U.S. Chronic Pain Patients -- No More Pain Meds

by Lady Lee 34 Replies latest jw friends

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  Lady Lee

  rebel years ago I worked on a drug rehab and prescription drugs were a huge problem.

  Many oatients are scared to use the, I know I was. But after years of unremitting pain I had to learn when to use them and not wait until the pain was unmanagable.

  Is the article in mnt is probably not alone in reporting higher rates of opiod drug use or in their warnings. Over and over I was told by my pain Dr that if pain is managed well I had nothing to fear about the use of the medication he prescribed. Fo rme it is my back-up when nothing else works. But when I have several days when nothing else works I do begin to worry.

  If some Drs are overprescribing that is a whole other issue than insurance companies failing to pay for th emegs.

  I just know I am very lucky now and hope it stays that way.

  Band I totally agree that the recognition of the need for effective chronic pain management is light years ahead of where it used to be. The biggest problem I had was getting into the pain clinic where they were willing to experiment with what worked for me. I certainly didn't like the side-effects of many of the medications they tried but in the end we found what works for me. Sadly it took me 3 years to get through the waiting list.
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  skeeter1

  I think the misuse of oxycontin by doctors and patients has chilled the concept of pain medicines, to the detriment of thse who need them legitimately.

  Today, I know of two young women (about 20 years old) who both have very young children. One got easily on pain meds, oxy, by going to a welfare doctor who gave them to her for epidural pain. Now a year has passed and she in/out of emergency rooms trying to get more oxy. The government refuses to continue to pay for the oxy, now that she's likely addicted. Her best friend is now claiming to also have back pain from minor scoliosis and an epidural. She wants to go to the pain clinic that gave her friend the oxy. You guessed it, both are on government assistance. They both have free cell phones and gym memberships (but don't go)

  Skeeter (who rarely takes pain medicine, other then novacain)
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  Band on the Run

  Perhaps I can shed some light on addiction and pain medication. My pain was utter agony. It was worse than terminal cancer pain. Without informing me, my family was told that nothing could be done and that I would certainly kill myself. My regular most were appalled that I was working and traipsing around NYC in my condition. One said that if I didn't stay in bed, I would be raped and murdered. My inner Jw child emerged. To punish myself, I refused all opiates bc my pain was chronic. Docs told me they were astounded that I could be so unsophisticated. Time wore me down. They said it is a proven fact that patients with actual pain and others have different brain chemistry. They gave me a list of medical journals to read.

  Pain patients almost never crave opiates even after decades of use. Pain pts typically take miniscule amts of medical grade opiates while non pain users take mind blowing amounts and escalate in an endless cycle. Scientists are researching this bc it may lead to cure or better treatment of addiction. T

  I feel strongly that all patients who take opiates for more than two weeks should be treated by pain mgmt. Regular docs have no clue. As Lady Lee said, however, you need geographical proximity and save to be taken by pain mgmt. I was lucky. Even in NYC, the only pain mgmt in my early days was ltd to mammoth cancer centers. I would cry and beg to be treated, pleading with their administrators and lawyers.

  strongly
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  free2beme

  Pain meds are a terrible and distructive addiction.
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  jgnat

  Three year wait to get in to a pain clinic? That's a kind of abuse.
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  Band on the Run

  I am living proof that pain Meds are not dangerous or destructive per second. Furthermore, many JWN members also prove that pain Meds are effective and appropriate. Perhaps you should research past threads. Without being witchy.your all or nothing view signals that you la ck knowledge of the fundamentals. If you speak bc of personal experience, I am sorry. No party in the policy debate agrees up coming ion with you. It Is complex and nuanced. Very accomplished people function well with pain medication. One hour with my pain and you would change your view.
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  Lady Lee

  Band I agree. If I stopped one of my pain meds by tonight I would be insane by 2 am. And that isn't even an opioid. But the opioid is the only thing that will stop it at that point.
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  Lady Lee

  Yea it was sheer torture.

  My family DR. did her best but many of the things we tried didn't work. At least by the time I did get to the pain clinic I already knew what didn't work.
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  return of parakeet

  free2beme: " Pain meds are a terrible and distructive addiction. "

  Not if you need them to manage pain.
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  ballistic

  One of you guys asked me when I was in the USA, how was the flight, do you get anxious, did you take any Valium, and I was like, jeeez, I'm from the UK, we can't get meds like that for any reason.