Support Don't Punish

Bluelight.org joins with many organisations around the world on June 26 for Support Don't Punish day.

SDP is a global advocacy campaign calling for drug policies based on health and human rights. It is time to leave behind harmful politics, ideology and prejudice. It is time to prioritise the health and welfare of people who use drugs, and their families and communities. Please visit www.supportdontpunish.org to show your support.

 

That is one of my biggest issues with this opioid hysteria. We are treated as criminals simply for receiving treatment for medical condition. We are subjected to random urine drug screens often at our own cost, random pill counts and talk about the stink eye from everybody from pharmacists the the technicians who assist them and the checkout girl. Now, pharmacists have thrown their hat in the ring and they are deciding if your physician has been writing too many hope you had Scripts or they don't feel like you have a condition that warrants pain medication, Are frequently refusing to fill the prescription and sometimes even refuse to give it back to the customer. Which that is illegal by the way they cannot keep the script. I'm trying to remain calm today but boy this is a hot button topic for me. Serenity now!!

One of the hardest things for me to see (amongst many) is this one place years ago they were having these 80-90 year old woman who obviously had a hard time getting around physically…. making them come in every month to give them drug tests & count their pills. I mean they were trying to get them to do urine tests by trying to have them balance on these things that were obviously so uncomfortable & unsteady just to try to get them to get a little urine out & half of them just couldn’t do it (they were obviously extremely uncomfortable & not abusing their meds) then having them remember to bring in their pills to be counted… all while it was hard enough for them to even travel there & get around on their canes. I mean my goodness, I truly believe that they should be sent like a fair amount of pain meds from like e-scripts in the mail with refills when they need & have them come in maybe a couple times a year (or as needed by them) to just to check on their well being & care not all that other crazy stuff that’s just distracting & taking time away from being able to give them the care & respect they deserve. Sorry I hope that made any sense I’m sure there were some run on sentences there, I’m having a high pain day so my pain signals going back & forth to my brain gets me a little foggy sometimes. I just wish there was a lot more care & empathy for everyone, it just really all does not make much sense to me.

 

One of the hardest things for me to see (amongst many) is this one place years ago they were having these 80-90 year old woman who obviously had a hard time getting around physically…. making them come in every month to give them drug tests & count their pills. I mean they were trying to get them to do urine tests by trying to have them balance on these things that were obviously so uncomfortable & unsteady just to try to get them to get a little urine out & half of them just couldn’t do it (they were obviously extremely uncomfortable & not abusing their meds) then having them remember to bring in their pills to be counted… all while it was hard enough for them to even travel there & get around on their canes. I mean my goodness, I truly believe that they should be sent like a fair amount of pain meds from like e-scripts in the mail with refills when they need & have them come in maybe a couple times a year (or as needed by them) to just to check on their well being & care not all that other crazy stuff that’s just distracting & taking time away from being able to give them the care & respect they deserve. Sorry I hope that made any sense I’m sure there were some run on sentences there, I’m having a high pain day so my pain signals going back & forth to my brain gets me a little foggy sometimes. I just wish there was a lot more care & empathy for everyone, it just really all does not make much sense to me.

You make perfect sense and I totally understand your sentiment. The Physicians and pharmacists who care, have empathy for, and refuse to have a patient endure unnecessary suffering are the ones who are being jailed and sometimes sent to prison only for chewing something that their medical license allows and the FDA has deemed appropriate treatment. It is totally mind boggling to me. I do hope you're feeling better now.

 

Good points. I think there's many discrepancies when it comes to how opioids are given out to people.

I know a few people who deal with chronic pain & doctors will give them nothing but antidepressants & antipsychotics. It ticks me off & I feel terrible for them.

