Fibromyalgia Support Group

Here's my opinion on the topic.

If you are truly in pain, then the correct pain medication for you shouldn't make you high. So if you don't get high, the majority of people won't take too many. There is only 1% of pain medication users that take it for a true chronic pain problem that become addicted. Those who have a history of abuse are more likely to abuse future drugs. All people with chronic pain do have consequences with not treating their pain. It changes the pathways in the brain and forms these false neurons that you can't get rid of. Those make pain much harder to treat requiring higher levels of pain medications to get less relief. It makes the pain signals to be sent constantly to a already overloaded brain causing pain when there is no stimuli or something that shouldn't be catagorized as pain(such as touch). Personally I do not have an addictive personality and have so many issues that it's ridiculous. However because of that one percent of patients that do abuse drugs, I can not get any relief. So I go through life in a high level of pain with bouts of excruciating pain thrown in. I have gone through a perforated bowel and two days of being septic along with two rounds of childbirth before. So yes, I do know pain. The worst that ever happened to me wasn't stubbing my toe or something. I think that not giving pain medications due to an extreme minority of patients is like throwing the baby out with the bathwater. Tylenol kills people every year, yet we are given that. Bleach kills kids every single year. Yet it is still sold. A small percentage of people who use medications for birth control, heart problems, and yes even insulin die every single year. People die from taking too many vitamins. Yet those are sold over the counter. You can get high from spray paint, glue, white out, and you can use BC powders to make meth. Yet those are all sold at your local grocery store.

I think that there is a stigma to pain medications that is beyond ridiculous because of that small percentage of people along with those who don't truly need them and get them solely to get high. I personally don't even get high on morphine. I was up walking around the hospital the last time I was in there because the morphine didn't completely help my back pain which gets worse if I sit or lay too much.

No matter what this doctor's relationship is with the drug companies, the facts remain the same. 1% of those who actually need pain medications will become addicted(note I didn't say dependant-there is a huge difference). 99% will not. You can become addicted to markers or glue. You can become addicted to food. Uncontrolled pain levels do form false pain nerves and do change brain structure to that of someone with organic brain damage. Uncontrolled pain leads to more lost work days and productivity costing businesses money. Uncontrolled pain levels also leads to more people unable to work therefore costing the government money.

For those that were previously addicted to anything(gambling, lying, food, etc), pain medications should be monitored by a healthcare professional. For those like me however who have never been addicted to anything and has never overused or asked for a script sooner than I'm supposed to get a new one, I am left sitting in the consequences of those who have made it much harder to get any help at all. I also know several addicts or previous addicts who can get and do get pain medications. I also know that I am sitting here with very little bone left in my back, my SI joints are collapsed and fused, my joints dislocate daily, along with a myriad of other issues without anything except advil(which I am actually not supposed to take due to my reflux).

So the experts can argue and people can say what they will, but as a person who would like to be able to walk to the bathroom without limping or hanging on to the walls going on basically will only because the pain in my back(and therefore legs) is so intense that I can barely move, I do not like the minority rules philosophy here.

well said Hat...so true and very well put...

Thanks. This topic gets me riled up somewhat because I see family members(in another state) getting meds when there is nothing wrong with them other than they have an addiction problem that they don't care anything about getting help for. And here I am with real stuff wrong and 15 loratabs have lasted me two months now and I still have some because I can only take them when I'm in such extreme pain I can barely move.

Amy- brilliant- you are totally awewsome, fabulously yet also very wisely written!! If this post is not a sticky then it surely needs to be one or at least somehow turned into an article form in the Articles section with the best snippets of this post put together, methinks for certain!!!

Super fibromite soothing hugs plus a big salute to you Amy, Love Clarita

Thanks my batty friend! You are awesome yourself!

I have a friend who constantly is worring over my meds but yet everyday she is taking ibuphophen and other meds for aches pain allergies, people dont relise you are not supose to take over the counter meds everyday, useaully a few days to a week,read the bottle..but yet I take a few pain pills and m moniterd..I think Im better off.

and I so understand what you mean.people who are addicted play games,and I can say that any of us

I get percocet for now. I don't worry about becoming dependant on them because they take the edge off the pain and if there is a stigma attached to me... who gives a shit! When i first started taking the pills, i was high from them, which i didn't like, but it took the pain away. now my body is used to the pills and i don't get the high feeling anymore and the pain is not so bad.

Clarita, Thank you for your most kind and gracious words!

Angel, You are welcome sweetheart(we say this to friends in the uk) with a sweet lovely heart! Amy- batty bat girl thinks you are peachy too! Never ever have had a high from taking any pain meds! Best can hope for is pains being taken down a notch or two! only highs have ever felt have been natural ones like getting married, winning tickets to Wimbledon tennis, dolphin watching, euphoria felt from enjoying watching live ice skating shows or theatre performances or from laughing out loud when a loved one or comic has amused me, feeling touched by the beauty of nature or by an act of kindness, watching your favourite sport or sports player win ,elation felt when passed an Open University 60 point Environment course with flying colours(aimed for a diploma yet stopped after one course on doc's advice after becoming too ill) studied from home with just a few lessons in a local college from a lecturer, and all the natural joys of life to do with friendships plus serendipity- these only have been my highs totally natural ones! Being here on mdjunction has been mostly a pretty good experience for me too and adore being GL over on Self Esteem & Positive Thinking Sg plus have met some awesome special people here! Please everyone here check out the Article all about this subject of dependence vs addiction over on Chronic Pain Sg-brilliant wise words-in the Articles section!! Sending super gentle hugs to you all Love Clarita xx (batgirl) xx

Post edited by: Clarita, at: 06/28/2012 12:34 AM

the way i feel now i would take them all if it helps. Noty to mention if I could get them. Ya Baba

Post edited by: Realityworld, at: 06/28/2012 05:27 PM