Re: addiction/withdrawal from prescribed meds

[Guest guest]

Marsha,

Perhaps talking about quality of life, such as one worth living, would make

the doctor take notice. I have been lucky to have doctors that will

prescribe narcotics which I have been taking for years to help with my pain.

Hugs, Michele - Nana & DayCare provider to

Twins is and , 2 1/2 yrs., Zachary, 5 yrs.,

Ethan, 9 yrs., and Tony, ~13 yrs. (uhoh, a teenager?)

> -----Original Message-----

> From: Marsha Zwicker

> If staying on narcotics provides a small amount of pain

> relief for FM patients (even if its more the numbing type of

> pain relief than actual improvement in physcial condition),

> why are doctors so reluctant to continue prescribing it?

> They know it's a physical dependence - not a drug addiction -

> in FM patients. What argument can I give my doctor to

> coninue, and even increase the dosage, if the narcotics give

> me a little relief - when nothing else the doctor's tried has worked.

>

[Guest guest]

I'm not arguing. I'm doing my best to help people who use narcotics as they are

supposed to--for pain--not to feel guilty because they think they are addicts.

You certainly can hold any opinion you wish, but if you read up on the subject

or talk to professionals, you might be able to help yourself and others.

I will not discuss this further, however, since you seem to have closed your

mind to facts.

Barbara

>

> can we just agree to disagree ~ this argument is getting a bit monotonous.

> Thanks

>

> ----- Original Message -----

>

> > I'll say it once again: physical dependence and even problems in tapering

> > off a medication taken as prescribed do not constitute addiction. Of

> > course, you are free to hold any uninformed opinion you wish, rather than

> > listen to professionals.

>

[Guest guest]

You are probably right about the doctors. I think one of the saddest things is

that when people take medication they need and think they are addicted, they

feel guilty, depressed, embarrassed, etc.

That's why I've fought so hard here to explain the differences. Oh, well, all I

can do is try.

Barbara

>

> One of the big reasons is that once they start prescribing narcotics, that

government starts looking at them much, much more closely. I don't understand

why the gov't doesn't care about pain management, or what the lack of it will do

to people -- I am glad Gregoire is being sued for her hateful,

ignorant, unfeeling positions on helping people with chronic pain -- but it's

for that reason that doctors are reluctant (1) to begin prescribing and (2) to

increase dosage once the baseline rises.