Dangerously Addictive Painkiller Prescribed for Patients Who Shouldn’t Have Received It...

a reply to: stosh64

Ironically, until the early or mid 90's, you could still purchase seeds at Monticello that were derived from the original plants Jefferson had planted there in the 18th century. The DEA showed up to Monticello one day, confiscated all seeds from the gift shop and pulled up all the poppies from the garden. Got to love when the DEA erases a piece of our cultural heritage!

originally posted by: stosh64
a reply to: Boadicea

I wish I was free to treat my own chronic pain NATURALLY, on my own land, from my own land.

But NO, that was deemed 'illegal', and now I have to rely on profit driven 'legal' drug pushers peddling their 'synthetic' poison.

If I had my druthers, you could. It's a crime against all humanity. The government has no authority to deny us the fruits of the earth -- especially for health and healing.

And no, I am not talking about Marijuana, it is something that Thomas Jefferson used to grow but was banned about 100 years ago.

I'm intrigued... Can't think of anything!

a reply to: Boadicea

I'm intrigued... Can't think of anything!

Sorry to be cryptic, I really don't want to discuss it online for various reasons.

Refer to peter vlar's previous 2 posts. He knows what I am talking about.

a reply to: peter vlar

Thanks for the post, I am well aware.

This is a good historical read.
Amazon

a reply to: stosh64

Gotcha -- thank you!

a reply to: Boadicea

Thanks for the thread

a reply to: stosh64

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll definitely check it out. As a chronic pain patient due to a combination of congenital arthritis and hurting myself in the army, it drives me insane that the most natural methods of treating my pain are legally off limits and despite the fact that those natural plants work better on my pain and with far fewer side effects, than all of the scrips I pick up at the beginning of the month.

And the hoops I have to jump through in order to live a semi tolerable life are just ridiculous because they don't treat you like a human let alone a patient when you're filling the types of scrips I am at the pharmacy and even some doctors.

You're damned no matter hat you do. I can take the scrips and be treated like a pariah but still actually be able to be a parent to my kids or I can suffer. There's not really a good option no matter how you look at the equation.

originally posted by: Boadicea

originally posted by: TinySickTears
a reply to: Boadicea

There is money in it.
I was thinking about how many pills I have taken since I was 21.
It's a disgusting amount and really opened my eyes. Keep in mind these were all prescribed legally and I'm just talking opiates. I bet I have taken 20,000 pills in 18 years.
I sure wish I could use medical mj which is legal in my state but I have random drug tests.
That is a legit figure too.

My heart goes out to you. That can't be easy... probably absolute hell!

For what it's worth, I believe that current medical cannabis research will soon result in strains with little to none of the psychoactive effects but greater medicinal effects, and eventually these despicable drug tests will be obsolete and unnecessary -- at least for cannabis. I hope it's not too little too late for you.

Thank you
It's been rough. As of now I only take 2 Vicodin a day at most. That's as low as it's been for 20 years. Some days only 1.5 but never a day with nothing. I've gone through horrible d t' s. You can't imagine how bad if you have never been through it. That number was just pills. I've had fentanyl patches and lolli pops too. 1600 microgram suckers.
I can't be down to nothing and I have gone through bad addiction. I'm confident I could come off it right now and not feel a physical addiction. Pain would be worse. I'm searching alternatives to opiates. I think I finally found something. We shall see

a reply to: peter vlar

And the hoops I have to jump through in order to live a semi tolerable life are just ridiculous because they don't treat you like a human let alone a patient when you're filling the types of scrips I am at the pharmacy and even some doctors.

My sympathies -- and my daughter would extend her empathies! She went through something similar for far too long.

They basically create a broken system and then blame the patient -- literally adding insult to injury (or illness, whichever the case may be). It's unconscionable.

a reply to: TinySickTears

I'm searching alternatives to opiates. I think I finally found something.

Good luck and godspeed -- I'm sure it can't be too soon for you!

a reply to: peter vlar

I have been dealing with chronic pain since I was crushed by a car in 1981, I know exactly how you feel and what you are going through.
My pain management doctor of 5 years just up and quit about 6 months ago. No warning. I have not found a new one yet and have pretty much given up trying.

that those natural plants work better on my pain and with far fewer side effects

I can attest to this! They last longer, work better, FAR less addicting and FAR fewer side effects.

But some elite, money hungry a*hole decided that people shouldn't have control over their own lives. FU government

Sorry, this subject hits a (literally) sore spot with me.

I just checked, and my wholesaler doesn't even carry subsys, so I can not get an accurate cost of the medicine. Other meds costs can vary significantly between wholesalers.

a reply to: TinySickTears

Just wanted to make sure you saw this comment from rickymouse:

When you take medicines that increase opioids, the body counteracts by creating an enzyme in higher amounts to break down opioids. So when they take away the opioids or they break down, it is easy for the natural level to go to low and the pain actually gets worse when they wear off. Our body has this ability. Some people make too much of the enzyme that breaks it down, they actually have designed medicines that block that enzyme production too, but they have a poor success rate with those meds. Now there are promotors and inhibitors of that enzyme chemistry found in food. Actually consuming proteinases can break down that enzyme because the enzymes is protein based. That is the reason people have some luck taking bromelain with pain and inflamation. Pineapple can reduce pain and inflamation. Onions also have some effect if eaten raw, but they also can add inflammation too, because they are high sulfur and that can sometimes cause raised acidity of blood. Chronic pain can come from too much nitrogen or sulfur in diet expecially if you can not excrete it well..

