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53. It's no longer survival of the fitest

Mon May 26, 2014, 01:04 AM

May 2014

"We" survive and fight all the time. Right now I have severe arthritis,infection requiring a vac pump and a fusion pump for antibiotics. I have a herniated disc and several other assorted back issues. I require a walker and wheelchair and get flack for what I am on. Predisone,Gabapentin,NSAID and Norco just for the pain. I worry every day I will be yanked off of the Norco simply because some junkie likes them for parties and OD's or takes such pills with alcohol,again ending up in ER. Just because "we" use similar pills for our pain we are labeled as a junkie.
They do not label someone an alcoholic if they buy a case of beer. If you have,say a form of cancer associated with smokers, but you have never smoked, again you are as bad as the thirty year smoker.
We should be judged by our conditions and doctors should have more compassion than the fear of being a pusher. We should not be punished simply because we have chronic issues, chronic pain etc.

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The demonization of opiates is hurting people. [View all] cali May 2014 OP

Codeine Works for Lots burrowowl May 2014 #1

Sorry for your pain and your trouble in obtaining meds! MannyGoldstein May 2014 #2

thanks Manny. Actually, I don't have any trouble obtaining them cali May 2014 #4

When my general physician pulled out of the clinic truedelphi May 2014 #20

It should be criminal sorefeet May 2014 #100

I am so glad that both you and your sister were there for him. truedelphi May 2014 #127

I share your problem with the gluten, truedelphi. Enthusiast May 2014 #102

Typically, IMO, the US often punishes the majority on moralistic crusades with little thought to RKP5637 May 2014 #105

i get it MFM008 May 2014 #3

I'm more likely to become a steroid addict than an oxycodone addict cali May 2014 #6

Steroids are a godsend. NutmegYankee May 2014 #96

No one should have more than that. It causes liver damage. cali May 2014 #111

I didn't know it caused liver damage. NutmegYankee May 2014 #132

Blame the demonization of opiates? JJChambers May 2014 #5

because common sense should come into play here. People like me cali May 2014 #8

The problem is doctors can't see pain JJChambers May 2014 #12

actually, with CRPS they can kind of see pain cali May 2014 #19

any doctor that cant tell the diff should be fired. mopinko May 2014 #25

She might not be able to take NSAIDs. moriah May 2014 #30

Celebrex gave me terrible sorefeet May 2014 #94

They did remove celebrex from the market for a short time. Enthusiast May 2014 #104

Big Pharm lied about Celebrex. hunter May 2014 #120

All I know is it doesn't break me out in hives, and it works. moriah May 2014 #122

I can't take NSAIDs due to advanced kidney disease REP May 2014 #49

Absolutely....common sense needed. madfloridian May 2014 #24

Plus one a whole bunch. Enthusiast May 2014 #103

Anti-drug hysteria is the problem. Period. nomorenomore08 May 2014 #66

Yes, this. kcr May 2014 #114

+1 nomorenomore08 May 2014 #136

Have You Considered Methadone Treatment? Corey_Baker08 May 2014 #7

I haven't. I prefer not to take anything with a longer half life. I take a low dosage cali May 2014 #9

Long-acting opiates actually help reduce tolerance and dependence likehlihood compared to ... moriah May 2014 #35

as tolerance and dependence aren't issues for me, fortunately, cali May 2014 #61

Methadone is a wonder drug for pain. COLGATE4 May 2014 #62

I took it for pain in the UK OwnedByCats May 2014 #128

When my dad was dying of cancer exboyfil May 2014 #10

I understand. Years ago, when my dad was dying and in a lot of pain cali May 2014 #13

There's an *element* of choice involved, certainly. But opiate addiction is an extremely powerful nomorenomore08 May 2014 #67

I ffeel really lucky that I don't like the emotional effect of it. cali May 2014 #72

Honestly, my heart goes out to anyone suffering with chronic pain. nomorenomore08 May 2014 #135

I don't know that fun. Opiates just make me feel gross, never euphoric... hunter May 2014 #123

