Tell your story of living with chronic pain, by leaving a reply at the bottom of the page. Do not mention specific medications or dosages. Stories do not appear right away.
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Tell your story of living with chronic pain, by leaving a reply at the bottom of the page. Do not mention specific medications or dosages. Stories do not appear right away.
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.