Aa
Pain management and our views v/s those who are/have been addicted to prescription narcotics
http://www.medhelp.org/posts/Addiction/Question-about-Pain-Management/show/928544
I came across this question to one of Med Help's experts. I was wondering what your thought were on this subject.
I came across this question to one of Med Help's experts. I was wondering what your thought were on this subject.
Hi, I agree with you so much! I too have to defend why I take Opiates..before my accident I never had any type of drug in my body, except an occasional aspirin. I have been stigmatized and forgotten by my family> AND yes the stigma of needing meds--we are not all addicts! I suppose there are those who needed pain meds, then later were just addicted..but there are many of us who would have no quality of life without pain meds.
Blessings. Vee
Blessings. Vee
What a wonderful relationship you have with your doctor, Lainey! I giggled aloud when I read your "Ick tooey!" and thought "Yep, there's many a day that it's still hard to function WITH the meds." I've only been a member a few days, yet the help the others have offered has changed my state of mind completely. No more commisserating, no more placating, like on other boards. They gave me good, solid advice, straight from the hip. I am not an addict, dammit ... I'm a dependent. Ahh, it feels so good to shirk the previous opinion I had of myself. Thank you Nick and CP1!
CP1 ~ Many friends have suggested marijuana but, encouraged by my ex-husband, I took only one hit in my life and "woke up" teaching verb conjugations to a class of 24 students the next day! I don't know what happened to the interim hours, but the experience truly scared the daylights out of me. Mind you, that was potent "BC Bud", as opposed to the "shake" found here in Mexico.
Just so you're all aware: I'm on one Oxy a day now, and the w/d is not too bad! Gracias!
CP1 ~ Many friends have suggested marijuana but, encouraged by my ex-husband, I took only one hit in my life and "woke up" teaching verb conjugations to a class of 24 students the next day! I don't know what happened to the interim hours, but the experience truly scared the daylights out of me. Mind you, that was potent "BC Bud", as opposed to the "shake" found here in Mexico.
Just so you're all aware: I'm on one Oxy a day now, and the w/d is not too bad! Gracias!
Hi Everyone, I'm Lainey and I've enjoyed reading your posts. Clearly Miss Nauty has never had issues with chronic pain! Like most of you probably did, I tried almost everything before I turned to pain management. I really thought pain management was "the end of the road." And, what i found out was that I had been suffering needlessly for a few years. Thankfully, I have a wonderful doc. I too had fears of addiction, and when after many months I very hesitantly told him that my medication wasn't working as well as it use to, he asked me why I hadn't told him sooner. I told him it was because I was afraid of addiction, and he then gave me a 45 minute lecture on the difference between addiction and dependence and I've been fine since then, LOL. And truthfully, who gets high on their medication? I mean really? Ick toohey! I try not to let the non believers bother me because the truth is that even with the pain meds, there are days when I find it hard to function. I live in the state of NJ, so I wonder what they will say when the state approves Medical Marijuana! lol. Anyway, tis nice to meet you all. :o)
I'm truly sorry to hear of your problems, it makes me sad because I know how it is. Doctors still go wide-eyed and balk when I write down what I take "Why are you taking this?!?" questioning me as if I'm some addict. If I was an addict, I doubt i'd write it down!
The drug wars are the worst and most immoral thing in existence at the moment, at least in my opinion. I mean, they should prescribe marijuana even for chronic pain, but racism, bigotry and fear has made those in power think marijuana is the devil.
I hope you find a solution, but as others said I've seen programs on Mexico where these things can be obtained without a prescription. I don't know how safe that is, and if you need to cross the border you'd probably be arrested...but with bad pain, I'd probably consider it an option when everything else is closed.
I swear, this makes me wish I had the money and time to become a doctor and make a change in the way people see these things. It truly disgusts me that people in pain must be addicts because they use the same drugs for entirely different reasons. I told mindlink I worried about addiction at the start too, but learned that it's dependence, not trying to get high and constantly taking more and more to get a fix. I mean, you can develop a dependence on caffeine too...or television, or anything!
tuckamore, I'm glad my pharmacists have never said anything negative. They seem to understand, or just don't care either way. Pharmacists should never, ever have an agenda and if they do should be reported
The drug wars are the worst and most immoral thing in existence at the moment, at least in my opinion. I mean, they should prescribe marijuana even for chronic pain, but racism, bigotry and fear has made those in power think marijuana is the devil.