Maybe some of the info there can help you going forward

a reply to: peter vlar
a reply to: stosh64

I hope you both keep yelling from the rooftops -- even when it seems you're just preaching to the choir. People need to know and understand the very real suffering and adverse effects caused by the current system. And it has to be addressed in any healthcare reform going forward. Our critters need to know that WE KNOW.

a reply to: Boadicea

Haven't been able to freely take opiods for pain for years because they increase the body's pain response rather than damp it down. So they might kill pain for awhile, but I will get rebound migraines.

I do all kinds of other things for pain to trick my mind into coping.

Rarely take opioids except for very rare instances.

originally posted by: Boadicea
a reply to: rickymouse

Just drink a sixteen ounce can of coke if you get a bezoar, it works great for me. I have a problem with eating too much fiber and veggies, the phosphoric acid in coca cola works great. I have one once or twice a month now....here I was led to believe that coke was no good for us. People have to learn about this kind of stuff that can help to keep us healthy, coke was originally designed as a digestive aid.

Speaking of the wisdom of elders! This was my mom's go-to for tummy problems. If I recall correctly, it was cola before vomiting and flat seven-up after vomiting. And ginger ale for both!

Both ginger ale and seven up contain molybdenum chemistry in small amounts. Molybdenum can help to detox aldehydes which are what some microbes create to weaken you. Seven up also helps with curing a hangover for the same reason. Gingerale might not work for that as well, because Ginger is a sulfur containing flavoring which actually uses up the molybdenum to process the sulfur.

originally posted by: Boadicea
a reply to: peter vlar

And the hoops I have to jump through in order to live a semi tolerable life are just ridiculous because they don't treat you like a human let alone a patient when you're filling the types of scrips I am at the pharmacy and even some doctors.

My sympathies -- and my daughter would extend her empathies! She went through something similar for far too long.

They basically create a broken system and then blame the patient -- literally adding insult to injury (or illness, whichever the case may be). It's unconscionable.

Oh... I know all too well lol. I've even been refused treatment by an urgent care doctor who decided I was "doctor shopping" because my chart said chronic back pain. No S# Sherlock, look at the rest of my records though where I've got CR's MEI's and X-Rays showing the damage to my spine and hips. It just sucks because I don't want to have o rely on all the prescription meds because I am essentially a state sanctioned functional addict. If an opiate naive patient room the meds I get, they would be dead. While not Subsys, one of my meds is the duragesic version of that medication. And that's one of several I take. They're not all narcotics but enough of them are that there are definitely days where I just want to throw in the towel because the stress of it all outweighs the pain I'm in at this point.

Love my pain management doc. The guy is awesome. Most docs try to get you in and out the door a step quick as possible. This guy will spend 45 min with me if we need that much time. My average appt length is about half an hour so he definitely takes an appropriate amount of time with his patients.

But he's easily sidetracked, especially if I'm reading a scientific journal or a new book. And that's what happened last week at my appointment. He got sidetracked and forgot to send some of my meds to the pharmacy and it was then 3 days of going back and forth with the office staff who were trying to convince me that he had purposely stopped giving me those meds. After going back and forth for days, it finally got straightened out but it was a massive hassle. Especially when I know this is never going to get better, only worse. I'm not that old, 44 in 10 days, and I've already had a full hip replacement on the right side, need the left side done and multiple spinal surgeries are on deck as well to repair crushed discs in my neck between C4/C5 & C5/C6 with varying degrees of degeneration above and below that. So the next couple o decades are only going to suck more if I make it that far Haha

a reply to: peter vlar

I'm so glad you have a good doctor. It makes all the difference in the world! Where my daughter's going, it's a few doctors in partnership and she was rotated between them so never saw the same doc twice in a row, until she finally got lucky and saw the same doctor three times in a row, and that doctor said "enough is enough" and performed an emergency exploratory surgery, found the problem, and corrected it. So I'm very thankful that my daughter's nightmare is over.

I'll keep saying my prayers for everyone in this position and hope our congress critters finally put our lives before profits.

boadicea, yes i saw that post.
thanks for your offer too

im good for now

a reply to: peter vlar

This entire topic is rather baffling to me, and immensely frustrating.

It doesn't matter what your records say, for the most part. If you are taking certain medications, you will likely be treated a certain way.

Beyond that, I swear its easier to receive proper pain management with relatively minor medical issues. The more serious they get, the tougher it seems to get proper pain management on any level.

Drugs like fentanyl are pretty nasty, but they do work. I have similar issues to you (L instead of C), along with 8 fractured thoracic vertebrae that are all 60%+ compressed. Due to a metabolic bone disorder, they don't heal, they just continue to fracture. Its quite painful.

When I hear about how easy it is to get opioid medication, I have to wonder what is really going on. I had to fight tooth and nail to be taken seriously, and it was only after a seizure induced by sleep deprivation (due to the pain) that anything changed. Despite my condition worsening over the past ~10 years, my prescriptions have slowly been tapered and I have been told to "meditate and get acupuncture."

I'm thoroughly convinced there is something strange happening around this topic and given the governments history of involvement with various substances.. I have to wonder what they are up to.

It seems there are nothing but extremes. Either minimal, borderline cruel, "management" or over-the-top excessive prescription writing. The only area that seems to have a modicum of balance is cancer treatment, but even that isn't immune.