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To Re Stan
I am so sorry, but I don’t know anything about the South American country’s policy’s on meds.
I have heard of people going across the border to get medication, but I don’t know how safe it is.
Best of luck, Stan
I’ve had 2 neck fusion with wire and one low back fusion with 2 rods 1 plate and 4 screws 30 years ago from a car accident. The neck fusion is wonderful but my low back fusion I deeply regret. Instead of standing straight and good posture I now am bent forward and it keeps getting worst, I can’t even hold a 2 liter bottle and walk it will fold me over farther. My hips are retracting inward and walking has gotten very hard to do without severe pain. I can’t lay in a bed I sleep in a chair sitting up, because of the way I’m bent forward it has cause the lower part of my spine to stick out. Since the cutback on my medication I can’t sleep because the pain wakes me up all night plus I suffer from restless leg syndrome and it too is now almost constant. I use to do my own shopping but now I have to bother others to go for me. My house use to be pretty clean but I can’t keep up with it anymore. I don’t go anywhere except my doctors appointment once a month and then to the pharmacy then back home, by that time I’m hurting so bad I can’t wait to get home. My doctor ask me how am I doing and when I tell them how bad I’m doing the only thing they’ve offered me was injections which I had done 30 years ago that never helped at all. I had 2 surgeons over the years tell me as long as I still have that hardware in my back there isn’t an injection in the world that will help me. I told my doctor this and the reply was well I offered. Two years ago while this was going on with the cut back my husband of 34 years was dying from pancreatic cancer, I begged them to not take my medication at this time because it was hard on me but they didn’t even care about that. I have never once in the 30 years on pain management lost my prescription or had to ask for it early and I keep my bottles in a locked safe. One thing that really is upsetting is if a person on pain management gives a dirty urine, they don’t get their medication but these drug attacks that go to these methadone clinics can pee dirty all the time and they still get their medication!!! Why aren’t THEY being cut back, I’m in pain not an attack and I’ve never gave a dirty urine!!!!!
I’ve suffered with chronic back despite spinal fusion 3 years ago. My surgeon was able to get 30% relief of my pain, I still suffer with a pain level of six to seven. I literally cannot function because of the pain. It wears me down, interrupts my sleep, makes someone I don’t know. Opioids are my only long term relief. I have tried chiropractic care, massage, ice, heat, physical therapy, and bio-feed back. I use my pain meds to remain active. I am not pain free, but the narcs keep me comfortable enough to get up off the sofa and live my life! I can prepare meals for my husband, swim 2-3 times per week, and participate in some activities in my community. Without pain relief, I am unable to do anything!
In the last 2 years I have had 4 back surgeries. 2 failed laminectomies then a spinal fusion (that failed) then they did a spinal fusion hardware removal. I am left with a crooked back and in so much pain.
I was hit head on by a drunk driver and had several surgeries on my legs. My doctor shows me this chart on how much medication I should be taking but it’s like half of what he had been prescribing and we knew that worked. He keeps saying how he is being pressured by everyone. I see all the publicity on the abuse of opioids but nothing on the people who handle them responsibly and need them to live and function every day. Why don’t they go after all the people who abuse alcohol like the guy that hit me that had 7 DUI tickets but still had a license and no insurance and should have been in jail when he got his 7th 22 days before he hit me.
Hi. I suffer from fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis. My sleep medication was stopped. Sleep for fibro patients is essential. My pain pills were cut down by 1/4th. This means I wake up from pain in the middle of the night and can’t take another pill till 6am. Or if the pain is so bad that a pill was needed in the middle of the night, I had to give up a 4 hour window free of pain for the day. What really tops this off…I was just told that my rheumatologist won’t be able to sign for medical marijuana. With medical marijuana I can stretch the time between pills. My preexisting condition which was stabilized has now been thrown under the bus. Thanks a lot politicians.
At 15, I was a passenger in a car crash that changed my life forever. My pelvis was crushed, along with my left leg. That began my medical odyssey 48 years ago. Since then, I have needed 6 left hip and 1 knee replacements, along with having my right foot rebuilt twice. There are unhealed fractures in my spine and I have been bedridden for the last 6 months. Add to that the vaginal squamous cell carcinoma I endured in 2017. Unfortunately, while my mostly-radiation based treatment killed the cancer, it is still killing the once healthy parts of me. I am on my second round of fourth stage (weeping desquamation) radiation burns after having lost my right vulva to radical surgical intervention last year. This time I have been told they will not operate to remove them since the surgery was so catastrophic last year. I am currently awaiting spine surgery. My 6th hip replacement is 11 years old already.
These new laws that restrict access to opioid-class pain medications are putting me at risk for enduring chronic acute pain for the rest of my life. If I were going to become an addict, it would have happened decades ago. I have a steadily increasing sense that life won’t be worth living much longer. I have suffered enough. I am using up my stash of saved post-operative pain meds. When they are gone, I probably will be, too.
I suffer from chronic back pain. I have had 3 back surgeries but have gotten no relief. I started taking pain meds and was able to function. My doctor sent me to a pain clinic and I had good results. But they started closing pain clinics. Now I have to go to a methodone clinic to get meds. I have to pretend to be an addict in order to get meds for my pain. I hate it but I do it so I can function. Thanks for listening and reading my story.
Been in Percocet for 10 years. Under care of Internest. Chronic Sjogrens disease. My immune system eats up cartilage. 10 joint replacements or repairs. Deterioration continues. Fusions in spine are necessary now. R shoulder needs replaced second time. Replaced joints never like your own, they wear on me. My pills were taken away “cold turkey “. No withdrawal. Just taking to much Tylenol and Advil. Which are more dangerous to organs. That’s why my Doctors put me on Percocet in the first place. It was safer. Ive NEVER abused it. Always a pill of three left at end of month. My pain Dr is just terrified for himself. Says. Your btl is worth 9,000$ in LA. That’s not my problem. I have an affliction not an addiction. It’s in genetics. Or those who are looking to do something to themselves, will find another way. Why do some turn alcoholic or gambleholics. It’s genetics. Why am I being punished and forced to live in pain?