I would be one of those people. Amitriptaline, nortriptyline had a violent reaction to the buprenorphrine patch 5mcg this "pain specialist":gave me. This nation should work in a morgue where he can't hurt anyone. (No greeting, exam,what's been going on) says this is all I have and walks out. Constantly dismissed from these conning pain clinics. Total BS.I was polite no attitude. Anyway doctor #11 is being forced to give me Xtampza 13mg for severe pain (#15 on scale) they are scared to death about losing their license. I have been in tears waiting for this crap to arrive for p/u. Ate hot cheesy quesadilla and hot coffee with lots half and half. Seems to help this crap get going. Ideas are fabulous. Keep them coming. Yes, we are the victims of the criminal doctors in Florida that started the Oxy scare. NOT MY FAULT. But chronic pain patients suffer something terrible. This is the first pain med of any kindvsince 2019 for me. I've got incurable nerve disease CRPS. No one's heard of it let alone knows how to treat it. Usedvto be called RSD. Thank you everyone for your help and ideas. My fear level has dropped alot in last 20 minutes. If you're on Medicare kiss your ass goodbye. The DEA & GOV know what's best for you. Not your highly trained doctor. I'm so grateful for the crappy Xtampza I want to buy my doctor a new car if I could. Told her that too. Looks as if she's willing to treat me without going to the ridiculous pain clinic that refuses to help me. Anyway I came back in tears, drank hot coffee with half n half then ate hot cheesy quesadilla and got some relief in 20 minutes. Quick n easy. Godspeed.

 

Well the good news is they can just become heroin addicts then doctors will give them mountains of opioids.

Really fair system.

I'm already trying to think of what probably south American country I can escape to after my doctor dies so that I can still have opioids for pain without being classed as an addict (even though i am one also...but that shouldn't matter and it's my business not theirs).

Sad that I might have to leave my own country, career, and family to maintain a quality of life with freedom.

The Netherlands is the only country who has everything under the sun for sale. They trust their citizens to act like adults. I think they have the lowest rate of addiction in the world. If you get in trouble, your doctor treats you like a human being and cares for you.

 

I’ve been in that kind of pain before. I’m 50 and I’ve been dealing with lower back problems since 97-98. I’ve had two surgeries. I know exactly what you are talking about. I hate what has become of the way pain gets treated in this country. I’ve suggested to a state representative that they create a certified pain sufferer program that will let these doctors know that a person has a certified problem. Just an idea I had one day while contemplating the aforementioned pain predicament. I’ve heard that folks can legally buy real poppy seeds in this country as a food item. I don’t know it for sure but perhaps you could look into that. I think the website is called houseofnod . com. There’s also a daily trip to the ER that’s an option. Whatever you do, I hope you stay clear away from the unregulated street stuff. Peace…

There is no help on the Northern Hemisphere for pain care. If you find someone who will help you it's one in a thousand. Doctors are putting their medical license preservation before their patients. My friend in Houston had a triple by-pass and they sent him home with Tylenol. He was going to kill himself and he was a roughneck in the oilfields. He's been drinking vodka again which caused his heart problems originally. It's pitiful.

 

There is no help on the Northern Hemisphere for pain care. If you find someone who will help you it's one in a thousand. Doctors are putting their medical license preservation before their patients. My friend in Houston had a triple by-pass and they sent him home with Tylenol. He was going to kill himself and he was a roughneck in the oilfields. He's been drinking vodka again which caused his heart problems originally. It's pitiful.

This is truly insane & one of the most ironic & ridiculous aspects of this whole "war" against opioids...
You can drink yourself into a coma legally if you want & for pretty cheap. But god forbid you take an opiate/opioid which helps you feel better & is less toxic on the body than alcohol even. Even after a major surgery!!! What a way to say "fuck you" to the patient.

The ignorance in society is astounding too. Makes me very sad.

Glad you were finally able to get an opioid though!
I wake up every day & my very first immediate thought is always "how the fuck am I gonna get through this day again with just crappy buprenorphine".
I suppose bupe is better than nothing really but I crave that "get up & go" factor from an opioid, which I don't get a whole lot of from buprenorphine.

