Wow a post I agree with! Based in facts. I feel you I have been in intractable pain since 1997. I know the toll and what you speak of too well. Im sorry you do too i think i saw your pic yesterday someone calling you a liar. Pic said otherwise. I'm really sorry. One thing i learned people will not understand often even those you know. And at least for me over time, i learned i couldnt expect it of them. i just had to stop expecting it. Sad but true for me. Nobody wants to hear someone complain everyday and be helpless to help. These are just my observations yours maybe diff and more valid for you.
Look i rambled out my whole story dont feel obligated to read it. if you do great. I realized its been years since i told it. Can you tell me where you get the high rates of undiagnosed cancer? Not disputing i have no idea but would like to know more if you get a chance.
The opioid crisis is real but yes 100 manufactured. I agree. Not much at all to do with pain patients.
So not trying to change your treatment or use or mind. Were all diff in many ways. I dont know your story just that you have bad pain spinal it looked. Maybe my exp is helpful maybe not.
Before things got so tight i had an old skool doctor who believed that its unhealthy to be in agony and pain meds work. He treated pain with not excessive doses by any means but not small either. He upped dose till you had actual real no bs relief. I was on fairly large doses of just about everything at one time or another. Morphine to dilaudid to fentanyl patches from 1997 till now ended back to morphine long run. Too many procedures surgeries , experimental you name it to count. All huge letdowns. When things tightened i as most everyone suffered from this crack down on us. Life went upside down in a day. He retired and I was tossed from one shit doc or pain clinic to the next. I finally told the last one to fuck himself and walked out thinking i just made a huge fucking mistake. Back to a new primary care doc on a prayer she would treat my pain with a ten foot pole. Ended up a very caring woman doctor. By then off all meds I was unable to sit or lie down ever. I slept standing in this thing I devised. It was like i went back in time ten years. I was in tears trying to explain the years this went on. She couldnt put me on old doses just by new policy although she wished she could. I went on oxy 15mg 3x a day. Worked OK not great but considering what choice i had. My mom has the same thing. She never learned how to deal or cope despite many talks with her about it. Many warning signs and her stuborn to try anything new. It destoryed her mentally and physically She became a wreck going through the same hoops but she threw a fit got angry lost all meds and tried to take her life 1.5 years ago. 110 mgs zanax and lived. She failed but is more miserable now barley aware and near death. Sorry i ramble point is without too much personal tmi stuff my mom also suffered from some issues in her old age caused from the disease. I knew i would too. I made a decision to see how low of a dose I could bare and what happened. I got to 10mg 3 x a day and there i stay. Immed release not contin. Pain relief is not great at all but gives me a boost to get up and move.
I now function a bit better after time on the lower end, although i suffer more on and off. I cant live with what my mom is going through now. I cant and I wont so i choose to take less because of the confidition and risk with me. I got off the diazipams too. I have to say my focus then was how do I learn to cope. If you give yourself the time and room. You can reprogram your emotional responses etc. to the pain. Its the only way i know. It took time and work. I also tried for the probably 6th time a new anti depressant to help the pain. For once it actually helps a tad, enough to make it worth taking only took 10 years trial mostly error… Im not sure whats better but for me after all these years. Its less BS. Less risk It forces me to pay close attention to my mental well being too. IM not as frightened of my meds being taken. I would rather be back on the dose that worked most days but because all the nonsense i wouldnt be allowed back on 30 mg if i begged, her hands are tied. idk if this is helpful at all or applicable. I feel better! Been through … a lot the last month. But you know you. Dont give up no matter what those fucks do. But pick your battles take care of yourself. Mental health is key as it can drive your pain in either direction. At least for me. Thats my exp i hope yours is better. Docs are great if your dying of an infection. They truly suck for these types of issues.