I hope you find a solution, but as others said I've seen programs on Mexico where these things can be obtained without a prescription. I don't know how safe that is, and if you need to cross the border you'd probably be arrested...but with bad pain, I'd probably consider it an option when everything else is closed.
I swear, this makes me wish I had the money and time to become a doctor and make a change in the way people see these things. It truly disgusts me that people in pain must be addicts because they use the same drugs for entirely different reasons. I told mindlink I worried about addiction at the start too, but learned that it's dependence, not trying to get high and constantly taking more and more to get a fix. I mean, you can develop a dependence on caffeine too...or television, or anything!
tuckamore, I'm glad my pharmacists have never said anything negative. They seem to understand, or just don't care either way. Pharmacists should never, ever have an agenda and if they do should be reported
It is very unfortunate that your brother does what he does, my own sibling has never bothered to try to understand me either. It is extremely hurtful. I would like to believe that they don't know the harm they are casuing us.
I'm sure(unfortunately)all of us have family members who are like this.
it's bad enough that pharmacists look at us funny, and bad enough that we are constantly accused of being addicts, but to have our own family hurt us is hard to understand.
my sympathies to everyone who lives in constant pain.
Nick
I'm sure(unfortunately)all of us have family members who are like this.
it's bad enough that pharmacists look at us funny, and bad enough that we are constantly accused of being addicts, but to have our own family hurt us is hard to understand.
my sympathies to everyone who lives in constant pain.
Nick
I don't know how far away you live from any US cities, but if you are close enough you may have to get yourself a doctor in the US.
What do you take to control your pain now? Do they prescribe Oxycodone or Percocet there?
What do you take to control your pain now? Do they prescribe Oxycodone or Percocet there?
Tuckamore, I think you may have us confused. It is me, "mindlink", who is in Mexico, not "ChronicPain1". So let me explain:
I can only go by what the three doctors I've seen in Mexico have told me. Each of them told me that he was no longer allowed to prescribe Oxycontin by law ... one showed me a copy of the law. They say it's the government's knee-jerk reaction to all the bad press Mexico has been getting regarding the drug wars.
Red931: I have lived here on and off for six years (now permanently). The last time I visited in March of 2008, I was able to get a prescription for Oxycontin through my doctor here. While I could buy any NON-narcotic medication over the counter in the past, I have never been able to do so with a narcotic. I had to have a prescription.
Sometime since March of 2008, I cannot get Oxycontin even by prescription because the doctors cannot, according to them, prescribe it. Period. I have to do more research on the origins of this law, as it may be that only certain states of Mexico are affected.
On a semi-related note: I found an interesting case involving the so-called illegal prescription of opiates by two doctors, brothers David and Randy Chube, happening in Gary, Indiana as we speak. Some of you may be interested in their story: http://chubebrothers.com/David_and_Randy_Chube.html . The Chicago Tribune article is long, but reflects most of your views.
I can only go by what the three doctors I've seen in Mexico have told me. Each of them told me that he was no longer allowed to prescribe Oxycontin by law ... one showed me a copy of the law. They say it's the government's knee-jerk reaction to all the bad press Mexico has been getting regarding the drug wars.
Red931: I have lived here on and off for six years (now permanently). The last time I visited in March of 2008, I was able to get a prescription for Oxycontin through my doctor here. While I could buy any NON-narcotic medication over the counter in the past, I have never been able to do so with a narcotic. I had to have a prescription.
Sometime since March of 2008, I cannot get Oxycontin even by prescription because the doctors cannot, according to them, prescribe it. Period. I have to do more research on the origins of this law, as it may be that only certain states of Mexico are affected.
On a semi-related note: I found an interesting case involving the so-called illegal prescription of opiates by two doctors, brothers David and Randy Chube, happening in Gary, Indiana as we speak. Some of you may be interested in their story: http://chubebrothers.com/David_and_Randy_Chube.html . The Chicago Tribune article is long, but reflects most of your views.
Yes Red, I am confused why ChronicPain is not able to obtain a legal perscription for an Opiate in Mexico. I have a a few relatives that retired to a TX border town. For monetary reasons they are treated by a Physician in Mexico and obtain opiates legally in Mexico. They tell me they have never been treated as "drug seekers". I certainly beleive ChronicPain I am just confused by the difference.
