After the Anna Nicole Smith and Chris Benoit steroid scandal there's going to be lots attention given to the use and abuse of prescription meds.

Hey, was on prescribed pain meds for over 10 years. Morphine was the last. I found myself using four a day instead of two. When I went to my doctor she freaked told me i was a addict and asked me to leave her clinic after my drug counselor from out-patient rehab said she did not think I had a drug problem. Now I am branded a drug seeker. Can you beat that.

I am so sorry to hear that spiderlady....I cannot even say anything strong enough to relay how sorry I am.

If it weren't pain meds it would be something else. The real issue is our gov't is afraid of a generation of "hooked" house wives.

Pain meds are addictive, but remember we are using them not because we are addicted, but Dependant.

I do not worry about detoxing or "being hooked' I am going to take them every day of my life.

Ouch

CBS IS DOING A LITTLE PIECE EVERY NIGHT THIS WEEK ON PRISCRIPTION RX, IT'S VERY INTERESTING....

Thanks Helen, I did not know it was ongoing each night. All I know is that I am keeping my meds in a safe place these days.

Thanks for the info. I'll try and watch it tonight.

Last month a full bottle of Vicodin of mine went missing. I had it hidden in my sock drawer not with my other medication. I keep trying to figure out who took it but have had so many people over I just don't know? Yes, People will steal your meds!

Oxy is an angel and a devil at the same time, it seems to me. On the one hand, it can bring much needed relief from real pain. On the other hand, the body becomes accustomed to it and the patient needs more and more to get that same relief. I knew a young man that became so addicted that he overdosed and died on it. So, what is the answer? I wish that I knew, but I do not. My main question about prescription drugs is this, with all the money spent on research, is any of that research being done on either making a pain med that is not addictive or developing a partner drug that can be taken with the oxy, etc, to counteract the addictive properties of it?

I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY SOME OF THESE DRS DON'T GET IT. THE ORIGINAL PAIN DR I WENT TO. ONCE THE MEDICINE THE DR GAVE ME WASN'T WORKING TO WELL ANYMORE INSTEAD OF UPPING MGS THESE DRS NEED TO JUST SWITCH TO ANOTHER PAIN MED FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS THATS WHAT I DID THEN WENT BACK TO THE ORIGINAL MED AND IT WORKED LIKE IT DID IN THE BEGINNING. GRANTED NOT ALL THE MEDS WORK LIKE THE OTHER ON EVERY DIFFERENT PERSON BUT I THINK ITS A LOT BETTER THAN TO KEEP UPPING DOSES.
TRISH

I think we all need to do a CBS campaign. People don't just start taking drugs like Oxycontin "just for the heck of it" or the high. Why can't they invent something that isn't addictive, that deals with everything? Pain relief, inflammation relief, etc.

They are working on pain meds that are not addictive and Tramadol is one of them. Sure your body gets dependent, not the same, but it's abuse potential is low. I think because the high wears off not long after taking it on a regular basis. It's also different in its chemical structure than narcotics, but since it's a synthetic opiate, it works similarly. I think over the next several years, we will have some new pain meds, like Tramadol with a low abuse potential. I hope so. There are too many people that have pain everyday, and that breaks my heart, especially when they can't take anything, or nothing works for them.

So we get a bill reversed for pain meds, being easier for the drs, but now CBS is doing a series on the hazards of them! Just what we need... so many people out there already think a person is a drug addict if they are on a pain med. Urgh!

You know this would probably happen anyway prescription drug or not. It's just the marketing of the problems that is different. We're being led by the nose again. There still is no excuse for not giving pain meds to those who need it.

This is a very "hot" topic in the area I live in. Unless things have changes recently, we have the highest abuse of oxycontin in the country in my part of VA. There are so many issues that need to be addressed.

There are people that need relief and then find themselves in "trouble", there is the sale of these scripts as street drugs, and there are people that use them and need them and are fine. But, here at least, it is becoming increasingly hard to get any kind of pain relief drugs - doctors won't prescribe them because of the problems. This leaves so many people in the lurch. Do they seek alternative relief, I bet they do.

I can't take any pain meds due to allergies. I have learned to cope, and at the end of the day a nice glass, or two of wine can do wonders.