Are you part of the Opioid Crisis? My family is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why anyone would put even 1 opioid pill in their mouth and swallow it, knowing what know, is just beyond me.

All these teens with the sports injuries and the parents are just like “Here! Have some opioids!”

Because surgery hurts. Because chronic back pain hurts. Because chronic pain hurts. Hurts = laying in bed screaming and moaning, unable to work or take care of the house or anything.

There are other ways to deal with chronic pain, including yoga, meditation, PT, and acupuncture, some of which work for some people.

My c- section hurt like a motherclucker, but I didn't rely on anything stronger than Motrin. I won't let my kids take opioids. Motrin, and cowboy up.

Just because you are in pain doesn't mean you need pain meds.

I may be naive and/or obtuse, but I feel the same. I had 3 non medicated child births, and they all were excruciatingly painful but I powered through. I know there are all types of pain, but I feel that most people should be able to deal with pretty intense pain for a few days at least with OTC drugs. Or Rx for 1-2 days and then OTC. Except for perhaps end of life, why should the goal be complete pain removal? Pain is normal and it’s OK for people to suffer thru some of it.

Err, have you ever had major surgery? The one that lasts for hours and leaves you with all kind of holes in your body with multiple tubes sticking out of you when you wake up from anesthesia and wish you were dead because the agony is so bad? I hope you'll never have to find out, but take it from someone who's been there - your 'non medicated child births' are a joke, compared to what some people have to go through, and there is nothing 'normal' about post-operative pain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why anyone would put even 1 opioid pill in their mouth and swallow it, knowing what know, is just beyond me.

All these teens with the sports injuries and the parents are just like “Here! Have some opioids!”

Because surgery hurts. Because chronic back pain hurts. Because chronic pain hurts. Hurts = laying in bed screaming and moaning, unable to work or take care of the house or anything.

There are other ways to deal with chronic pain, including yoga, meditation, PT, and acupuncture, some of which work for some people.

My c- section hurt like a motherclucker, but I didn't rely on anything stronger than Motrin. I won't let my kids take opioids. Motrin, and cowboy up.

Just because you are in pain doesn't mean you need pain meds.

I may be naive and/or obtuse, but I feel the same. I had 3 non medicated child births, and they all were excruciatingly painful but I powered through. I know there are all types of pain, but I feel that most people should be able to deal with pretty intense pain for a few days at least with OTC drugs. Or Rx for 1-2 days and then OTC. Except for perhaps end of life, why should the goal be complete pain removal? Pain is normal and it’s OK for people to suffer thru some of it.

When I was 20 I was riding a bike and was hit by two motorcycles that were racing each other. I had a broken femur, a crushed ankle, and a dislocated pelvis. After emergency surgery to repair my broken body I was in the ICU for 3 weeks. I had a morphine drip there. When they transferred me to a regular ward for my additional 2 months of hospitalization, they took away the drip and gave me... Tylenol. I screamed and cried in pain for hours every day, then would pass out from exhaustion. After I woke up, the cycle would continue.

You're naive and obtuse.

[Anonymous]

I don't know of any direct impacts in my family, but FIL was an ER doc and saw plenty of pill-seekers through his career. He stopped practicing after a car-accident left him only able to walk short distances. He underwent 5 surgeries, two were longer than 12 hours...and he spent months just waiting for the swelling to go down to get his legs put back together. Even still, we had to convince him to take the morphine in the hospital. He couldn't have borne the pain without it, but he hated every day he had to take it...and switched to non-opioid pain relief as soon as he could tolerate it.

I find it very odd how willing doctors are to prescribe opioids. I had an excruciating neck spasm after delivering my first, and I was desperate to figure out what I could do to relieve it...and it didn't help that DD couldn't latch and we ended up needing an extra night in the hospital because she wasn't peeing enough. The only thing they would offer me was more narco, until I figured out that maybe a muscle relaxant (non-opioid) would help. It did...and I never even had my narco prescription filled. They offered me narco again after DS was born, and again I was refused because motrin was fine.

My parents are both MDs, and even though my mom has had chronic back pain her whole life she never took an opioid pain killer. Doctors know what these pills can do...I don't know why they blithely prescribe them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why anyone would put even 1 opioid pill in their mouth and swallow it, knowing what know, is just beyond me.

All these teens with the sports injuries and the parents are just like “Here! Have some opioids!”

Because surgery hurts. Because chronic back pain hurts. Because chronic pain hurts. Hurts = laying in bed screaming and moaning, unable to work or take care of the house or anything.

There are other ways to deal with chronic pain, including yoga, meditation, PT, and acupuncture, some of which work for some people.

My c- section hurt like a motherclucker, but I didn't rely on anything stronger than Motrin. I won't let my kids take opioids. Motrin, and cowboy up.

Just because you are in pain doesn't mean you need pain meds.