12 hour time released Percocet or Morophine are a joke and $680.00 a month. Ins pays twice as much. Percocet was $2.00 and worked. God please someone help me.
Since 2009, I have suffered from chronic unspecified pain, mostly in my joints and digestive organs. I saw many, many specialists and they all ran tests. They said there was no clear diagnostic reason as to why I should be experiencing so much pain. They suggested this was a psychiatric issue, due to the tragic death of my infant son. Every time I was given opioids by one doctor that helped my pain, the next doctor would berate and chastise me for using them. Again, my pain was blamed on the pain of losing my son. Me being a woman, I was not taking as seriously, especially with such a great tragedy in my past that was so easy for doctors to use as a scapegoat when they could not find a diagnosis. I spent years in pain, being accused of being a “drug seeker” by doctors, pharmacist, and worse…by my own family. I finally gave in and took antidepressants to see if they made a difference in my symptoms. No surprise, no change. I missed out on so many precious moments with my children and husband that I will never get back. My medical record has “flags” on it cautioning providers to use narcotics sparingly, even during hospitalizations.
Just this year, 2019, 10 years later, I finally found a caring doctor that listened to me and ignored the records that gave him an unfair preconceived notion of my past. I mentioned nothing of the loss of my beloved son so that he would focus on the actual symptoms that my body was producing and the blood tests and the imaging I had spent 10s of thousands of dollars on. He examined me and looked at all of my tests. He says the word I had waited over a decade to hear. I wasn’t crazy. I have systemic lupus erythematosus or SLE. This is the reason for my chronic pain, my need for many hospitalizations, my bone degeneration, my many autoimmune diseases that required surgeries, my difficult, high risk pregnancies that killed one child and almost killed another and myself. Since 2009, I have had so many organs fail and I am in constant pain. This is why. Not the death of my son. I am so angry that I have been doubted and shamed for so long. Now more than ever, even though I have a legitimate diagnosis, Pain medication is still withheld as a last resort. I am currently only taking Motrin for pain as they will not fill a narcotic prescription, even though I have on going degenerative spinal disease. It’s only going to get worse. I am only 38. I have never tried to increase my dosage or refill a prescription before it was time. I have never given a doctor any reason to distrust my use of narcotics. But doctors are running scared now. Even with a clear diagnosis, they are full out denying patients of their right to pain relief. It won’t make me pain free but it will sure make my days easier and improve my quality of life. Reading other people’s stories about their diagnoses, I cannot imagine how they are denied pain relief. My heart goes out to those suffering with unimaginable pain that I cannot begin to understand. I am mostly writing this in support for you. My situation will probably not change but I hope it does for you. But I also hope doctors try to listen to their patients more closely and not get physical pain and psychological pain confused. Not everyone who hurts is crazy if their diagnosis isn’t slapping you in the face. Not everyone who hurts is a drug seeker if their diagnosis isn’t slapping you in the face. We all have limitations. We are all human. We all make mistakes. Doctors are human. Doctors can make mistakes. We need a better system in place so the innocent do not become the victims and the wrong people stop being punished. It’s maddening and harmful.
I had a head injury 25 years ago. Since then I have chronic daily migraines. I’ve been to neurologists, migraine clinics with no success. 23 years ago I found a pain management doctor and my life became better. It took 10 years to find the right medications. Now I see her every 3 months, have not had to increase medication and in fact lowered it somewhat. Random drug tests are part of her clinics requirement. But I don’t fit the 5 days of opioid schedule insurers now have in place. I can’t use my insurance as I need a 30 day supply, so I scramble looking for lowest cost at area pharmacies. I am lucky that I have a 23 year consistent treatment by a trained pain management doctor. This makes it easier when I do need a different drug for a weeklong extended pain episode.
My main diagnoses are Sjogrens and mixed connective tissue disorder. But I also have chronic sinusitis due to damage caused be 5 sinus surgeries, Barrett’s esophagus, Raynaud’s, degenerative joints, and tachycardia. Prior to getting SSA disability in 2013, I was an attorney and adjunct college professor. Due to scleroderma gut, I am unable to take NSAIDs and other anti-inflammatory drugs. I have to do a weekly injection of methotrexate at home to control the autoimmune diseases. However, the methotrexate lowers immune response which flares the fairly resistant staph that lives in my facial caverns. As I result I have to go on and off the medications that help control the autoimmune damage to my body. Rheumatologist prescribed opioid, along with two different muscle relaxers (daytime, bedtime difference), after my second hip surgery (to remove 25% of femoral head due to degeneration) in 2011. Prior to that, we had tried physical therapy, injections, etc., but none of these options worked in making the pain more manageable. In 2014, the rheumatology practice decided they wanted PCPs to prescribe these medications. Thankfully my PCP has been my PCP since 1996 and well-versed in my health saga. I have not had any change in dose or frequency in either opioid or relaxers since 2011, but I have a high pain tolerance and the meds just take the edge off the pain. If I miss a dose, the pain becomes quite problematic and I ‘pay for it’ over the next couple of days. When I moved across state lines for my husband’s job, I tried to get a doctor in my new home state to prescribe my pain & relaxer medications but they would not. Once a month I fly back to visit my PCP, who has no issues prescribing my medications, but I do worry about when he will retire. Thankfully, my husband makes enough that I can afford to fly, but many aren’t as lucky as I am. Since I live in a state that has legalized marijuana, I have had my dentists and other health workers try to convince me to take marijuana instead of opioid medication. In reality, I am allergic to marijuana, along with numerous other plants, weeds, and grasses; additionally, I like being ‘clear in the head’ and hate the feeling of being ‘drugged’, even with alcohol. I am one of those lucky chronic painers that can get relief on the same dose 8 years in, have the resources to see my doctor in another state, and wonderful insurance that has not hassled me about my medications. I still cannot work, which I hate, but at least I am not in agonizing pain all day. With all the advances in medicine, I am surprised that anyone thinks that one size fits all is applicable to all patients. Studies have proven that an individual’s unique chemistry and brain neurons/receptors/synapses processes can interfere with medication so that the desired outcome (decreased pain) cannot be achieved. Chronic painers do have a responsibility to keep our pills out of our kids/family members’ hands, but we are not the problem; opioids didn’t cause our diseases or pain, simple biology or accidents did.