I'm sorry you had such an experience. My oldest son thinks I am an addict and will share his opinion with anyone who will listen. (And I only take a few Vicodin as I have been allergic to everything else my physician has prescribed.) But we all beleive that his attitude is due in part by his own personal struggles. But knowing that doesn't make it hurt any less when I am called names behind my back by him and laughed at. I'm sure there are others that think the same. I hold me head up high as I have nothing to be ashamed of nor apologize for.
No one except another CP sufferer has any idea what we endure in so many ways in so many situations!
I'm sorry you had such an experience. My oldest son thinks I am an addict and will share his opinion with anyone who will listen. (And I only take a few Vicodin as I have been allergic to everything else my physician has prescribed.) But we all beleive that his attitude is due in part by his own personal struggles. But knowing that doesn't make it hurt any less when I am called names behind my back by him and laughed at. I'm sure there are others that think the same. I hold me head up high as I have nothing to be ashamed of nor apologize for.
No one except another CP sufferer has any idea what we endure in so many ways in so many situations!
I just read the posts on the "other" forum again. I posted a reply last night, but I was really having a hard day that I just went to bed. I get so angry when one has the assumption that since they felt that they had an addiction to opiates, everyone else will have an addiction. We all can talk until we're blue in the face,and it will do no good.
I take my pain meds because I want to function and try to do what I can to live as normal as possible. Even with my pain meds I have days even weeks when I can't get out of bed. I was DXed with Post Traumatic Fibromyalgia a little over a year ago, and never in my life would I think that pain could be so bad and never go away. The sentence that made me the angriest was" I think that there are as many addicts in the pain management forum as there is here."........:(
I have had the same internist for over 20 years, and he knows my body as well as I do. He knew when I told him that I had no fears of addiction, but if or when that "might" happen, I would take care of it then., but right now I'm 54 years old and I hurt like hell and to please help to make it better. Enough said. Between my Rheumy and my internist, they work together and take care of me. What more could I ask?
gentle hugs
Angel
I take my pain meds because I want to function and try to do what I can to live as normal as possible. Even with my pain meds I have days even weeks when I can't get out of bed. I was DXed with Post Traumatic Fibromyalgia a little over a year ago, and never in my life would I think that pain could be so bad and never go away. The sentence that made me the angriest was" I think that there are as many addicts in the pain management forum as there is here."........:(
I have had the same internist for over 20 years, and he knows my body as well as I do. He knew when I told him that I had no fears of addiction, but if or when that "might" happen, I would take care of it then., but right now I'm 54 years old and I hurt like hell and to please help to make it better. Enough said. Between my Rheumy and my internist, they work together and take care of me. What more could I ask?
gentle hugs
Angel
Hang in there and you will find a doctor that is willing to listen to you and do what is necessary to help you bring your pain to a level that you can live with.
Why is ther a law against prescribing Opiates in Mexico? They sell narcotic medication there without prescriptions from my understanding.
Please give us some more details on that. I find it very interesting.
Why is ther a law against prescribing Opiates in Mexico? They sell narcotic medication there without prescriptions from my understanding.
Please give us some more details on that. I find it very interesting.
All of you have answered my pleas for help in the past couple of days. Your kind ministering to my plight has been invaluable.
Over in the Addiction: Substance Abuse forum, I was treated as a true addict. (Fearmongering. Yes, I was terrified, and demoralized.) Here, as CP1 says, I am "the mother taking long acting oxycontin just to be able to walk and live life". YOU have made me recognize what I thought all along, that I am *dependant*, not *addicted*. The door is closed to me in Mexico. Since I started posting, I've been to two more doctors and both, like the first, refuse to prescribe opiates. There is a new law against doing so here. "Beware of the lurking addict" seems to be the uppermost thought in their minds as they see a new patient, and we, seeking opiates to simply manage our pain, are cast out.
I was so affected by Red931's post that I cried out, "I am NOT an addict!", as my fist punched the air. I, too, join the fight with other chronic pain sufferers in their battle to receive the medical care so necessary to their quality of life. It's an uphill battle here but, hey, I've waged many of those in my 60 years, and I'm not about to back down.
Thank you ALL!
