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because my son tore his ACL and I have spent a lot of time in Hospital waiting rooms with even sleazier gossip mags.
I have noticed that there has been a lot of publicity given to the use of pain meds in America. As a person who used to misuse these meds I have found these reports interesting but very biased, depending (IMO) on who is influencing ($$) the report.
I have been in the construction industry for over 30 years. Fifteen of which were as a Union Carpenter. During this time (and my days as a "street racer" with a few bad accidents survived) I have received some serious injuries including arthritis and degenerative disc disease, resulting in multiple pinched nerves and sciatica.
A decade or so ago, I found myself, after years of spinal taps to relieve the pain and allow me to keep working, ( counting on the eventual SS disability which keeps being denied) on opioid pain meds because the spinal taps were no longer working. I hated them at first, they made me sick and stoned, which interfered with my work. I preferred a few shots and beers after work... Then I found myself addicted to the pain meds and I became pretty worthless compared to the "84 hour a week" carpenter that I was used to being. So, I went to rehab and determined to never take another opiate based pain med again. I was successful after a lot of suffering and determination. I began taking non-inflammatories. Celebrex helped the most, and it also caused (IMO) my first heart attack. This was before the study between celebrex and heart disease was released. My (terrific) Dr. at the time, advised me to stop the celebrex after I confided that it did give me chest pain whenever I took it.
So now, I was sober (alcohol and heart meds do not mix for me), adamant in my refusal to start taking opiate based pain relievers again and eventually, almost a cripple. Years earlier, I had refused suggested spine surgery because I had witnessed many tradesmen suffer even more after their "cures" and I did not want to (could not afford to) miss months of work while I recuperated.
This Dr. was responsible for creating a a program designed to get people off of drugs and he spread "the gospel" of being drug-free throughout 3 counties. He set up free clinics and was (he passed on from an accident) tireless in his help for the chemically addicted.
After one visit, when I was obviously in a lot of pain and I had slowed way down on work because of the pain, Dr. Patton spoke to me "man-to-man." He said that he could not stand to watch me suffer and there was a way that I could get relief, return to most of the hours that I previously worked and (most importantly) not be an addict.
We spoke for over an hour. He wanted me to return to using opiate based painkillers. I was amazed and a little mad. Then he defined the difference to me, between being "addicted" and being "dependent." I could easily relate to much of what he said because my Cardiologist had me on over a dozen pills a day to control my heart disease. But I was determined to never be an addict again, and my conviction was as strong as my pain. Eventually, he convinced me to go back on my painkillers and take them only as prescribed. He explained how I would become immune to the effects of the painkillers eventually and instead of taking more, I should go on a "drug holiday", and stop taking the medicines for a while and my body would lose its tolerance and then I could safely resume the prescribed amount. Only because of his compassion and and work in the community to stop addiction, did I agree to this, even though it hurt to even walk or sit. I have 4 children and I did not want to become an addict again. Inwardly I cried, despaired, you name it. I felt I had lost a long fought battle.
Amazingly, shortly after I took Dr. Patton's advice, my pain decreased substantially. I only took the prescribed amount of medicine and the (stoner) side effects were minimal. I still take "drug holidays" (which produce "flu-like" symptoms, that are bearable) and since his passing and my having to find a new Dr. (it took me a few different tries to find one I was comfortable with) I have had some Dr.'s tell me that I "have to come off the narcotics" and others try to increase the type (to oxy-contin....no thanks) or amount, based upon my MRI's and prognosis from specialists. They tell me that now my sciatic nerve has been pinched off for so long that surgery and the returning blood flow would not help, I waited too many years.
IMO, if everyone could find a true, Dr. that was not in his occupation for the money or prestige, and was really knowledgeable about pain meds (and of course, a patient who knew that he/she did not want to be an addict), then all of this (very detrimental) bias against patients who take pain meds and Dr,'s who prescribe them could be avoided. A lot of very good Dr.'s could be spared prosecution (there ARE many who prefer to PROFIT even at the expense of their patients lives)and many informed patients that truly need the pain med's would not be seen as "drug seekers" and often ostracized and refused employment, fired from their jobs or imprisoned (not in America...lol..).
Education, for the Dr.'s and the patients, is the most valuable tool available, behind compassion and mutual respect. Still, when I have to go to a new Dr. or Specialist, I occasionally hear about my "drug abuse" (which shows their lack of knowledge) or they will sometimes blame my symptom's on my use of painkillers (much easier than actually trying to diagnose). Fortunately, my Cardiologist(s) have always understood the need to not add extra stress to my heart and they have always told me to make sure I take the meds as prescribed. Of course, in America, they are afraid to write you a prescription for those meds. because they do not want the DEA to target them. I had one Cardiologist when I was working post-Katrina to help clean-up and re-build, write me a prescription for my pain meds because he realized that I had not been able to fly home that month and get my prescriptions. He told he was worried about the consequences but he knew that I needed and was "dependant" not "addicted" to them.
I believe that government definitely has its place. I do not believe that its place is arresting and prosecuting innocent people who abide by the law. Nor should those same people fear their governments actions.
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