Hello, my story starts in 2009 when I started having horrible pains behind my knees that eventually completely took me off my feet. After seeing a sports Doctor as I WAS quite active he thought given the size of lumps behind my knees they were either Baker Cysts or tumors. Finally after my legs completely locked up and paramedics had to come get me, I was taken to Stanford University where they found I had 9+cm bilateral popliteal artery aneurysms that were HUGE. At 32 I had my first two bypass surgeries on my legs to repair aneurysms and spent an entire year afterwards learning to walk again. Then in 2013 I needed my third bypass as another aneurysm formed behind my left knee. Since the beginning with all the nerve damage these surgeries caused I’ve been seeing a Pain Mgmt Doctor. Then after 9 years of being treated with Pain Medicine all the sudden I was a “seeker” or “suspect patient” as they call anyone now who comes to ER in pain and doesn’t have the right “look” or whatever discriminatory standards ER doctors use now. Now I take 9-12 Aspirins a day due to Ibuprofen allergy and polycystic liver and kidney disease that precludes me from taking Tylenol or Acetaminophen of any kind. Of course too this just equates now to being a “seeker” in 99% of hospitals in the country I’ve been too. This opioid crisis goes both ways. When you can order a kilo of Fentanyl from China easier than getting screwed over by our medical establishment what did Doctors honestly think would happen? They are the gate keepers on legal scripts and to pull the rug out from honest patients with severe medical issues is only going to lead to more unnecessary deaths. I’m so glad I’m not the only one.
I have been on pain meds for many years. I am a Disabled American Veteran. I have had numerous knee surgeries a major back injury requiring surgery. O also have shoulder pain due to having over 800 pounds falling and hitting my right shoulder. I suffer from Arthritis and normal aches and pains from 20 years of service in the USAF. Since being weaned off of my prescribed meds my quality of life is terrible. They cut my meds to 1/5 of the dose that works. I was on that dose for maybe 10 years. They only have 3 months to wean me to the acceptable DEA standards. It was a total nightmare.
I have exploded discs. I am in severe pain. I need help. My help has been cut in half. This is ridiculous when I have 4 MRIs in the past year proving my pain.
I developed osteoarthritis in my late 30’s. By the time I was in my 40’s, i had to get regular cortizone injections, increasing my adult onset diabetes risks. In my early 50’s, i had severe joint pain in hips, back, knees ankles shoulders and feet. I also herniated discs in my lower back. I was in constant agony and reverted to an electruc cart to stay mobile. Then the opioid laws began to pass. It became increasingly difficult to obtain pain medications. I underwent knee replacements which cut out half my pain, but my back issues worsened
I had always taken my meds according to the prescription, i did not abuse them and i guarded them zealously. My doctors stopped prescribing opioids, i went to pain clinics, where i got good results, but they closed down the clinics.
I cannot stand or walk long distances now, so i am back to using my elecrtic cart. I am bent over from the pain in my lower back. I cannot work and i have to rely on family for most things. I have been refused disability.
Osteoarthritis and spinal stenosis / herniated discs are a slow death from pain.
Politicians are idiots. I only hope all the morons who passed these laws get arthritis and back issues so they can suffer too.
When I was 25, I fell off some staging 2storries onto a concrete floor. This screwed up my lower spine and has had a couple surgeries to help correct the pain. I am 62 now. Through the years I have had my pain meds slowly increase . My chronic pain has slowly gotten worse. Now it is to the point where it has taken over my life. I hide the pain best I can from everybody. I know it’s almost impossible to exsplane cronic pain to people who havent experienced it, so I hide it. I am good at comming up with storries of where I have disapeared for a couple days. This to everybody. Truth is I may have tried to mow my lawn. This ment a pain level that put me in bed for two days having extreme pain that climbs right over my pain meds. This is my life now. Limiting my activity so I can at least walk and try to enjoy life. It’s getting worse and I am running out of excuses to my friends. Soon there will be just a bed with me in it. The pain level will be beyond any opioid treatment. Constant. Crushing. Debilitating. And still, I will have to hide. Its impossible to exsplane.
I’m 36. I’ve had 2 cervical spine fusions, and am about to have one on my lumbar spine, as well as cyclic vomiting syndrome, fibromyalgia, degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis and scoliosis. Despite these diagnoses, neither my pain management doctor or my primary care provider aren’t allowed to prescribe opioids for ANY chronic pain patients. Instead, when the physical therapy, and the stretching, and heat, and ice and other medications don’t work, I’m told to keep doing what I’m doing. I’ve never abused my medication but I’m labeled a drug seeker by the emergency department, because they also aren’t allowed to give chronic pain patients pain medication. There’s no where else to turn.
Hello, my name is Bob Whitmore and I am a Chronic Pain suffer after working 26 years in the Automotive Collision industry. I have now tallied my thirteenth operation last Dec. and I hope for no more of these debilitating surgeries that have not made the quality of my life improve but however they have rendered me disabled. So when the “crisis” began back in 2016, it was a pendulum swing away from human dignity and treating the most vulnerable to a systemic cult of D.E.A. prowess in making another demographic miserable, they have in deed succeeded to their shame. I hope for a return to decency among the Health Care Providers and all who my have influenced them in this act of this treachery. There have been no problem’s solved by these actions.
