Pain Patient Does Not Equal Drug Addict
Greetings everyone! I hope everyone is doing well. I have been experiencing up’s and downs. I am almost over this cold so awesome! My “special” immune system has found it’s “baseball” and apparently it has found the joints in my hands, elbows, and shoulders as well. This is typical of lupus flares for me and unless I cannot use my hands, prednisone can suck it. I probably caught this cold because I was on prednisone just like I got that tooth infection that resulted in another tooth extraction in late July.
Now, don’t get me wrong, prednisone is not Satan. I know his mistress. She works as a receptionist in my youngest son’s school district. Ironically her husband is a pastor. (No really, she’s pure evil hiding behind a pastor. It’s like hiding drugs in coffee grinds trying to prevent anyone from sniffing it out).
Prednisone normalized my heart rate when I was nearly passing out and hallucinating in the grocery store…with my kids….trying to drive because I didn’t know what was going on…. With my husband in another state… September sucked guys. But, prednisone is not without its super sucky, butt widening side effects.
Ok, well, I met with my primary care doctor to give her the new prescription from my Rheumy and she looked at me totally puzzled.
“Umm, you know this is blocks opiates right?”
“Yes.” In my mind, “Um, can I get a No Shit for $400 please?”
"Well, weren’t you Dr. L’s patient before?”
“Yes.” In my mind, “Fack! I got the Mr. Hyde side of Dr. O today.”
“Well, aren’t you on narcotics?”
“No.” In my head. “The med list is right there and you’ve been my doctor for a few months now! Take your hormones for God's sake, stop forgetting to take your hormones.”
“Oh. Ok. He was just heavy handed with the narcotics and I haven’t heard of people using Low Dose Naltrexone for autoimmune, neurological issues. I hope it helps.”
“Thanks” In my head. I think…
I’m a pain patient. I have a chronic disease that will contribute to my demise in one way or another, hopefully in an interesting way whatever that may be, and I will require pain meds. I am not ashamed of that and no one can make me feel bad about that. Being a pain patient does not make me a drug addict. Though, I’ve had people I loved call me one. No ladies and gentleman, not to my face. That would mean they cared enough about me to be concerned. They talked about it behind my back though.
I have been called a drug addict, attention seeker, hypochondriac, drama queen. See, that’s how people validate not helping or being there or otherwise treating you like garbage. I know they call us pain patients these things. If it’s not real, we’re taking advantage in some way, or we’re addicted, there’s no reason to help us. We’re crazy pieces of crap right? Nope. They are. They are using these ridiculous accusations and the opiate stigma to make excuses for themselves. It is not right. You do not deserve that. I did not deserve that but there is nothing we can do but let them go and focus on ourselves and those who are there because even if it’s just you, you are enough. In the end, their problem with not wanting to help you is their problem because if they don't want to help that bad to where they're stooping that low, you don't want them trying to help anyway.
I took myself off of narcotics when I didn’t need it. My old doctor knew I stayed away from them if I could. They are not without their own side effects. Honestly, I don’t understand heroin addicts. They choose this shit. You can’t shit. There is no bowel movement with narcotics without a lot of help. Oh, you know why? That's right, they don’t eat so they don’t know about it. I eat my friends. When you have nerve issues causing your digestive system to stop, the last thing you want is something else that’s gonna make it go slower. This is, unless you can’t walk because of crippling pain but you have two kids to home school, one who is autistic and prone to violent meltdowns, and one toddler. That was my life. No one was gonna make me feel bad about doing what I had to do to be a mom.
I actually wrote an article on the subject. I’ll post the URL for it. FYI, there was some unrest amongst the "powers that were" in the website I wrote for so the Editor did an oops on my title. Total accident but that's why it's a little odd.
https://www.eatprayvote.org/2017/09/24/helpful-take-opiates-pain-patients/
Now that I’m getting over my cold, I did an hour of club Michelle Zumba yesterday and I worked MAJOR arms and core today in my cardio class. It was awesome though. Then, my youngest and I ran to the JROTC obstacle course and it was a BLAST! My kiddo in JROTC rocked it and I’m so proud of him. My youngest son and I got to participate on a couple obstacles too. Give me an opportunity to be a big kid and play on a super fun grown up playground and I’m there!
