I started at 20mg a day, then went up to 25 a few years later. Mostly what makes me want to quit is the difficulty in getting it now. I used to get it from my doctor, but after the bad press of overdose deaths in the last year, he decided everyone that needs pain medicine should go to pain treatment places. Those places are pretty miserable. The doctors quit frequently - and while one gives me the medicine, another will tell me I have to cut back -and immediately cuts me back. Add to that the pharmacy issue: I used to get this with no issues, but again - in the last six months, I get told it's out of stock every time and it takes a week to get it. I tried two other pharmacies and they said they can't take new opiate patients. One said they got in trouble for filling too many opiate prescriptions because they took the patients from other places that were turning people away. Last time I went to that pain treatment center, they had cancelled my appt because my doctor quit - they said they called me and left a message, but no one called. Then I got another appointment a week later and when I got there, they said we can't take your insurance anymore because the contract expired, but I could be seen for $150.00. I paid it and waited. After two hours waiting, they called me up and said "we need a drug screen before you see the doctor." and without insurance, that alone costs $500.00. I got so frustrated that I just walked out. I don't have $500.00 to pay them. Amazing I have good insurance but things like this still happen. So, out of sheer frustration, I decided to stop it and see if I could manage without it. I am beginning to feel like the medical world just sees people like me as euphoria seeking junkies instead of people that are very sick. Maybe I can manage without it - I won't know if I don't try.