Hi, I’m a Disabled, Chronic Pain Mother, Wife, Daughter, Friend.. I was in a catastrophic accident in 2010 that shattered my neck, spine, tore my siatica, & broke other bones.. My neck had to be rebuilt with cadaver bones, metal rods, & a metal bell that was screwed to my shoulders to hold my head on.. My spine was fused in 6 places, nothing could be done for my siatica, nerve damage, ect.. My nightmare seems to have started earlier than most, I was forced into Pain Mgmt. In 2014.. These are just Shot Shacks, $$$ making ops. that don’t care at all about chronic pain patients. . I was threatened by Drs to sign pain contract, to endure excruciating NOT FDA APPROVED INJECTIONS & NERVE SCRAPING.. I was treated like a prisoner, a felon with $$ .. I was drug tested, pill counted, lectured, & yelled at every month.. I NEVER had a bad drug test, I’m a 48 yr. old Professional being treated like a bad kid.. From 2014-2017 I endured all this & was still being tapered, & medicine that had worked so well to help me learn to walk again, be a part of my family again were being denied by my Dr.. The last straw was when they said I must get the pain pump & they were scheduling another nerve scraping.. My husband had started going with me to the butcher (dr) because I would come home sobbing, abused, brused, unable to even bathe myself.. Hubby almost lost it, he said “SHE IS NOT A GUINEA PIG, YOU HAVE DONE ENOUGH DAMAGE!” Thank god I never went back..
My migraines are 20 days a month, & I can barely move my head. . As a mom of teenage boys, it’s humbling & brings tears to my eyes saying this, that my kids have to care for me, cook, shop, errands, clean, EVERYTHING. . That butcher got $30,000 out of me, all I got was more SCARS, a cancerous Thyroid that was just removed for Christmas (they think it’s from the injections) I have nightmares, I am bedridden, scared, untrusting of any Drs. Pain is always a consistent in my life, 24/7
There is unfortunately no representation over here on the east side of Washington State that I am aware of, but I can represent many other gracious soul’s here in Davenport, Lincoln County Washington and beyond. The problem of chronic pain patient’s being denied proper treatment is a very real, life or death issue with us especially in the rural areas. It has everything to do with our quality of life. Diabetics need insulin for the rest of their lives, other’s need medicine to keep them from being a threat to society at large and rightly so we treat them accordingly. With dignity and human compassion is the way forward and the answer to righting the wrong that has been done to a large group of hard working , now disabled soul’s. My story is but one of many and we wish our voice’s to be heard.
I suffer from Myelomalacia. I had a triiple neck fusion in 2015 and my life has just sped downhill since. It has been a constant fight for me to obtain my pain medication. I have been bullied, called a liar and treated like I am some sort of junkie or drug addict. It is extremely stressful which, is the last thing I need. It’s not like I haven’t tried other alternatives! This is a serious and fatal disease I have and I am in constant pain everyday. So, on top of that, I have to live in fear of loosing the only thing that helps me at all. I also have fibromyalgia, Arthritis, hearing loss, anxiety & panic disorder, depression, diabetes and the list goes on & on. I get so pissed at how the people who need medication are treated like criminals these day! HELP!!!
Hello- My name is Drema and this is my story. I am from a long line of tobacco farmers. For generations my family worked the fields. Work ran from sun up to sun down and during stripping season we would work until 9 pm. It was a life style of waking sore, eating breakfast and head back out to the 110 degree sun. This type of work is not only makes for long days but it also took a great physical toll. Days would be spent standing, carrying, bending over for hours to meet the auction deadline. Anything that would disrupt the production would bankrupt the family.
After the large taxation on tobacco products in the 80’s, the family farm was forced to shutdown. I was born and I work in the fields most of my life, I took my work ethic to the outside world and found many “ labor” positions. I found myself bending, standing, carrying and working long hours for a little bit of money. Each day I worked hard to make ends met, often two full time jobs, meeting the public’s demand in keeping their bathrooms clean, their laundry folded, their kids behaving. These low paying ,hard working jobs , disabled me and destroyed my joints and caused me back injuries with each job I did. There was no way out, with the education I had , I was stuck on labor jobs ,I had to make more money to meet the bills, so I applied and got a drywall job. This job paid almost twice as much but over the years the extreme lifting just made my back and joints hurt more.
The last job was a custodian position, I loved the job, but I was asked to resign because my back and joints wouldn’t allow me to repeatedly carry large bags, mop, sweep, or even walk at that point.
Time and time again I was denied any treatment for the pain, I was diagnosed with severe arthritis in my back and arthritis through out my body. I couldn’t walk and effected my life, I was depressed, run down, crying just to get someone to believe me. I’ve even had doctors in the past tell me- “ well, if we treat your pain, how do we know your faking just for the drugs?” Absolutely no respect. It wasn’t until our government, the same damn entity that made me out as an addict before, now sees me as telling the truth since getting approved for SSI. So I want to fight.
When I was five, I was diagnosed with juvenile arthritis.
I was forced tapered totally off my opioid pain medication in the last 6 months. I have peripheral neuropathy due to self medicating through chronic untreated back pain after 2 surgeries the 2nd was a fusion with stainless screws. I also had liver failure from my self medicating because I was drinking around 3+drinks a day & taking 15 + acetaminophen a day. After I was able to walk again from my neuropathy I have never fully gained my mobility due to debilitating pain which has led to more problems. I have carpal tunnel, migraines, my hands and feet do not function right without my medication. My back pain is secondary but causes lots of pain. My balance seems to be better with opioids but I don’t know why. I am home bound and unable to live any kind of life my son and I should be living. He misses his mom on medication. I need my life back with less pain or I can’t live.
I had a stroke on the left side of my brain 3 years ago. In the last several months I have been faced with Migraines. My income has dwindled because I can’t work full time. I struggle with anxiety and depression due to uncertainty about being cut off my pain medication
Hi… I have been in 3 major accidents. First one I was in a back seat of a car in 1987 not going very fast and the driver hit rocks on the road and it was raining and the driver lost control and we spun hitting the guard rail crossing the road and stopping… thank goodness we’d have been down a cliff.
Driver was looking for help when I got out of the car and fell down.
The hospital said I died and came back… broken neck 3rd & 4th vertebrae. Doctor said my spine should’ve been broken or I should’ve died. I had surgery putting a piece of my left hip between the 3rd and 4th… and pulled the spine off the spinal cord securing it with a wire holding them together. Concussion and vertigo…. Lots of pain daily in my whole body and my neck is on fire.
Second one my husband saved us from a head on crash in 2012.