Agreed. "More damage than good" is an understatement. n/t nomorenomore08 May 2014 #134

Blame the overprescription of opiates in the US for that Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #11

Are you an RSD/CRPS specialist? cali May 2014 #16

Fentanyl had me thinking the cartoon characters in a commercial truedelphi May 2014 #21

But the number of people who actually need opiates for pain management... Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #23

that's uncontestable, but what has that to do with my comment about common sense? cali May 2014 #26

You have no way of knowing that. Statistics are what they are....often meaningless. madfloridian May 2014 #27

No-one said anything about quotas. Spider Jerusalem May 2014 #46

There's another way of looking at that stat about 5% of the population and 80% of the opioids. Comrade Grumpy May 2014 #68

Informative post. Thanks. n/t Laelth May 2014 #82

And you're so sure of this how? kcr May 2014 #146

no, blame the hysteria over alleged over-prescripption of such drugs. no person with pain should TheFrenchRazor May 2014 #78

I've posted this before, but a family friend was undermedicated while dying of cancer. LeftyMom May 2014 #14

That's barbaric! How horrific for her. It's infuriating. of course you become catbyte May 2014 #33

physical therapy? mopinko May 2014 #34

that is a very infuriating and depressing story.(though cali May 2014 #47

i would generally agree mopinko May 2014 #52

She was poor and obese. LeftyMom May 2014 #48

Happened to my father when he was dying of bone cancer REP May 2014 #51

I'm sorry. Was that recently? LeftyMom May 2014 #54

It was 1994 REP May 2014 #119

That's barbaric. Laelth May 2014 #84

The whole war on drug use is out of control. Doctors are afraid to prescribe what patients need... madfloridian May 2014 #15

I'm so sorry about what your husband and you went through. cali May 2014 #17

Your post really moved me. People should not have to go through that when medicine is available. madfloridian May 2014 #18

thanks MF. No, I'm OK. I have been treated with respect and consideration cali May 2014 #22

+1. It's been this way for a long time. Hissyspit May 2014 #31

I remember when Nancy Reagan had school kids march in the Just Say No parades. madfloridian May 2014 #37

Amen, Cali. I have post-herpetic neuralgia after 8 bouts of catbyte May 2014 #28

My hubby never really recovered from his bout with shingles. madfloridian May 2014 #32

It's the two-pronged pain that really gets you. Your skin feels like it's on fire, catbyte May 2014 #43

I had them in the early 2000s. Had to go to ER with severe pain on a week-end. madfloridian May 2014 #60

it is a FACT mopinko May 2014 #29

+100000000 nashville_brook May 2014 #113

" it is a FACT... that people who have actual pain are not the ones who become addicted to opiates." Ghost in the Machine May 2014 #137

Thats not a fact at all. phleshdef May 2014 #139

then their doctors failed. mopinko May 2014 #144

cali, what do you see as a possible solution to the complex problems cbayer May 2014 #36

Education of docs and legislators. cali May 2014 #39

Agree about education of both groups. cbayer May 2014 #125

part of it is just giving more respect to pain as a problem in itself. mopinko May 2014 #115

I absolutely agree with you about the bad doctors. cbayer May 2014 #124

i dont know what to do about this one, either. mopinko May 2014 #126

A customer of mine is in a similar situation Egnever May 2014 #38

Thanks. I feel so fortunate about my medical care. I don't worry about cali May 2014 #40

the wages of 15 minute medicine. mopinko May 2014 #41

that's true. My doc has been my doc for over 20 years cali May 2014 #50

Codeine and oxycodone are the only two prescription painkillers LadyHawkAZ May 2014 #42

I have done just that. And I am familar with my new-to-be cali May 2014 #45

everyone has a right to live a life free of pain bossy22 May 2014 #44

word. if the gov't forces me to live in pain such that i can not function, then they can damn well p TheFrenchRazor May 2014 #79

