Hello, I'm new here but really need to talk about the pain I suffer and what I do about it...I'm a 61 year old female, maybe 5 lbs overweight and suffer with horrible hip pain. and the diagnosis is arthritis. I have been taking pain medication for 10 years..I'm not an addict however I know that my body is dependent on them..I never take more than is prescribed, ever. Now I have a compression fracture in my L1 vertebrae which happened on July 10 2018, just by lifting an ice chest..It was absolutely miserable for at least 2 plus months..It's been all this time and my back still hurts, I'm aware of it at all times..The pain medication does knock the edge off of my back pain...I just want either Doctor's or the public to know, that some of us MUST TAKE PAIN MEDICATION in order to have a good life and we are not all addicts..I do not do any illegal drugs, nor would I smoke pot as an option..I hate feeling out of control of my faculties..So in saying this, I hope that Doctors listen to their patients, not allow them to suffer because they, themselves don't like pain medication..Honestly, if I had to suffer the pain I have without medication...my life would be horrible and not sure I could even go on living..I'd just give up..as so many people do! It would be easy enough for a physician to test their patients to make sure they don't have more than prescribed in there blood..Thank goodness, my doctor completely understands, he is strict and that's fine with me, but he will not allow me to suffer...Well that's my 2 cents..LOL..Have a good day everyone, hope I didn't bore you!