I wonder if Carpi is an ER nurse or something.  I can spot em  because I was an ER nurse.  I fell into the same dark cynical behavior.  We used to have a "drug seeker box" in our ER that we kept a card index of people who were thought to be drug seekers.  The card was complete, with a description of the person and their drugs of choice.  When my life was turned upside down by rheumatoid arthritis, I realized that karma had caught up with me.  I have moderate to severe RA, continue to try to work.  I dont dare ask for analgesics because of the stigma.  I am subject to random drug testing, so I cannot self medicate either.  I am in my own hell.  I have gone to the ER with severe flares from my RA ranging from severe vertigo caused by Sjogren's disease to no blood flow in limbs because of vasculitis.  I have lost and will never regain parts of my vision in one eye because the ER patted me on the head when I presented to the ER with my symptoms.  As it turned out, what they considered an anxiety attack was actually optic neuritis and vasculitis.  I have decided that no matter what, unless I am bleeding to death, I will NEVER go to the ER again.  Carpi, I never saw where the poster said anything about Xanax.  I really hope you are not in the medical field.  You need an education and a heart.  Karma catches up with all of us eventually.