Car was coming right at us and he put up his arm to hold me back, and swerved and we flipped and somehow I ended out of the truck. My head had a 6 in. long gash in it on the right side, my left hand was burned from the airbag as well as the right side of my face. My right leg is banged up and the knee and upper shin is numb, but painful if you can understand that? Concussion, vertigo, my body is sore all over.
Third one in 2014.
I was driving along the hwy and a huge boar ran out on the road it was night time.
I swerved to miss it… flipped my truck. Concussion with vertigo again. My body is sore all over.
I have continuous pain in my head, neck, left hand, and right knee and shin.
I take less than what I’m supposed to and I’ve been cut off cold turkey and nothing helps me. I got to physical therapy… etc. and I need the extra help from my pain meds. this is so wrong to punish us that do not use it to “get High” .
My Mom is 86 yrs old. She presented with a slight rash in July of 2017 which was diagnosed as Shingles. Since then, an otherwise happy healthy individual, has struggled with pain getting prox 4 nerve blocks in her back. We have tried many options. Her primary doctor cannot give her the oxy that relieves her pain so i have to take her to a pain clinic every month. The trip is extremely hard on her. We have stopped seeing her kidney doctor because she can tolerate all the outings. Yesterday the pain clinic wanted to put an implant in her back & she refused stating she was too old. They would not give her a script for her oxy which she will be out of the 28th of the month. I’m so stressed trying to keep my mom comfortable. CVS pharmacy couldn’t fill her script for Xtamsa because they only had 20 available. They said if I take those 20 so Moms pain relief would continue uninterrupted they couldn’t give me the rest for the month without another prescription. So Mom had no pain relief for 4 days. Unbelievable!!!!!!! I have so much more. The last 6 months have been hell.
I have been very upset about the current opioid situation for some time now.
It is so totally unfair that those of us who do not abuse pain medication cannot get it anymore. I am in chronic pain but cannot take anti inflammatory drugs. My only help is a pain pill when I really need it. NOW I CAN’T GET THEM!!! These people that have abused them make me sick!!!!
I wish I’d seen the article in Wired sooner. I’d have tried to go to a rally. I wish I could go to GA in June. https://www.wired.com/story/the-true-victims-of-the-opioid-crisis-are-starting-to-rebel
I just posted a link to the article and a FB post tagging Sens. Warren, Harris, Booker, Sanders; Joe Biden; Beto O’Rourke; Mayor Pete asking their positions on opioid use for those in chronic pain. I have nerve damage from cancer treatment, and other issues that cause me great pain. I have taken opioids for years and am not high. Without them I cannot work.. which I have to do (in my 70s) or become homeless. I can’t walk more than a half block, and cannot stand. I do training and have to sit to do it and make a joke about it.
I’m terrified bec my doctor is being asked by my supplemental ins co. why I’m on these drugs. He’s angry. He and my pharmacist know I use responsibly. I haven’t increased my dose in years even when there are days I would like to take more than I’m allotted. If I had to refill the ‘scripts every few days, I’d go broke – I have to use a cab to get to the pharmacy; one closer won’t fill opioid scripts.
Why is tobacco not outlawed tho’ the companies that produce tobacco products intentionally addicted people?
I’m in pain so often. Doctors hate pain .. they want to treat an illness that is readily seen. My cancer is not and we’re not sure why tumors aren’t showing but the symptoms that caused the initial diagnosis have returned. I won’t have surgery for spinal stenosis after a friend did and became paralyzed from the waist down. I have no options other than opioids which work fine.
What do we all do? Who will speak for us and address this? Which candidate will stand up for us v. making us all sound like crazed addicts high on drugs?
I was diagnosed with RSD/CRPS after a botched meniscus surgery. Since that time ive had to have total knee replacement and revision because the first surgery failed. I also have severe arthritis. I cant function without my pain meds and like many of you I’ve tried all the alternatives with little or know success. I just recently got a new PCP who doesn’t believe chronic pain is real and is lowering my prescription amount until it is at zero. I’ve tried to find another PCP but everyone I talked to does not want to take me on because of my need for pain medication. These laws are nothing but feel good legislation designed so politicians can say ” look what I did to stop the opioid epidemic ” until one lives with chronic pain they cant relate so we are looked on as liars, addicts, dealers or the pain is all in our heads. There is no compassion by these politicians or task forces who make these laws they only care about putting thier names on the legislation to further thier political career. Gov Sununu is part of the problem by requiring anyone who’s received opiods to have thier names and medical information made available to the state.
Fell off a ladder 9 feet in 2012, landed flat on my back onto concrete, my right leg landed across the ladder I was on, tore, ACL, LCL, PCL completely off leg, MCL was hanging on by a thread, also suffered a spinal cord injury to 5th lumbar nerve , which paralyzed my right leg 100% ,at 54 and a DAV, VA refused to do surgery, no outside insurance, VA stopped all pain med, they tried their useless pt, I made the decision to do my own! 14 months later, I started walking and driving again, but not without severe pain. If you’ve ever broken a bone, magnify the pain by 5, everyday and night, only thing that ever worked for pain with me was percocet, I can’t even get an aspirin prescribed, have tried CBD, no relief, every over the counter pain reliever, nothing ! I contacted the Illustrious self proclaimed Sen. Jean Shaheen asking for help, all I got was “ sorry about your situation “ NOTHING ! It’s all political ! As the parent of a former addict, clean 9 yrs, which I got him to do , these so called experts are going about it the wrong way ! By the way , our son thanks me every time we talk and tells me “ Dad, thank you for saving my life , I love you Dad ! So proud of him. I’m 61, never abused drugs of any kind, just my wife and myself, and I constantly feel like every Dr looks at me like I’m a junkie !
Thank you for bringing a voice to those of us who are needing and using pain meds. I had polio as a child. 40 surgeries later, including 2 spinal fusions, a severe case of scoliosis I am only able to function with pain meds. No, I do not like having to use them but need to inorder to live a somewhat normal life. Doctors can no longer prescribe meds, the government has the control. This is wrong. We are being charged and convicted of being addicts with no basis. It is about time to hear the voices of those who need these meds to be heard.
