quincy
Board Addict
Reged: 11/07/02
Posts: 333
Loc: pacific northwest
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I don't know if this is the right place for this post, but I had to get you chronic painers to read the latest issue of Redbook which has this article in it. I urge you to read the June issue with the article about pescription drug abuse. It basically tells the ususal Oxycontin horror stories, in which a woman who is luck enough to get it in the first place abuses it, and starts buying it on the street. She eventually loses all her savings, kids, husband-you know the rest. There are also similar stories of women,one in particular I found extremely stupid. She is an RN who "didn't know Lortabs were addicting." YEAH RIGHT IM SURE!
This article ticked me off because it totally ignored the millions of us (thousands at least) who have legitimate diseases and are ignored and undertreated by the medical community. I am sick and tired of all of the press/media suddenly focusing on prescription drug abuse. The tone of the article blamed the doctors because they didn't have the time nor the patience to treat the patient and just gave out pills. Well, whoever those doctors are I would like a list. I sounds like these people found good, compassionate doctors and took advanage of them. Meanwhile the rest of us either suffer in pain, spend exuberant amounts at the Op's, or have to go to doctor to doctor to get some help. The article mentioned doctor shopping and other drug seeking behaviors. It even included a little list that you can use to see if your doctor is making you addicted to drugs! I almost crapped my pants laughing, but at the same time my blood pressure was rising from anger. Please read the article and decide for yourselves, but it is pathetic. It just goes to show us all that we are a persecuted population, us chronic painers. The general public is never going to understand that we need narcotics or benzos or whatever to live a normal life. Nobody understands that methadone and vicoden gave me my life back. They just focus on the "high" we are supposed to be chasing. Never mind that I haven't felt that in about a year. I just want to be free of pain, at least 70%! I don't think thats too much to ask for, for any of us. Just read the article, you'll see how one sided it is. They never once mentioned how hard it is for chronic painers to find a compassionte doc. Im definetly writing them a letter to the editor.
I just wanted to put this out there, it is definetly a volitile issue. (at least around here)
Quincy
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toky20
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/17/02
Posts: 1347
Loc: Windy Place
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Thank you, Quincy!
They would never sell magazines with an article that said "my doctor gave me an ice pack and now I'm fine", right?
I also would like a list of these docs who are Rxing enough drugs to get people addicted. They sure are not in my area!
Also, the drugs don't make a person addicted. A person's unnecessary use and abuse of a substance, chasing the high, is what makes an addict. Less than 1% of chronic pain patients abuse the narcotics they are given to relieve their pain.
If you have a subscription to that magazine, I suggest you drop it while you write them a letter. Or at least insist they properly and accurately portray the other side of their story.
Take care,
Toky
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mslily
Board Addict
Reged: 09/06/02
Posts: 322
Loc: Cincinnati, OH
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Thanks for the info. It is always a few bad apples that spoil the bunch in life you know, regardless of the issue. The media has really made fools out of anyone who has to take prescription drugs to get by making us seem like drug seekers or any other undesirible population. I have been to my share of unsympathetic doctors who have made me feel that I am a drug addict. It is a very belittling experience to have to "need" anything from someone or something else. It is indeed a codependent relationship that we feel that we have to kiss up to physicians just to feel normal. As for the hydro high that people claim that we are after...I haven't felt that in years. The euphoria falls off after a time of use, the pain numbing properties are all I (and most pain sufferers) are after anyways. There was a special on my local news about the increase of abuse of prescription medications over the past 10 or so years, especially with teens. This journalist villanized the "chronic pain" community for carelessly leaving their meds in plain view and really just having them accessable to young people. Yes, I can see this being a problem. Stupidity of the parents, or naivety, I say. But, don't villainize the rest of us for some peoples mistakes. Sorry to be off on a tangent here. The stigma attached (thanks in big part to the media) to the use of prescription pain killers is why I choose NOT to tell any friend or family member (with the exception of my husband) that I take meds for my pain. I don't need to fight that battle as well.
Candice
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Dazzle
Journeyman
Reged: 05/01/03
Posts: 55
Loc: Sun Belt
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Toky...