When I'm in that mood on a good opioid, I'm able to exercise/work out, go for long walks, have more confidence, much more positive thoughts & emotions, work longer, clean like crazy & even just sit around & listen to my favorite tunes & enjoy every minute of all of those things. To think I'm not allowed to be that person without it being a "crime" is pure insanity. But it's totally okay for me to be a raging violent alcoholic if I want. I can't believe people willingly gave up their autonomy to "protect" society from the big bad "drugs", while participating in active hypocrisy at the same time every day ( by having alcohol legal ). lol And for many many decades now. And we've just barely gotten past cannabis stigma, but it's still technically "illegal" nationwide. Ridiculous doesn't even begin to describe it.

 

The Netherlands is the only country who has everything under the sun for sale. They trust their citizens to act like adults. I think they have the lowest rate of addiction in the world. If you get in trouble, your doctor treats you like a human being and cares for you.

Do they have private health insurance also or only the public system?

Are the American horror stories they like to tell us here about waiting 5 months to see a doctor in "communist" countries true to make us feel better about $20,000 hospital bills even with our for profit insurance?

 

Private as well as public, but (from the Dutch healthcare website):

“It should be noted that virtually all health insurance companies in the Netherlands are not-for-profit cooperatives that allocate any profits they make to the reserves they are required to maintain or return them in the form of lower premiums.”

For elective procedures there can be a wait but a system more like the Netherlands would be better for 99%+ of the American population, propaganda and misdirection to the contrary notwithstanding

 

This is truly insane & one of the most ironic & ridiculous aspects of this whole "war" against opioids...
You can drink yourself into a coma legally if you want & for pretty cheap. But god forbid you take an opiate/opioid which helps you feel better & is less toxic on the body than alcohol even. Even after a major surgery!!! What a way to say "fuck you" to the patient.

The ignorance in society is astounding too. Makes me very sad.

Glad you were finally able to get an opioid though!
I wake up every day & my very first immediate thought is always "how the fuck am I gonna get through this day again with just crappy buprenorphine".
I suppose bupe is better than nothing really but I crave that "get up & go" factor from an opioid, which I don't get a whole lot of from buprenorphine.

When I'm in that mood on a good opioid, I'm able to exercise/work out, go for long walks, have more confidence, much more positive thoughts & emotions, work longer, clean like crazy & even just sit around & listen to my favorite tunes & enjoy every minute of all of those things. To think I'm not allowed to be that person without it being a "crime" is pure insanity. But it's totally okay for me to be a raging violent alcoholic if I want. I can't believe people willingly gave up their autonomy to "protect" society from the big bad "drugs", while participating in active hypocrisy at the same time every day ( by having alcohol legal ). lol And for many many decades now. And we've just barely gotten past cannabis stigma, but it's still technically "illegal" nationwide. Ridiculous doesn't even begin to describe it.

