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Member
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Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: IL
Posts: 279
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: IL
Posts: 279
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Quote:
Originally Posted by LIT LOVE
This was the comment I was referring to when I brought up addiction vs. dependence.
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I know LL, but most providers that I have seen in the past 5 years (on both sides of the issue) do not recognize the difference. When a patient asks for pain medication, quite simply, they most often get thrown into the 'addict' side of things and get labeled a 'drug seeker'. Pain is so subjective. There are things most in the medical field confirm cause pain: broken bones, cancer, surgery, childbirth. But even then, if it's an infant "they don't feel pain". If it's soft tissue, it heals too quick to need any prescription. I was lucky with my endo pain. I had doctors who understood. Then again, I also had surgery after surgery after procedure after surgery.
When I fractured my patella, the ortho didn't give me anything. I didn't ask. My second ortho was informed on my initial visit that I would not endure PT without pain management. He obliged. I've been without MD's/PT's/pain medication since September. I'm grumpy. I'm irritable. I'm depressed. I can't sleep well. I can't perform normal daily functions. I can't do anything physical to lose this damn 35 pounds I've gained. I can't focus. I'm in pain. And I feel like I can't ask any of my current doctors to do anything about it because the one I did (my PCP) informed me she doesn't prescribe narcotics - ok, great, no problem, how about some lidoderm patches? How about a PM referral? Her response is to try to keep increasing the gaba. Slowly. And maybe, someday, when the wind is blowing the right way she will refer me to PM. Until then, I'm in pain.
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Believe in the Strength of Faith and Hope, within there is Peace and Love...Always ~pe
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