Pain Medication Shame (Page 5)

First of all, I hate taking pain meds but I was almost completely bedridden for 2 yrs. They gave me my life back and I'll be grateful for the rest of my life. My insurance company dropped me right before I was gonna have surgery to get some relief. So I had no choice but to go with the pain meds. I've been on oxycodone 30/150 per month (5 a day) and MS Contin 200mg 2 times daily since 2009. Had breaks when I could. My point is, nobody knows what my daily life is like. I feel ashamed every month getting refills. Maybe it's in my head but the staff at the pharmacy gives me that "pill seeker" look. I guess all that matters is my doctor trusts me and he knows my complete history. I know I'm not taking them for fun. I'd much rather be normal. Can anyone relate to what I'm saying?

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Marie (# 78) --

I am glad that YOU seem to be at a decent place but your place is the rare exception and far from the “rule”. I have lived in three different States and even if I have a 20 year relationship with a Pharmacy they still act like you are a criminal every time you present them with a script for pain medications. I used to pick up my pain medication prescriptions on the day they were DUE. Not early. I picked them up early in the morning only because I drove for a living and by the time I got back In the area the Pharmacy was closed. Even with the long term relationship and me following every rule set up by the Pharmacy I was still looked at like I was some kind of “seeker” or criminal. I have always been courteous to every employee because it looked like they were just looking for any reason to not fill your prescription. I was determined to always be calm and nice because the Pharmacy employees were always looking to pick a fight. It is not easy to switch Pharmacies because if you go to a new Pharmacy they will INTENTIONALLY treat you like a criminal hoping that you will say anything that they can grab onto to NOT fill your prescription. Congratulations on working at a good place. The other Pharmacies will be much more of a challenge.

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Re: cliff j (# 81)

I am sorry that the techs and pharmacists have made you feel this way. I suppose with me being a chronic pain patient on C2 pain meds for 17 years gives me the understanding of what people on these meds are going through. I am sympathetic to their situation and do not judge anyone. It would be nice if more techs and pharmacists were understanding of our situations and treat everyone the same no matter what meds they are on. They should be thankful that they aren’t in need of these meds. Most chronic pain patients don’t want to be on these meds they need them to function and get out of bed every day and some of us to not be burden on society and be able to work and support themselves and their families. What scares me is how the states are suing the makers of the pain meds and suing pharmacies. What will happen when the makers go bankrupt and no one will be making the meds let alone any pharmacies dispensing them. What will happen to pain patients then? I feel no one is talking about how this will affect the production of these medications with every state on board with this lawsuit. Anyone else have these thoughts? I’d love to hear from you.

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Re: Marie (# 82)
I am not going to bore anyone with my medical history but I know of what I speak. I have seen the Pharmacy personnel treat Chronic Pain Patients with a suspicious and jaundiced eye. At first, I thought it was just one or two employees but I found out that it was very wide spread. This type of conduct was encouraged by the Pharmacies because they would rather not deal with pain medications at all if they had a choice. Just too many regulations and too many "eyes" on every little thing you do. I went to a Pharmacy in one State that I had patronized for over 20 years and I was known well by every employee in the Pharmacy. After a while, and without any provocation on my part, they began to act very cold and "clinical". Where it used to be very conversational and friendly it turned into a clinical and cold operation. I think the biggest problem will be with the Pharmacies and not the manufacturers. If one manufacturer goes bankrupt then another will come to fill the void. If there are no retail Pharmacies available to fill the prescriptions then that is a real problem. I will not be too concerned with problems that have even not come to fruition but UI will try and have a "Plan B" in mind in case the worst happens.

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I get what you’re saying, but I get really stubborn and righteous about the pain meds. People need them to function and there is no shame in that. It’s worse for us on psych meds because no MRI or xray shows I have ADD. The stigma I get from taking Adderall is worse than the pain meds. I was asking my doctor about switching to provigil so I won’t have to put up with it since I also take pain meds & can’t give those up.
Most of those pharmacy techs make like $9 an hour. They’re just bitter. Don’t let them make you feel shame. At least you’re not self-medicating with alcohol or street drugs. That would be shameful.

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Re: Fpharmacist (# 79)

Good post, you summed up a bunch of stuff.. Thanks..

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Re: Optimistic (# 84)

Is the stigma really bad enough to give up Adderall for Provigil? That could be (is) a huge mistake, as 1) not too many Dr.s will prescribe ADD meds with Pain meds anymore, and 2) Provigil is not even close to Adderall. Granted everyone is different, but I made that choice a while back and it didn't work out too well. I didn't tolerate Provigil, and I could not get Adderall anymore. Maybe you have a great rapport with your doc so that he might give you a month to try Provigil and see how it works, with the option to get back on Adderall if it doesn't, which would be great, otherwise don't do it! Just my opinion, so take it with a grain of salt.

