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Pain management....??

What are your thoughts on it??
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Avatar universal
To continue- the demonization of substances (drugs) didn't really start until the early 1900's, and the driving force was "religious zealotry" (moral busy-bodies), elitism, and sprinkled with a touch of racism.
How? Well, in 1874 (I believe that was the year) ,San Francisco passed an ordinance banning the operation of Opium Dens. The reason cited was that many people, including young men of 'respectable' families (interpretation here is that young men from the 1%'s of the time) were being morally corrupted (this is where the zealotry part comes in. Morally corrupted? Hmmm. Who was the judge here?) by frequenting these establishments. The racism part is that it's known that the elite of the time thought themselves intellectually superior to the Asian immigrants who were running the Opium Dens- so what better way to put them out then by making their type of business against the law. Saloon owners in San Fran were ecstatic as well, since their businesses boomed after the ordinance.
Well, that got the ball rolling. By 1914, the Harrison Narcotics Act was passed in Congress, making opiates effectively illegal to possess and use unless prescribed by a Doctor. Medical field profits went up.(Little tid-bit: in the late 1800's until about 1908, a person could open the Sears & Roebuck catalog and order a Heroin Kit-complete with needles, syringe, and vials of pharmaceutical heroin for self-administration. There was no such thing as a "junky" back then, since the drugs were legal in a free market
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Avatar universal
I think that Pain Management has its place in the Medical world, and offers much needed relief from pain for millions of people who use their meds as prescribed.
What we always hear about are the cases like ours-the people who either have a higher tolerance to opiates and need more than prescribed, and the people who just seem to have a chemical deficiency in their brains that opiates fill-leading them to take twice the amount or more that they are supposed to-which means running out of pills 2 weeks early and having to resort to finding pills on the street and/or finding Heroin and other substances to take to get the person to their next refill date.
I think if us recovering addicts look back and are honest- IF we would have been prescribed twice the amount (or triple-the amount that we had self-titrated ourselves to) so that we had enough to get to our next appointment, most of us wouldn't have really had a problem. From my personal experience, the "problems" with my Oxy/Hydro use was that my chemistry is such that my tolerance shot up quickly- and I needed to continue to increase my dose to help with the back pain I suffered from and to keep me from feeling like crap from withdrawals beginning. We all know that once you go up in dose, you can't go back down and have it be effective.IF I would have been prescribed enough opiates- I wouldn't have run into the problem of paying OUTRAGEOUS street prices to get the pills I needed to get to the next appointment.
Did I like the effect that opiates had in me? Of course I did-and I believe that's what led to me becoming an "addict".
What I believe anyway is the right of an individual to CHOOSE the way that he/she wants to live his/her life. I do not believe that the government has the right to dictate how a person has to live their lives, as long as their actions do not physically hurt anyone else. I believe in our Founding Fathers concept that all Amerians have the right of "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness"-meaning they have the right to live their lives in any manner that makes them happy-as long as they don't physically hurt anyone else in the process.
That means ending the failed and abysmal "War on Drugs"- and legalizing all substances for personal consumption.
We then can take the tax-revenue from drug-sales and invest into educating our youth and effective, free Treatment programs.
We eliminate the Gangs and Mexican Cartel, save $80 BILLION. a year we spend on the War on Drugs, and reinstate freedom in this great land.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I think that Pain Management has its place in the Medical world, and offers much needed relief from pain for millions of people who use their meds as prescribed.
What we always hear about are the cases like ours-the people who either have a higher tolerance to opiates and need more than prescribed, and the people who just seem to have a chemical deficiency in their brains that opiates fill-leading them to take twice the amount or more that they are supposed to-which means running out of pills 2 weeks early and having to resort to finding pills on the street and/or finding Heroin and other substances to take to get the person to their next refill date.
I think if us recovering addicts look back and are honest- IF we would have been prescribed twice the amount (or triple-the amount that we had self-titrated ourselves to) so that we had enough to get to our next appointment, most of us wouldn't have really had a problem. From my personal experience, the "problems" with my Oxy/Hydro use was that my chemistry is such that my tolerance shot up quickly- and I needed to continue to increase my dose to help with the back pain I suffered from and to keep me from feeling like crap from withdrawals beginning. We all know that once you go up in dose, you can't go back down and have it be effective.IF I would have been prescribed enough opiates- I wouldn't have run into the problem of paying OUTRAGEOUS street prices to get the pills I needed to get to the next appointment.
Did I like the effect that opiates had in me? Of course I did-and I believe that's what led to me becoming an "addict".
