Regarding the drug seeking behavior of pharmaceutical addicts, the principal is the same. They use the excuse to use pain pills for their headaches and back pains and justify using higher doses for pain. Some people do need it for pain however, and because there is no accurate way to measure for this, we must trust patients and give them the benefit of the doubt. We also need more public money for drug treatment instead of incarceration. It all comes down to having an addictive personality. Either you have one or you don't. Maybe they can develop from environmental factors and maybe you are born with it. I don't know. I definately have one.
This is a very good point. Decriminalization of drug offenses is something I've thought about many times. I lived in Kentucky for many years, which was formally a state producing hemp. The economy was very negatively effected in recent years, as much of the blue collar jobs in factories were no longer available. It was brought up in community discussions many times when I lived there how the state could use another cash crop.
While I understand and respect your statement regarding your own personality in regards to addictive personalities, the fact that you are able to recognize this behavior in yourself really says that you're self aware and proactive in your usage of pain control methods. Just logging into this website and exchanging stories and information with other patients really says that you are trying to engage in learning more to help yourself and help others. I can't say as much for the people I was discussing.
I think what made me judge people for their begging me for drugs, was the fact that I knew them, and I didn't view their behavior as being that of someone dealing with chronic pain, needing control from pain which was making their life miserable. I ended a friendship with someone; I've never felt like more of an asshole. The guy had an accident at work, and had been dealing with back pain. This lead him to being off work, for the grand scheme of suing his former employer for workers comp and a disability law suit. In the time that he spent being off work, most of his time was spent getting high, drinking with friends, or partying.
He had been seen by a family doctor a number of times, and hadn't had but 2 x rays in his year off work. He had declined having a MRI, and did not seek out any specialists to diagnose his pain. When he was complaining to me one day about his body pain, and how he had no idea what to do to even get treatment. I knew I was going to the university hospital for tests that afternoon so I made the effort to get a recommendation to which doctors would be best for treating his injury. I also researched that as it was a workman's comp case, he wouldn't even have to pay any copays to see the doctors or go to physical therapy in the clinic, that they took his insurance, and saw to it that I got the correct paperwork for him to provide his insurance company to have faxed to get a pre-authorization. I even made the appointment for him.
I had mentioned that indoor swimming in the heated pool or yoga might be good for him, but his reaction was "Um, that's just stupid."
Because of his lifestyle - barely sleeping, only eating fast food, drinking beer all night in addition to taking his pain killers (oxycodone which was prescribed to him, or hydrocodone which he was buying on the street), his health was quickly going downhill fast. He could barely eat because of how wrecked his stomach was. I offered him what was left of my carafate when I was moved over to Remicade and no longer was taking it. He was then able to eat a little more. I gave him my typical "you aren't going to feel better unless you start to take care of yourself" talk. It really was hard to watch anyone doing this to themselves. I really wish he had just smoked pot.
After his initial doctor's appointment, things were looking very good. The clinic I was able to locate for him was a world class spine surgery center. They were looking into finding a surgical fix for his injury. He went to physical therapy a few times and even commented it was working, he just had to remember to follow through with doing his exercises.
I got a strange call at an off time one day, where he called me begging me for whatever painkillers I might have. I had ultracet which was no interest to him. He was disappointed when he got a spinal block for his pain, as it wasn't anything he could sell or snort. He also offered to trade me for a box of Flector Patches, as they had worked for him but same deal - not very fun. During this time, it turns out, he had decided that continuing the PT and going to see the spine surgeon might have a reversal effect on his bodily pain, and he really was set on getting a settlement someday for his work related injury. This was just crazy to me. If someone offered me a solution which could potentially fix my crohn's disease, but I was going to have to work hard and probably be broke my whole life, I'd take it.
The last time we saw each other was at a birthday party for a 4 year old. I always found it strange that whenever he was in good spirits and not sitting around pondering his pain, IT DIDN'T HURT! This same guy who begged everyone he knew for pills which he was snorting at bars while drinking was jumping on a trampoline, and riding a motorcycle around town. He joked that no one better tag a photo of him on Facebook, because he didn't want that coming up in court that he was up and about.
While I don't know if this person truly was addicted to their pain medication, I think what upset me the most was how I felt they really weren't interested in getting well. It ruined our friendship because when I needed a supportive friend in my life, I found I was only someone who would listen when no one else would, and help to find a solution. Ultimately, when the illustrious law suit for worker's comp was settled, my former friend ended up with a check for $5200. This was all he got after getting 75% of his pay rate, with his lawyer's fees subtracted. It took him 2 years to get that check.
