My hubby and I were talking about this very thing I think sub should be done and over within a month but where is the money in that?? I also believe when the Dr. has you on pain meds for over a month your body is addicted they know this then when you say it out loud oh my time to cut you off good luck dealing with the after affects..Although I must say I have lucked out on my Dr. he knows I'm a addict knows my whole history all the way to being addicted to H but he supports me in being clean and he also supports me if I change my mind and cannot deal with the pain any longer.. He also works for a lg hmo so I don't know what I did to find him but i will hang on to him like a cougar. I've had my share of bad ones thats for sure...
I agree. I know that I am an addict. I also take full responsibility for my addiction, but I also think these doctors need to take some form of responsibility for what happened. I am not taking about taking resp. for the addict who gets his pills from the street pharmacy, but the ones they prescribed the medicines for without explaining how easy it is to become addicted to these drugs. I had never taken anything stronger than a tylenol when my doctor first prescribed narcotics. Had he told me about the habit forming properties of the meds, it would have scared me to death and I honestly don't think I ever would have taken them. Oh well, that is just water under the bridge now and I am just glad that part of my life is in the past where I hope it remains forever.
Susan
This is a hard one I can see both sides but I think it should all come down to the individual taking responsibility for their own actions.I cannot blame anyone but me when it comes to me abusing any drugs. I would have to say if Doctors are responsible for prescribing addictive medicine than alcohol manufacturers are so much more liable for all the drunk driving accidents and the cost for pain suffering and loss of life to alcoholics which they are not responsible in my eyes for that so I guess I lean towards it is up to us to use our common sense which I did not at all. Maybe if taken as prescribed it would not be such a big issue or if I did not have the genetics to be an addict it might be easier for me to quit. For that I cannot lay responsibility upon any medical doctor. One thing I know it is up to me to kick this and the only person who will be history if I don't is me so the end result is up to ME........
I definitely think if you go to your doctor and tell them you are feeling that you have become addicted to the pain meds that instead of dumping you as a patient they should help you .I totally agree with that. However you cant blame the doctor for your addiction .The doctor does not force you into taking the meds. He is going by what you are telling him and believing that you are being honest about your pain level .When ever you pick up meds at the pharmacy they give you info on the meds it says several times on that paperwork that the meds are addicting . You should never be putting any medicine into your body unless you know what it is and what it may do.The doctor didn't get me where I am I did .
good post avis, that is so true. we get addicted, because we like the pills....we dont need a dr. to tell us that. our bodiy speaks loudly.
Yes, i agree that we cannot blame the doctors for our addiction but they should not be able to just cut someone off without some kind of plan for weaning off. It is dangerous to some people whose level is pretty high.
Also the suboxone should be a one time thing. If if doesn't work after the 20day mark then it is done. And they should be returned to the opiate they were taking to be weaned off.
The methodone clinics just need to be better organized or just outlawed. The success rate is ridiculous and pretty much just a money maker.
This is turning into an epidemic in our country and a really big lawsuit may be able to turn things around. At least make the public more aware of the dangers of taking these perscriptions.
I hear ya about the weaning and the sub .I would prefer to only see sub used for short term use as well.I dont know if that will happen however.
I was not by any mean saying that the doctor was responsible for my addiction, I was just saying that they (the doctors) should tell the patient, even if you ask for the pain meds, that it is highly addictive. Some people listen to their doctor when no one else. They are just one in a line of defense to stop addictions before they happen. Some people who are prescribed pain meds are not accustomed to taking anything like that and if the doctor told them they were habit forming, it may go further than the piece of paper that comes from the pharmacy.
