Dr. Drew, Tom Arnold on Larry King

Dixiecup · Mar 13, 2010

As far as the show goes, I didn't see it but I assume they were blaming too many legal medications being prescribed and then people abusing them? Like I said, I didn't see the show so correct me if I am wrong.

My take on this is, while that line of thought is certainly true, it aggrivates me that it's a catch 22 for those people who really need to be on these medications. If they keep the reigns too tight it will be a real hardship on those people who truly need these meds to relieve pain and/or function regarding anxiety.

I go to a pain center where my meds are prescribed and I am monitored very closely. But if this place didn't exist I would be in a world of trouble. It's not like you would think, I have to beg for an increse if I need one and then it usually doesn't happen. The last time I went, they actually decreased my dose on one of my meds. I was not happy, but took it and lived with it. I am thankful I have a place to go.

I have to go every month. I get no more than a month at a time. And I have to give random urine samples.

I work at a LTC facility and a couple of our residents go to the same place and they always seem to come back with all kinds of new narcotics and just about what ever they ask for but it's like pulling teeth for me to get something else. I guess maybe it's because they are elderly and just give them what they ask for, I really don't know.

The main thing this facility is after is getting you to do the injections and procedures, that's where they make their money. They hound me about it every time I go and I tell them the same thing every time I go. MY INSURANCE SUCKS!!! and will not pay for the injections or procedures.

I would love to try one just once to see if it would help but I've had different injections in the past only to have the relief last for a few days. Luckily I had better insurance at the time so I gave it a try. It just didn't work for very long. So I would hate to pay hundreds of dollars out of my own pocket and a few days later, my pain come right back. It's very frustrating.

I think I'm getting completely off topic. But I hardly ever get to talk to anyone about this and most normal people just don't understand what you are going through. And look at you like your from a different planet because when you say you literally hurt 24/7, because I manage to function at work without acting like I am in agonizing pain when I actually am, the pain just consumes me and I feel like I have no recourse.

I guess they think because I can laugh and joke around and don't limp down the hall every minute of the day (although there ARE days I do a lot of limping)that my pain isn't that bad. What they don't know is my pain level is probably 7-8 continuously I just have learned not to let it show.

Sometimes it gets the best of me though and i have to go home and just lay down perfectly still. I hate how the pain rules my life.

Anyway, back to the topic. I believe there should be adequate monitoring of who gets what meds, just wanted to say that at the other end of the spectrum there are people here who really need them and would not be able to go through a normal day of life with out them.

I thought there was a spell check on this, but can't find it so I apologize for any spelling errors. It's also late!

Thanks for listening to my mini-rant

Dixiecup · Mar 13, 2010

Well, I apologize, as i said it is late! I think I replied to a whole different thread, the one with the Dr. and tom arnold on Larry King, I must have clicked the wrong button.

Sorry, it ws still good for me to get that out there, even if it ws on the wrong thread!

Silverdragon102, BSN · Mar 13, 2010

Dixiecup, I have moved it to the right thread :)

