1. < Chronic Pain

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

Posted by rayjay535353 @rayjay535353, Sep 18, 2022

Hi, I'm Jaime- 68 year old male having chronic pain for 30 years.
I've had 14 sports related surgeries that began at age 18 and have just gone through 2 Posterior cervical decompression with multi level fusions during the past 18 months. I have been to numerous pain specialists, tried every supplement advertised, have every gadget that is offered online, and have had no less than 25 cortisone shots, knee replacement, epidurals etc. Throughout the 30 years, I have found that Opioids are the only thing that has allowed me a quality of life. Side effects? Show me a medication that doesn't have any. I had to be extremely disciplined to only take as prescribed. If a pain doctor doesn't offer opioids, they should find another profession. I take Hydrocodone 10/325 4 times a day max and less if not needed, Nobody seems to defend the use of opioids, but if you don't abuse it, it could be a life saver, not a killer

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morkat | @morkat | Oct 1, 2022

I'm furious for everyone in chronic, horrific pain. In fact, I always use pain meds in a responsible way. I've had six joint replacements, and chronic arthritis pain. In 2012, I became inoperable and my nuerosurgeon, Dr Ashok Thanki, offered me a choice of a drug delivery pump (thank God for the engineer ) who developed it. When implanted, the dose dispensed is 300x less than what you would need by mouth. Without this miracle, my only option would be opoids by mouth and unending sleep. By the time you need this, there are no choices left for you. My family has a lot of alcholics/addicts, so I am keenly aware of the problems drugs and alcholics and the dark road many have gone down. Usually, you must be older and have exhausted every other kind of treatment available. I don't agree with the age requirement, it should be considered by an intolerable level of pain that cannot be cured.

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isaratex | @isaratex | Oct 25, 2022
In reply to @senseiande "The war on opiates has and will continue to have unintended consequences. In my own experience..." + (show)
@senseiande

The war on opiates has and will continue to have unintended consequences. In my own experience it was handled with a one size fits all broad brush approach. I was a chronic pain patient since 1991. I spent 10 years with virtually no treatment because doctors thought there was nothing wrong with me. They sent me to psychiatrists who put me on a variety of psychiatric drugs that made matters worse. Their take was I did not look the part and was very calm about my condition hence to them it was all in my mind. Then I protested so loudly that they couldn't ignore it and longer and finally sent me for an MRI. The results of the MRI were so bad that I was taken off work immediately and permanently. No discs in my lumbar and cervical region, central and foriminal spinal stenosis throughout, spodylothesis and more. In the end 3 surgeon concluded I am not a surgical candidate. I then did every other treatment known to man until finally I bacame a medication patient only. That was 2005. From 2005 until 2013 i was prescribed norco and Morphine er and the pain and my life became managable. Then in 2013 the government got involved with opiates and me , along with 230 other patients were sumarily dropped from all treatment. A 30 day script and see ya latter. In my group some people went to street drugs and became addicted to heroin, others like myself used alcohol to excess to kill the pain..and several killed themselves.. This action by both government and the medical community was highly irresponsible and unethical. I had quality of life for almost 8 years due to medicine that I never abused...then overnight it was cut off without any way to titrate off , no assistance and no medical solutions or treatment to follow. It is my belief that the current opiate problem is a direct result of such idiot policies and this problem will continue. Pain is the most powerful motivating force in nature. When in severe pain any living thing will do just about anything to make it go away. Seems to me that medical oversight of people in such cases is far more intellegent than to put a person in a position of going to the streets or worse. I am still in pain all the time and am left with very few and ineffective options.. I believe there are cases where continued use of opiates are not called for .I also believe that there are other cases , where medical evidence proves the need that they are a life saver as to quality of life. Most people would choose a life of dependence (not addiction) than a life of misery and pain.

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I totally agree. Pain mgt is now 1 size fits all AND you better have good insurance. I’m almost 69 with a very similar story to yours.

When the new opioid protocols started coming down the pipe, my pain doc said he would not cut me off, but I had to continue being “good”.
No problem. Then he died and my new doc didn’t care.

They have ruined my life, my job, and my marriage. Why you would deny what helps a person be a productive citizen, is unethical and should be criminal (for docs).

If you read the CDC protocols, they were never meant for patients like us. It’s very clear. Few people in power are speaking up. I feel abandoned, but I’m luckier than many. My pain pump helps some, as long as the pain is not too bad. If something acute comes up, say a turned ankle, you are just out of luck. No one will help you.

