The opioid epidemic

I agree government is overreaching and people are needlessly suffering because of their attempt to limit the distribution of this wonderful medicine. They are also creating a black market and driving people towards unsafe street drugs to ease their suffering. 

I agree government is overreaching and people are needlessly suffering because of their attempt to limit the distribution of this wonderful medicine.

What you are ignoring are the pharmaceutical companies selling millions of pills to pharmacies they know serve just a few thousand people while giving kick backs to doctors who over-prescribe their product. They are nothing but white collar drug pushers trying to get everyone hooked on their pills so they can make a mint while lobbying congress to kill any effective laws that keep them in check.

I have some pretty serious back pain, with no good surgical options.  I recently had a radio frequency nerve ablation and it seems to be helping quite a lot.

I have used pain meds off and on for several years now, always keeping my dosage low and taking a three month break once a year. Due to changes in the law,  Doctors now basically have 2 choices; prescribe a few for an isolated event, or a bunch to be taken regularly.  Up until a few years ago, my doc would write a prescription for a few that could be refilled monthly.  But the laws changed and now pain meds for chronic pain must have a daily dose instead of just "as needed".  The result was I was getting bottles full of pain pills instead of 15 or so every month.  My wife and I worked together to keep my dosage under control, but the opportunity was there to become addicted after the change in the prescribing laws that were supposed to combat addiction.

Pain meds have their place as a part of an overall pain management strategy.  They are not a cure for pain.

After my surgery, and a few pain pills later.....the first time I couldn't take a shit without digging it out.....I threw the pain pills away and lived with the pain for a few days. Over the counter WAS my friend from then on !

I would rather hurt somewhat, than be constipated.

Good grief!

Any CBD oil users out there?

I have a few friends who swear by the stuff for pain, sciatica, arthritis, and insomnia.  

I have a college friend with some neurological issues who worked for years to get marijuana legalized in her state.  She swears by CBD oil.

And I have a patient (I'm a dentist) who has seizure disorder that responds poorly to conventional anti-seizure meds.  He says once he started using CBD oil, they stopped entirely.

He says once he started using CBD oil, they stopped entirely.

That's pretty amazing.  I always suspect a placebo effect with some of these "miracle" cures.....but hard to chalk anti seizure up as placebo.

I'm going by what he said, and I'm not sure how credible he is.

But I trust my college friend's claims about her pain.  She isn't pain-free, but she's a lot better than she was on either narcotics or nothing.

My brother died eight months ago, but I can tell you this for a fact.  I picked up his Rx at the doctor's office for his regular narcotic supply.  He never had to v isit the doctor's office.  The Rx just had to be pic ked up because narcotics could not be phoned in. 

He, also, prescribed "pot", but the pharmacy would not fill the Rx.

I am one of those that could truly benefit from pain medication, which had been taking for over a year for advanced arthritis in both hips, which is now bone-on-bone in the left hip and I am facing hip replacement surgery in the next couple of months. I also have advanced arthritis in my left shoulder, and suffer from spinal stenosis and scoliosis in my lower back, all of which leaves me in a good deal of constant pain 24/7. But, now the doctors are reluctant, if not truly scared, to prescribe any pain medication at all.

I have been seeing a pain management doctor since January this year when they stopped the pain medication I had been taking, and thus far none of the options they have tried and tested have given me any relief at all. I am also seeing an Orthopedic Specialist for my hips and all they tell me to take is 1000 mg of Acetaminophen and 800 mg of Ibuprophen 4 times a day, which means I am now damaging both my liver and kidneys with little relief. And I will likely die from those two ailments sooner than I would from any opiates.

The denying of pain medication across the board has done nothing but drive the people who will abuse it to the streets, where they life is in even greater danger.

Just my own take on it.

My guide to using opioids safely for pain management.

1.  Find a doctor who knows what the hell they are talking about.  Not all opioids are the same, not all patients process them the same.  Find a doc willing to target YOUR pain. Strive for a balance of pain relief and side effects.

2. Understand that you will need to take a break from them periodically.  For me, 3 months per year works out well.  I schedule the break around my work demands and interventional procedures (injections etc).  It is important for your body to reset periodically so the meds will be most effective.

3. Be open to Physical Therapy.  The PT field has come a very long way in the past 20 years.  But it doesn't do much good if you don't do exercises and stretches at home.

4. Find a pool.  I swim for cardio but water aerobics, therapy pools, or just floating around can do wonders.

5. Invest in a hot tub or join a club that has a nice therapy pool.

6. Get support!  There is an online support community for whatever pain issues you may have.

7.Finally, take the smallest dose you can get by with.  Most pills have a score-line, try taking a half more often to avoid the hills and valleys of opioids.

Several counties in Indiana had experienced a spike in HIV and Hep-C due to opioid abuse, with the initial health crisis being fed by Mike Pence's unwillingness to allow a needle exchange program, and his denial of any public funds for Planned Parenthood clinics......which were the only place one could easily get free HIV testing.    After the number of cases skyrocketed Pence relented but only allowed needle exchanges for a few counties.

And now the bible-babblers in Madison county have forced the needle exchange program to end.   The result of that is obvious - more HIV, Hep-C and similar diseases.

nbcnews