1. < Adult Pain Medicine

Living and thriving after 15 years of crippling opioid addiction

Jul 1, 2019 | W. Michael Hooten, M.D. | @wmichaelhootenmd | Comments (17)

 

Sheryl and Ken Start

Originally posted  via Mayo Clinic News Center

Ken Start is an optimistic, energetic husband, father and grandfather with a job and family he loves. It's a life Ken's fought for, but one he almost sacrificed to opioid addiction. For 15 years, Ken was addicted to prescription pain medication, an addiction that was finally broken with the help of Mayo Clinic's Pain Rehabilitation Program and Addiction Services.

 

Not long ago, Ken Start began a speech to a roomful of physicians by saying, "I am your worst nightmare, the guy you do not want in your waiting room."

Ken said the words jokingly, but behind the remark was a painful truth. For 15 years, Ken struggled against a crippling opioid addiction that developed after he received prescription pain relievers for spinal injuries from a car accident. Through the years, Ken lied to and manipulated his family, friends and physicians to feed his addiction.

But in 2004, Ken's life changed course when he arrived at Mayo Clinic. Distraught and near suicidal, Ken's trip to Mayo was a last-ditch effort to save himself and the life he'd built with his family. At Mayo Clinic, Ken met W. Michael Hooten, M.D., in Pain Medicine. "The morning Dr. Hooten walked in, that's the day my life changed," Ken said.

Continue reading via the Mayo Clinic News Center

Helpful Links:

 

1 Reaction

Interested in more newsfeed posts like this? Go to the Adult Pain Medicine blog.

Garygirl | @taftst1 | Aug 4, 2023
In reply to @copeterson "So true. Dependent is the maintenance of treatment as prescribed. Seems like people are tossed into..." + (show)
@copeterson

So true. Dependent is the maintenance of treatment as prescribed. Seems like people are tossed into the “addicted” bucket so quickly - and unfairly.

Jump to this post

Amen! It’s because of our political environment! If physicians are allowed to do their job, prescribe to those who NEED it and not be stopped due to laws or influence from our political system like just say no, we would not have deaths on the street from junk that’s cooked up! If you are a diabetic, your meds are needed. Who wished to be on pain killers, I didn’t but due to a botched surgery I am dependent not addicted. Yes your body tells you it’s time, it pain too. If a bad thunderstorm is coming, even if it’s sunny and even not predicted, I am grabbing walls in pain to ice and elevate, then BP goes up. It’s a shame what WE ago through. I don’t even tell people I am on it!! If a doc gets snotty, I report! Found out one was in sane med as me, came right back at him.

REPLY
2 replies
lisajanec | @lisajanec | Apr 25 7:24pm
In reply to @tyyne21wigwam "I have a dependence due to failed fusion surgery and over 30 epidurals blocks etc. I..." + (show)
@tyyne21wigwam

I have a dependence due to failed fusion surgery and over 30 epidurals blocks etc. I am glad to hear about the patches you described. I have seen pain specialists but they don't seem to go beyond epidural s.

Jump to this post

I have pain from a failed fusion, please elaborate on the epidurals, do they work well?

REPLY
2 replies
carolynhughes75 | @carolynhughes75 | Apr 26 1:14pm
In reply to @taftst1 "Amen! It’s because of our political environment! If physicians are allowed to do their job, prescribe..." + (show)
@taftst1

Amen! It’s because of our political environment! If physicians are allowed to do their job, prescribe to those who NEED it and not be stopped due to laws or influence from our political system like just say no, we would not have deaths on the street from junk that’s cooked up! If you are a diabetic, your meds are needed. Who wished to be on pain killers, I didn’t but due to a botched surgery I am dependent not addicted. Yes your body tells you it’s time, it pain too. If a bad thunderstorm is coming, even if it’s sunny and even not predicted, I am grabbing walls in pain to ice and elevate, then BP goes up. It’s a shame what WE ago through. I don’t even tell people I am on it!! If a doc gets snotty, I report! Found out one was in sane med as me, came right back at him.

Jump to this post

I had to take a complete disability because of a horrible surgical complication. That was 24 years ago and I still have that pain. I have tried everything. Nobody in their right mind would want to be on pain meds.

REPLY
carolynhughes75 | @carolynhughes75 | Apr 26 1:15pm
In reply to @lisajanec "I have pain from a failed fusion, please elaborate on the epidurals, do they work well?" + (show)
@lisajanec

I have pain from a failed fusion, please elaborate on the epidurals, do they work well?

Jump to this post

Please be careful in getting epidural injections. You could end up with a painful condition called Arachnoiditis.

REPLY
lisajanec | @lisajanec | Apr 26 9:24pm

Okay, will look that up. Ty

REPLY
kenc | @kenc | Apr 27 2:50pm
In reply to @taftst1 "Amen! It’s because of our political environment! If physicians are allowed to do their job, prescribe..." + (show)
@taftst1

Amen! It’s because of our political environment! If physicians are allowed to do their job, prescribe to those who NEED it and not be stopped due to laws or influence from our political system like just say no, we would not have deaths on the street from junk that’s cooked up! If you are a diabetic, your meds are needed. Who wished to be on pain killers, I didn’t but due to a botched surgery I am dependent not addicted. Yes your body tells you it’s time, it pain too. If a bad thunderstorm is coming, even if it’s sunny and even not predicted, I am grabbing walls in pain to ice and elevate, then BP goes up. It’s a shame what WE ago through. I don’t even tell people I am on it!! If a doc gets snotty, I report! Found out one was in sane med as me, came right back at him.

Jump to this post

In many places the rules have loosen. I now have little problem, except, perhaps from the insurance company, with MDs. prescribing opioid meds.

REPLY
tyyne21wigwam | @tyyne21wigwam | Apr 27 10:46pm
In reply to @lisajanec "I have pain from a failed fusion, please elaborate on the epidurals, do they work well?" + (show)
@lisajanec

I have pain from a failed fusion, please elaborate on the epidurals, do they work well?

Jump to this post

I can not read comment because my email is entered as my pass,so I am
unable to get into my account. I will try to correct this

REPLY
View MoreView Less
Please sign in or register to post a reply.