To make this story in even a bigger disaster, the doctor wouldn't listen to me. Prescribed Oxycontin 10mg ER (extended release) brand name. Well it's been reformulated. It doesn't work at all. Directions say 1 pill every 12 hours. OMG The first couple of days I was able to stop crying but could barely feel any change in pain. Good thing appetite and memory returning. Longest I could get it to go was 8 hours. I've still been in terrible pain and my insane medicare supplemental insurance doesn't cover it. Told Dr through "MyChart" what was happening. Asked for GENERIC no ER and specifically asked for oxycodone 10mg. First oxyCon $377. I had to have it and was elated. Second RX Oxycontin AGAIN 15mg ER. No difference except cost was $408. Pharmacy said partial authorization. Still doesn't work and is making me sick if I don't take it. Runny nose, stomach ache, headache. I want to control what I'm taking. Told Dr of nightmare waiting 4 hours watching the clock for next pill. This was in the beginning. So now what I was hoping for is exactly what you described. A relatively normal existence. No. Still trapped in bed and suffering. I'm not taking this sh*t to make things worse. Found some Chinese herbs I bought 3 years ago to help with withdrawal. My primary gets back from medical leave in 10 days. Have video appt. Also have video with this fool and have to think about how and what I say to him. He hasn't been "listening" to written messages. The head nurse is supposed to be helping me with insurance issue because they forced me to take xtampza ($47 w/ins) just to say that crap doesn't work and it's especially reformulated for anti abuse. Give me a large break. So Dr has to provide proof I went through experiment to be considered for coverage. Unfreaking believable. So one huge problem creates another. I have to wait to contact them or they'll think I'm crazy and a drug seeking addict. Which now I guess I am. I'm going crazy and ending the misery is such a simple solution. I've called suicide hotline twice before this ridiculous and horrible RX experience. What are we supposed to do? Oh! I had to get appt for 3rd pain clinic. Receptionist says we don't dispense long term RX and no opioids. I said "aren't you a pain clinic?" No answer except "do you still want the appointment?" They have us poor bastards running around in circles. This pain mngmt is a freaking racket. It's criminal. Almost $800 wasted. DON'T BE FOOLED by new brand name oxyCon, xtampza, or buprenorphine. It's all crap and doesn't work. We're talking about severe pain here. We deserve the freaking care we're paying for. I just can't believe we live in America. So more suffering and trying to get my money back or part of it and dealing with bullsh*t care and I'm being generous with this description. Outrageous.

 

This is truly insane & one of the most ironic & ridiculous aspects of this whole "war" against opioids...
You can drink yourself into a coma legally if you want & for pretty cheap. But god forbid you take an opiate/opioid which helps you feel better & is less toxic on the body than alcohol even. Even after a major surgery!!! What a way to say "fuck you" to the patient.

The ignorance in society is astounding too. Makes me very sad.

Glad you were finally able to get an opioid though!
I wake up every day & my very first immediate thought is always "how the fuck am I gonna get through this day again with just crappy buprenorphine".
I suppose bupe is better than nothing really but I crave that "get up & go" factor from an opioid, which I don't get a whole lot of from buprenorphine.

When I'm in that mood on a good opioid, I'm able to exercise/work out, go for long walks, have more confidence, much more positive thoughts & emotions, work longer, clean like crazy & even just sit around & listen to my favorite tunes & enjoy every minute of all of those things. To think I'm not allowed to be that person without it being a "crime" is pure insanity. But it's totally okay for me to be a raging violent alcoholic if I want. I can't believe people willingly gave up their autonomy to "protect" society from the big bad "drugs", while participating in active hypocrisy at the same time every day ( by having alcohol legal ). lol And for many many decades now. And we've just barely gotten past cannabis stigma, but it's still technically "illegal" nationwide. Ridiculous doesn't even begin to describe it.

I like the way you think and totally agree. I've sent emails to my congressman and told him. It's the DEA. I told him I don't have 5-10 years to wait for change. I hope you have a better day. I completely understand and I feel for you too. Such is America. Freaking ridiculous. Godspeed.

 

You make perfect sense and I totally understand your sentiment. The Physicians and pharmacists who care, have empathy for, and refuse to have a patient endure unnecessary suffering are the ones who are being jailed and sometimes sent to prison only for chewing something that their medical license allows and the FDA has deemed appropriate treatment. It is totally mind boggling to me. I do hope you're feeling better now.

Thanks, you are most kind. Bless you.