Sorry, I meant to get this post out last night but I had an article I needed to finish on the NCAA Basketball issue and I was late. Guess what though!?! We got the rope bridge up in our front yard and I’m totally ready to teach kids tomorrow. I am so excited!!! YAY!!!
Now, don’t get me wrong, prednisone is not Satan. I know his mistress. She works as a receptionist in my youngest son’s school district. Ironically her husband is a pastor. (No really, she’s pure evil hiding behind a pastor. It’s like hiding drugs in coffee grinds trying to prevent anyone from sniffing it out).
Prednisone normalized my heart rate when I was nearly passing out and hallucinating in the grocery store…with my kids….trying to drive because I didn’t know what was going on…. With my husband in another state… September sucked guys. But, prednisone is not without its super sucky, butt widening side effects.
Ok, well, I met with my primary care doctor to give her the new prescription from my Rheumy and she looked at me totally puzzled.
“Umm, you know this is blocks opiates right?”
“Yes.” In my mind, “Um, can I get a No Shit for $400 please?”
"Well, weren’t you Dr. L’s patient before?”
“Yes.” In my mind, “Fack! I got the Mr. Hyde side of Dr. O today.”
“Well, aren’t you on narcotics?”
“No.” In my head. “The med list is right there and you’ve been my doctor for a few months now! Take your hormones for God's sake, stop forgetting to take your hormones.”
“Oh. Ok. He was just heavy handed with the narcotics and I haven’t heard of people using Low Dose Naltrexone for autoimmune, neurological issues. I hope it helps.”
“Thanks” In my head. I think…
I’m a pain patient. I have a chronic disease that will contribute to my demise in one way or another, hopefully in an interesting way whatever that may be, and I will require pain meds. I am not ashamed of that and no one can make me feel bad about that. Being a pain patient does not make me a drug addict. Though, I’ve had people I loved call me one. No ladies and gentleman, not to my face. That would mean they cared enough about me to be concerned. They talked about it behind my back though.
I have been called a drug addict, attention seeker, hypochondriac, drama queen. See, that’s how people validate not helping or being there or otherwise treating you like garbage. I know they call us pain patients these things. If it’s not real, we’re taking advantage in some way, or we’re addicted, there’s no reason to help us. We’re crazy pieces of crap right? Nope. They are. They are using these ridiculous accusations and the opiate stigma to make excuses for themselves. It is not right. You do not deserve that. I did not deserve that but there is nothing we can do but let them go and focus on ourselves and those who are there because even if it’s just you, you are enough. In the end, their problem with not wanting to help you is their problem because if they don't want to help that bad to where they're stooping that low, you don't want them trying to help anyway.
I took myself off of narcotics when I didn’t need it. My old doctor knew I stayed away from them if I could. They are not without their own side effects. Honestly, I don’t understand heroin addicts. They choose this shit. You can’t shit. There is no bowel movement with narcotics without a lot of help. Oh, you know why? That's right, they don’t eat so they don’t know about it. I eat my friends. When you have nerve issues causing your digestive system to stop, the last thing you want is something else that’s gonna make it go slower. This is, unless you can’t walk because of crippling pain but you have two kids to home school, one who is autistic and prone to violent meltdowns, and one toddler. That was my life. No one was gonna make me feel bad about doing what I had to do to be a mom.
I actually wrote an article on the subject. I’ll post the URL for it. FYI, there was some unrest amongst the "powers that were" in the website I wrote for so the Editor did an oops on my title. Total accident but that's why it's a little odd.
https://www.eatprayvote.org/2017/09/24/helpful-take-opiates-pain-patients/
Now that I’m getting over my cold, I did an hour of club Michelle Zumba yesterday and I worked MAJOR arms and core today in my cardio class. It was awesome though. Then, my youngest and I ran to the JROTC obstacle course and it was a BLAST! My kiddo in JROTC rocked it and I’m so proud of him. My youngest son and I got to participate on a couple obstacles too. Give me an opportunity to be a big kid and play on a super fun grown up playground and I’m there!
Sorry, I meant to get this post out last night but I had an article I needed to finish on the NCAA Basketball issue and I was late. Guess what though!?! We got the rope bridge up in our front yard and I’m totally ready to teach kids tomorrow. I am so excited!!! YAY!!!
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