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I have had severe osteoarthritis for 30 years. I live with chronic pain every day. Initially I was offered opioid pain medications and I took them but the problem was that every time I took one I loved everyone, I was just a happy freak, life was good, everything was wonderful, I loved everyone. I reflected on that and realized that the pills were doing more than killing my pain they were altering my mood. I flushed them all and I have not taken anything stronger than iburprofen since, even post surgically.
You just have to learn to live with chronic pain, once you do it's manageable. Narcotic pain meds are not the answer no doctor will prescribe them forever and when they cut you off you will either suffer withdrawals or end up buying them on the street, it's better not to start down that road. It's one thing to take them for a week if you break your leg or have surgery but anyone with a bad back or arthritis who thinks they can spend their life taking that crap is delusional
Thanks for the info. It appears that Maryland is behind so that's probably why I haven't seen it actually used. But this site also indicates that Florida does not provide access to other states. I would have thought that Florida, out of all of the participating states, would be fully on board with this. PMP Maps
I can see where this would help a lot IF all of the states would fully participate.
Yes. It really puts those of us who use pain meds responsibly in a position we don't deserve...how do you convey that you need pain meds without appearing to be a "drug seeker". I AM a drug seeker, in fact when I fill my Progesterone I'm a "drug seeker", that describes ALL of a pharmacy's customers. Again, I had a good pain management doc (one of the few docs I had over this period who treated me like a person, even my surgeon was arrogant and kind of rude) and never had a problem getting them prescribed, but the way I was treated by many health professionals only because I was taking Percs (even those who had nothing to do with prescribing meds) was shabby and shameful.
Remember too this was THE most awful thing I ever went through in 54 years, and it lasted 10 months (after the epidurals I had short periods of no pain thank God) and aside from the pain, I was out of work, and even with disability was going about $1500 in the hole each month. I had savings, but with all my co-pays and Uber rides I spent about $14,000 on medical care...aside from that, I was alone through most of this, and very depressed, and very scared nothing would work and I would be disabled and in pain forever. I went from walking several miles on the beach almost every evening to not being able to walk 10 feet. I once laid on the floor and watched infomercials for 4 hours because the remote was out of reach and it wasn't worth the pain moving would result in. Then I go to the people who are supposed to help me, who are making big bucks off of me, and they treat me like that?
Again, I too work in health care, and often with difficult patients. It's in a poor, rural area and we often get people who DO have a history of alcohol and/or drug abuse and/or psychiatric disorders. Often these patients give us a hard time...sometimes they get aggressive. But when I read this person's chart before I go introduce myself, I do not judge and treat them like they are lesser people just based on one thing, I am still always professional and polite and treat them like human beings, because they are. THEY are the customer, they are paying my salary, and they deserve to be treated like individuals.
I have had severe osteoarthritis for 30 years. I live with chronic pain every day. Initially I was offered opioid pain medications and I took them but the problem was that every time I took one I loved everyone, I was just a happy freak, life was good, everything was wonderful, I loved everyone. I reflected on that and realized that the pills were doing more than killing my pain they were altering my mood. I flushed them all and I have not taken anything stronger than iburprofen since, even post surgically.
You just have to learn to live with chronic pain, once you do it's manageable. Narcotic pain meds are not the answer no doctor will prescribe them forever and when they cut you off you will either suffer withdrawals or end up buying them on the street, it's better not to start down that road. It's one thing to take them for a week if you break your leg or have surgery but anyone with a bad back or arthritis who thinks they can spend their life taking that crap is delusional
Mine was not chronic pain, it was acute pain caused by a herniated disc pressing on my sciatic nerve. A week's supply of anything would not have done a thing. It was 2 months after I woke up unable to move before I could get scheduled for my first epidural, and 8 months later before I finally ended up getting the laminectomy, which eliminated my pain at least for now (my surgeon thinks I have about 10 years before I'll need a fusion, IF I take care of it, which I do).
So I took Percoset for about 8 months, and stopped when I no longer needed it.