For reference, I have an ITC pain pump with a micro dose of fentanyl; it’s taken 3 yrs to get to a little relief. Previously, I was taking 2/day morphine ER 15 mg &
3/day oxycontin, 15 mg

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isaratex | @isaratex | Oct 25, 2022
In reply to @jenatsky "I’m 70 and like you I was taking oxycodone 5/325 for well over 15 years always..." + (show)
@jenatsky

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.

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Yeah… I take tons of Tylenol to supplement my pain pump. I have to write the dose/time down so I don’t damage my liver. That was not a worry with opioids. I know opioids are dangerous for some, but for many, they equal a decent quality of life. (Can’t take any NSAIDS due to a GI bleed from advil. I was lucky I lived.)

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2 replies
isaratex | @isaratex | Oct 25, 2022
In reply to @leigh17 "I could not agree more with your comment, I too take hydrocodone 7.5-325 4 times a..." + (show)
@leigh17

I could not agree more with your comment, I too take hydrocodone 7.5-325 4 times a day sometimes 5 on a extra painful day, I try to take the lesser amount when I can . Having my 5 th spinal fusion a week from today . 67 yrs old. I have a phenomenal integrative pain management doctor . I too like you have had too many orthopedic surgeries, both shoulders, more than once.

Thank you for bringing attention to the positive side of opioids. Good luck to you…..

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Can you please share your pain mgt doc’s name? We have 4 in our town and as far as I know, none prescribe opioids anymore. It’s all procedures and their cannabis lotions, etc.

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1 reply
jenatsky | @jenatsky | Oct 25, 2022
In reply to @isaratex "Yeah… I take tons of Tylenol to supplement my pain pump. I have to write the..." + (show)
@isaratex

Yeah… I take tons of Tylenol to supplement my pain pump. I have to write the dose/time down so I don’t damage my liver. That was not a worry with opioids. I know opioids are dangerous for some, but for many, they equal a decent quality of life. (Can’t take any NSAIDS due to a GI bleed from advil. I was lucky I lived.)

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I don’t take Tylenol for the sole reason of liver damage. Since the oxycodone I had been on contains Tylenol I constantly worried about it. I cannot take NSAIDs either because they stopped my blood pressure medication from working. I am now taking turmeric 4500 mg a day for my inflammatory condition.

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2 replies
isaratex | @isaratex | Oct 25, 2022
In reply to @jenatsky "I don’t take Tylenol for the sole reason of liver damage. Since the oxycodone I had..." + (show)
@jenatsky

I don’t take Tylenol for the sole reason of liver damage. Since the oxycodone I had been on contains Tylenol I constantly worried about it. I cannot take NSAIDs either because they stopped my blood pressure medication from working. I am now taking turmeric 4500 mg a day for my inflammatory condition.

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Is the turmeric helping? My friend aspirated a turmeric capsule and was sick for a month, so I’ve been hesitant to try.

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1 reply
leigh17 | @leigh17 | Oct 25, 2022
In reply to @isaratex "Can you please share your pain mgt doc’s name? We have 4 in our town and..." + (show)
@isaratex

Can you please share your pain mgt doc’s name? We have 4 in our town and as far as I know, none prescribe opioids anymore. It’s all procedures and their cannabis lotions, etc.

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Are you in SW Florida?

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1 reply
jenatsky | @jenatsky | Oct 25, 2022
In reply to @isaratex "Is the turmeric helping? My friend aspirated a turmeric capsule and was sick for a month,..." + (show)
@isaratex

Is the turmeric helping? My friend aspirated a turmeric capsule and was sick for a month, so I’ve been hesitant to try.

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I believe it has helped. I also read that consuming it sprinkled on or in food was a better method for absorption than pills. I’ve had no issues with it but I have an iron stomach.

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isaratex | @isaratex | Oct 25, 2022
In reply to @leigh17 "Are you in SW Florida?" + (show)
@leigh17

Are you in SW Florida?

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No, sadly. I live in south Texas, near Corpus Christi. I wish you the best with your health struggles.
Thanks for the reply.

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1 reply
leigh17 | @leigh17 | Oct 25, 2022
In reply to @isaratex "No, sadly. I live in south Texas, near Corpus Christi. I wish you the best with..." + (show)
@isaratex

No, sadly. I live in south Texas, near Corpus Christi. I wish you the best with your health struggles.
Thanks for the reply.

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Thank you and I wish you the best as well . I lived in Houston 20 yrs so familiar with your area. Take care.

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