I have CNCP, so I’ve run into this problem before. In fact, it’s so problematic that it is the first concern I have when it comes to considering moving and actually had to turn down a very lucrative job with a Silicon Valley darling because I couldn’t verifiably find a pain management Dr within the time window they had given me to decide if I wanted to take the job or not. I simply cannot just move and HOPE that I can find a Dr. when I get there.
I would recommend:
Search the intertubes for other CNCP / chronic pain patients in your area who are posting on SM and reach out to them to see if they will tell you who they are using, then check if their pain management doctors are accepting new patients
Check for pain mgmt. specialists in your area. While it is becoming much more limited, I am seeing that some Dr’s are stepping up to fill the void the DEA created in the late 90’s / early 00’s when they started targeting Dr’s directly.
Ask your family Dr who is refusing to oversee your pain management to recommend someone – typically a Dr (at least one with a soul) won’t leave you high/dry as that equates to doing harm (sometimes you have to remind them of that tho)
It may also help to be frank with your Dr in that you appreciate the fact that they are afraid of managing your pain due to the added risk that creates for them and their livelihood due to DEA policies, as they can be held criminally liable if you are found to be abusing your Rx in any way/shape/form and can easily lose their license to practice medicine.
I’m glad to hear not everyone is scared away. I was worried it was turning into a death spiral where doctors refusing to deal with it result in the fewer doctors remaining having to prescribe more and more which makes them more vulnerable to DEA targeting which leads to less doctors which means the remaining ones have to prescribe even more…
Not everyone, but with capitalism where there is a gap invariably someone will step in to fill it, but the death spiral of which you speak is still a definite possibility.
I verbally groaned when they added opioids to The Artists death because the last thing those of us with legitimate Rx’s need is another high profile OD.
How on earth anyone can consider this a criminal problem and not a medical problem is beyond my ability for comprehension.
In most of the world codeine is available OTC because you cannot overdose on codeine alone (look it up). The acetaminophen thing is evil in its purist form. It’s literally only there to kill people who need increasingly higher doses.
Yup, welcome to “modern medicine” in the US. Dominated by jackass “Christians” who prescribe their judgements upon you before they actually do their friggin’ jobs even a little.
Mutant reporting in. I can’t swear I’m immune to opioids but I was prescribed percocet once when I had my wisdom teeth out. I took it twice. Got nauseous both times (and no pain relief). And I am definitely immune to most OTC pain killers.
Ibuprofen works. Somewhat. I assume aspirin works but I’m not quite willing to apply the scientific method. Nothing else does anything to me so I mostly ride out the pain so I don’t lose the ability to benefit from the one thing that definitely works … even a little.
Not to worry people but the nicest times in my life were the times I had broken bones. Most of the migraine stuff and joint pain went away until the bones had healed sufficiently not to drown out all the other pain.
Another mutant’s story involving surgery. They gave him percocet and ibuprofen. The percocet didn’t do anything. He said so and asked for something different. They said “we can’t give you anything stronger.” He said, “No, not stronger. Different. This does nothing for me.” They shrugged and said “we can’t give you anything stronger.”
He went off percocet (stayed on the ibuprofen) and the only difference was he could feel pain in his tailbone.
I imagine they were just happy to have fewer opioids issued on their tally. Which is a miserable way to practice medicine.
So, the doctor I mentioned upthread who gave me Zoloft and Ambien without a prescription or any warnings or documentation? A few months later I went in and asked for a routine STD test. She asked why I would want such a thing and I said “because I’ve been sexually active and want to be tested.” She asked if my partners were male or female and I said “exclusively male.” She turned bright red, told me to get out of her office and find a new doctor. I asked why and she said “I’m a Christian and cannot treat you. Get out of here.” I did.
I reported her and got a lawyer. My case got her fired, though she didn’t lose her license to practice.
I’d be willing to try it, but I don’t live in a state where that is a legal option at this point. Though from what I’ve read, I think the type of pain I’m in might respond well to it. Eh, maybe someday.
It was a weird experience. When I called a lawyer, I was not looking forward to suing her or whatever, but they basically took my testimony, confirmed with the doctor & staff that they’d kicked me out, and a few weeks later told me that she’d been fired and given an Official Reprimand in front of the medical board. This being Kentucky, that’s all they did, but I’m glad I didn’t have to hassle with it.
I did look it up. And holy carp, I thought I’d taken a lot of codeine because I once had to take six 30 mg pills, but some guy on reddit took 54 of the same pills, as a suicide attempt, chased it with alcohol, and basically just got a dopey unpleasant high for an annoyingly long time. If you took 54 vicodin, you’d suffer a protracted agonizing death.
Apparently the toxicity of codeine is strongly related to your genome; if (like some of the people commenting here) you have a nauseous reaction to opiates, it is quite possible to have a lethal overdose. But for most people it’s remarkably safe, for a serious (and addictive) narcotic painkiller.
I had no idea, honestly, despite having taken quite a bit of the stuff from time to time. Thanks for the info!