I may be naive and/or obtuse, but I feel the same. I had 3 non medicated child births, and they all were excruciatingly painful but I powered through. I know there are all types of pain, but I feel that most people should be able to deal with pretty intense pain for a few days at least with OTC drugs. Or Rx for 1-2 days and then OTC. Except for perhaps end of life, why should the goal be complete pain removal? Pain is normal and it’s OK for people to suffer thru some of it.

My pain from childbirth made me vomit with every contraction. If I had been unmedicated, I would have been extremely weak and dehydrated. You'd wish me and my baby several days of that?

If you haven't walked a mile in someone's shoes, maybe you shouldn't judge.

Sorry, no, I was talking about addictive drugs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:
My pain from childbirth made me vomit with every contraction. If I had been unmedicated, I would have been extremely weak and dehydrated. You'd wish me and my baby several days of that?

If you haven't walked a mile in someone's shoes, maybe you shouldn't judge.

Sorry, no, I was talking about addictive drugs.

DP here. I was given fentanyl during my labor. They do give "addictive" drugs to laboring moms.

I was also given morphine during my first pregnancy after 4 weeks of prodromal labor. It was prescribe appropriately, IMHO, since it was the first time I slept in over a month. I do believe opioids are over-prescribed, but that doesn't mean they have no place in medical treatment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why anyone would put even 1 opioid pill in their mouth and swallow it, knowing what know, is just beyond me.

All these teens with the sports injuries and the parents are just like “Here! Have some opioids!”

Because surgery hurts. Because chronic back pain hurts. Because chronic pain hurts. Hurts = laying in bed screaming and moaning, unable to work or take care of the house or anything.

There are other ways to deal with chronic pain, including yoga, meditation, PT, and acupuncture, some of which work for some people.

My c- section hurt like a motherclucker, but I didn't rely on anything stronger than Motrin. I won't let my kids take opioids. Motrin, and cowboy up.

Just because you are in pain doesn't mean you need pain meds.

I may be naive and/or obtuse, but I feel the same. I had 3 non medicated child births, and they all were excruciatingly painful but I powered through. I know there are all types of pain, but I feel that most people should be able to deal with pretty intense pain for a few days at least with OTC drugs. Or Rx for 1-2 days and then OTC. Except for perhaps end of life, why should the goal be complete pain removal? Pain is normal and it’s OK for people to suffer thru some of it.

When I was 20 I was riding a bike and was hit by two motorcycles that were racing each other. I had a broken femur, a crushed ankle, and a dislocated pelvis. After emergency surgery to repair my broken body I was in the ICU for 3 weeks. I had a morphine drip there. When they transferred me to a regular ward for my additional 2 months of hospitalization, they took away the drip and gave me... Tylenol. I screamed and cried in pain for hours every day, then would pass out from exhaustion. After I woke up, the cycle would continue.

You're naive and obtuse.

And you didn’t read well. I said: “most people should be able to deal with pretty intense pain for a few days at least with OTC drugs” whereas your example referred to weeks and months.

[Anonymous]

And you didn’t read well. I said: “most people should be able to deal with pretty intense pain for a few days at least with OTC drugs” whereas your example referred to weeks and months.

I agree with this and have done it myself. I've also had pain so bad that I've passed out, woke to the same pain, so on and so forth for four days. I thought I was going to die, but my doctor gave me non-medicinal ways to cope. It was still horrid, but it's better than becoming addicted.

[Anonymous]

One branch of my family lives in small-town Ohio, the Appalachian part. The main highway that runs through there is nicknamed the "heroin highway".

My cousin had a daughter 13 years ago and got into all kinds of bad drugs. Courts took custody away from her and gave it to the girl's grandmother. They all live in the same town, and it's pretty bad there. I was visiting and driving through towns, and you can see drug busts in progress.

We scraped together enough money to get the daughter off to a good boarding school for 9th grade, so she can avoid the local public high school and the mess she'll encounter there. We're just hoping boarding school will keep her from straying -- most people in her family there have gotten into trouble with drugs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why anyone would put even 1 opioid pill in their mouth and swallow it, knowing what know, is just beyond me.

All these teens with the sports injuries and the parents are just like “Here! Have some opioids!”

Because surgery hurts. Because chronic back pain hurts. Because chronic pain hurts. Hurts = laying in bed screaming and moaning, unable to work or take care of the house or anything.

There are other ways to deal with chronic pain, including yoga, meditation, PT, and acupuncture, some of which work for some people.

My c- section hurt like a motherclucker, but I didn't rely on anything stronger than Motrin. I won't let my kids take opioids. Motrin, and cowboy up.

Just because you are in pain doesn't mean you need pain meds.

I may be naive and/or obtuse, but I feel the same. I had 3 non medicated child births, and they all were excruciatingly painful but I powered through. I know there are all types of pain, but I feel that most people should be able to deal with pretty intense pain for a few days at least with OTC drugs. Or Rx for 1-2 days and then OTC. Except for perhaps end of life, why should the goal be complete pain removal? Pain is normal and it’s OK for people to suffer thru some of it.

