dr is reckless and prescribes narcotic pain meds "wrongly". You almost have to be brave to prescribe them these days.

I really appreciate all the replies this thread got, I think I've been annoying all the people around me ranting about this so I came to post here thinking to give them a break and that so many people feel it too makes me feel less crazy for thinking it.

[ccrown25]

I am in pain management now for arthritis and two herniated discs in my lumbar area that are not really surgery options. I take percocet and it helps but I feel as if my script needs to be increased because I am having break through pain. Yes, I am physically dependent on the medication but it does help with my pain and it allows me to have a better quality of life and to function every day.

When I went in for my first appointment, I had in hand, written reports from MRI's, my rheumatologist and two spine specialists. Fortunately there was no arguing with the doctor as he saw I was legitmately in pain and discomfort.

Also, it really depends on the professional you see. When you go to a pain management office, make sure you see a MD (Medical Doctor) or a DO (Doctor of Osteopathic medicine) not some PA (Physicians Assistant) or NP (Nurse Practitioner). In my opinion, they are not experienced enough and are afraid of making a mistake so they are not willing to do as much as a full Doctor would.

Docs have ways of finding out if you are in pain or if you are just trying to get meds for an addiction. I found out there is a federal database that records EVERY script you get once it is filled at a pharmacy and any licensed professional can access it and see your entire prescription history. I have mixed emotions about it... I understand why it exists (to keep track of people who are going around to different docs and clinics to get meds) however, I also feel it is an invasion of privacy and I feel as if some docs discriminate against people who are in legitimate pain. Unfortunately you cannot opt out of it but you are entitled to receive a report at your request.

[eyesclosed]

My r shoulder needs to be replaced ,but i'm too young my pcp gave me pure oxtcodone and a contract started at15 mg a yr ans a half later I was uo to 60mg I went out of town I forgot my meds within 12 hrs i went into withdrawal BAD. I told my doc about it ih u r dependent we have to stop using them lucky for u he said we have a suboxone program. so you go three days into withdrawal then they give suboxone 10 minutes later i felt better its also addicting. It was worse than oxy so he just took me off it back to withdrawal its; a narcotic now i went through a period of withdrawals of 6 months

[shortandcute]

One of the reasons I was denied SsI the first time was because I wasn't taking pain meds.

[eyesclosed]

also here in WI at fort McCoy Va hospital there were some vets dying because of all the combos of pain meds there is real trouble up there when I would get my script of oxy 240 5mg tabs the pharmacy people gave me weird vibes yes im in that much pain.

[Pikku Myy]

I believe there is a time when one functions and feel better on pain medications. With mom, Morphine helped her lungs to relax so she could breethe bc of ALS.

[Denman]

I suffer from Chronic Pain, for Back pain due to spinal stenosis, lumbar radiculopathy. I began seeing a Pain Management Physician a few years ago --- but all he was interested in doing was "Procedures" involving steroid injections, none of which helped me, and I finally put a stop to them. I relocated to another area of the State, and had to find all new physicians. I was referred to a new Pain Management Physician, whom I do not like,
but he did have me on Percocet for my back pain, and Lyrica for my Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy. I made the decision to not see this Physician again. But now, trying to find a new Physician for Medication Management is nearly impossible. I can't find any Physician (not even my own Primary Care Physician) who will give me a prescription for Percocet. I'm about ready to just give up and live with this horrible Chronic Pain. It's just not worth the aggravation. The media (and Physicians themselves) have just inflamed the entire topic of Opiods for Pain, so now No one will prescribe them.

[rwwff]

I know yall aren't in the same boat, but to put the other side out there, I am one of those people that can not be exposed to an opiod, under any circumstance, without real live, nasty, desperate, soul destroying addiction forming. I think the most humiliating experience of my life was a few days after shoulder reconstruction, the pain med ran out and I was supposed to switch to OTC stuff. Just a few days... I would have sold anything and everything I owned, done any depraved thing anyone asked me, without hesitation for just a few more. The pain was irrelevant. Though, it was there of course. Fortunately no one I knew that could write the script complied, I honestly even called relatives that are MDs and begged, but in a few days it passed. But addiction is real. Addiction can happen at very modest, by the label doses. And it can utterly destroy your life.

Yes, that means I have to gimp along on prescription NSAIDS, yes, I have to watch my liver like a hawk, but the potential harm from opiods is not completely without evidence.

Country really does need a sane pain management protocol though, there has to be a balance between folks like me, and people that can benefit from opiods without addiction.