Too many of us with fibromyalgia (FMS) and chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS or ME/CFS) have been denied pain killers, especially opiates, because doctors are afraid of creating addicts and possibly even facing criminal charges. So how do we make sure people with chronic pain get the relief they need while keep drugs out of the wrong hands?
A study of overdoses in West Virginia showed that far more accidental deaths were linked to prescription pain killers than to illegal street drugs. The two main ways addicts got ahold of drugs were by diversion (stealing/buying someone else's prescription) or doctor shopping.
A lot of us have to see several doctors in order to get a diagnosis - heck, even to get someone to listen! That makes us especially likely to be suspected of doctor shopping in order to get drugs.
In the West Virginia study, researchers recommended more caution for doctors prescribing addictive pain medications, including:
- Educating pain patients about the dangers of diverted drugs
- Being familiar with common methods of drug diversion and doctor shopping
- More oversight of and research into opiate pain killers
While we do need to take steps to keep druggies from getting pain meds, I have to worry about what kind of "oversight" we could face down the road. Some doctors already require things like contracts promising proper use and addiction education, and some doctors have scaled way back on how much Vicodin (hydrocodone) or Percacet (oxycodone) they'll prescribe. It's frightening to think how many of us could be "oversighted" right out of options for managing our pain.
Have you been a victim of doctors' growing reluctance to prescribe opiates? Are you opposed to things like contracts or drug tests for pain medication? Tell us about it, here or in About.com's Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome community forum (under Newsletter & Blog Topics).
Suggested Reading:
- Worried About Pain Killer Addiction? Why You Shouldn't Be!
- How Doctors Can Prescribe Narcotics Without Feeding Addiction
- Drugs for Fibromyalgia & Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Photo © Seth Joel/Getty Images
I can totally relate to this. I had a contract with a pain management doctor for one and half years. He prescribed Vicodin and he also gave me trigger point injections and nerve blocks. This is all for fibromyalgia. I developed severe headaches this past summer and he would not prescribe anything until I saw a neurologist. The neurologist could not see me for several months. I saw my PCP and she gave me samples of Treximet, Esgic that did not work. I called in and she prescribed to the pharmacy a narcotic. The pharmacy alerted the PCP and the pain management doctor. The PCP realized she had made an error but the pain management doctor refused after that to prescribe any Vicodin or any other narcotic along with a lecture on how irresponsible I am and should not take narcotics. I tried to go without but my work production fell tremendously (I work from home on the computer) for six weeks and am now in danger of losing my job. I am a single parent and this just flares the fibro more with all the stress. This is just my story.
The only thing I am taking for pain control is Ultram. The most I have ever taken in one day would be 4-5 tablets (it’s 50mg). I am in chronic pain, but it helps to dull it. When I had my last surgery, the sedation didn’t work well, nor did the pain meds. afterwords. I was in horrible pain; lay crying for over 7 hrs. They tried to say it was withdrawal from the Ultram, but I know it wasn’t. I do not abuse my medication in any form…in fact, I don’t even like taking it to begin with. I haven’t asked for anything stronger and would prob. not get it if I did. My only alternative would be to continue taking Lyrica or Neurontin, along with the Ultram. Both of these made it difficult to recall my own name, much less function daily. Contracts are like treating one as if they are in school, but does serve to ‘coa’ of the physicians prescribing pain medication.