More on doctors, fear, and opioids

[ViewsAskew]

Randy, I have no clue as to what makes them so afraid. I can only assume is it lawsuits. Somebody, and we all know it's true, WILL sue them at a later date if they become addicted to an opioid. It is so hard for a doctor to say, "well, I told them of the consequences" because we are not always listening to everything they say. When we say they never said so, or didn't make enough fuss, or whatever, the jury is more likely to believe the addicted person. I am not against lawsuits; they serve a purpose. But, there is som important balance between personal responsiblity and professional liability. Sometimes it gets haywire on both sides.

Josh, like you, I've heard the "why don't you-stop takingthe horrible drug that will ruin your life" soapbox-speech many times. Hmmm, maybe because my life was already ruined????? And now I at least have a semblance of one. As some of you have been talking about in the lonliness thread, it ain't the life I had, but it sure beats what it could be so I'll keep it for now thank you very much.

As several of you have written, this is a real fear - losing the one person that helps us keep that life. I am so incredibly lucky that my "old" doc is willing to work with me, even if it means me doing stained glass for his bathroom in exchange for his writing me scripts. But, what if I moved, as one of our members recently did? This is nuts that any of us should have to go through this, but we do. And, I guess unless a lot more educating is done, we'll still have to. That alone almost makes me want to just start picking doctors at random - since I pay for the insurance any way, I might as well use it! - and start "educating" them about RLS and the ways to treat it. The problem? Doubt I'd make any converts. Those that are scared would still be scared. Those that would prescribe it already would have. Guess I'll just start cutting glass. . .

[Walking After Midnight]

Josh...Witness too. Right on brother.

Tami was with me when I was first prescribed Hydrocodone by my Neuro. She said something like...wouldn't this drug mess with my health in the long run, maybe even shorten my life expectancy if I took it everyday? He said something like...did she think if I slept only an hour or two every night, would that mess with my health and shorten my life expectancy WHILE making my life HELL every day?

Well everybody, I just don't know what to think. I can't imagine what kind of life I would have without my meds. I spent a lot of years fighting with it, wondering what was going on, going to work in a daze, coming home crappy and angry and not feeling like doing anything 'cept vegging out, but I couldn't do that because I couldn't sit still. Doctors don't realize how deabilitating (sp?) this RLS thing can be. I don't want to go back to that.

I think the bottom line is, they don't take RLS seriously. They look at it as more of a nuisance rather than a legitimate affliction that requires legitimate treatment. I don't know of a Doctor anywhere that would take a Parkinsons patients drugs away from him, or take an MS patients meds away from him.

When I read all these Threads of you guys suffering, night after night...it's just terrible.

Jan's right, it just makes you furious to think about it.

[becat]

The DEA threathens doctors in our country about the big gun drugs like methadone or painkillers in general.
One of my guest spearkers this year was a well respect neuro in the field, he told me flat out, neuros stay ways from pain meds, because the DEA sends us letters adking us to choose between our livilyhood and writing prescriptions for them. So we send them to pain clinic that get litte guff for writing those scripts.
Insurance , ufffffffffaaaaaaaaa, they bite. I'm working on educating mine this year for sure. How many times have we all gotten something only to have it changed by the educated, degreed doctor, and have some pencil pusher decide they won't pay for it, cause we filled osmthing else last week. UGH!
ok, maybe the meds will kick in soon and I can go back to bed,
Love ya'll
Lynne

[brandy]

If liability is the big issue, why would a paper with the message "I realize I could become addicted to this and die and I won't hold the doctor, insurance, anyone in the world ever, accountable" suffice? To me, that seems like a win-win situation. Then if someone decides to sue, folks are still covered. It sounds so simplistic and I am so naive, so the reason it's not the solution is probably because there is some loophole I don't see. But anyway, it seems like a good idea.

[Neco]

Any trial lawyer worth his weight in BS would easily find a loophole and plead their client was mislead, tricked or coerced into signing it, not understanding the repercussions.

.. And they'd win

I'm going through my own tiff with my doctor now too. I really ramped up my consumption after having an emergency dental problem on a Thursday and not being able to be seen until the following Monday, then a week or two after that I fell asleep in my chair (from the Vicodin, how Ironic) and cut off circulation to my arm, ended up with a pinched nerve that really hurt the first week, and took another week and a half to really heal.

Of course at that point I was like, not happy, so I did my honest duty to inform him and he's like "ok, time to take a break" and I'm like alright. I was so strung out over the whole situation I didn't even care to notice he said I had to stay off it for a month (when usually he only yanks it for 2 weeks). I basically have Oxazepam, and Lunesta now. Lunesta is crap and stopped working just like Ambien, the Oxazepam seems to knock me out good enough but if I take it every night I'm gonna end up in the same situation as with my Vicodin tolerance (which I intend to argue when I see him today).

The last time I was there and I tried to discuss the duration of my drug holiday he hit me with "hmmm, a couple more weeks; or maybe never" as he walked out of the room - promptly ending the appointment

I've been off it for 28 days and I feel like I'm going to snap. A major improvement compared to the last time where I slept for 10 hours the whole two weeks. Only now I have a job to maintain and all he can ever say is "get exercise". I'm a merchandiser and I'm on my feet practically all day, climbing ladders, pushing carts of product around, putting it on the shelf; much of which is heavy crap in bulk. Sorry if that's not aerobic enough for the rest of the world.. It's not like I can find another doctor though, I have no insurance and he doesn't charge me, so I'm sort of in a compromising position now. I don't pretend to play the "I'm not addicted" game with people, I mean I will to a point but with my doctor it's basically I tell him when it's getting too hard to manage and he takes me off it for a while, then I get back on it.. Now I'm really scared.

I failed both Requip and L-Dopa. Hypnotics obviously work for a short time and then stop. Oxazepam is the closest thing to a sedative/benzo I've ever been on. Codeine gives me stomach cramps, Oxycodone is too tempting, blah I've said enough.


Ugh... oh well, just venting I guess

[ctravel12]

Hey Zach Vent anytime you want. That is what this is all about. BTW enjoyed reading your post. It is so true what you said about getting aerobics exercise. It seems to me that you are getting yours for sure.

Zach hang on there as we are there for you. Hope all is doing better for you.

[Neco]

V is for victory; and also Vicodin (heh guess what I got today)