Hi, lilgrizz. Thanks for your note. I only have one little content, about the mega but crack. If you cannot laugh about your own scoliosis, just what is the point of having scoli in the first place? Just do like the politicians do. Tell the world you don't have it, and it will be gone. Retroactively. Sorry.

Hello @lilgrizz, I would like to add my welcome to oldkarl's.

Thank you for sharing your background with the other members of Connect. First, you don't have have to apologize for getting off topic, as Connect is here for however you want to use it! Getting off topic can be therapeutic in itself isn't it?

Here are some other discussions that you may want to check out based on some of the diagnoses you metnioned. Each discussion has many members for you to meet who will understand where you are coming from and what you are experiencing. Just click on the links below to check them out:

- Multiple Sclerosis (MS) - please introduce yourself, https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/multiple-sclerosis-ms-please-introduce-yourself/
- Scoliosis, Introduce yourself and meet others, https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/scoliosis-introduce-yourself/https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/scoliosis-introduce-yourself/

Hi Lilgrizz, i'm no longer on that much pain medicine but when I was I was given a long acting Oxycodone, it's called
Xtampza. It's similar to the one you said you were using that they took off the market. I don't think they've taken Xtampza off the market yet. It will probably be next,hope not!

Welcome to Connect and I hope that that medication can help you. It did me when I needed it. Jennifer

I'm sorry that you're having to deal with so many health issues at once. I talked with the neurologist the other day, and we discussed how seemingly unrelated problems can be related - or unrelated. I'm trying right now to figure out what meds are helping, which ones, if any, I don't need, which ones I might need to increase and what to do about the things that still need to be addressed. I agree with you that, in today's climate, it's become even more of a challenge. It used to be true that what a doctor told me 20 years ago, that no one needs to be in pain because if one med doesn't work, there are others that will. It doesn't seem to be that cut and dried anymore. I hope that it's true for you, @lilgrizz.

thanks so much for the kind welcome and info. i'm definitely gonna check out the other groups because I can tell that sharing this info with you all is already helping my mental status. thank you so much.

@jenapower I'm not sure I'm doing these replies right and inserting the names. Jennifer thanks so much for the info. I'm definitely gonna ask the doc about it. Greatly appreciate it.

@jimhd you know what you say is so true. i'm also bipolar and it is sorda like a radar. right before I have a ms or lupus flare up I can guarantee you I will have a full blown manic episode. which means I end up in some kind of trouble, usually financial. You can catch me going thru every bodies couch cushions looking for loose change. And my ms med- Rebif- usually causes depression. I have to give myself a shot 3xweek and I have an opposite reaction to the med, not depression but mania. It seems I stay in trouble, broke and in pain. I guess I'm just a lil peeved that this big oxycodone crisis Trump is screaming about is hurting the people who are really in pain. I'm scared the day will soon come that they will cut us off too and we who suffer from chronic pain will just be screwed.

@lilgrizz, Every time I take some more insulin or some tiny pill for something, I marvel at how fragile we humans really are. A drop or two if insulin to keep our whole body working close to normal, or even just a tiny aspirin. Years ago I took pills for something --I don't remember what, maybe they were nitros, don't know. Anyway I have had more dirt in a sweat pore, I think. Anyway, It does not take much to throw us off the straight and narrow.

Lilgrizz, you hit 'reply' under the response you want to talk to. It seems like you did it correctly.

I had a terrible fight with my insurance company getting them to cover Xtampza, but if you've tried all other options and give reasons why they don't work, they eventually give in. It seemed to work well for me. I hope it's a good answer for you.

I agree with whoever commented about the 'Opiate Epidemic', and where it leaves chronic pain patients. When the issue is discussed, we are never brought up. It is very scary!

@lilgrizz

This is the format I usually use so everyone knows who my comment is for. It's confusing when people don't specify.

I understand that there's a tragic epidemic of opiate abuse in America, and I understand that something needs to be done. I think that doctors should be able to prescribe whatever med is appropriate for a patient, especially for chronic pain. I also understand that some doctors will abuse the system. I don't know if there's a perfect solution. I just hope that we'll be able to get what we need to manage the pain.

Jim