why is it that the ones that are in true pain get treated like drug addicts

I feel your frustration. I have hepatitus c and chronic pain daily. I cant seem to get a pain management doc to even call me back! My husband made the statement, its would probably be easier to go to the streets because all the junkies have the drugs! How can the junkies get them,and those of us that truely are in pain, cant even get a Dr appointment?

I am 50/50 on who's to blame for the way we get treated. Yes I agree if I take all my MRI's and dotor notes in with me, and they can see what is all wrong with me, then they should treat me like a true pain sufferer, not a pill head. But.....I have been to the ER alot, with my daddy, then my momma... I have seen and heard first hand how someone will do the doctor when all they want is a fix to do them til they can get something on the streets. Like this one girl was in the next room when i was up there with my momma, only a curtain divided us, she was wanting zanaxes, and she told this doctor all kinds of stuff, first she started with panic attacks, then her back. I suffer from severe panic attacks for the past 7 yrs, and my back for the past 10 yrs. When she was telling the doctor he symptoms...I told momma that girl is having withdrawls not panic attacks...she would tell the doctor she didn't have a doctor cause she just moved here, then a few min later she said I have been coming to the hospital for 10 yrs, and never been treated like this...He left the room, then this doctor came back in, and told her we do not give any narcotics here, and told her she was having withdrawls...I know for a fact they give narcotics there. And her act was good, I am seen a grown man crying, begging them to give him something...I was outside smoking, shen he was leaving, and he hurried to the car, and was laughing with his girl friend telling her how he pasted that doctor, I found out later pasted me fooled...I have been treated the way u have, and it is humilating, but I do kinda understand why doctors are scared to give us anything. My family doctor was giving me my pain meds, and her malpractice insurance company sent her a letter saying if she gives narcotics for more than 6 months to one patient they will double her premium. I couldn't get upset with her, to be honest I did at first. but now I understand. This in my true feeling on this subject...People call the doctors "EXPERTS" but we are the true experts, cause they just learn about chronic pain in a school, we experance it 24/7...It is like we have on the job training, noone can truely know what chronic pain 24/7 means until they have been through it for more than a couple of weeks...wow this was way longer than I had ment for it to be...but hope I help even a little...like I said I have days and days of stories...LOL.........Julie

I've found that medical people can be the most judgemental. I worked in an ER for 20 years as a secretary.  As stated in the above letter lots of people would come into the ER making up stories just to get pills to get high. After awhile the docs don't believe anybody.  Because of those people it makes it hard for those of us who have real pain. I don't understand why a pain specialist wouldn't give you meds when you have proof. I've been going to my doc now for six years and he's been very good to me. I have all the proof in the world that my pain is real. I think you should try another doctor. Bring your test results. MRI's etc. Don't give up. It takes some people a long time to find the right doctor. Good luck