The Circle Community Group
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Hello all:
I would imagine this has been discussed before, but thought I would get folks opinions. Getting pain meds/opiates is getting harder and harder. There are many pain patints that need it. This is of course due to the many drug addicts who have misused prescription meds or have obtained them illegally.
I have been going to my Pain Clinic for 3 1/2 years. I used to walk in to a full office at first with like nowhere to sit and now I walk in and I am the ONLY one there. So they have appeeared to have weeded out the pretenders. One of my great and trusted PA's once told me that 40% of the patients at HIS Pain Clininc were not really in pain and it was his job to weed them out. Those ones they weeded out have now tuned to heroin.
Which brings me to yesterday. I had a general appt with my GP to go over BP meds. We talked a little and then he said I need to "get off" the opiates. While I appreciate his concern I dont believe he realizes the level of pain I am in. I would "get off" the pain meds IF I WASNT IN PAIN. If my pain was a 2-6 yes. My pain is a 5-9 with average of 7-8 so no I cant stop them. In my case I have a brain injury which causes severe head pain. 6-9 every day. If I were to go off the pain meds, the headaches would be sky high which would put me at a huge risk for stroke and a huge risk for additional brain hemorraghe. Have already had two minor strokes. GP doesnt quite get that.
So GP says to me that "they" are going away from opiates for pain patients and eventually it will only be basically for cancer patients. I have no doubt the lid on opiates is getting tight but only for people who are dying?? I doubt that my GP is "in the know" per se but with all the money made by the Pharma companies will this really happen?. There are millions of patients who legitamtely need CP treatment that are not necessarily bed ridden.
Has anyone heard this? I will be talking to the doc at the Pain Clinic to see. I would truly beleive my life to be in danger right now if I did not have the pain meds to stop my head pain. Im sure others are in the same boat.
Martini
I would imagine this has been discussed before, but thought I would get folks opinions. Getting pain meds/opiates is getting harder and harder. There are many pain patints that need it. This is of course due to the many drug addicts who have misused prescription meds or have obtained them illegally.
I have been going to my Pain Clinic for 3 1/2 years. I used to walk in to a full office at first with like nowhere to sit and now I walk in and I am the ONLY one there. So they have appeeared to have weeded out the pretenders. One of my great and trusted PA's once told me that 40% of the patients at HIS Pain Clininc were not really in pain and it was his job to weed them out. Those ones they weeded out have now tuned to heroin.
Which brings me to yesterday. I had a general appt with my GP to go over BP meds. We talked a little and then he said I need to "get off" the opiates. While I appreciate his concern I dont believe he realizes the level of pain I am in. I would "get off" the pain meds IF I WASNT IN PAIN. If my pain was a 2-6 yes. My pain is a 5-9 with average of 7-8 so no I cant stop them. In my case I have a brain injury which causes severe head pain. 6-9 every day. If I were to go off the pain meds, the headaches would be sky high which would put me at a huge risk for stroke and a huge risk for additional brain hemorraghe. Have already had two minor strokes. GP doesnt quite get that.
So GP says to me that "they" are going away from opiates for pain patients and eventually it will only be basically for cancer patients. I have no doubt the lid on opiates is getting tight but only for people who are dying?? I doubt that my GP is "in the know" per se but with all the money made by the Pharma companies will this really happen?. There are millions of patients who legitamtely need CP treatment that are not necessarily bed ridden.
Has anyone heard this? I will be talking to the doc at the Pain Clinic to see. I would truly beleive my life to be in danger right now if I did not have the pain meds to stop my head pain. Im sure others are in the same boat.
Martini
I was in the other day for my monthly refill (yes, Nucynta is schedule 2 for abuse potential), we were chatting and I asked him about the DEA. He told me they were after hydrocodone presently because that has been the most abused both by the over prescribing docs and the patients. If I was still taking hydrocodone or oxy, I would be terrified. I guess people like us who suffer CP, some of us will fall by the wayside unless our doctors start going to bat for us. Our medical charts should be able to justify the opiates. At least I hope so. If not, I want you to know there are other pain meds that will work just as well, if not better in some cases.
i've had that discussion and tried to cooperate. i think it much worse in the outlying regions where there's a bigger market for illegally sold Rx drugs of all sorts.
without looking looking like you're dr shopping, can you check with your insurance provider to see if there is someone more appropriate or have your neurologist contact the physician's asst or PM in writing with the risks to your health and well being?
I hope I didnt sound like a crack addict but I have tried many of the other alternatives for pain and none of them worked nor were strong enough. The problem with me is I have a brain injury that doctors dont understand nor care to. I have been questioned as to my legitamcy but over time they finally beleive I am in sever pain.
I used to work with a girl who had migraines. She took some of the lesser meds but said the only thing that worked for her was Hydrocodone. This was a mother of two very striaght laced who I know did not abuse it.
I just worry where all this is going. I suppose there are other alternatives but to just take all CP'ers off opiates seems kind of ridiculous. But thats our government.
I did have a stroke a year ago becasue of severe head pain that was not managed properly. It was very scary then and still is now. No one will undertsand my pain unless they have had it before.
The Pain Clinic treats me fine now after much explaining but I wonder if the clinics will eventually become extinct.
Martin
I think it's important to also ask and work with our doctors to find other medications that can not only ease the pain, but benefit the problems we have to go along with the narcotics. It shows the doctors we are wanting to take care of ourselves as best as we.......we're looking for solutions, we are not drug seekers. Also narcotics are harmful to our bodies so we need to keep them as low as possible.
I just had to go for drug testing last week before I could my script.....a first for this doctor. I had to wait 2 hours in the lab it was so busy. I hope the day doesn't come when I have to go to a pain clinic. Tried them all they do around here are nerve blocks!
I had to go without narcotics for sometime and I begged the doctors to amputate and I was serious. They need to go by history, length of chronic pain, could go on.
...if the narcs work for you then by all means it shouldnt be threatened to be taken from you! the assholes that abuse the stuff to get high totally screw it for those of us that do not abuse them and take them expressly to manage pain. there are so many options out there, there has to be something better for you and your circumstances. im so sorry you suffer from chronic pain as you do. im concerned that even with the "one that works" your levels are still so high. i wish i had the answer.
now, an old psych dr took me of my xanax said "they were stopping prescribing EVERYONE off the benzos" so "it was time too wean me off" HAAAA!!! found year later it was a crock of shit! my so called anti-anxiety med i take now hasnt been the same...pales in comparison ...my hubby wants me back on it...but i dont want to look like a "drug seeker" so i wont ask my current dr for it. the fear the drug companies put off on us is just plain effed up . we do not deserve to be treated poorly just because others abuse the system doesnt mean we do!.
i wish someone, with the means, would sue them to say take that!! dont eff with my meds look here see what happened when you took me off?? you know what i mean? it would be so gratifying!!
point is....you should NOT live in fear of having your meds snatched from you because OTHERS have abused it. we are individuals...treat us as such.