+1. n/t Laelth May 2014 #89

It's no longer survival of the fitest grilled onions May 2014 #53

I'm so sorry. that sounds rough. cali May 2014 #56

Small fiber sensory neuropathy for me! I am allergic to most things they have tried. Dustlawyer May 2014 #55

Can't your doc send your prescription to you or your pharmacy in the mail? cali May 2014 #59

No, it is a schedule 1 which has to be done Dustlawyer May 2014 #129

I agree 100%. Fuddnik May 2014 #57

I agree!! opiate69 May 2014 #58

I say so what if its addictive. LiberalLovinLug May 2014 #63

I also have RSD, had it since an auto accident in 1998 DJ13 May 2014 #64

so sorry, dj. It's in my left leg and foot as well. cali May 2014 #69

Sure DJ13 May 2014 #75

Have you tried replacing or supplementing the opiates with kratom? Tom Ripley May 2014 #65

never even heard of it until now. Just looked it up. How interesting cali May 2014 #71

I...uh...uh...use...it...for mainly recreational purposes, but have seen many testimonials Tom Ripley May 2014 #73

I use Kratom for a variety of things OwnedByCats May 2014 #138

But there's MONEY, LOTS of MONEY, to be made off the phony, forever "War on Drugs." blkmusclmachine May 2014 #70

that's for sure. cali May 2014 #74

Sadly many have fucked it up for the few. JNelson6563 May 2014 #76

sorry, but as I point out upthread, it's incumbent on docs and legislators to use cali May 2014 #77

I put much of the responsibility on the doctors. JNelson6563 May 2014 #90

+1000000000 nashville_brook May 2014 #116

no, the government fucked it up for legitimate pain sufferers. nt TheFrenchRazor May 2014 #80

Yes, they are typically reactionary. JNelson6563 May 2014 #88

Let's see the peer-reviewed research that supports your claim. HuckleB May 2014 #92

Wow just about sums it up, doesn't it? JNelson6563 May 2014 #93

I see you choose to ignore those who are in pain. HuckleB May 2014 #130

That is always the response kcr May 2014 #148

Post removed Post removed May 2014 #81

huh? what codespeak? what secrecy. I could hardly have been more detailed or plainspoken cali May 2014 #85

What a fucking troll OwnedByCats May 2014 #142

What a cruel and inhuman response. NutmegYankee May 2014 #98

It definitely was. I'm glad my fellow jurors felt the same way n/t Violet_Crumble May 2014 #107

+1 sadly, some people prefer the delusion that pain doesn't exist nashville_brook May 2014 #108

The referred pain is the worst. NutmegYankee May 2014 #133

I personally don't know what it's like davidpdx May 2014 #83

CRPS is widely recognized as the most painful of the chronic pain nerve conditions cali May 2014 #86

I don't ask him a lot since I'm his teacher and try not to overstep the bounds that relationshiip davidpdx May 2014 #87

Indeed. Recommended! HuckleB May 2014 #91

Two hemorrhaged cervical disks. NutmegYankee May 2014 #95

It's hard enough to buy Sudafed TBF May 2014 #97

Severe neuropathy from head to toe sorefeet May 2014 #99

I'm so sorry that you went through all that. cali May 2014 #109

K&R! Enthusiast May 2014 #101

I've got Trigeminal Neuralgia, so I kind of feel yr pain... Violet_Crumble May 2014 #106

me too, Violet! I'm an inveterate putterer and I've turned into a devoted craft type cali May 2014 #110

boy do i feel 'ya! nashville_brook May 2014 #112

"I'm literally paying for with my life." Perhaps literally... gvstn May 2014 #118

I, too, have TN.. kag May 2014 #117

Another horror story published yesterday n2doc May 2014 #121

I use opiates several times a day Prophet 451 May 2014 #131

This message was self-deleted by its author Warren DeMontague May 2014 #140

I'm very sorry for your pain. This is a complicated problem. phleshdef May 2014 #141

My father had severe arthritis in his hip OwnedByCats May 2014 #143

Morphine works for me. B Calm May 2014 #145

my wife has chronic pain due to an autoimmune disease. geek tragedy May 2014 #147