why or what about withdrawing from opiates?

[sandy535353]

Ive have been off narcotics long enough, and have had no quality of life. It was onlywhen  taking meds that I was able to get off the couch once again, be social, visit friends and family and join in on holiday functions. Im beginning to wonder why being on narcotics is such a bad thing. 40 years on and off, and while being off, ( was off for 3 years once), I had no quality of life. My life consisted of going to dr after dr, getting pumped up with trigger point, epidurals, lidocain, physical therapies, feeling good one day, then the next 6 feeling awful again, time after time. On a good day, I make plans for the movies, only to feel crummy half way to the drive there, cause the actual time to get ready, used up all my good time. It seems the why's or what's are all mushed into the same to me. Ive been doing this for 30 years and I just want to know why do we have to suffer if there is a med like and opiate to help us have some quality of life. Another friend on here said, people take blood pressure meds to be comfortable, some take insulin to be alive, some take this or that to feel like   a human again, why not pain meds to help us feel like we can be part of the human race? I only ask "why,' is it different for the person who needs to be on pain meds>? Why cant we take something to be more comfortable like every one else with an illness. "WHAT'S" the difference? :)

[Jinx_777]

very well said.  

[philnoir]

Thank you for your compassionate message. I imagine the previous post was speaking subjectively about her own situation and fears than replying to a post made over a year ago.

This is a huge problem for those of us who require opioid pain medications due to severe chronic pain.

There's an ignorance in America about chronic pain that damages us all, because as of 2010, there were an estimated 116 million Americans living with chronic pain, and as our population ages, those numbers will rise. With many, pain is untreated, or under treated, and all are stigmatized by the ignorance about pain and the prejudice against its treatment fostered by governments, media, and a well-conditioned populace that believe "drug addicts" are to be feared, scorned, and rejected as emotional cripples and habitual criminals.

We who live with chronic pain face a society that fails to recognize chronic pain is a serious chronic health problem requiring access to management akin to other chronic diseases such as diabetes or chronic heart disease. Chronic pain with or without diagnosis is highly stigmatized, and there are major deficits in knowledge of health care professionals regarding the mechanisms and management of pain. Most doctors receive less than a day of instruction on the use of opioids, and do not understand primary concepts in pain management medicine like opioid tolerance, opioid dependence, the medical dangers of opiate withdrawal syndrome, and the use of opioids in the treatment of chronic pain.

There are severe restrictions on the availability of opioids and other essential medications, critical to the management of pain, and lately, those medications are being further restricted by regulatory agencies like the FDA, DEA, and their corresponding state agencies. Those of us who are fortunate enough to get treatment are subjected to extra measures that increase our costs of treatment.

If we need treatment for moderate to severe pain, we are forced to sign one-sided controlled substance contracts that give us no rights, but allow a medical office to cut off our medication at will, without recourse. I would have never signed a one-sided contract like this in business, but have to sign to get medical treatment for my disease. When we are prescribed controlled medications, our HIPAA guarantees of privacy are violated with state run prescription monitoring systems that allow any medical, pharmacy, or law enforcement employee with access to the system to view our private medication records.

I know of no other disease that forces these unfair measures on its victims. Pain patients are monitored more closely than certain convicted criminals. Why do we allow such abuse to occur in this land that once respected the rights of privacy of the individual?

During my professional career, I knew that if my clients knew I was using prescribed opioids daily to control pain, I would have lost their faith in my competence and character for no other reason other than taking a daily medication. Even today, after 30 years of treatment, family and friends imply that I'd be better off without "taking those drugs."

Our problems as chronic pain patients are not caused by the abusers, but by our biases against chronic illness, our ignorance of pain and its treatment, and our fear of anything that we don't understand. This fear is reinforced by the law enforcement industry's "war on drugs" -- the largest and most ineffective money maker ever invented for that industry.

It is time to wake up, America, and recognize the right of all chronic pain patients to treatment and to access to their medication.

[Ghilly]

I think the point that the OP was trying to make was not that she needed to be on medication in order to TOLERATE being around other people, but she is in so much pain WITHOUT the medication that she is more or less bedridden without them.  It would be a wonderful world if everyone could live chemical free, but unfortunately many of us cannot.  It doesn't mean we don't WANT to, it just means that our diseases and physical problems prevent us from doing so.  And even people who have anxiety issues when it comes to being around people shouldn't be forced to be miserable simply so they can be chemical free when there are anti-anxiety drugs that can help them.  I am not talking about people who have gotten themselves into predicaments by doing drugs recreationally, I am talking about people who have LEGITIMATE reasons for needing medication.  Not all meds are a temp fix, sometimes people have physical reasons for needing them.  It would pay to remember that.

[Archangel8]

While taking meds are a temp fix.  There are tons of people who can't be around people.  In our family we can't even be around family.  Being dependent on any substance to tolerate people is not good.  Drinking-weed-cocaine-pills?   The funny part is when you need help its people you must trust to help you through your additions.  TOO MUCH OF AnYtHING IS Bad!  That's why we have diabetics-alocholics-pill poppers-weed smokers - over eaters-etc.  Be chemical free.  

[smartsick]

Agree with your reasoning....i.e. insulin/diabetes...quality of life...it's subjective ....one must do what insures a happy existence.....choose what's best and carry on........all my best to ya!

[sandy535353]

ty  for your contribution to my post. I feel the same way. After all is said and done, and tapering from 45mgs to 9, I am now in horrific pain. I am just trying to reevaluate my situation. Ive been there done that twice before. And after long years on and off meds, I only can contribute to life while on them. I will still continue to cleanse myself, but if I beconm a couch potatoe once again, I have to rethink again.

[Kalvin]

There's no difference. Many are forced to suffer because of the abusers and the whole narcotics hysteria that's taken over our society. Doctors that are scared to prescribe, so called pain clinics only interested in generating income.

When you've had all the surgeries and the injections and the therapy and the all the other stuff, medication is often ones only chance at leading a tolerable life. Many legitimate pain patients are having to resort to illegal means in order to obtain pain relief. It's just a really sicking situation!