I wish I had known about the Don’t Punish Pain Rally. I was on fentanyl and oxycodone for several years for my chronic back pain, then all of a sudden last year I was abruptly taken off of them and put on Hydrocodone three times a day. The Hydrocodone doesn’t help! I spend every day in excruciating pain now. I can’t sleep. I can’t even lie down in my bed. I understand that there’s an epidemic of opioid misuse in our country, but those of us that never abused our prescriptions and need them are the ones being punished. It’s not right.
I too am a sufferer of constant chronic pain do to a neurological problem in my back, legs and arms. I did have a happy life and a job I LOVED for years. Now do to lowered amounts of pain medications by law, I am in bed more than 12 or more hours a day. This is so unfair to someone who has never abused the medications. I quit a job I loved, had to go on disability and cannot even drive. I am required to go to a “pain center” or “pill mill” I call it. They even were trying to make me use marijuana instead. So, basically you took a productive citizen and a happy one with a great life and turned her into a sick, bedridden, patient who has to now use a scooter to get around and another person who uses goverment help. It seems so unfair.
After living healthy my whole life, not a recreational drug user or even drink more than a glass or three of wine a year…underwent chemo, radiation and surgery and once the doctors felt I should no longer feel pain, they don’t prescribe any pain meds that were working. Everyone needs different time periods to recover from chemo. So instead they try all kinds of other meds, push antidepressants and increase dosages of meds that done relieve the pain. So while they “try” everything but a narcotic (which maybe I only need for three more weeks or three months) I’m in severe pain at 44 like an arthritic fragile 88 year old and pain at night that I can cry before I fall asleep. Never relied on pain meds they can see this in my medical history and still I’m left in pain post chemo until they find a med that works, it goes away on its own or who even knows. I have a supportive family that would help me monitor any pain meds as well. So still in pain on a scale from 1-10…an 8-12!
I have continual pain. The pain meds I am on never take the pain completely away but at least I am able to be partly normal.
I have an entire back full of metal and a neck full of metal with more to come. It is a railroad track. Two rods all the way down my back and I call them cross arms. All metal. I have arthritis everywhere in my body and a left ankle the Dr does not want to operate on because they are afraid my ankle won’t heal and would have to be amputated. Both shoulders are full of arthritis making it very difficult for me to raise my arm. It’s extremely difficult for me to get dressed, put my shoes on I don’t bend. When I take my pain meds my pain level goes down to maybe a four on a good day. Usually my pain level after a shower and after getting dressed and everything is about at the six or seven even on the pain meds. I use a combination of meds for pain and extreme anxiety disorder and they don’t want me taking them which I have been on for several years so I have extremely high blood pressure and all of it is just a medical disaster because they are not helping me because of all the people on the streets that are dying.
Today many people across the nation spoke out against the current policies and the people responsible during the Don’t Punish Pain Rally. I joined with them speaking out and informing others at one state capitol. These fellow sufferers of pain soldiered on through the entire two hours at the steps with their wheel chairs, scooters, crutches, and canes doing their best to be heard and seen especially for those that couldn’t be there. It was very inspiring. There are some news stories about some of today’s rallies. There is supposed to be a CDC Rally as well in June so hopefully these things will help. I know it’s long shot but we need to keep fighting back for us and our loved ones.
Well, I am 63 next month. And at 20, I fell out of a car going 70 miles an hour. The ER doc said I would never walk again, but thank God I did. When you’re younger pain doesn’t seem to be at the forefront as much as when you get older. So at 25 I married someone who ended up beating the hell out of me so bad that he was put in prison for 14 years. This furthered the trauma to my spine to where a degenerative process started and misalignment and scoliosis.
I have always worked. 24 years ago I became self-employed cleaning homes and have gone to work every day without fail. In 2012 I started leaning forward and could not straighten up. I had been going to chiropractors since 2006 to try to adjust my spine because my pelvis would rotate and not stay on its axis, which would pull everything on the opposite side into an overcompensation and severe pain. All of this over a period of time stretched tendons and ligaments and caused my muscles to become inflamed and burn. In 2013 I went to a doctor who did a year and a half of decompression treatments on me. Oh my gosh… The pain was unbearable, yet I went to work because I had to pay my bills. I had gone to my doctor for relief and I was put on a low dose of an opioid and because of the stress that comes with chronic pain a low dose of anti anxiety. Which worked for me. In 2015 because of the problems in my back which were becoming harder to live with, were: Spondylothesis, stenosis, scoliosis, 3 bulging discs, a slipped disc at L5 L4, chronic inflammation, dragging of my feet, hip pain, etc. I went for a procedure with stem cells because the regular surgeon I saw said I would have to have 2 fusion surgeries and he said you will never work again doing what you’re doing. SSDI would have paid me 1465.00 a month. Who can live on that???? That doctor said, You have a lot going on in your back. So, I have had 4 of these procedures to help bring some healing to some of the damage. In 2015 the doctor who had given me the opioid and anxiety said, I can no longer write these, you have to go to pain management. Which was an absolute horror and a joke. They wanted me to sign a waver stating I had to lock up my drugs, submit to random house visits and pill counts, only go to one pharmacy, the prescription had DEA written on it. They cut my dose in half and I had to come in every month to pick up the 2 prescriptions and pay the 100.00 office visits. That’s 1200.00 a year to pick up a script. Plus, I had to take a pee test every month and pay for that which was 99.00. I told them to go to hell. I said you are treating me like a flipping criminal. I have never abused the meds I was on. I said they cut the pain so I can function. I said, have you ever dealt with pain every day of your life. Grinding, tongue gnawing pain and still have to go to work and smile like nothing’s wrong.
I asked the doc who did my first stem cell procedure why the crackdown. He said, first the Gov. was telling us to write as many scripts for people as they needed, then he believed there was a purpose to cut off the scripts that would then force those who needed it to go to the streets to get heroin and fentanyl. Diabolical pieces of s—.
