Do you think opiate pain medications should be outlawed for noncancer sufferers as in chronic pain?

[truedelphi]

207. That is so suck-y.

I was given unlimited vicodeine prescription during a time period when no one in the medical establishment could figure out what was wrong with me. Pet scans, ultra sounds and a MRI for my brain when they decided a brain tumor might be incorrectly making me feel pain tht had no cause, etc.

On my bad days, I did 4 to 7 pills a day. And even then my pain level was still four on a one to ten reading of pain.

Luckily for me, we finally figured out it was an allergy to wheat that caused my pain. That correct diagnosis was due to great work by nursing staff at my Docotr's office, who queried me on what in my lifestyle might have caused a four day run wihtout pain - and with no vicodeine.

The nurses employed an old fashioned way of handling a problem. But successful. Once on a wheat free diet, now I consume about 15 vicodeine in a six month period and that is for when back pain erupts.

I can't imagine spending 79 years with pain caused by polio but glad that your wife has had doctors who allowed her to use what she needed. (Some doctors out there will not prescribe pain meds at all!)

And like you say, the new guidelines make it necessary for un-needed expense, and also for prison sentences should someone try and find what they need on the street.