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Replies to '06/30 Addicts Transformed'
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October 26, 2005, 9:33 pm PDT
 Quote From: dede7007 This is a difficult subject, but one that needs to be exposed, and talked about. I also think that a show needs to be added to this one about what this addiction does to the people who need the pain killers and can't get them because of being accused of being a "junkie". This happened to me. I was rear ended in a car crash, and suffered unbearable back and neck injuries. It took eleven years to get a diagnosis of what I had, and then I received several corrective surgeries. But during the eleven years, while experiencing excruciating low back pain, leg numbness, neck and back spasms, migrains, and numbness and weakness in my right arm, I could not get anything for pain relief without being given the third degree by doctors. Many nights I ended up in the ER, to try to get the pain relieved. I would be given a prescription for Motrin. It's been 27 years now, and I haven't know one day without pain. But, I do thank God that I finally found a specialist in pain and it's being managed much better now. But the years of suffering was almost too much to bear. I don't understand how these people GET the pain killers, and all the drugs that they get. It just baffles me. Do they really understand HOW many people they really affect? Dede7007 Dede7007- Im sorry about the way you were affected by all the "abusers" out their. But I can tell you how these people get the meds. My aunt and her boyfriend are addicted to pain killers and they take so much more than the recommended dosage on a daily basis. They simply go to the emergency room, give a sob story and poof. And if that doesnt work they go see their family doctor and tell them about it and get the meds from them .Other wise they buy them from people who sell them or steal them from people like my grandmother or my mother in law who suffered from more serious illnesses. And personally I can say from experience they dont care who they hurt and how they ruin it for everyone. Pretty selfish huh? |
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October 28, 2005, 7:51 am PDT
Quote From: dede7007 This is a difficult subject, but one that needs to be exposed, and talked about. I also think that a show needs to be added to this one about what this addiction does to the people who need the pain killers and can't get them because of being accused of being a "junkie". This happened to me. I was rear ended in a car crash, and suffered unbearable back and neck injuries. It took eleven years to get a diagnosis of what I had, and then I received several corrective surgeries. But during the eleven years, while experiencing excruciating low back pain, leg numbness, neck and back spasms, migrains, and numbness and weakness in my right arm, I could not get anything for pain relief without being given the third degree by doctors. Many nights I ended up in the ER, to try to get the pain relieved. I would be given a prescription for Motrin. It's been 27 years now, and I haven't know one day without pain. But, I do thank God that I finally found a specialist in pain and it's being managed much better now. But the years of suffering was almost too much to bear. I don't understand how these people GET the pain killers, and all the drugs that they get. It just baffles me. Do they really understand HOW many people they really affect? Dede7007 I too understand what you are saying, My back pain started at a young age when i ruptured my first disc at the age of 14....I suffered years of pain, not being able to walk sometimes...and it continues to this day, I take pain medications for the pain for well over 10 years now, but with the help of a very good doctor and also a Neurosurgeon, I take my meds very carefully, I am on them for three months then off of them for a month, I have had two back surgerys, numerous needles in my neck and lower back for pain management....the doctors said that mt next step was bone fusion........I was also in 1994 flipped over in my work truck ( A dump truck) by a very large loader at a stone quarry and hurt my back, neck and both knees badly, requiring surgerys on my back and both knees...I refuse to have any more back surgerys until they can come up with something else to help me besides fusing my vertabrae together....so my doctors both agree that if we can manage the pain as best they can without surgery, we will to try and buy more time until a more advanced method of treatment can be used instead.....my doctor tells me if I use my meds for pain and pain only and go off every three months I will be ok....we have discussed addictions reguarally and are always very careful. I suffer with excrucating pain for 30 days or so, but that is all....I usually experience no withdrawl sympoms at all, and to this day still work in the construction industry....and only take my meds every 12 hours only......but there has been alot of new ways to help back patients with new methods of disc replacement now and I will definately be going towards that after they become more and more used....good luck to all..... |
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October 28, 2005, 8:48 am PDT
Quote From: dede7007 This is a difficult subject, but one that needs to be exposed, and talked about. I also think that a show needs to be added to this one about what this addiction does to the people who need the pain killers and can't get them because of being accused of being a "junkie". This happened to me. I was rear ended in a car crash, and suffered unbearable back and neck injuries. It took eleven years to get a diagnosis of what I had, and then I received several corrective surgeries. But during the eleven years, while experiencing excruciating low back pain, leg numbness, neck and back spasms, migrains, and numbness and weakness in my right arm, I could not get anything for pain relief without being given the third degree by doctors. Many nights I ended up in the ER, to try to get the pain relieved. I would be given a prescription for Motrin. It's been 27 years now, and I haven't know one day without pain. But, I do thank God that I finally found a specialist in pain and it's being managed much better now. But the years of suffering was almost too much to bear. I don't understand how these people GET the pain killers, and all the drugs that they get. It just baffles me. Do they really understand HOW many people they really affect? Dede7007 I agree with Dede7007. There are many people who are suffering from pain that do not get the medications that they need and deserve. Doctors are hesitant to prescribe many medications because of their potential for abuse - regardless of the patient's need.
I know because it happened to me. In February 2002 I was involved in a car accident. Another driver ran a Stop sign and t-boned the truck I was driving. My truck spun almost 180 degrees and landed on the driver's side. I was banged up but managed to walk away from the accident counting my blessings. In the months and years that followed the pain in my left rib cage did not go away and actually became worse. I was told to take Advil (ibuprofen) and rest. I was subjected to various tests and scans and the was told that there was not a physiological reason for my pain.
I was prescribed a mild pain reliever, and was told to check back in in 3 months. The pain got worse. I was finally referred to a Rehab Doctor who eventually upped the dosage on my medication and received trigger-point injections. They helped a little, but the pain continued to get worse and began to spread. To date it has spread to both of my arms, my neck, and my left leg.
To make an already long story short; two and a half years after the accident I was diagnosed with RSD (CRPS) by Dr Charles Hodge at University Hospital in Syracuse. I was then referred to a pain clinic. Unfortunately by that time, I had lost my home and my business because of my inability to work full time because my pain was not under control.
The point of the story is two-fold;
1). The fact that my doctors were afraid to prescribe drugs that were powerful enough to control/manage my pain because of their fear of my possible addiction, and;.
2). The misdiagnosis of a condition that may have been able to be cured if discovered in a timely manner.
In any case, I have to take some very powerful drugs to control my pain. I am not an addict, and frankly I hate taking these drugs, and take them only when necessary. The side effects are enough to make anyone stop taking them. But without them, pain takes over every waking moment of my life rendering me useless and depressed.
I applaud those who have beat their addiction, its got to be one of the hardest things to do, but let's remember their is another side and that everyone who takes these medications is not an addict.
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