After my neck was worked on last May, a month later an overcompensation happened causing severe pain in my right hip and lumbar area which after runarounds from 3 doctors for 11 months I got xrays and need to get my hip worked on now. All of this has helped me, but the chronic pain daily exists. When I do get a script it’s like gold, cause you are terrified there will be some excuse as to why you can’t get it filled again and that causes much stress. This thing needs to change. I wrote President Trump and told him my story and said not everyone on opioids is addicted or abused them. Those that live with chronic pain don;t want to be a zombie, I just want to function and be somewhat normal again.
Deb
My name is Shawn. Since age 14 ive always worked to provide for myself and wife and kids. 2012 i started a job working dump truck driver 40 plus hours a week. After doing my job months the way i was being loaded caused me problems. See when being loaded your supposed to kay the rock down close to the bottom of the truck bed. they were dropping 3 ton rocks at top of bed this jarred me knocked the wind from me several times i complained and even was yelled at for jumping out of truck while they were loading. Then one night after months of this happening changed my life.
See i went to bed and had horrible shocking sensations down my spine electrical and they were like this many nights. Started wetting the bed then talking to my wife a few mornings later found i was wetting the bed nightly and lost all sensation of control. Went to doctor found i was 3 bulging disk.
Weak to right side of body, falling, pain in my leg and back was unbearable but doc would not treat my pain. Blood pressure because of the relentless pain.
6 years later i suffer from back issues which effects my rt leg and hip can’t move fast with hip cause it shoots pain to the roof on me. Within the last year and a half i have been diagnosed with severe hypertention. i take 6 blood pressure pills a day but that won’t control my pain. I was diagnosed with systolic heart failure, heart disease, diabeties 2, moderate nerve damage in my right leg lower back and right foot. The pain is to die for. I spend many nights contemplating suicide. i cant even get relief from the hospital because i’m looked at like a drug seeker.
Never ever had a drug problem im my life and now at 44 wish for death. I want to live but not in this kind of pain daily. Gaining weight because i can’t tolerate to stand or walk long times on right leg. This is why i cant work anymore and ssdi says i’m not disabled enough in their book. Never thought my life would be like this at 44 i should be in my prime. Instead i’m in diapers, can’t hardly walk without pain in my leg and hip, and just found out i very well may have ankloosing spondilitis in my back.
Thanks for your time.
I was injured at work Nov6, 2016 I had a lamnectomy ‘ 3 Epidural ‘ and EMG I had Eleven weeks of in home therapy and ten weeks of out patient therapy . The therapist said it’s nothing else they can do for me and referred me back to the back surgeon . Who said he would do a spinal fusion . Then he told me that workmen’s compensation said I don’t qualify for a spinal fusion .i’m here suffering without any medication. I been self medicating taking four Tylenol and sleeping pills to get some sleep the sharp pain is waking me up in the middle of the night. I also Ben battling a-lung disease (sarcoidosis) I had bilateral hip surgery twice. I never was addicted to pain medication I’m 53 years old was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and sarcoidosis in 1988 never was addicted to pain medication. Inedible it when needed. I even told my doctor to just give me something for pain in blood test me monitor me but please don’t let me suffer . I’m suffering please help Charlene Winters
In 1996 I was diagnosed with degenerative disc disease, suffered with pain since. Had my first lumbar fusion in 2008, followed by a cervical fusion in 2009, a second lumbar fusion in 2012. I have had constant pain and been on Oxy since 2008. In 2015, the neurosurgeon said he couldn’t fix the continued degeneration and suggested an increase in pain meds. Pain meds were increased and since 2015 I have managed my pain. Last year the PCP said she couldn’t no longer prescribe, started with pain management docs with injections in my neck and lower back. I got no relief and followed through with my orthopedic surgeons suggestion to have a 3rd lumbar fusion, now I am in more pain than I was, unable to walk without the use of a walker, and/or crutches -cane. The pain is unbearable and has left me with depression . It’s just wrong! My life is completely gone down hill without necessary pain medications. Before I was still in pain but it was under control, I was a functioning person, and working. Without pain meds I cannot work and have to hire help to keep my household up.
I suffered a car accident leading to cervical & lumbar surgeries in which brackets & screws were put in both. I’m now being forced to have repeated & painful procedures yearly in order to get any relief from my crippling pain & in order to be able to function , because OTHER people have addiction issues I’m denied pain medication. The doctors then repeatedly pushed anti inflammatories which resulted in me suffering with Bleeding Stomach Ulcers. They’re more concerned with & focused on addiction to the point where I’m being left to suffer & pay the price. My only option of procedures which are necessary yearly , are repeatedly denied by insurance causing me to have to appeal & fight while being left in pain. Yet I don’t see anyone having to fight for Narcan . I just can’t wrap my head around the outright discrimination of those of us with chronic ailments & disabilities being tossed aside & left to suffer cruelly while they help Junkies who don’t even want their help!! I don’t see them giving free chemo to cancer patients that can’t afford treatment. Or showing the same concern for our veterans! It’s disgraceful ! If my neighbor gets pulled over repeatedly for drunk driving should I also loose my drivers license because of my neighbors addiction? I guess we all should , it makes no sense!
While in the military I suffered a catastrophic back injury during a training exercise. I’ve been living with and treating chronic, sometimes debilitative pain for over 30 years. There is no individual treatment that works given the multiple issues that are present, including structural damage, spinal cord & peripheral nerve damage and resultant anxiety and depression. After these 3 decades my doctors and I have established a system to mitigate my chronic pain and resultant psychological issues although we have not found anything that resolves it completely. My holistic program includes God, diet, exercise, counseling, spinal cord stimulator implant, and medication that includes prescription pain medication. I am a full participant in my treatment and cognizant of the methodology used in the treatment of my chronic pain.
In the past few years our government, through arbitrary and inconsistent legislation, has jeopardized the relationship between my doctors and myself as well as hobbled my physicians preventing them from doing their job. The new legislation has turned me from being an active patient who participates in a team effort with my personally selected medical professionals to ameliorate the burden of chronic pain into, in the eye of the government, some kind of addict only looking for the next high or a dealer looking for more product to push on the street. I highly resent that and my primecare physician is at wits end in trying to care for me and other patients.