What I believe anyway is the right of an individual to CHOOSE the way that he/she wants to live his/her life. I do not believe that the government has the right to dictate how a person has to live their lives, as long as their actions do not physically hurt anyone else. I believe in our Founding Fathers concept that all Amerians have the right of "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness"-meaning they have the right to live their lives in any manner that makes them happy-as long as they don't physically hurt anyone else in the process.
That means ending the failed and abysmal "War on Drugs"- and legalizing all substances for personal consumption.
We then can take the tax-revenue from drug-sales and invest into educating our youth and effective, free Treatment programs.
We eliminate the Gangs and Mexican Cartel, save $80 BILLION. a year we spend on the War on Drugs, and reinstate freedom in this great land.
Helpful - 0
3200158 tn?1386592717
   I tend to agree with most of whats been said....having said that, if for whatever reason you go with opiate PM, I just  dont want you to feel like your a failure, a bad person , whatever.....keep going to meetings or whatever you do for aftercare, involve others in your struggle ( hopefully startong with your doc ) and dont quit on yourself becaise your not living up to someone elses standards.....     k
Helpful - 0
5347058 tn?1381188426
Pain Management can be used without opiates. I'm not sure what you are suffering from painwise, but they do offer all kinds of alternatives to opiates. You just have to be very careful in your selection process and be 100% honest about your past and about not wanting narcotics. I have done all kinds of non-opiate treatments for my back, from NSAIDs to injections, to epidurals, and massage. Some helped, and some didn't, but I'm glad that at least gave them all a try to see what works for me. Physical Therapy can also help sometimes, depending on what you are suffering from. My philosophy is to try the more natural approach first, and if that doesn't help any., then try the more medical approach. I hope that you find something that works for you and get some relief very soon!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I think that Pain Management has its place in the Medical world, and offers much needed relief from pain for millions of people who use their meds as prescribed.
What we always hear about are the cases like ours-the people who either have a higher tolerance to opiates and need more than prescribed, and the people who just seem to have a chemical deficiency in their brains that opiates fill-leading them to take twice the amount or more that they are supposed to-which means running out of pills 2 weeks early and having to resort to finding pills on the street and/or finding Heroin and other substances to take to get the person to their next refill date.
I think if us recovering addicts l
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
In my travels I've met two very serious cases of pain Mgmt., where there was absolutely no other alternative than narcotics. Both men were on internal morphine pumps that delivered a specified dose at a specified time. Both had rods in their spines and other types of surgery. Both hopeless cases of intense pain. I met both at different 12-step meetings. I think these are rare cases.

I have DDD. I was on pain management, but at the other end of the chart. Vicodin 7.5. My doctor wouldn't prescribe anything further than 7.5s and wouldn't increase my amount. What he did prescribe was PT. 3 long sessions. And every day I walked, and I still walk.  With proper guidance I exercised myself back to a healthy back, but I'm lucky I guess. I found Vicodin worthless for pain after just a few months. It wasn't doing nothing but making me want, and find, more and more and more. By then it was the buzz I was looking for, plus I could drink alcohol and stay awake. I was a mess.  F--k that stuff. It's only good for short duration surgery recovery as far as my experience goes. The more you take the more you need. I've heard stories of folks working their way up the ladder to stronger and stronger pain meds. I got off the ladder and I thank God I have my life back. Atthebeach has a great list of alternative measures.
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Avatar universal
From any experience I'VE ever had and from the experiences of those I know as well. Their is a PAIN MANAGEMENT forum where they may be able to give you more detailed information!
Helpful - 0
4202953 tn?1377183506
From what I've seen most pain management clinics just prescribe pills (narcotics, somas, sleeping pills, etc) and don't do much as far as alternative pain management options. I would research other options and avoid the pain management clinics (if you can).
Helpful - 0
1235186 tn?1656987798
Yes there are lots of other ways to manage pain besides narcotics. Physical therapy, hydrotherapy, chiropractor, injections, massage, exercise, acupuncture, TENs machine, have you spoken with a doctor about alternate methods?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I assumed they tried to keep you from having pain by taking care of you other ways. Exercises, etc. so they just throw daemon pills out to everyone?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
If your an addict I don't think you should consider it an option! They hand out the pills that will feed your addiction! You have done so great and are coming so far!! Please don't give up!
Helpful - 0
3200158 tn?1386592717
Pm if your an addict is difficult at best. Best case scenario would be avoid opiates and use nsaids. Depends on your pain level. I choose to use opiates, but its like walking a tightrope. It can be done but its very hard. I wouldnt go that route unless your pain level is very severe. I have to take precautions, like having someone dole them out to me, else i get on this roller coaster of constant wdraws. Others will come along more knowledgeable than i. I wish you the best in the meantime. Good luck..............kk
Helpful - 0
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