 

To make this story in even a bigger disaster, the doctor wouldn't listen to me. Prescribed Oxycontin 10mg ER (extended release) brand name. Well it's been reformulated. It doesn't work at all. Directions say 1 pill every 12 hours. OMG The first couple of days I was able to stop crying but could barely feel any change in pain. Good thing appetite and memory returning. Longest I could get it to go was 8 hours. I've still been in terrible pain and my insane medicare supplemental insurance doesn't cover it. Told Dr through "MyChart" what was happening. Asked for GENERIC no ER and specifically asked for oxycodone 10mg. First oxyCon $377. I had to have it and was elated. Second RX Oxycontin AGAIN 15mg ER. No difference except cost was $408. Pharmacy said partial authorization. Still doesn't work and is making me sick if I don't take it. Runny nose, stomach ache, headache. I want to control what I'm taking. Told Dr of nightmare waiting 4 hours watching the clock for next pill. This was in the beginning. So now what I was hoping for is exactly what you described. A relatively normal existence. No. Still trapped in bed and suffering. I'm not taking this sh*t to make things worse. Found some Chinese herbs I bought 3 years ago to help with withdrawal. My primary gets back from medical leave in 10 days. Have video appt. Also have video with this fool and have to think about how and what I say to him. He hasn't been "listening" to written messages. The head nurse is supposed to be helping me with insurance issue because they forced me to take xtampza ($47 w/ins) just to say that crap doesn't work and it's especially reformulated for anti abuse. Give me a large break. So Dr has to provide proof I went through experiment to be considered for coverage. Unfreaking believable. So one huge problem creates another. I have to wait to contact them or they'll think I'm crazy and a drug seeking addict. Which now I guess I am. I'm going crazy and ending the misery is such a simple solution. I've called suicide hotline twice before this ridiculous and horrible RX experience. What are we supposed to do? Oh! I had to get appt for 3rd pain clinic. Receptionist says we don't dispense long term RX and no opioids. I said "aren't you a pain clinic?" No answer except "do you still want the appointment?" They have us poor bastards running around in circles. This pain mngmt is a freaking racket. It's criminal. Almost $800 wasted. DON'T BE FOOLED by new brand name oxyCon, xtampza, or buprenorphine. It's all crap and doesn't work. We're talking about severe pain here. We deserve the freaking care we're paying for. I just can't believe we live in America. So more suffering and trying to get my money back or part of it and dealing with bullsh*t care and I'm being generous with this description. Outrageous.

Wow. This breaks my heart honestly.
Buprenorphine is complete garbage when it comes to real pain.
Can't speak for extended release oxycodone but my only experience with Oxies was back when I had a big tolerance to tramadol. And they didn't do anything honestly. So I'd imagine the extended release is even shittier.
I'm so sorry you've been through that. My mind is just blown at how ridiculous it is.

 

There is no help on the Northern Hemisphere for pain care. If you find someone who will help you it's one in a thousand. Doctors are putting their medical license preservation before their patients. My friend in Houston had a triple by-pass and they sent him home with Tylenol. He was going to kill himself and he was a roughneck in the oilfields. He's been drinking vodka again which caused his heart problems originally. It's pitiful.

Yea, that sucks. I couldn’t get addicted from the amount I get from time to time. They fixed that possibility when they created the PMP system. What I find astounding is the willingness of a lot of folks that just decide to go to street drugs. I’m sure the rate is low but some folks will, indeed, do just that. People need to refrain from doing that because as long as stories of “I was cut off from my doctor so I moved to street drugs” keep appearing, they will continue to enjoin the two.

 

I would be one of those people. Amitriptaline, nortriptyline had a violent reaction to the buprenorphrine patch 5mcg this "pain specialist":gave me. This nation should work in a morgue where he can't hurt anyone. (No greeting, exam,what's been going on) says this is all I have and walks out. Constantly dismissed from these conning pain clinics. Total BS.I was polite no attitude. Anyway doctor #11 is being forced to give me Xtampza 13mg for severe pain (#15 on scale) they are scared to death about losing their license. I have been in tears waiting for this crap to arrive for p/u. Ate hot cheesy quesadilla and hot coffee with lots half and half. Seems to help this crap get going. Ideas are fabulous. Keep them coming. Yes, we are the victims of the criminal doctors in Florida that started the Oxy scare. NOT MY FAULT. But chronic pain patients suffer something terrible. This is the first pain med of any kindvsince 2019 for me. I've got incurable nerve disease CRPS. No one's heard of it let alone knows how to treat it. Usedvto be called RSD. Thank you everyone for your help and ideas. My fear level has dropped alot in last 20 minutes. If you're on Medicare kiss your ass goodbye. The DEA & GOV know what's best for you. Not your highly trained doctor. I'm so grateful for the crappy Xtampza I want to buy my doctor a new car if I could. Told her that too. Looks as if she's willing to treat me without going to the ridiculous pain clinic that refuses to help me. Anyway I came back in tears, drank hot coffee with half n half then ate hot cheesy quesadilla and got some relief in 20 minutes. Quick n easy. Godspeed.