Again, it is my fault that I became addicted, I took the meds on my own and not as prescribed. I am not trying to put this off on anyone.
i heard of addiction, but i didn't know anything about withdrawals. doctor never told me or warned me what could happen. i thought all would be ok. i took exactly what the doctor told me too and not an xtra pill. when i told him i wanted to stop, he told me exactly how to do it-1pill a week. i did exactly what he said and went thru hell. happened on weekend. had to go to hospital-got CLONIDINE-helped everything, but still hot and sweating. only been just over week took last pill. YES CRIMINAL that doctor never warned me. i feel he should have given me prescription of CLONDINE to keep just in case he couldn't be reached. certainly would have saved the terror of what happened and the horrible symptons and going to the emergency hospital. i learned from the internet that i was going thru withdrawal. at my next appointment i will certainly suggest this to him, but probably won't listen---could lose alot of patients that way. i would never touch that methadone ever. if i had known, never would have taken.
I am surprised that the topic of Tramadol didn't come up. There are still many Drs that believe Tramadol is NOT addicting. They prescribe it like candy. Should there be any responsibility placed on someone for the lack of proper information?
Going , I was told ultram was addicting by my first doctor. There were doctors after that did not think it was. That made it very easy for me to obtain but the entire time I new it was addicting the insert info from the pharmacy said it was. That sure did not stop me from taking it.
This medication may cause dependence, especially if it has been used regularly for an extended time or if it has been used in high doses. In such cases, withdrawal reactions (e.g., anxiety, sweating, sleeplessness, shaking, diarrhea, rapid breathing) may occur if you suddenly stop this drug. To prevent withdrawal reactions when stopping extended, regular treatment with this drug, gradually reduce the dosage as directed.
The makers of ultram have protected there butt by making sure the inserts tell you of the risks that's why you have not seen alot of class action law suits against them.
I dont hold anyone other then myself responsible for my addiction .I would have continued to taken it regardless . Even if the doctor had it stamped in red on his forehead.
THis subject ressurects many different opinions.
If I were to be "political", then the liberal response is, "it's someone elses fault".
The conservative side would say, "I have to take responsibility".
Clearly doctors are not well versed on how to attack addiction issues. There are several reasons which I mentioned in a previous but less "potent" post.
The main problem with addiction is that doctors know that if someone really wants their DOC, they will doctor shop, until they are successful.
My Dr. who now will only prescribe 40 Hydros a month, checks with the DEA list to somehow verify, I am not getting them somewhere else. He has told me I have to use only ONE pharmacy to get the drug. And he has vowed to cut me off if I don't follow his advice.. He told me flat out, "I think you have a problem", and "you are not taking the medicine right". He was right AND wrong. More right than wrong.
We really must take responsibility. No one puts the pills in our mouths, and we know the consequences, therefore, in this case I feel more like a Conservative, and take responsibility. Please , no one get mad at me!!!
I have seen many many posts now, even as a new member.
The reasons for quitting are almost always the same... "I want to quit this drug from hell". I know I can't be on it forever. Guilt sets in when we give in to taking a pill to "feel"better. Thus, we try to quit, and fail, and some succeed (congrats).
We are lucky to have found a forum, to learn and then gain knowledge. Then we all have to make "DECISIONS"......
Best wishes to you all..
I think we can go round and round about this subject forever lol. I agree with alot of what everyone said and i believe that there are good and bad drs out there thats for sure. I think its a crime for them to just cut people off as the answer to the problem I have been there and its awful. I have also been blessed with the best drs i couldve ever asked for too that have helped me so much to battle this. I think when this medications are prescribed for the FIRST time the drs should explain all the risks to the patient and make them feel comfortable and safe if they develop a problem to be HONEST!!! Im pretty sure if I knew I had options and wasnt afraid to tell my drs the truth I wouldve been done with these pills along time ago. i think some drs want to keep their patients hooked on pain pills so they keep them coming back!!! the same also applies to methadone clinics im sure. We are all responsible for our own addiction thats for sure but most of us didnt get here on our own.
avisg, I was just putting it out there about Trams, as it is widely prescribed without the Dr telling you the problems. (I knew you knew better) The same goes for me.
~~~{I did it to myself and no one else.}~~~
good post sunny,
I like the part where you said "we are all responsible for our own addiction but most of us didn't get here on our own".
That is... a true statement, I think.
One thing I have learned over and over in life. We need to be armed with knowledge when we do anything, from our health related isses, to most anything else.
