[ELLE_BORN]

I have severe RA and accepted lortab 5/500 as a last resort, after taking IBP 800 5 times a day and a huge dose 40+ mgs daily of prednisone without relife and horrible side effects I gained 80lbs in a year for one thing, I had to start taking the lortab. also take hot baths every day have a heating pasd in my bed and one that strapss to me when I walk, a memory foam bed, a tens unit, and use various vitamins and aromatharpy, Physical theraphy, yoga if I am able etc. Right now I'm working with my NP to find another med as I don't wan't to be sterotyped as a drug seeker, however my insurance keeps denying anything that we have thought will help like enbrel so I am taking Lyrica and Provigil for severe fatigue and pain right now I am unable to work, and unable to function somedays without the lortab which is written for me to take one every 4 hours and I don't take it unless I cannot function without it. My main problem is a lot of people are perscribed these type of drugs and get addicted because no alternative is addressed, my great aunt who was in severe pain and dying of cancer refused pain meds almost to the very end because of the stigma surrounding them. I have asked my dr to refer me to a pain speialist and she wouldn't as she said that is for people who abuse pain meds and since I was in real pain it was unessary. My anger is that because of people lying about pain, just to get high those people with real pain suffer. I think one should address pain from a whole body perspective and not just perscribe pain meds to shut the patient up but look at resonable alternatives, and other types of theraphy to incorporate in the treatment.

[CaseManager1947]

Again, for those of you NON pain sufferers out there, on this thread. My goal is NOT to seek a happy place, zen moment, get high, get stoacked, whatever the term is... for me to somewhat comfortably sit at my puter desk and type i have the following on board: 1200 mg gabapentin, 1 7.5mg Lortab; 800mg Skelaxin x1; AND i can still feel that spiinal cord of mine that's compressed at L5 ; now mind you, its reduced, but its still there.+ I'm not standing up. Now, would I rather have a life, maybe be able to cook a meal, clean my house, possibly go to a movie... sure. But, I'm on call again tomorrow,soooooo day 7 in a row for this old woman---walking this huge hospital w/o my scooter...... doing EHR reviews. Happy Memorial day everyone