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I just wanted to raise my hand to say, you're absolutely spot on about how pain meds are actually in and of themselves quite safe. This is not just my opinion but if you wish to do the research, one will find it is indeed true. Unfortunately this opioid crisis (It.takes great restrain to not go off on a full blown rant, but I digress...) has muddied the waters so much folks don't know what to think!
I read somewhere that "pain patients" do take their medication as instructed, the actual percentage of folks who do not being extremely low, somewhere in the neighborhood of 1-5%. However, such a patient does need to reconcile the fact that their body will in fact become "dependant" on these medications. In situations like this a pretty good example is that of a diabetic, who is clearly physically "dependant" on the drug "insulin". I do realize this a very simplistic comparison, but I would be surprised if many people were aware of this fact, true abuse is limited to a very low percentage.
I'll close by saying thank you for bringing this topic to the foreground. To all the fellow pain patients out there, I feel you and pray we all find the relief we need and deserve, emphasis on the later!!