I agree with you about chronic pain, but almost nothing that causes 8/10, 9/10, or 10/10 pain is going to be fixable in a week. It took me 3 weeks even to get an appointment with the pain mgmt doc, then he looks at his schedule and says "I can get you in for an epidural on such and such date" which was 3 weeks after that.
I don't know what you took, I never felt good or high or loving or happy on them. They relieved my pain just enough to try to wash myself and eat something, then made me sleepy, which I hated, because my pain was most severe after waking (I actually started to get afraid as night fell, because I knew what I was in for pain-wise). I never had a problem stopping them after my surgery and the pain ended, either.
Without them, I wouldn't have been able to go down the stairs to go any doctor, let alone sit upright in a car or waiting room.
Mine was not chronic pain, it was acute pain caused by a herniated disc pressing on my sciatic nerve. A week's supply of anything would not have done a thing. It was 2 months after I woke up unable to move before I could get scheduled for my first epidural, and 8 months later before I finally ended up getting the laminectomy, which eliminated my pain at least for now (my surgeon thinks I have about 10 years before I'll need a fusion, IF I take care of it, which I do).
So I took Percoset for about 8 months, and stopped when I no longer needed it.
I agree with you about chronic pain, but almost nothing that causes 8/10, 9/10, or 10/10 pain is going to be fixable in a week. It took me 3 weeks even to get an appointment with the pain mgmt doc, then he looks at his schedule and says "I can get you in for an epidural on such and such date" which is 3 weeks after THIS.
I don't know what you took, I never felt good or high or loving or happy on them. They relieved my pain just enough to try to wash myself and eat something, then made me sleepy, which I hated, because my pain was most severe after waking (I actually started to get afraid as night fell, because I knew what I was in for pain-wise). I never had a problem stopping them after my surgery and the pain ended, either.
I don't disagree with anything you said and I have no idea why the pills made me happy but they sure as hell did and it felt sooo good that I just knew that I had the potential to become seriously addicted.
If you have these meds in your possession and are not using them I would strongly suggest you hold onto them. Do not dispose of them and do not turn them in. Why? The day will come when you have to produce them as evidence you are not an addict. I have 9 left over from 12 prescribed for a molar I had extracted last Oct. I used 3 and I didn't need any more but I carefully tucked them away to show the Dr I am not an addict in the event I need something for pain.
Like I said, I believe the day is coming when these meds will be banned for all except for those in the last FEW DAYS of terminal cancer. The only MD's who will be brave enough to write them will be the old ones getting ready to retire who don't care about their licenses. Oncologists will not write them anymore for a few months before death even if the patient is in pain. They now usually only give them when the patient is a few days from death. Mileage may vary but this is now the commonly-accepted practice.
One poster is right when they say pharmacists are telling them, "We don't stock these." I needed cough syrup with hydro for a severe lung infection I brought back from Europe and I couldn't get it filled. When I called to see if it was in stock it was, "I'm sorry. We don't give out that information over the phone." They're afraid a druggie is calling to find out who has it so they can rob the store. I had to carry my prescription to about 4 pharmacies and finally one told me they'd order it and I should come back in 2 days and this was two years ago. The rules have only tightened since then. I was fortunate. I still have half a bottle in my cabinet to produce as evidence in case I need it again.
Research turns up Germany as the only country I can ID still willing to treat pain in a humane way with narcotics if they are warranted. Most countries in the poorer zones are not stocking them because they are too expensive and the majority patient population cannot afford them. Many are not realizing that in the US it's not that they are there but Dr's/Pharmacies are refusing to dispense; it's that FDA has mandated to the manufacturers sever cuts in actual supply.
Read: 25% the following year and further cuts after that. I believe that eventually the supply will completely dry up. Perdue, the maker of Oxycontin is not waiting around. They are moving their product overseas to worldwide distribution except the USA:
Seniors in severe pain will have to look for relief overseas. North America will not help them. Check the interactive map in the article above.
Here is what is going to happen......the next time you need a molar extracted, the doctor will only give you three pills in the first place. And, the next time, three pills may not be enough. If you need more, you will have to pay for another office call to get a few more or just suffer.
If everyone followed your advice, doctors will just reduce the initial amount of pills they prescribe, forcing more people to pay for an extra office call.
