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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:
- Learn more about Mayo Clinic's Pain Rehabilitation Center
- Connect with others via Addiction and Recovery
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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.