jackstem · Mar 14, 2010

As far as the show goes, I didn't see it but I assume they were blaming too many legal medications being prescribed and then people abusing them? Like I said, I didn't see the show so correct me if I am wrong.
My take on this is, while that line of thought is certainly true, it aggrivates me that it's a catch 22 for those people who really need to be on these medications. If they keep the reigns too tight it will be a real hardship on those people who truly need these meds to relieve pain and/or function regarding anxiety.
I go to a pain center where my meds are prescribed and I am monitored very closely. But if this place didn't exist I would be in a world of trouble. It's not like you would think, I have to beg for an increse if I need one and then it usually doesn't happen. The last time I went, they actually decreased my dose on one of my meds. I was not happy, but took it and lived with it. I am thankful I have a place to go.
I have to go every month. I get no more than a month at a time. And I have to give random urine samples.
I work at a LTC facility and a couple of our residents go to the same place and they always seem to come back with all kinds of new narcotics and just about what ever they ask for but it's like pulling teeth for me to get something else. I guess maybe it's because they are elderly and just give them what they ask for, I really don't know.
The main thing this facility is after is getting you to do the injections and procedures, that's where they make their money. They hound me about it every time I go and I tell them the same thing every time I go. MY INSURANCE SUCKS!!! and will not pay for the injections or procedures.
I would love to try one just once to see if it would help but I've had different injections in the past only to have the relief last for a few days. Luckily I had better insurance at the time so I gave it a try. It just didn't work for very long. So I would hate to pay hundreds of dollars out of my own pocket and a few days later, my pain come right back. It's very frustrating.
I think I'm getting completely off topic. But I hardly ever get to talk to anyone about this and most normal people just don't understand what you are going through. And look at you like your from a different planet because when you say you literally hurt 24/7, because I manage to function at work without acting like I am in agonizing pain when I actually am, the pain just consumes me and I feel like I have no recourse.
I guess they think because I can laugh and joke around and don't limp down the hall every minute of the day (although there ARE days I do a lot of limping)that my pain isn't that bad. What they don't know is my pain level is probably 7-8 continuously I just have learned not to let it show.
Sometimes it gets the best of me though and i have to go home and just lay down perfectly still. I hate how the pain rules my life.
Anyway, back to the topic. I believe there should be adequate monitoring of who gets what meds, just wanted to say that at the other end of the spectrum there are people here who really need them and would not be able to go through a normal day of life with out them.
I thought there was a spell check on this, but can't find it so I apologize for any spelling errors. It's also late!
Thanks for listening to my mini-rant

Your mini-rant is justified. Before my addiction I did pain management as part of my practice as a CRNA. After it became clear to me returning to practice would kill me, I began teaching pain management "seminars", a 6 hour presentation. The level of ignorance (lack of education, not an insult, please don't eliminate the post) in the health care community, especially in nursing, is amazing. The number one reason we end up seeing an MD is pain...so how is it we don't get more education while in school? (Same with addiction)

Couple the ignorance re: pain management with the ignorance re: addiction and you get large numbers of people who suffer needlessly. When a short acting opioid (like demerol...which should be eliminated from pain management formularies for pharmcological reasons) is ordered every 4 hours, and it's duration of effect is barely 3 hours in most people, we end up with a person asking for their next dose "too soon".. When they ask when they can have their next dose and their told in one hour, then we get the "he's watching the clock...he must have a drug problem." He does...the MD and nurses caring for him have no idea what they're doing. Since the signs of chemical dependence are very similar to poor pain control, everyone is lumped together as a substance abuser or addict. Neither person should have to suffer because the people who care for them have no idea what they're doing!

As far as pain management and chronic pain syndromes, most care givers use an acute pain model to guide their assessments and management techniques. With chronic pain the body adapts in it's response. Pulse rate returns to a normal baseline as does blood pressure and other physiological signs associated with acute pain. When someone appears "normal" we have a tendency to not believe that they're hurting "that much".

Sadly, very few health care professionals outside of the pain specialists (or addiction specialists) attend lectures, seminars, or workshops on pain management and addiction. An attorney and I put together 15 workshops for nurses dealing with addiction and legal issues in nursing. $20 for a 2 hour workshop with a maximum of 20 participants so we could keep it intimate and encourage interaction. We even had food included (we did them at a Panera Bread Bistro with a community room). In the first 6 weeks we had ONE participant. We advertised in the newspapers, through hospital newsletters, email, etc. Only one participant in 6 weeks. Pitiful commentary on the way health care providers see these two "problems".

So we just keep doing the same things over and over expecting a different outcome. AND, if someone doesn't respond to the inadequate and/or inappropriate techniques used to relieve their chronic pain, or they relapse after "treatment", we blame THEM instead of evaluating the techniques we're currently using. If they have the audacity to challenge us when the recommended treatments don't work, we blow them off as either "just another addict" or someone "seeking attention". After all, it's OK to refuse to treat an addict or someone who is faking their pain. It's seen as justified and the fault of the individual. We're not required to help those who won't help themselves.

Unprofessional and unethical.

Jack