Why do I keep hearing about Medicare? Why do I see a lot of places with signs that say “we don’t take Medicare/Medicaid”? Why don’t doctors want to attend to patients that have that type of coverage?

 

Don't punish pain is also a great cause. Fighting for innocent crippled victims of this savage drug war.

What I fail to see is collaboration between the chronic pain community and the rest of the drug using community victimized by our laws. Many chronic pain patients are uninformed amd have this blame towards drug addicts as the reason they no longer have medical treatment....but a very large segment of pain patiemts are starting to realize that the enemy is the DEA and policy..not recreational drug addicts. I fail to seek collaboration between these two victimized groups.

And it's at pain patients expense because they are a much smaller subset of the victims vs the general addict population. I would love to see some collaboration on this fight. The end goal is the same of both groups - to end this society destroying drug war

Don't Punish Pain Rally – Official Site

dontpunishpainrally.com

Educate and Regulate
NOT
incarcerate and Eliminate

 

Why do I keep hearing about Medicare? Why do I see a lot of places with signs that say “we don’t take Medicare/Medicaid”? Why don’t doctors want to attend to patients that have that type of coverage?

$100 says there's not enough money in it. Remember my friend, it's all about the money.

 

Yea, that sucks. I couldn’t get addicted from the amount I get from time to time. They fixed that possibility when they created the PMP system. What I find astounding is the willingness of a lot of folks that just decide to go to street drugs. I’m sure the rate is low but some folks will, indeed, do just that. People need to refrain from doing that because as long as stories of “I was cut off from my doctor so I moved to street drugs” keep appearing, they will continue to enjoin the two.

That thought nags me all the time, every day. My "doctor" returned from medical leave. Dr who filled in was brave and gave me 60 Oxycontin BRAND name with no insurance auth. HAD to have them for $440!!! They have been reformulated and barely work (15mg) so don't get fooled. In real life I would return them as "not as advertised" and demand my money back. It's like buying a high dollar auto tire that has no visible damage but won't hold air. It's another big expense con. I want to move to the Netherlands. Everything is legal. Lowest addition "problem" in world because adults can manage their own care. USA totally sucks. If it weren't so beautiful here I'd have already been gone. I'm in CA so I'd probably freeze there but it would absolutely be worth it. I'd actually have a life. Oh, my primary returned. Refusing to refill RX. I'm going to call CA Medical Assn. and look into getting an attorney. I've F'ing had it with this shit. Now I get to constantly cry again and be sick on top of it. ABANDONMENT

 