The solution to the drug epidemic that grips our country should not, and must not treat its citizens and medical professionals like some kind of drug cartel. Increase enforcement and penalties for those who do wrong & provide opportunities for those who are suffering but, don’t just cast a wide net in order to simplify the task at hand.
I can barely remember what life was like before the pain, and I will never be able to return to life as I knew it I have. The loss of “quality of life” is enormous and even after 24 years of debilitating pain, it continues to be relentless and aggressive. I started on non narcotic pain reliever for 7 years, as I knew I had to pace myself, as this was going to be life long and I wouldn’t accept taking a narcotic until it was clearly no longer an option. And in 1996, doctors felt that at this point with advances in pain relief, there’s no reason for anyone to suffer.
Cut to 2017. Doctors just wanted to fire patients. I had to withdraw myself, under no medical supervision from the Fentanyl after being on it 17 years. I feel they should all be punished by the AMA for a lack of humanity and not living up to their oath “first, do no harm”. Without proper meds I have been forced to try procedures which caused side effects, RFA procedure left me with a massive fixed hard protrusions and disfigured my back in and from my cervical area to my lumbar. It is enormous and frightening to look at, but apparently being massively disfigured for life is no one’s responsibility. Even though it’s scar tissue from trauma after medical procedure because of inept doctor didn’t know when to stop.
It’s not easy, as I have been researching it to get to speak to Congress, about this extraordinary bad position their laws have put innocent people, law abiding citizens, often to a suicidal end.
I wouldn’t have had to resort to procedures, if there was simply a pill I could take to stop the agony. I see no help in sight, we’re currently the collateral damage left behind because people chose to abuse their meds. I have tried anything I could, which continues to worsen my condition, when all I really need is sufficient pain medication.
How long did they expect we would tolerate this insanity before we join forces and rise up and fight for our rights to receive proper medical care. Let’s put them on notice, that with this overdue rebellion, is growing substantially every minute of the day.
I’ve had brain surgery for GR, email for Meashins, part of my neck taken out, I have multiple stenosis, herniation, degenerative disc disease, fibromyalgia, have had multiple surgeries on my stomach for my PCOS, tumors removed off my uterus, screws put in my feet, lumps removed from my breast, and that’s just the top of it. But I am not given anything in regards to pain medication. I just found out today that they are going to start weaning me down even more. I’ve done multiple epidurals, Cortizone injections, everything and anything that they’ve asked me to try. I’ve gotten no relief of my pain and now they’re going to wean me down even more off my pain medication because of some other person’s choice to recreationally use these medications to get high when I need them for my pain relief. I didn’t choose this, this was what I was dealt. These people choose that lifestyle who abuse drugs why are we being punished? I’ve made multiple calls to the state department, to the governors office when Christie was in. The doctor that was helping me, his office was raided and he was forced to give up his license and they left me hanging high and dry on pain medication with no other doctor to help me til I found this one and he doesn’t even want to help me in fear of losing his license.
I am a sixty five year old woman, I have Sarcoidosis and buldging disc and was hit by a car that left me with pain in my back neck and foot and ankle from four broken toes Fractured foot in two places and a broken ankle in two places.
I now also suffer from arthritis in my legs and knees. When I go to the hospital and sometimes my pharmacy, I am made to feel like I am just trying to get drugs for recreational, because I have a very high tolerance for medication. My pain medication does not get me high, if it did I would stop it myself. It just releaves or sometimes just ease the muptiple pain that I am experiencing at time. I understand , about the miss use, I think we should not be subject to having to feel like we are just begging for drugs, because Dr’s and pharmacists are so afraid to prescribe your medication, even though you have been getting the same kind and amount of your prescription before and after this law had passed. When you have medical documents to show your medical condition. Please stop penalizing the sick for the actions of others. The Dr’s should have and look at your health records for the patient. And the pharmacist should be able to trust the Dr. I think it’s just the Ins Companies that don’t want to pay for your prescriptions.
I have had bilateral knee replacements, cervical and lumbar lamenectomy and right hip replacement. I am in constant pain and meds were cut in half. I have stopped any excercise and suffer greatly due to this. I am NOT a junkie or abuser, never have been. Why am I being persecuted for others idiocies. Doctors should treat each patient as an individual and not group us together with med abusers. As Doctors they can tell the difference. California is the worst for supporting this.
I have severe cronic pain and its progressive they are making my life very hard to want to go on.
Hi Iam a 63 year old woman who has 12in. Of metal and 8 screws in my back. I also have degenerative disc diease, fibromyalgia, oastioartritis, and oastiomylitis. I was on a regiment of pain medication and they took all of my pain meds away from me for a dirty u.a. It came back positive for meth. They said none of my meds could of showed positive. Later I found out that one of my meds indeed shows up positive. After getting this information I contacted the dr. I ways seeing left a message about what I found out. They will not call me or answer my calls. I was hoping I could go back to them and be seen. Now I can’t get anything for pain and Iam now stooped over and all they suggest is physical therapy and Ibprophen. Iam in pain every day cronic pain and mist days can only walk to the toliet. Iam sick of people telling me to do this and do that. I know how I feel and how I hurt. Physical therapy throws me into a fibromyalgia attack as well as severe back, knee, hip, and neck pain. It takes days to have one good day. I need some pain medication so I can function in life. Ty for listening to my story. Frances in pain!!
I am a mom, a wife, and an educator. I’m also in pain. I’ve been in pain for at least 17 years that began with a car accident. I had a disc replaced me in my neck. Then I was hurt at work and had to have another disc replaced. I have nerve damage, head pain, neck pain, and back pain. It’s continual and it never gets better. I work with a pain management doctor who no longer prescribes opioid based pain medications to me or most other patients. I take everything I’m told to to and I’m still in pain. I use a tens unit and I’m still in pain. There is not a day that does not begin or end with pain. I function and sometimes I feel like it is all I do. My mobility is challenged by my pain. The energy I expend on dealing with pain in incredible. People tell me I’m strong but I think of all the things I do not do because I do not feel well.