Abuse of Opioids takes away from all the good it can do

Thank you for your moving and honest description of what your life was like with both the pain and the medications. What a blessing that your wife helped you find the surgery that freed you. I do hope that you will be able to restore your marriage and life after what you have both been through.

Please continue your healing journey, and keep telling your story. I am in awe of the hard work you are doing.
Sue

@kjelley I'm stunned by your writing of experience and honesty to explore opiate use from all angles. Thank you for the deep dive into your challenging decade. You are proof that one can come out on the other side with help, a little luck and collective perseverance. Bless your wife for being such a determined advocate for you, and not for nothing, you are pulling yourself out of a dark place slow but sure. That takes will, grit and desire. Congratulations! Thanks again for sharing.

WOW , I’m sorry and congratulations. Your wife is amazing. I know and have experienced what you went through. I will keep searching for my miracle.

I’m 70 and like you I was taking oxycodone 5/325 for well over 15 years always needing to watch my acetaminophen intake. Then I became allergic to NSAID drugs. I switched to morphine first which in 2005 was a recommended next step I believe. I’m now on buprenorphine patch every 7 days and only use oxycodone once or twice a week plus MMJ. Ask your integrative pain specialist about it, it might save your liver.

I am not a pain sufferer but I sympathize with all who are. I am a sufferer nevertheless. I suffer from incessant tinnitus mostly so loud that I struggle to hear everything through a veil of hissing, buzzing, screeching, rumbling. The term « ringing in the ears is a misnomer. It’s not ringing it’s Noise with a capital N. It only disappears if I can manage to fall asleep. Many people who have tinnitus are dismissed under the misunderstanding that it’s not serious. In fact it originates in the brain and there is no cure or even a temporary reprieve. Honestly, if an opioid prescription could in any way help, I would jump at the chance and take it. For those who can be helped with pain killers, they are in some ways more fortunate than those who are having to live without any help at all.

@willows I have empathy for you. I manage sensory symptoms that equally can not be quelled by medication. For me, that type of management comes from brain power ... strength, resilience, plus tools of distraction. What you describe must be frustrating and annoying to say the least. What do you do to get through the flares other than sleep?

Managing pain without medication is a tall order but can be done, talk about mental strength!

Thank you for understanding. Usually I try to relax and listen to nature soundsI have downloaded and I am able to choose one that best takes my mind elsewhere at the time. I am retired and live a very stressless existence which helps as well. I have ever been. Type A personality anyway so stress doesn’t factor into my situation. It was more difficult when I worked as there were deadlines as usual.
Another thing I do is to realize I am not alone as I have two first cousins with tinnitus as well as my brother. So many sufferers!

@willows - Good morning. Lucky for you not being type A! That leaves you in a much more adaptable mindset. Thankfully you have your cousins who understand tinnitus and you can comfort each other while brainstorming coping ideas, which it sounds like you're good at! Comfort in numbers.

Getting back to the topic of this original conversation about opioids - you sparked my interest. Having myself experienced both use and weaning off opioids, you've brought up an interesting thought to add -type A Personality. I can step back and see that my type A personality encouraged opioid use as I panicked, striving for immediate fix to pain and in denial of life changes. I was too impatient to learn coping strategies or seek other ways of management and none of my specialists stepped up by offering anything but meds, injections, implants, which inevitably stopped working. My type A was not patient or calm and just jumped into every available option. I take responsibility for using opioids, however at the same time our medical system is not built in a way of holistically supporting its patients with healthier options and a long-term plan to live in chronic pain and other chronic symptoms. I wasn't offered alternatives or supportive options.

I wish there was more of a comprehensive safety net from an earlier stage of pain that insurance will cover and doctors will assess and promote. There needs to be more comprehensive pain "rehabilitation" centers throughout our country that are accessible to all and the norm, not the exception. Perhaps one day.

I was blessed to find help at Mayo Clinic's Pain Rehabilitation Center, but by my own advocacy. Granted not everyone has the means or ability to attend a place like the PRC, which is my point. It should not be the exception, it should be the norm.

My final point is that a person suffering or in need of healthier chronic pain management has to also want that option. Has to be open to learning, has to be willing to put in effort and work to achieve change. It's not for everyone and I understand that.

Alrighty then, didn't expect that run on post this morning from myself!

@willows - Have a lovely day. I hope you find joy listening to your favorite musical artist or the softness of nature sounds. 😊

Thank you, I will look into that, I appreciate that.

Thank you, I will look into this, I appreciated