Treatment from Other People

[FeCielo]

I was diagnosed with Fibromyalgia 7 years ago. I have had problems with my shoulders popping out of sockets since I was a teenager and over the years the ligaments became so stretched that they could no longer keep my shoulders in the socket. After one painful surgery, another painful procedure to break up the scar tissue, phyiscal therapy, injections (in my shoulders and in my muscles for the Fibro) I was finally sent to a PM clinic and have been there since.

Needless to say it has been a very long and painful road, as I'm sure it has been for many of you, trying to get my pain at least managable so I can live a somewhat normal life and function well enough to take care of and play with my kids.

I have to deal constantly with critiscm from my mother over the fact that I take pain meds (Lortab 7.5 and Baclofen both 4x daily).

But what happened the other day left me speechless. I do not make it known that I take meds in fact only people close to me know that I am on them. The other day I was getting my  2 year old son (well almost 2) out of the car. My 12 year old (almost 12) was already out of the car and standing there waiting to help with her brother. This woman who lives across the street from me (who I had only had 1 other conversation with in my life) walks up to me and starts asking me if I know where she can get Lortabs. I was shocked.....my children were right there or I might have lost my temper but as it was I just told her I had no clue where to get any but in my head I am thinking Is she for real? And the next thought was why in the world is she asking me?

It is not the first time I have had people hound me for my meds. My ex-husband had some friends who called the day I had surgery to see if he would give them some of my meds and then when they found out I had a PM dr and had regular prescriptions coming suddenly they were my best friends. I never gave them any and eventually they gave up.

Has anyone else had these kinds of problems? Either being criticized or else people are just trying to get pills from you?

[Tuckamore]

Your right House did say that. I wish I could remember the little rant he had one episode about his severe chronic pain and how it effected his job and his life. He went on to say how the medication made the difference in his ability to function or not. It was wonderfully descriptive and insightful. He hit the nail on the head. But again I digress.

I guess I wouldn't be concerned with how your neighbors or if you neighbors found out about your narcotic prescriptions. I would just continue to refuse to share and keep you head up.  We look to our Mom's for support and I am sorry your Mom is not supportive.

Good Luck to you, Tuck

[FeCielo]

No, there's no way that my husband could have talked to my neighbors. We seperated before I moved here and he has been there maybe twice to pick up our son but he never even left the car.

[FeCielo]

I love House also. I think there was one episode where he did admit that he was addicted but then he also said "I'm not going to stop because they let me do my job" That says it all. For people in pain the meds are not about getting a high it's about being able to live your life. Sadly, it's those people who are out trying to get the pills for fun that make others attach a stigma to those of us who have to take the meds for CP.

[Tuckamore]

Ohanamama...and all,
I'm a bit off the subject but as much as I enjoy "House" I am dismayed at the way he is labeled by many as an addict rather than a CP Sufferer. He doesn't consider himself an addict.  I have heard him say on numerous episode, "I have pain!!"  And Cuddy seems to get it lately.

I am hoping this popular TV show will deal better with CP in the future. It would be a good service to us.

Just thinking, Tuck

[kiddthekatt]

I hear that. I take 9 script meds and 10 different vitamins. Without them I could not function at all. I told my internist when he was concerned about addiction, that at my age, 53, I was more concerned with being able to function on a daily basis and take care of my family than I was about addiction. If that time ever comes, we'll worry about it then. That's when he finally gave me a script for pain meds. And that's when I was finally able to start getting back on my feet. I'm raising my oldest grandson, he is 14 years old, and he understands why Granny takes medications. And he is in the school D.A.R.E. program, and he knows very well that drugs can do a lot of harm to him.

gentle hugs
Angel

[ohanamama]

The stigma of taking medication is further perpetrated by conversations like these!  I take 15 prescriptions each day, 12 OTC vitamins/minerals for a total of more than 50 pills a day.  When my journey began, I swore I would never take meds, never!!  But as I became more ill, I had no choice. At first, I was devastated.  The stigma of being on medication daily is significant.  Even our children are told "Just say no!" to drugs, yet wonder why Mom takes meds three times a day.  "House" pops Vicodin through-out his hour long tv-drama and is called an "addict".  When will accepting our many diagnosis' not be weighted down with the stigma of being a drug user/abuser?

[kiddthekatt]

Hi there;
   I don't post a lot here, but I'm a faithful lurker.....:) I also have fibro and cfs, and yes, I have had several people ask about my meds. My family all know and understand why I take the pain meds, they know that without them I can't function. There is one aggravating woman down the street from me that has on several occasions ask if she could have a couple of my pain meds. I tell her the same thing every-time. " I have just enough to last a month and no you can not have any of them. " Her lazy good for nothing husband keeps sending her down. I have no idea how she found out, I never speak to her.
    I wrote down my Rheumy's phone number and gave it her, I told her that he was a fine doctor and he would do what he could for her hubby. She left with a really dumb look on her face. So far she hasn't been back. Take care.

gentle hugs
Angel

[Mollyrae]

Hi FeCielo:

Yes, Welcome to our world. I too have had "so called" friends like that of you. In fact, a family member started hanging around until they discovered that they were locked up tight.

I am wondering if at all possible that maybe your Husband has said something to a neighbor or a friend that knows your neighbor. Sometimes even children will talk at school which will make word travel fast...very fast.

I really liked the idea of giving your neighbor " A " Physicians phone #. That would certianly send a good message to her.

Please take care and your not alone.
Mollyrae

[FeCielo]

At this point with my mom I just keep my purse closed so that she can't see my meds when I am over or else I leave my purse in the car. As long as she doesn't see them she doesn't start in on me. I'm lucky that everyone else close to me understands the amount of pain that I'm in and are very supportive.

I doubt very much that the neighbor saw me at the pharmacy since I get my meds filled at the pharmacy closest to my job which is on the other side of town. It is possible though that they could have dug through my trash. Sadly, that idea never even occured to me. I had mentioned to another neighbor that I took meds. I did not specify what kind or really what they were for (I think I said something like I hate having to be on daily meds or something like that) but I guess she could have put two and two together. She only asked me that one time.and I think the look on my face when she asked scared her away.

For the most part, it's irritating enough to have to depend on meds to get through the day without others making it worse.

I am very happy to have found this site. I plan to visit often and thank you so much for your response.

[Tuckamore]

Welcome to the wonderful world of Chronic Pain. Yes I have had both. The scrutiny I use to get about my pain is unbelievable. It use to hurt my feelings and make me feel like I just had to try harder to take the pain, "buck up" if you will. I had a brother that was rude and crude, until he rupture a disc. That was very therapeutic for our relationship. I felt there must be something lacking in me that this pain was becoming so severe. Don't ever let some one's crude, uneducated, ignorant remarks upset you. They haven't got a clue.

Try your best to ignore them. I do know where you are coming from and it's not fun. I have some standard comebacks that help me. Like, "My physician's number is XXXX if you would like to discuss this with her." But most of the time I roll my eyes and just ignore them.

Could your neighbor or your neighbors neighbor have gone through you garbage? You would be surprised how often that happens. Did someone see you pick up your perscription? Ppl that are looking for narcotics have their ways of finding out who is taking them or not. As long as you remain firm on your refusal to "share" they will go away. No one asks me anymore.

Hang in there. Stay strong to your commitments and hold you head up high. You have nothing to explain. We're here to chat any time you need  us. Tuck