What's up with the pain medication

I am going for my next injection and ask about the new pain med, I tried all but only have a drawer full.' 4 pain managements too. ,

tired of it all and just stay home--no social life

Sounds exactly like my life . I want different meds because my system has just gotten used to them but pain management says he can't switch me ... Why? Too much paperwork for him ? I have Occipital Neuralgia( shoots into my head) and also so much arthritis in my neck. Dr did give me C7-T1 RFA's for my Facet Syndrome that is killing me. In Dec I had that. Now my Thoracic is bothering me and want to see if he'll give me a RFA into that area as I had one done 2023. Drugs ..wish Marijuana would help but just doesn't .. had a really bad whiplash when I was 17 and now at 69 ..holy. Also had 3 neck fusions which helped .. I'm stuck at home too .... something has to changed ..

Hello to everyone trying their best to manage their pain medications and most importantly, their continuous challenges to acquire them consistently. I’ve been using various forms of OPIOIDS for the past 34 years. Not because I like or dislike them. I use them because they are the most effective option for managing acute and long term chronic pain.
Unfortunately, I’ve been challenged and have experienced continuous difficulties over all of these years trying to get access too and ultimately fill my opioid prescriptions.
To make matters worse, there has been far too much mis information, dis information and uninformed agencies who are in charge of approving and allocating the amounts of yearly opioids available. In addition, too much bad information or lack of access to accurate and factual information that it’s created and still manifests a horrific environment for genuine, authentic patients suffering from long term chronic pain to get reliable access to opioids to manage their pain. Some of the worst and most damaging information is including the statistics for overdose deaths caused by the “Street Users of Poisonous Fentanyl” mixed in with otherwise safe Opioids used and prescribed by authentic and genuine pain management physicians and used by responsible patients in need!
There is more than enough accurate information available for everybody of interest to see and use for their supposedly precise analysis of the obvious problems NOT associated with safely and legally prescribed OPIOIDS for pain management but they fail to document and utilize them accurately and appropriately. The end result continues to cause horrible outcomes for the responsible doctors who prescribe and the patients who need and use them.
It’s like blaming the steering wheel for causing all of the tragic automobile accidents resulting in death!!!!
Not treating or insufficiently treating chronic pain is malpractice. However, physicians are being sued in addition to losing their medical licenses for safely prescribing the appropriate type, amount and strength of opioids to their patients.
Frankly, the governmental agencies, State and Feferal are “SOLELY RESPONSIBLE” for causing patients to severely suffer much much more than they ever need too. They are equally responsible for causing patients to commit suicide because the amount, severity and length of time that patients go being under treated or not being treated at all is far to overwhelming and impossible for any human to endure. It’s like imposing governmentally approved torture on its citizens. In shot, they not only have it all WRONG! They have it “TOTALLY & COMPLETELY WRONG.” Causing people to be nonsensically subjected to inhumane suffering and death!!!
These are simply the facts. They don’t offer any viable reasons for their decisions. They just keep making horribly inappropriate decisions which are not accurately based on facts but of “MORAL JUDGEMENTS” and trying to manage and justify society’s approaches, methods and beliefs to managing long term chronic pain of which they know very little and practically nothing about in their own personal reality.
The proof of this is simplified by the “FACT” that if any of the people in governmental offices and positions were personally effected by the need to manage their own uncontrollable pain with opioids they would be begging to get access to them.
Unfortunately, the only people who truly know and understand the incredible usefulness and value of opioids are the patients who actually need and rely upon them in order to survive!
Like many things in life, one does not truly understand a specific situation fully enough unless they’ve personally experienced it or one of their family members has.
All of a sudden, they have a very sudden change of heart and understanding about the situation and then they want their own parents, children or grandchildren to have access to opioids to treat their various maladies!
If a patent has little to no quality of life and they have to suffer a tortuous daily existence, any argument regarding possible addiction or over use is totally irrelevant!
Especially when the factual statistics and research continually supports the assertion and scientific statements that patients who legitimately and responsibly use opioids for a long period of time do NOT become addicted. YES, they do and can become physically dependent but that’s much much different from developing an addiction.
People who take opioids who really don’t need them or take them longer than they really need too can succumb to an addiction. However, that’s self inflicted and a personal choice. Patients experiencing incredible suffering and tortuous pain from some kind of physical accident, illness, disease or combinations of those challenges don’t purposely choose the conditions they suffer from or might be dying from!
Even worse, when the physicians, medical community or research community can not develop or invent a suitable medication(s) to measurably improve or cure a patients health problems. All that the patting is left with ice option to reduce the amount of pain Anderson while living with the fact that there is no viable treatment or ability to recover and they are going to die sooner rather than later.
Even worse, are the patients who live with “death like symptoms” but are not going to die any time soon. However, they have to endure their tortuous existence for many years with opioids being the only option of providing any kind of measurable relief and a sense of humanity. That they are important enough to society to be treated with real empathy and understanding like any human being deserves.
There’s a very simple reason why OPIOIDS are the most effected treatment for chronic pain. “ITS BECAUSE THEY WIRK EFFECTIVELY IN DOING SO!
I’ve always said, “provide me a medication that works as well and effectively as opioids and I will take them!”
Unfortunately, medical research hadn’t developed another medication as of yet. Until they do or if they ever do. OPIOIDS should never be withheld from the legitimate patients who need and deserve them, PERIOD.

Sounds exactly like my life . I want different meds because my system has just gotten used to them but pain management says he can't switch me ... Why? Too much paperwork for him ? I have Occipital Neuralgia( shoots into my head) and also so much arthritis in my neck. Dr did give me C7-T1 RFA's for my Facet Syndrome that is killing me. In Dec I had that. Now my Thoracic is bothering me and want to see if he'll give me a RFA into that area as I had one done 2023. Drugs ..wish Marijuana would help but just doesn't .. had a really bad whiplash when I was 17 and now at 69 ..holy. Also had 3 neck fusions which helped .. I'm stuck at home too .... something has to changed ..

Do you go to a pain specialist. That's a high dose of Norco and that is probably why you can't get more.

Linda6101 thank you for the comment. Of course I am in pain management with very experienced physicians. That's why I see a specialist. The hydrocodone is not only for my back and neck. I have plenty of other maladies that are a concern as well.
I didn't go into the clinic asking for pain meds. The doctors put me on this regimen. I have not deviated from these scripts at all. I've been at this pain clinic for 9 years now. It's working for me,until I can convince my medicare advantage company to have back surgery.

Had 2 back surgeries that failed. I too take Norco but 5 mg 4x a day, along with gabapentin, tyzanidine, nortriptyline, wellbutrin and valium. Sometimes suffer from depression from this pain. I was told they go hand in hand. Been on meds for 10 years. I had a minimally evasive surgery in October called a Laminectomy for spinal stenosis. It didn't help the pain and now additionally have neuropathy in both legs. Surgeon said to do exercises and join a gym. How do you walk on a treadmill when you're in pain! Had a failed fusion 10 years ago and haven't been the same since and live alone. I heard of a new drug called Journovx on line. It's a non-opioid drug. I'm going to meet with my specialist on Wednesday. Maybe this will be the answer to my prayers. I hate being limited to what I can do. I wish better luck with your surgery. I'm sure all have not failed like mine did.

Yes, Journovx has tremendous potential. It's new and availability is probably limited. Here's the website:https://www.journavx.com/
Please keep us updated. I'm interested, too.
Best of the day to you.