Substance abuse history and substandard care

Use this section to discuss your experiences with prescription drugs, iron injections, and other medical interventions that involve the introduction of a drug or medicine into the body. Discuss side effects, successes, failures, published research, information about drug trials, and information about new medications being developed.

Important: Posts and information in this section are based on personal experiences and recommendations; they should not be considered a substitute for the advice of a healthcare provider.
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Jen
Posts: 31
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2015 4:53 am

Substance abuse history and substandard care

Post by Jen »

Years ago I had a period in my life where I smoked mj daily for a few months.
I made the mistake of admitting that to a doctor at the giant hospital conglomorate that controls my region. Apparently she checked the "substance abuser" box in my computer record.
Since that time I have been denied any type of sedative or painkiller that could conceivably be abused.

I am hoping higher doses of gabapentin allow me to finally sleep, but am very worried that I will be denied other courses of treatment if the gabapentin does not work.

Anyone else have this problem?
I am actually considering moving out of this hospital's range if needed. A couple months without sleep makes drastic action seem reasonable.

badnights
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Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:20 pm
Location: Northwest Territories, Canada

Re: Substance abuse history and substandard care

Post by badnights »

I feel so badly for you. Hasn't happened to me but I can imagine the disaster it would be if it did. Before I read the last line in your post, I was going to reply: if you can't deal with it any other way, move away from there. It's not an unreasonable thing to do. Treatment at all costs, because your life could just fizzle away without it. I would not hesitate to uproot myself to get treatment.

Meanwhile, there are a couple of options - - kratom is a plant that contains opioid-like substances, and some people take it successfully to treat WED/RLS. You might want to supplement your gabapentin with it. Google kratom, you can get it through amazon actually, but you might want to search on this board first to find out what varieties are best, and to get more advice.

Also, can you access medical mj? Some strains have helped some people here - try searching marijuana. I don't think mj is anywhere near as effective as kratom though.

There is also poppy tea - -- again, try searching here. That one is harder to get because it is illegal, sort of - in the US, you can grow the flowers legally but if you grow with knowledge of the potential use of the seeds, it's illegal - wierd. For better information about that, search this board for poppy.

Back to prescription meds. Be careful of the dose of gabapentin. It can potentially cause depression and suicidal ideation, and although it has not as far as I know been correlated with dose, increased doses of anything usually increases side effects, so watch yourself for signs of depression. ( I went through it). Alternatives to gabapentin are pregabalin (Lyrica) which is similar but not the same, and tends to be more evenly absorbed, and Horizant, which is a pro-drug of gabapentin (it's converted to gabapentin once it's absorbed into the body) and completely removes the problem with irregular absorption that gabapentin has. Either might be a better choice than gabapentin; you could at least ask your doctor about them and ask what the pros and cons of each are.
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
Click for info on WED/RLS AUGMENTATION & IRON
I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

Jen
Posts: 31
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2015 4:53 am

Re: Substance abuse history and substandard care

Post by Jen »

Thank you for your detailed response!
The gabapentin s starting to work, so it looks like 900mg might be magic for me.
I am in active psychotherapy and will be very careful. This all started when I came off Abilify because it was making me very suicidal, so I know the drill at this point (unfortunately!)

Crisis averted it seems, though my last surgery at this hospital was no fun when they sent me home without painkillers.

I am still quite interested in hearing if others have had issues with substance abuse history and how it affected their course of treatment.

badnights
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Joined: Tue Mar 10, 2009 4:20 pm
Location: Northwest Territories, Canada

Re: Substance abuse history and substandard care

Post by badnights »

That's sheer ignorance to withhold painkillers after surgery. They should just give you the prescription. Since they can't tell if you're really an abuser, from their point of view, one of only two things will happen: you will suck up all the meds faster than you're supposed to and maybe go off on a drug-seeking spree, which would not be their problem, or you will use them as prescribed and be healthier and happier and recover faster for having the pain controlled. Why deny the second possibility on the off-chance that the first will happen?

Oh ya - because maybe someone might sue them if you shoot someone or harm yourself in your crazed drug-seeking spree.

PS I hope it's clear that the last statement is tongue in cheek or sarcasm or - what's the word? anyway, that I don't think you're crazed etc.
Beth - Wishing you a restful sleep tonight
Click for info on WED/RLS AUGMENTATION & IRON
I am a volunteer moderator. My posts are not medical advice. My posts do not reflect RLS Foundation opinion.

Jen
Posts: 31
Joined: Fri Nov 27, 2015 4:53 am

Re: Substance abuse history and substandard care

Post by Jen »

No worries....still have my sense of humor and appreciate sarcasm very much!

Zero tolerance policies in the medical field are probably going to continue to get stricter. I understand what they are trying to do and while a noble idea it really is inhumane at times.

ViewsAskew
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Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:37 am
Location: Los Angeles

Re: Substance abuse history and substandard care

Post by ViewsAskew »

I am just about speechless. I'd definitely be moving out of their range....and hoping it didn't follow me. As if smoking MJ for a few months meant you abused substances. Yeesh. Does this doctor even know the correct definition of abuse? Well, guess I'm not all that speechless...


I think you are right - the pendulum is definitely swinging even farther to the right. While I also understand some of what they are trying to control, the methods, to me are extraordinarily flawed.
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

jy13131
Posts: 204
Joined: Wed Jan 14, 2009 4:39 pm

Re: Substance abuse history and substandard care

Post by jy13131 »

I have been treated with narcotics for RLS for the last 6 years. I have been in recovery from drugs and alcohol for 8. Further, I work as a therapist in a substance abuse care facility. My doctor was very aware that I had abused drugs in the past BUT you have a right (WE ALL HAVE RIGHTS) to pain management and that is not taken away because of our past history. I don't even think it's legal, and it's CERTAINLY not ethical, for a medical facility to deny you medication for pain. And I include RLS in the category of pain. You need to find the right Doctor. I cannot emphasize that enough. There are several doctors working diligently to educate as many doctors as they can get their hands on about this awful disease we have that causes true and horrific suffering. I'm sorry but that is a real raw deal you got there friend.
jy13131

ViewsAskew
Moderator
Posts: 16571
Joined: Thu Oct 28, 2004 6:37 am
Location: Los Angeles

Re: Substance abuse history and substandard care

Post by ViewsAskew »

jy13131 wrote:I have been treated with narcotics for RLS for the last 6 years. I have been in recovery from drugs and alcohol for 8. Further, I work as a therapist in a substance abuse care facility. My doctor was very aware that I had abused drugs in the past BUT you have a right (WE ALL HAVE RIGHTS) to pain management and that is not taken away because of our past history. I don't even think it's legal, and it's CERTAINLY not ethical, for a medical facility to deny you medication for pain. And I include RLS in the category of pain. You need to find the right Doctor. I cannot emphasize that enough. There are several doctors working diligently to educate as many doctors as they can get their hands on about this awful disease we have that causes true and horrific suffering. I'm sorry but that is a real raw deal you got there friend.


Hear, hear!
Ann - Take what you need, leave the rest

Managing Your RLS

Opinions presented by Discussion Board Moderators are personal in nature and do not, in any way, represent the opinion of the RLS Foundation, and are not medical advice.

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