Over in the Addiction: Substance Abuse forum, I was treated as a true addict. (Fearmongering. Yes, I was terrified, and demoralized.) Here, as CP1 says, I am "the mother taking long acting oxycontin just to be able to walk and live life". YOU have made me recognize what I thought all along, that I am *dependant*, not *addicted*. The door is closed to me in Mexico. Since I started posting, I've been to two more doctors and both, like the first, refuse to prescribe opiates. There is a new law against doing so here. "Beware of the lurking addict" seems to be the uppermost thought in their minds as they see a new patient, and we, seeking opiates to simply manage our pain, are cast out.
I was so affected by Red931's post that I cried out, "I am NOT an addict!", as my fist punched the air. I, too, join the fight with other chronic pain sufferers in their battle to receive the medical care so necessary to their quality of life. It's an uphill battle here but, hey, I've waged many of those in my 60 years, and I'm not about to back down.
Thank you ALL!
I will share a personal experience with all of you that proves how much people are quick to judge those of us that have to take these medications.
This past Thanksgiving I spent with my Wife's family. I had been through ten surgeries within a two year period and was heading into number eleven on December 10th. My doctor had recently switched my medication from Vicodin to Oxycontin because too much Vicodin was needed to control my chronic pain and was raising my liver enzymes. The men wanted me to have a shot of 25 year old Scotch which has always been a tradition there. I declined and when pressed I had to tell them that I could not have any because I was taking Oxycontin for my condition.
I left the gathering early and went home due to my pain and my wife and son stayed with my in-laws and were driven home by them later. When my wife got home she told me that some of those people were warning her that I may be addicted to my medication and that she should count my pills. Intrestingly enough, the person spearheading this conversation is a drug abuser herself .This made me so angry because I don't even take the amount of medication prescribed. I take less and suffer through the pain! Who was this person to judge me! She has no idea what I go through everyday.
Well...There were others there that know me well and told this person to shut her claptrap and worry about her own problems but I have decided that I will not put myself in the same room with these types of people ever again. It is bad enough to have to go through this and deal with the pain everyday, without having to find out that people are talking behind your back in a negative manner and are totally off-base because they have their own addiction problems.
Not all people that become addicted to a substance own up to their addiction as they should like Jollyman did on this thread. Some like to point the finger at others for their own weaknesses. That is what I don't understand. I thought that the first step to recovery for those that are substance abusers is taking responsibility for their addiction.
This past Thanksgiving I spent with my Wife's family. I had been through ten surgeries within a two year period and was heading into number eleven on December 10th. My doctor had recently switched my medication from Vicodin to Oxycontin because too much Vicodin was needed to control my chronic pain and was raising my liver enzymes. The men wanted me to have a shot of 25 year old Scotch which has always been a tradition there. I declined and when pressed I had to tell them that I could not have any because I was taking Oxycontin for my condition.
I left the gathering early and went home due to my pain and my wife and son stayed with my in-laws and were driven home by them later. When my wife got home she told me that some of those people were warning her that I may be addicted to my medication and that she should count my pills. Intrestingly enough, the person spearheading this conversation is a drug abuser herself .This made me so angry because I don't even take the amount of medication prescribed. I take less and suffer through the pain! Who was this person to judge me! She has no idea what I go through everyday.
Well...There were others there that know me well and told this person to shut her claptrap and worry about her own problems but I have decided that I will not put myself in the same room with these types of people ever again. It is bad enough to have to go through this and deal with the pain everyday, without having to find out that people are talking behind your back in a negative manner and are totally off-base because they have their own addiction problems.
Not all people that become addicted to a substance own up to their addiction as they should like Jollyman did on this thread. Some like to point the finger at others for their own weaknesses. That is what I don't understand. I thought that the first step to recovery for those that are substance abusers is taking responsibility for their addiction.
I posted over on the Expert Thread, so I won't repeat,but I have strong feelings on this subject. It's totally absurd how dangerous drugs are given out too easily and pain meds to allow someone some dignity and the ability to function are not. My post is on the other thread. We just have to stay strong and confident in our own truth.
Blessings, Jan
Blessings, Jan
Agreed. When it can take someone in extreme pain years to be recognized...it's sad.
Jolly,
You are very strong and brave and I admire your spirit and kind heart. Thanks for your support.
And All,
I posted on the thread a few hours ago. And Sandee made some very good points a few hours before my post. I was saddened with the reminder that it is so apparent that CP sufferers are not understood. We fight for the right to be recognized, believed and treated at every turn.
I never get weak trying to defend chronic pain and the justification for opiates. It raises my dander every time I even think someone is questioning the prescriptions of opiates for CP. So very many ppl just do not understand. If we do not defend and educate who will?