To make this story in even a bigger disaster, the doctor wouldn't listen to me. Prescribed Oxycontin 10mg ER (extended release) brand name. Well it's been reformulated. It doesn't work at all. Directions say 1 pill every 12 hours. OMG The first couple of days I was able to stop crying but could barely feel any change in pain. Good thing appetite and memory returning. Longest I could get it to go was 8 hours. I've still been in terrible pain and my insane medicare supplemental insurance doesn't cover it. Told Dr through "MyChart" what was happening. Asked for GENERIC no ER and specifically asked for oxycodone 10mg. First oxyCon $377. I had to have it and was elated. Second RX Oxycontin AGAIN 15mg ER. No difference except cost was $408. Pharmacy said partial authorization. Still doesn't work and is making me sick if I don't take it. Runny nose, stomach ache, headache. I want to control what I'm taking. Told Dr of nightmare waiting 4 hours watching the clock for next pill. This was in the beginning. So now what I was hoping for is exactly what you described. A relatively normal existence. No. Still trapped in bed and suffering. I'm not taking this sh*t to make things worse. Found some Chinese herbs I bought 3 years ago to help with withdrawal. My primary gets back from medical leave in 10 days. Have video appt. Also have video with this fool and have to think about how and what I say to him. He hasn't been "listening" to written messages. The head nurse is supposed to be helping me with insurance issue because they forced me to take xtampza ($47 w/ins) just to say that crap doesn't work and it's especially reformulated for anti abuse. Give me a large break. So Dr has to provide proof I went through experiment to be considered for coverage. Unfreaking believable. So one huge problem creates another. I have to wait to contact them or they'll think I'm crazy and a drug seeking addict. Which now I guess I am. I'm going crazy and ending the misery is such a simple solution. I've called suicide hotline twice before this ridiculous and horrible RX experience. What are we supposed to do? Oh! I had to get appt for 3rd pain clinic. Receptionist says we don't dispense long term RX and no opioids. I said "aren't you a pain clinic?" No answer except "do you still want the appointment?" They have us poor bastards running around in circles. This pain mngmt is a freaking racket. It's criminal. Almost $800 wasted. DON'T BE FOOLED by new brand name oxyCon, xtampza, or buprenorphine. It's all crap and doesn't work. We're talking about severe pain here. We deserve the freaking care we're paying for. I just can't believe we live in America. So more suffering and trying to get my money back or part of it and dealing with bullsh*t care and I'm being generous with this description. Outrageous.

They prescribed me 40 mg Ms oxycontin three times a day insurance stopped covering it so went on opana 30 mg three times a day loved it OMG 2 years later insurance stopped covering that and those are $14 a piece at the pharmacy that is for generic. So now I am on xtampza 36 mg three times a day. I think it's crap I use oil method 36 mg to 20ml mct in glass jar heated dissolved and that ratio it won't solidify.

 

I'm always amazed by how the doctors and pharmacists are able to keep a straight face when they tell you that the brands are all the same.

 

I see that misdirected anger as well.

Pain patients think it's the addicts fault.
Many people like myself have used opioids over half my life now because they're the only thing that's helped my severe depression without all the horrendous side effects of traditional psychiatric medicine. Depression & pain are also interlinked. Many people like myself have to deal with wide spread aching that comes from my depression & often gets labeled as "chronic fatigue" and "fibromyalgia". And so what if I get feelings of "well-being" or "contentedness" from opioids???? Why has the medical community demonized these "side effects", when these side effects are useful at helping so many with depression & anxiety, insomnia, etc.. It's my brain & if I want to feel at peace with it every day, I should have that right & the ability to without worrying I'll go down for it.

The "maintenance" opioids suck for anything other than keeping people hooked IMO. Especially buprenorphine. They might have their uses, but they don't offer the same positive effects once you're tolerant & have so much built up in your system. Might as well let people use the opioid drug of their choice or at least offer some more options & less restrictions.

I can go to a regular doctor & get prescribed endless fentanyl patches (if you're lucky anyway) but if I wanna get on methadone, you have to jump through 50 hoops & show up for your dose every single day. This is ass backwards.

Not everyone who uses drugs is an uneducated fool either. Some how we've painted this picture that full grown adults are too stupid to be able to use opioids (although not too stupid to consume copious amounts of alcohol & then be trusted not to drive, apparently) or make their own choices.


The drug war should have been the original "my body, my choice". Once they can tell you that you can't take something that helps your pain (whether it's physical or psychic pain or both), then you've lost control over your own bodily autonomy already.