I was in Emergency over the weekend for chest pain when the Senior Physician decided to lecture me on taking Oxycontin and the risks associated re addiction. My response was-"Not addicted, dependant"
More Firmly he stated- "No, Addicted"
Shaking my head I said- "Look, I am not addicted and I know it."
This was met with a raised eyebrow and almost roll of the eyes, when I added-
"You know how I know I'm not addicted? Because I keep forgetting to take the damn things that's how"
After 18 months I am on a reasonably high dose, yet I feel I could stop (with supervision) if a better substitute were provided. Good luck with the "hype" this trial will generate. I hope it does not result in another setback for pain management. Good luck fellow sufferers! Ozigal
I am prescribed several medications and am on disability after working 28 years at a factory. I have had 3 neck surgeries, chronic neck and lower back pain, severe fibromyalgia, numbness in my right arm and both legs, and suffer from anxiety and depression due to all of this. It's very hard to admit you're disabled when you've worked all of your adult life. My pain doctor, although very understanding, hates prescribing all of these meds for me. All of my meds are prescribed by only my pain management doc. He is very anxious to find another treatment for me so I don't have to be on so many meds. I know this is due to the stigma of prescribing narcotics to legitimate patients. I am having epidural injections and then possibly a Spinal Cord Stimulator. I hope this judge realizes that most of us that are prescribed many different medications have them because we NEED them, and don't want to need them! I wish I could turn back the clock and return to my healthy life. I hope this judge realizes that even if Anna Nicole didn't need all of these meds, there are those of us out there that really do, and doesn't make it even more difficult to find a doctor that takes our pain seriously and believe that we are all "drug seekers". I would love to spend the money I spend on meds on something I truly enjoy, but have to have them to get through each day. God bless that judge, and hope this case will set a precedence for pain doctors in the future.
Bev, I too wouldn't be taking the meds that I am, just to calm my pain down. Meds I know aren't good for my body, having even other Dr's & Nurses look down their noises at me. Having 'Friends & Family' think I'm just a 'Drug Addict'. Especially my Sister who tells EVERYONE, that I take more then I take, but not saying that she drinks 1-2 boxes of wine everyday. Last year she spent 8 days in the Hospitial, cause her Liver failed, now she's saying it was 'Jaunice' & saying she was born with it, & how has she 'lived' with it all these yrs. I didn't think it was a deasease that 'runs in your family', I'll look it up on this board & find out more about it.
I was just in the Hospitial, I broke my leg & elbow, long story why. A Dr. was going over my MRI's & X-rays, with me, saying she was suprised I wasn't taking more meds. When my sister called, I said I don't want to talk to her, the Dr. told her I was busy, with the phone an inch away from me, I heard my Sister say..'I don't know how you can talk with her, with all the pills she takes'. She says that to a complete stranger, what a B&^%! The Dr. came back with, 'I think you've had enough to drink today'..LOL. Then my Sister likes to ask everyone..'Why doesn't Pegi like me?'. Yes, for yrs. she made up stories about me, many of the realitives I don't talk to, cause of her stories. Why do people hear one side of a story & belive it?
All the yrs. I had to stay home & wath her, I couldn't go out with my friends, when my back went out & all I could do was crawl around, I still had to do her chores. Mom was divorced, worked 2-3 jobs, so if things wern't done I would be the one in trouble with Mom.
This 'Addict' has to rest awile, I'm in alot of pain.. Sometime, 'MAYBE' us 'painers' will get the respect we desiver(?), in our next life...'MAYBE' Soft Hugs
I live in So.Calif, know 'some' of the 'Star's'. This is what I heard, even from some the 'Star's', that have gone into Rehab. They are really going into Rehab, cause of Alochol, not 'Pill' addicion. The Public accepts that they are Drug Addicts easier then, if they say 'I have a Drinking problem', saying they have a problem with Drugs, can be blamed on someone else. With a Drinking Problen, the public 'thinks'...'Alochol is easier to get, it's up to you to say NO!'. Alochol problems have been in the public's eye longer then Drug Addict, there is more help for Drinking Problems then Drugs. Drug Addiction has been, hush..hush, or stays in the family alot more then Drinking, for many yrs.
I don't know if this is True or not, but I'v heard it from 'the horses mouth' many times. Every time I hear of someone, in the public's eye going into Rehab for Drugs, I chringe. Thinking of all the people, like many of us, who 'need' those meds, & how someone 'Famous' going into Rehab is going to 'hurt' us.
Karen, deleate this if you think it's not right for this board, I understand.
I live near Toronto, where the "Toronto Star" newspaper was engaged in investigational pieces about Oxycontin addiction and deaths. I was very afraid that the "baby would be thrown out with the bathwater" so to speak, and my worst fears were realized when indeed there were changes in the Narcotics Act. Due to the power of this type of "investigational journalism" our Ministry of Health has enacted new legislation concerning narcotics and subsequently made it next to impossible for some chronic pain patients to get their meds. Most drug stores no longer carry narcotics "in stock" and sell them by "special order" only. The majority of general family physicians are now afraid of repercussions and contributing to addiction, so they bluntly refuse to prescribe any narcotics, at all. My physician suddenly cut me off of oxycontin (apparently they don't care that one needs to be weaned off), so I was left in severe pain for months while waiting for an appointment with a pain management clinic. During this time I was largely immobile due to the pain and consequently became even more deconditioned and my pain increased to almost unbearable levels. It seems we haven't come very far in dealing with chronic pain and medications since the middle ages. We are in no postion to judge Anna Nicole Smith or any other pain patient until we have walked a mile in their shoes, however, these so called doctors to the "Stars", who very loosely prescribe narcotics, tranquilizers etc., just make it more difficult for the rest of us, when such a public death occurs.
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i had no idea this was going on now...Sounds like the judge is a winner!!
I'm glad to come home and see this, as I had a really bad day with pain med issues...am running into post-surgical pain issues which are frustrating due to comorbid conditions- sent to pain management because they didn't want to deal with someone who differed from the standard patient experience... or they were afraid to...as they weren't sure what they were getting themself into when they dealt with me due to my meda.