I love your witty reparte'.... "My doctor gave me an ice pack and now I'm fine!" I am on the floor laughing!
But you know it's true... those clowns are the same ones that follow victim's families around with cameras hoping to catch their unbearable grief! Sensationilism sells!
Last year, there was a big article in Time about pain killers. In the article, one woman describes "how easy it was to get narcotics, even Oxy. Just go to the doctor and tell them you have migraines." Well, thank you very much, you moroon. Those of us who do have migraines can barely get a doctor to talk to us in the ER (and I only wind up there once every 12 to 18 months)... Now, we'll have a hard time getting a tylenol!
Thanks for the laugh.. it lightened up an otherwise dark subject!
~Dazzle
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Imagine what you could accomplish if you couldnt fail
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needinfo
Enthusiast
Reged: 03/19/03
Posts: 261
Loc: South East USA
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My long story is on another thread but I will add this:
My GP, not only GP but good friend--even hosted hugh party for 300 peeps when my son married--did not realize the addictiveness of benzos.
Several $'s, several hell, Several K $'s got it straight,
JMHO, of course.
Take care and good luck all!
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The older I get the more I NEEDINFO.
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TLT
Board Addict
Reged: 10/21/02
Posts: 358
Loc: loc. usa
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You are so funny Toky,, It's hard to believe the one about the RN who said " I didn't know lortabs were addicting!!" YEA RIGHT! Thats what the pt info is printed for when you get an RX filled. When I get an RX filled I alwayt read the info that comes stapled to the bag. These people are looking for someone to blame, other than theirselves. I don't knop of alot of Dr's in my area that hand out strong pain meds, unless you have an injury that warrants such, If you take it upon yourself to DD or Doctor Shop, you only have yourself to blame.
I haven't read the article in redbook, but have read some simular to that, it just burns me up!!
Thanks for the info..
TLT
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"RUDENESS IS THE WEAK MANS IMITATION OF STRENGTH"
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doglover82
Board Addict
Reged: 11/20/02
Posts: 332
Loc: Idaho, US
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I can't even find a doctor to prescribe 5mg hydro for pain. This is so unfair. We all know finding a doctor to treat pain with narcotics is like finding a needle in a hay stack and yet we are constantly hearing news reports and reading articles that make it sound just the opposite.
Thanks for posting that. I wish there was something we could do to let people know these incidents are not very common.
Doglover82
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Caveman6666
Enthusiast
Reged: 01/15/03
Posts: 218
Loc: Earth
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Worst part is, some ignorant politician will see that, and make a soapbox platform issue out of it, conveniently ignoring the fact that it's the exception, not the norm.
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TLT
Board Addict
Reged: 10/21/02
Posts: 358
Loc: loc. usa
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I finally got to read this ridiculous article.
What I don't understand, is how they can headline this as such "My Dr made me a drug addict", when the person took it upon herself to go Dr shopping, after he refused her refills, and also bought her oxy off of the streets.
Sounds to me, that she is the one to blame, It is not the Dr's responsibility to force their pts to read the pt info that comes with every script. Especially if you are a RN, I mean give me a break. She's looking for a scape-goat, and who better else to blame than the DR.
This article really gives the good Dr's a bad rap!!
Just think, if she had been sent home with just advil, then she'd be complaining of inadequate pain management!
Terri
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"RUDENESS IS THE WEAK MANS IMITATION OF STRENGTH"
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PrivateRealm
Threadhead
Reged: 03/18/03
Posts: 927
Loc: usa
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Why isn't it the people's own actions that take the blame. I am sick and tired of pain medications getting a bad reputation. They do the amount of people in pain more good than they do harm to the smaller porportion of people who decide to abuse them. Why aren't the benefits of pain medications ever in the media? People are scared I suppose. What ever happened to the war against cocaine or crank? I, for one, am much more worried about the availability, and non-monitored usage, of these man made/and or/tampered with illegal street drugs. I have been highly affected by this with family and friends, and pray for my children to never get into any addiction. Oh, I could ramble on and on about alcohol, cigarettes (which even I smoke, but am against), medications, and etc. But what good will it do?
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KeriAnne~~~
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take - but by the moments that take our breath away."
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