KevinMD: I am a doctor, but I didn’t cause the opioid epidemic

[REP]

15. Knock wood, I haven't had a problem so far with my prescription

I have pretty bad arthritis in my shoulders and spine as well as a herniated disc, and I currently have a kidney stone the size of a 2-carat diamond in my left kidney; I also have nerve damage. I have chronic kidney failure, so I can't take NSAIDs; I've had my lifetime maximum steroid injections and oral steroids aren't a great idea - it was steroids that brought on my diabetes. Opioids are what's left. I take enough to make the pain tolerable; I am never pain-free nor do I ask for a high enough dose or a stronger med to render me pain-free or below a "6" on the pain scale for fear of being labeled drug seeking ... even though the severity of my problems is readily seen on plain film. I can easily understand how some who are denied adequate or even moderately okay pain relief would turn to heroin; I would bet many do so not to get high but simply to be functional.

I support legalization of marijuana 100%. It, however, is not the answer to all pain relief; anecdotally I have found to my great dismay that it exacerbates my nerve pain. Opiates aren't great for it either but they do dull it a bit. The only thing that really works for me is ketamine, which I found out after having two surgical procedures (hand surgery and a biopsy) performed under it; for the next 36 hours I was as pain-free as I could ever remember being. Didn't turn me into a Special K raver though - too old.