When I was 20 I was riding a bike and was hit by two motorcycles that were racing each other. I had a broken femur, a crushed ankle, and a dislocated pelvis. After emergency surgery to repair my broken body I was in the ICU for 3 weeks. I had a morphine drip there. When they transferred me to a regular ward for my additional 2 months of hospitalization, they took away the drip and gave me... Tylenol. I screamed and cried in pain for hours every day, then would pass out from exhaustion. After I woke up, the cycle would continue.

You're naive and obtuse.

And you didn’t read well. I said: “most people should be able to deal with pretty intense pain for a few days at least with OTC drugs” whereas your example referred to weeks and months.

Are you suggesting that cardiac bypass patients be given advil to deal with their post-operative pain? After all, the intense pain probably only lasts a couple of days. Too bad they wouldn't be able to sleep from the pain. They just need to get their big kid pants on I guess.

[Anonymous]

I recently had a back injury, and went to the ER. They sent me home with a 20 pill supply of Norco to see me through until I saw a specialist. Got appt. with a specialist, and then prescribed TWO opioid medications. I didn't fill them. Going the PT route, but was shocked at how many drugs were handed to me. With refills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm so sorry, PPs who have lost loved ones.

Take-away for prevention:

1. Be sensitive to signs of mental illness and do everything to treat it. Both my husband and son are treated for ADHD, my FIL was treated for his bipolar disorder. All these illnesses carry a significant risk of drug addiction if they are not managed correctly.

2. Do not take addictive prescription painkillers that your doctor gives you unless the pain is really unbearable (and I didn't take them even then), and have a plan to get off those drugs if you do.

OP, wishing you strength.

I completely agree. I was prescribed oxycodone after a hysterectomy and was not experiencing much pain. A friend, who is n ob-gyn, told me not to take it because it could lead to dependency. These drugs are prescribed for minor aches and pain, a major factor in addiction.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I recently had a back injury, and went to the ER. They sent me home with a 20 pill supply of Norco to see me through until I saw a specialist. Got appt. with a specialist, and then prescribed TWO opioid medications. I didn't fill them. Going the PT route, but was shocked at how many drugs were handed to me. With refills.

I had something similar happen recently. It was surprisingly easy to get opioids. Yes, I had intense pain, but they went straight to morphine and sent me home with 20 Vicodin. When I followed up with my gp afterward, she was astonished.

[Anonymous]

OP here.

The number of people here who seem to think that addiction has something to do with lack of morality (and "just saying no" to pain control when you are in pain) is astounding.

This isn't a forum for you to tell your story of championship high pain tolerance. If you don't have a propensity for addiction, you are not going to become an addict. So what if you refused morphine? I don't care. It's meaningless. Only 13% of the population is at risk.

I don't want to hear your story of depriving your NINE YEAR OLD of pain control. That's absolutely sick.

There is nothing about morality or lack or morality in addiction. It isn't a matter of saying no. Please go home, Nancy Reagan. And if you want to tell stories about your supreme pain tolerance, start another thread.

[Anonymous]

OP, you don’t get to dictate what people post about. You invited comments on a topic & people are responding.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why anyone would put even 1 opioid pill in their mouth and swallow it, knowing what know, is just beyond me.

All these teens with the sports injuries and the parents are just like “Here! Have some opioids!”

Because surgery hurts. Because chronic back pain hurts. Because chronic pain hurts. Hurts = laying in bed screaming and moaning, unable to work or take care of the house or anything.

There are other ways to deal with chronic pain, including yoga, meditation, PT, and acupuncture, some of which work for some people.

My c- section hurt like a motherclucker, but I didn't rely on anything stronger than Motrin. I won't let my kids take opioids. Motrin, and cowboy up.

Just because you are in pain doesn't mean you need pain meds.

I may be naive and/or obtuse, but I feel the same. I had 3 non medicated child births, and they all were excruciatingly painful but I powered through. I know there are all types of pain, but I feel that most people should be able to deal with pretty intense pain for a few days at least with OTC drugs. Or Rx for 1-2 days and then OTC. Except for perhaps end of life, why should the goal be complete pain removal? Pain is normal and it’s OK for people to suffer thru some of it.

Err, have you ever had major surgery? The one that lasts for hours and leaves you with all kind of holes in your body with multiple tubes sticking out of you when you wake up from anesthesia and wish you were dead because the agony is so bad? I hope you'll never have to find out, but take it from someone who's been there - your 'non medicated child births' are a joke, compared to what some people have to go through, and there is nothing 'normal' about post-operative pain.

Three c-sections. Google it. They cut your lower abdomen open.

My mom had a mastectomy and didn't take the opioids they were pushing on her. Major surgery, drainage tubes, etc. She also walked out of the hospital wearing stockings, heels, dress slacks, etc. in full hair and makeup (and she's not a kardashian).