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Absolutely! I am unfixable, as a revision surgery or salvage surgery is too likely to leave me a quadraplegic! That has been what I was told after hardware failure left me in too much pain to carry on. Now 15 years later, I still have not had a doctor willing to do such a risky surgery on what is now my 60 plus year old body! BUT... It was OK to wean me down to nothing! Go figure; land of the free!

Now I followed what I was told until I couldn't! Now I really do hold my very life in my hands. When there is no one willing to help us we have to do the only thing that we have control over! I got this one!

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Re: TnJack175 (# 85)


Thank you. I try to bring something to our table that's A LITTLE MORE refined, yet at the same time trying to serve both sides (vegetarianistic and omnivorous).

The gossiping, derivative remarks, and straight-up ass-holistic nature of the medicine experts...well, they are just like us. We act like them and they act as we do. Hate begets hate.

We (CP CII prsecribees) have to adapt, and so too the pharmacy staff if we're ever going to come terms with personal respect. It's sad that America has some insanely biased medical professionals.

We also have patients who come in and fill legal Rx's for Roxicodone 30mg q4 hrs, a WEEK EARLY. Then proceed to make a big ass scene because their pharmacist refuses to fill it. Well, they can't.

Listen, I have a wonderful pharmacy, but I make DAMN SURE to respect them, thank them for being such an integral part of my medical team. I never fill early, I make sure I am nicely dressed and groomed when I have to visit them. I even give them (cause I can) a $50 gift Visa card inside my Xmas card every year. Addressed to them, personally thanking everyone by name in the card with the reminder that this money card is to please benefit their Christmas party in some way.

Do your own thing like this, but do whatever you can to be the VICTOR AND NOT THE VICTIM!

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This is way off topic, but I'm wondering where all the folks went that used to crowd these forums? They're like virtual ghost towns. I used to follow a few forums here and took a break for 8 or 9 months. I started browsing through this weekend and it's like people just vanished without any departure posts. Pretty strange. Well, hopefully there's still some good people on here. I can't imagine everyone getting cut off from their meds and not wanting to get on here anymore, but on the other hand I'm sure this "opiate crisis" has weeded out a lot of deadwood, yes?

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ADMIN,

Evidently there's a new delivery system for posting, but are there particular hours that the posts are monitored and then displayed? Is this a permanent protocol now? It's been several months since I've been on here so this is new to me. I'm still waiting to see a least 1 post from yesterday, and 2 today. We don't want to get confused with the U.S Mail do we?

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Re: Fpharmacist (# 88)

Interesting.. I do the same with my care team, but the gift card really goes above and beyond. I would think that you'll receive VIP treatment from them, lol! Like you said, we do what we gotta do...

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Re: focked (# 87)

I get that.. When there's nobody left to help us, we gotta help ourselves, AND others...

What we need that doesn't exist is a placement Service, and who better to do that except us.. Hmm, I'm planning stuff in my head and I do see an opportunity that would benefit all of us. Yep, All of us...

If you don't mind me asking, what's your home State?

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Re: Fpharmacist (# 88)

Let's all be the victor whaddayasay?? Won't cost you a dime!

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Re: Jack175 (# 90)

To answer your question, we haven't made changes to how posts are held for moderation / review and we do not single out individuals unless they are displaying abusive behavior. We generally review new messages within 1 business day - we try to do it sooner, but it depends on how many come through. What happens is that we need to cast a wide net in order to block spam, but unfortunately that also catches many legitimate messages each day. Hope this helps to clarify things! :)

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Re: Jack175 (# 89)

Following these Farms takes time and effort and when we are in so much pain, exertion exasperates our pain and we are for the most part out of time.

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Re: Fpharmacist (# 88)

When you cannot get an early refill to go to your father's funeral or your child's wedding we are in a f*****-up world! It was not nearly as f***** up now that you cannot get any medication unless you're very lucky or well you get it! I am ready to be out of my misery.

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Re: MedsChat Admin (# 94)

Yes it does, and thank you for taking the time to repond!

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Re: Jack175 (# 92)

PS... I dont know that I told you. I live in South Florida (Ft Lauderdale). Our normally sunny days have been replaced by clouds from the ongoing opioid epidemic! As a state with one of the highest senior population, we chronic pain patients are suffering gravely! When I was younger I thought it would be grand to live to be 100. At 61 and in pain I dont want to live another day! Here it is almost 1:30 am and I still have not gotten any sleep! I dont think I can hang on long enough to find the help which was stolen from me through no fault of my own.

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Re: focked (# 96)

Everything and anything you say to get an early refill will fall on deaf ears. Federal law or Pharmacy rules state how early you can get a refill. For most it is tow or three days. How is a Pharmacist or tech suppose to know the truth from a made up story just to get an early refill. This is the world we live in now.

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Re: focked (# 98)

Focked, there'a a med out there that will help you, I promise.. I was at my end of my rope until I found this. I'ts called Belbuca. You simply put in in your cheek and let it dissolve, and it helps to get you moving by alienating the pain for 12 hours. RX Only

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