You are very strong and brave and I admire your spirit and kind heart. Thanks for your support.
And All,
I posted on the thread a few hours ago. And Sandee made some very good points a few hours before my post. I was saddened with the reminder that it is so apparent that CP sufferers are not understood. We fight for the right to be recognized, believed and treated at every turn.
I never get weak trying to defend chronic pain and the justification for opiates. It raises my dander every time I even think someone is questioning the prescriptions of opiates for CP. So very many ppl just do not understand. If we do not defend and educate who will?
just posted there, there is a huge difference between dependence and addiction. the fear mongers like to blur that line and lump people together.
the guy on the street snorting percocets, shaking and vomiting when he doesn't have them
or
the mother taking long acting oxycontin just to be able to walk and live life
if there's a fine line line, fine line is synonymous with grand canyon.
the guy on the street snorting percocets, shaking and vomiting when he doesn't have them
or
the mother taking long acting oxycontin just to be able to walk and live life
if there's a fine line line, fine line is synonymous with grand canyon.
I respect your thoughts and agree with most i was one of the unfortant ones who ended up addicted to pain meds after 4 years with a pain specialist i dont blame him he is a graet dr, it was me that ended up addicted and noones fault but mine. I beleive that the people like you all that need and can handle opiates should have no trouble getting them because i know you truley need them..me i am finding other ways to cope with pain
I knew what you meant Molly. lol I get Dyslexic on here often. Don't worry we are not going to be graded on this.
I meant to say that there are plenty of folks that CAN'T get the meds they need. I guess I have to watch my typing more closely. Sorry
You are correct in stating that Doctors are NOT prescribing liberally. There are plenty of folks that can get the pain meds they so desperately need. Just read some of the posts in the pain forum.
The poster of that thread (NautyOne) is incorrect in my opinion as far as there being a fine line between addiction and dependency. There is a big difference. Someone's body becoming dependent on a drug that is working to handle and manage their legitimate pain and someone continuing to take a drug when they don't need it anymore or is taking it illegally and becomes addicted to it is clearly not the same thing or even close.
I also don't see doctors prescribing these drugs so liberally as described in the post. At least not with the doctors that I have been to. In the State of NJ a doctor has to make a copy of every prescription that he writes for these medications. This makes them tend to want to give you something else that will not work as well for you.
Which brings me to the doctor's response. He leans towards agreement with Nauty yet describes the people that are harming themselves with these drugs that are clearly the people that are usuing them illegally.
This issue really comes down to common sense. If you have legitimate chroinc pain and take your medication as directed by your doctor you will be fine. Should you be one of the lucky people that don't need it anymore after a long period of time your doctor will taper your dose with little to no withdrawls if you were taking it for real pain.
If you are taking these medications to purposely and knowingly elicit euphoria and have no pain issues you are fooling no one but yourself. At the same time you are adding a digit to the flawed statistics that are being used today that prevent doctors from prescribing these medications to those that really need them.
Those are my thoughts on the subject.
I also don't see doctors prescribing these drugs so liberally as described in the post. At least not with the doctors that I have been to. In the State of NJ a doctor has to make a copy of every prescription that he writes for these medications. This makes them tend to want to give you something else that will not work as well for you.
Which brings me to the doctor's response. He leans towards agreement with Nauty yet describes the people that are harming themselves with these drugs that are clearly the people that are usuing them illegally.
This issue really comes down to common sense. If you have legitimate chroinc pain and take your medication as directed by your doctor you will be fine. Should you be one of the lucky people that don't need it anymore after a long period of time your doctor will taper your dose with little to no withdrawls if you were taking it for real pain.
If you are taking these medications to purposely and knowingly elicit euphoria and have no pain issues you are fooling no one but yourself. At the same time you are adding a digit to the flawed statistics that are being used today that prevent doctors from prescribing these medications to those that really need them.
Those are my thoughts on the subject.
Have an Answer?
You are reading content posted in the Pain Management Community
Find out how beta-blocker eye drops show promising results for acute migraine relief.
Could it be something you ate? Lack of sleep? Here are 11 migraine triggers to look out for.
Find out if PRP therapy right for you.
Tips for preventing one of the most common types of knee injury.
Here are 10 ways to stop headaches before they start.
Tips and moves to ease backaches
