Being a drug addict.

I have just read a post from someone who had a change from the people they came into contact with, for no other reason then the fact that drugs are used to try and control chronic pain. Something similar happened to me.

I was put on Methadone as a last chance drug to control my pain. It works, but does not control the pain completely. However I was able to function quite well in the 'Non Pain World'. One problem, my actual GP was someone who I had never met or seen. I always saw a different GP in the practice who was quite good and understood my problems. The problems start when I get the drug from the GP's for the first time. Being a 'Control Substance' the drug has to be written up by hand and in my case by my own GP. For some reason this person I had never seen, seemed to think that I would love nothing better than to have the sugar syrup based methadone to make it easier to take. As far as I was concerned it just made me vomit. I complained and complained, but to no avail. As it was, however the local chemist was always kind enough to give me the sugar free, but I always complained to the Practice.

One day I went to pick up my drugs and the chemist had been chastised for changing my script. It was sugar syrup or or I would have to get a new script. I phoned the GP's and the woman on the desk must have thought that she had put me on hold. In fact what I heard was the following:-

'It's that bloody Junky again! What should I do about him?' I heard some sound in the background and the woman came back on the phone just as I started to speak to her. She listened and then went very qiet when she realised that I had heard.

I went around to the GP and had an appointment with the doctor who knew me. He helped me to make a complaint about what had happened. The outcome was very interesting.

1. I was swapped to the list of the GP who had always dealt with me.

2. I got a letter from the Ombudsman, with an appogy from the practice Manager.

3. Now when I ring the practice, it is amazing the level of help I get. Talk about jumping!

4. I have never had a problem with the practice since that time.

However you would not believe the problems I have had at times with the Chemist, when picking up my script. The best being the time when a cover chemist refused to allow be the drug as I was a day late in picking it up and the fact that if I got a new script then she would want to see me take the whole amount prescribed before I left the shop. 900ml of 1mg/ml Methadone in one go would be a good trick.

Question - Do you think I would still be here today if I had of done that? Interesting the way others treat you when you are prescribed such a drug for your pain management.