BAD IDEA, IMO.
Whenever I have been prescribed painkillers, I always save a few for emergencies.......and I am certainly not going to tell the doctor I didn't need them all.
For me, that emergency, so far, has always been a banger sinus headache that will not go away with over the counter meds.....I may get one of those once or twice a year......and even then, I will take half of a pill, only taking the other half if the first half doesn't work. The few pain pills I have saved are precious and I use them very judiciously.
If a doctor thinks you may be an addict, the first thing he is going to do is check your medical record to see why and how often you have been prescribed painkillers. Showing him you have a bunch of painkillers you have never used is just going to end up hurting you in the end.
For instance, I had painkillers in 2009 for foot surgery, the next time was last summer after I was hospitalized. That record is certainly enough to prove I am not a drug seeker.
Mine was not chronic pain, it was acute pain caused by a herniated disc pressing on my sciatic nerve. A week's supply of anything would not have done a thing. It was 2 months after I woke up unable to move before I could get scheduled for my first epidural, and 8 months later before I finally ended up getting the laminectomy, which eliminated my pain at least for now (my surgeon thinks I have about 10 years before I'll need a fusion, IF I take care of it, which I do).
So I took Percoset for about 8 months, and stopped when I no longer needed it.
I agree with you about chronic pain, but almost nothing that causes 8/10, 9/10, or 10/10 pain is going to be fixable in a week. It took me 3 weeks even to get an appointment with the pain mgmt doc, then he looks at his schedule and says "I can get you in for an epidural on such and such date" which was 3 weeks after that.
I don't know what you took, I never felt good or high or loving or happy on them. They relieved my pain just enough to try to wash myself and eat something, then made me sleepy, which I hated, because my pain was most severe after waking (I actually started to get afraid as night fell, because I knew what I was in for pain-wise). I never had a problem stopping them after my surgery and the pain ended, either.
Without them, I wouldn't have been able to go down the stairs to go any doctor, let alone sit upright in a car or waiting room.
My experience with pain killers is similar to yours......never once felt good or high or anything.....the pain eats that part all up, IMO.
In fact, Vicodin, etc. make me nauseous, but being a little nauseous is better than being in horrible pain.
I don't disagree with anything you said and I have no idea why the pills made me happy but they sure as hell did and it felt sooo good that I just knew that I had the potential to become seriously addicted.
I have this awareness with amphetamines, which is why my ADD is unmedicated, I won't take them at all.
I disagree, there are a large number of older people who are addicted to opioid pain meds.
And I disagree with you. It's true a few seniors misuse these powerful medicines but I would say the vast majority who have been taking these for years for pain are "dependent" on them, not "addicted". Addiction implies they don't need them but use them recreationally. That's the root of this whole problem with seniors who are being cut off: it's the kids who use them recreationally to get high and who are dying from too high a high that is doing the harm to seniors with severe chronic pain who are "dependent" on them. If a person depends on these drugs for pain relief and are abruptly cut off they can go into seizures and die from heart failure/attack/stroke from the horrible stress placed on their heart and BP because of the withdrawals. Were a person to die because his/her Dr. suddenly cut them off I'd say that's manslaughter.
Car accident -I was 48. T boned. Pulled from car, second degree and third degree burns on legs, broken coccyx, shoulder blade, collar bone, herniated disks, into spinal column. Car spun around 3 times, bashed my shoulder over and over. Pain so bad I was in shock. I couldn't walk for six weeks because of swelling around spine . Woke up to many morphine shots.
I don't remember what scripts I left the hospital with.
I had to have Elavil to sleep. Ultram to cut some of the pain. Muscle relaxants. Took them for over three years until going cold turkey when my husband had open heart surgery and I had to get out of my drugged haze.
Unfortunately bone pain increases with age and I have chronic pain.
Since then I have had little but some Tylenol or aspirin. I do drink wine and vodka when I am in pain. I hope that they will make Mary Jane legal in North Carolina-- but I'm not holding my breath. Not moving from Asheville-it is heaven to me and definitely a mood enhancer.
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