If we have information at hand, and we do, with the internet... we can make much better choices about what or what not to do.
That is the trick, to know the consequences of our actions, and then make informed decisions.
That is just like Ambien and Lunesta. Because the commercials say non-narcotic, many physicians prescribe it like crazy. I will be the first to stand up and say THEY ARE BOTH ADDICTING TO ME! These sweet little lullabye pills nearly ruined my life. If I would have kept taking them I have NO doubt that I would be dead or atleast in jail. Those things may not affect others but they definately kicked my butt. I didn't take too many of them, I just took them when I came home from work to escape the stress and go to sleep.
I agree only on the factor that these drugs after prolonged use change brain chemistry that can take a year to recover from ---if ever---things should be explained a little better, but it is such a catch 22 because when you are in pain and they turn their back on you, you might be saying the same thing......that its unfair for them not to treat you and that is cruel.......I dunno......catch 22. Doctors know all of this.....please. I feel for them, and I feel for the patients too. There are good doctors and bad doctors, like any and all professions........no real place to lay the blame. Although, it would be nice. I understand what you are saying, though.
nauty............
yes it is a catch 22 i agree, but let me ask all of u a question that could probably be on its own post but - i think its fitting here -do any of u know anyone who has been on pain killers for a prolonged period of time who is NOT addicted and could just give it up in a snap??? I think most of use here got here because we all have pain problems that are going to last us forever
Does no one read the info that comes with all scripts? I am sorry, but it seems no one accepts responsibility for their life, nor their decisions, any more. I wish I could blame someone else for every mistake I make, it woud certainly make me feel much better. I just dont think that is an option.
My own personal experience is that I became an addict on my own....legitimate pain reasons. Yes I doctor shopped to get my pills, I bought them on the street for $10.00 per pill. (Chase Visa is making my life hell because I can't make payments) It was not the doctors fault. They were trying to help me with my pain. Sometimes I genuinly had pain sometimes I didn't. When someone goes into an emergency clinic crying out in pain, they give out the meds to help. It has to be a very hard judgement call for alot of doctors as to whether our pain is legit or not. My beef is my addiction phyc.If you ask him to bump you up to 3 Subs a day (my cousin did) he says no problem and does it without any questions. IMO he is just stringing us along for the long term income. In the months that I have been going to him he never has mentioned the "taper" Always asks me if I need more. And my cousin admitted to me that she doesn't even need that much, just wants extras...in case. I have been going to him since February. I have to pay $100.00 per visit on a monthly basis and $30.00 for the Subs. Last week I called him and told him I could not make my appt. due to dental surgery and can I reschedule? He said no problem, just send me a check for $100.00 and I will call in your refill for the month and I will see you next month. Didn't even want to see me...........just wanted his $. I have such mixed emotions about this. On one hand I am thankful for him. I have heard on here how difficult it is for some to get a doctor and the outrageous prices. But by the same token, I feel cheated because he does not council me at all (he is an addiction phychiatrist) and I feel I need that, like you guys have advised, to help me to ultimately be and stay clean. But I stay with him because it is so easy to get my subs and because of the horror stories I have heard about doctors that cut people off right in the middle. Am I doing the right thing here? Should I look for another doctor that will actually talk to me and councel me?
This is what i am getting at. The doctors that treat you once you are addicted.
There is no argument that we are all responsible for our addictions. But the doctors in most cases are not helping , they are just making it worse. I am just thinking that maybe a really huge court case that gets a lot of coverage could maybe turn things around.
Something has to be done. There are way too many people going through this. And not getting the help they need. This being thrown into cold turkey is so traumatic.
I just think it would be cool if there was a lawyer with "guts" enough to make a stand.
The oath says do no harm and most of them are failing that. We are responsible for our addiction not the docs, they just profit fom it. Like the docs who have you on sub forever.
I surely am responsible for my addiction. (although doctors helped me along with that) but I don't appreciate someone being in the medical field whom I wanted to depend on to help with my addiction....and profitting on it and taking advantage of my problem so he can get in his Cancun vacation.