I have had my medications restored!!
I was losing hope that I would ever get to post this update, but here we are! I finally reestablished my care with an incredible physician who not only see and believes I’m in pain, but trusts that I am not seeking a high. She restored the medication that DIDN’T cause seizures and previously gave me a life worth living. I just took my first dose and am on the road back to being able to live, not merely existing.
Today is 6 months, to the day, since I was rushed to the hospital completey unresponsive after having a seizure from a drug my previous doctor prescribed. Instead of taking responsibility for prescribing such a dangerous medication, I was dropped as a patient with no medications after 15 years. I have been bounced from doctor to doctor who refused to treat my pain even with 15 years of records that showed I was neither an addict nor “med seeking”. I’ve fought for myself and others like me who have had their medications ripped away from them “because of addicts”. I wanted to give up every single day. I had zero quality of life and my life was nothing but unending pain. I am lucky that I’m now able to use my voice to speak for those of us who lost their medications and lives when they couldn’t keep fighting. I wasn’t far from that myself. The only thing keeping me alive was the friends and other advocates who were there for me when it was the darkest. I’ll never forget or be able to repay the debt of compassion and gratitude that I owe each and every person who checked on me and assured me that my story wasn’t over.
When I got home last night from the doctor, with my medications in hand, there was a small Amazon package waiting. It couldn’t have contained a more meaningful gift or message than the small silver bracelet that was inside. The inscription is a reminder that I have miles to go before I sleep. Thank you Misty for being such a rock for me through this. The support and outpouring of love from friends is the only thing that kept me alive and fighting. My fight is won, but this isn’t over. I lost 6 months of my life to this nightmare and I won’t be letting the doctors who did this get away with it. I will “keep fucking going”. 💜 My story is, tragically, very common in the community of legitimate pain sufferers. The chronic pain community has lost so many amazing people to suicide since the short sighted and completely unfounded “guidelines” from the CDC were released in 2016. I refuse to let those lives lost be in vain. The lives of my fellow chronic pain patients is an unacceptable payment for this fake “war on opiates” and must be answered for. My fight for myself is won, but the battle is just beginning. Never again! Our voices will be heard. We cannot lose another life to this ignorant and completely unsubstantiated attack on legitimate pain patients.
Filed under: General Problems
Congratulations! I only wish the same could be said for the rest of us. ❤️
I just left my pain clinic where the doctor said that he had to reduce my medication(s) again (i.e., a “forced reduction”). I pointed out the recent CDC and FDA statements that said patients who are stable on their current opioid medications are not to undergo forced reductions.
The doctor said the he was being directed to do this by the management/owners of the pain clinic, and that they are being directed to do the reductions with the final goal of getting the patient down to 90 MME. The doctor said that while he was aware of the statements made by the FDA and CDC (i.e., “the government”) the “word” that his pain clinic management/owner(s) is actually getting is, “Either reduce your patients to 90 MMEs, or you will be “out of business”. The Doctor stated that if he wanted to remain employed by this clinic, he had no choice but to proceed with the reduction.
The doctor did not elaborate on who was saying this to the clinic (possibly somebody at the State government level, or State law enforcement agencies?). The doctor also said that 80% of the pharmacies in this area/State would not fill an opioid prescription unless the patient was currently undergoing an opioid reduction to 90 MMEs, or unless the patient was already at, or below, 90 MME.
So, it was great to “dream” for a short while that things were changing with the CDC and FDA stating that there were to be no more medication reductions, but the “dream” was nothing more than that. Things out in the “Real World” where the opioid pill has been demonized for years did not change; and government, law enforcement, pain clinics, and pharmacies are continuing to follow the same draconian practices. Just because the FDA and CDC make a statement or two, doesn’t mean that people with their preconceived ideas about the evil opioid pill will change anytime soon.
Great news!
I am very happy for her! I admit that I am jealous because I still have nothing, but that’s just being petty. I wish I could find a PM Dr that actually cared enough to Perscribe me something that actually helps reduRemy pain! In NY they could Not care Less about us!
Praise the Lord! I’m so happy for you!!!!!!!
Congratulations!
So happy for you! Please ‘pay it forward ‘ and support someone else out there unable to fend for themselves. May God and universe continue the blessing.