Pain Management

I have been an addict for the majority of my life and I certainly know what it feels like to be without. Without a home, without money, without a cure, and without a clue. Although I have overcome my addiction from heroin and live a drug-free life, I will never forget what the pain and agony of withdrawal felt like. The memory is embedded within my entire being. And that’s a good thing... for me.

With that said, I wrote my memoir series to tell everyone, especially the younger generation and their parents, how easily someone can slip into a lifestyle of drug addiction and crime and, also to explain how hard it is to get out once you’re hooked, seemingly trapped in your own living nightmare. Through lessons learned the hard way, I want to help any and everyone avoid making the same mistakes that I did.

So, what does this article this have to do with pain management? Let me explain...

I know firsthand how it feels to go through withdrawal and I can only imagine what that feels like combined with suffering from chronic pain. It seems like every time I turn on the television to watch the news, “The Opioid Epidemic” in one way or another, is mentioned. I listen as an “expert” talks about overdose (never stating whether it was a pain management patient or an addict) proclaiming OxyContin, Fentanyl, Norco, Percocet, etc., to be the deadly narcotic pain medication that is killing off our society.

That might partly be true, but not in the way it is presented to the community.

There is a big difference between drug addiction and drug dependence. They might sound like they are the same thing or at least quite similar, but in all reality, they’re not. I don’t think so anyway, and I would like to explain why with a couple of scenarios.

1. A 62-year-old chronic pain patient a law abiding citizen his entire life, has an accident at work which leaves him disabled. After numerous attempts—physical therapy, acupuncture, injection, and surgery, etc—he is prescribed an opioid medication as the last resort. He takes his pills as prescribed and after time, his tolerance grows. It’s inevitable, and he was warned that it would happen. The doctor raises his dose and his life goes on. He has a better quality of life than without the medication; he will always be in pain, comforted somewhat by the pills—he is dependent on them.
2. A 28-year-old heroin addict has been using since he was 18. He refuses to get help, overdoses on heroin that was laced with Fentanyl—he is an addict—well, he was an addict.
3. A 46-year-old who drinks heavily every day since she was 16 and has been taking party drugs for over 20 years. She can’t stop drinking until she blacks out. She gets in an accident, is prescribed opioid medication, doesn’t take the pills as prescribed, runs out before the prescription is due for a refill, goes into withdrawal, buys street drugs, either heroin, pills or both, and overdoses. Sounds like an addict to me.

Do you see the difference?

Honestly, I feel bad for the people that have to take opioid medication just to attain somewhat of a so-called normal or decent quality of life. Seriously, chronic pain means pain that lasts longer than six months! Can you imagine what that feels like? Can you even think about feeling pain so bad that you would rather be dead? And for over six months—more like years—we are talking years of constant pain! Unless “they" come up a solution, “they” shouldn’t take the pills away, or cut the dose in half overnight. When someone is dependent on opioid medication and they receive less than what they are used to taking, believe me, they feel it. Withdrawal sets in, and because their tolerance is so high the patient suffers almost as bad as if he were going cold turkey—plus suffers from the original pain he/she had to begin with. The way things are right now, the doctors are afraid of losing their license and I don’t blame them, but we (society) must come up with a solution other than to simply cut the dose, limit the amount, or take away the medication completely.

I know, these scenarios are elementary, but then again, so is Trump.