Opioid Crisis

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    OPIOIDS ARE EFFECTIVE FOR CHRONIC PAIN

    Contrary to what the mainstream media and "anti-opioid" lobbyists would have you believe, legally prescribed opioid painkillers DO actually work for chronic pain. Opioids have been used for thousands of years to provide relief from pain, so why is there a mis-perception or inference in recent times they should only be used for acute pain?

    In America the CDC Opioid Prescribing Guidelines state there is "insufficient evidence to determine long-term benefits of opioid therapy for chronic pain" [SEE LINK BELOW], and in Australia we are told there is a "lack of evidence for opioids in the management of chronic non-cancer pain" [i.e. based on the International Assoc. for the Study of Pain Policy Document February 2018].

    Many anti-opioid activists claim there is “no evidence” or "insufficient evidence" opioids work long-term, yet there are NO high quality, placebo controlled studies routinely conducted for longer than 3 months. Therefore, to say there is no evidence is "a misleading statement, because non-opioid pain medications and alternative treatments are not studied for long periods either."

    IF there are no reputable or "good studies" that go beyond 3 months [i.e. due to funding and other regulatory and scientific restrictions], surely the absence of evidence is NOT evidence of absence? There is a silent majority of responsible chronic pain patients, using their opioid pain killers safely and successfully for many years, yet their voice is not being heard.

    #research #CDC #IASP #OpioidCrisis #PainManagement #Opioids #Painrelief #prescriptionopioids #Dontpunishpain #ChronicPain #PainManagement #OpioidEpidemic #OpioidCrisis #opioidtapering #forcetapering #Dependence #Addiction #opioidprescribingguidelines #OpioidHysteria #fearofopioids #opioidrestrictions #chronicpainpatients #deprescribingopioids #abandonment #untreatedpain #OpioidUseDisorder #SubstanceAbuse #PainKillers #StopTheStigma #Holisticcare #qualityoflife #noonesizefitsall

    www.painnewsnetwork.org/stories/2018/5/3/study-finds-opioid-...

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    Losing Malachy to a Drug Overdose: A Mother's Story

    Counselor and mother, Helen Thomas, sits down and talks with Bernadine about the death of her 18 yr son to Fentanyl.

    spreaker.page.link/EULjCGhfa2kNAnYL9

    #fentanyl #Drug overdose #teenager #Addiction #nations #OpioidCrisis #Cocaine

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    Happy 2 Year #Migraine to me!

    Happy 2 Year Migraine to me! It's not deadly, just debilitating & soul sucking!
    I have amazing Doctors taking care of me. In fact I would be at the #Mayo in Scottsdale if #COVID19 hadn't happened.
    So how do I get through the daily? Some days I was able to get up & exercise immediately. I found if I walked right away, the endorphins would give me a 4 hour window of "health". I was even looking into going back to work in some capacity.
    But most days I'm a vampire. I hide from the light, live in near silence & try not to move.
    I have lost count of how many Occipital Nerve & Sphenopalantine Ganglion Nerve Blocks I've had. At least #botox is included.
    I am thankful to not be in the group of #Migraineurs that have had an episode lasting 20 years. My jaw fell open when I was told that they survive on 900 mg of morphine/day. Most days I would kill for 10mg of #morphine or even 1 #tylenol3. I can't get either bc of the #OpioidCrisis . Maybe it's a blessing, but most days it's a curse.
    I've been able to do some shows while heavily medicated. You just don't see what a mess I am afterwards. That my Brother has to help me at the airport bc I can't check myself in.
    I wear sunglasses all the time, not to be cool, but bc that's how I deal.
    So what keeps me going? I have had so many health struggles, both physically & mentally. I want you to know that our will to survive is WAY stronger than our will to die. & I've wanted to die! I literally have the #Suicide headache!
    So, I've just taken my second dose of #Emgality . Fingers crossed it works! But even if it doesn't, I want you to know it's gonna be OK! I have a Husband who loves me, a roof over my head, no food insecurity, & clean water to drink. We also have 8 Nieces & Nephews growing up fast & we need to be a positive example for the kids.
    I know most of us grew up thinking it was shameful to talk publicly about personal problems. I am so happy to be in an era where feelings are to be expressed & not suppressed.
    I am thankful that there are people who will love you as is even if getting dressed & leaving the house isn't an option most days.
    So I leave you with this....Bad times don't last!💋 #ChronicIllness #Spoonie #youdontlooksick #InvisibleIllness

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    Any #Migraineurs on Ketamine?

    I'm on Day 510 of current migraine, have tried everything & nothing but Hydromorphone has worked, plus I can't get it due to the #OpioidCrisis. So who has had a good response to #ketamine.
    #Migraine #ChronicMigraineSyndrome

    4 comments
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    #ChronicPain #OpioidCrisis #CheckInWithMe What would you say to employers about how to better support people with chronic pain?

    If you could talk to a group of employers about how employer sponsored health insurance could be better designed to support those with chronic pain, what would you say? Please give specific actionable items as I may be able to voice some of these thoughts at an upcoming seminar.

    6 comments
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    What do you do when a sibling dies? What do you do with the hopelessness, the guilt, the confusion, the fact that nothing brings you pleasure?

    My younger brother passed away over the holidays. It was sudden and unexpected. My family is a mess and I feel like a ghost of myself. I'm in uncharted waters and unfortunately, my grief is coming out as anger. #OpioidCrisis #Grief

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    How did the world of medical care get this way? #ChronicPain #Workmanscompensation #HealthcareProviders #MentalHealth #Courts #OpioidDependence #OpioidCrisis

    I have been working with workers compensation for 11 years, I am now dependent on opioid medication from 4 failed surgeries. I had worked for a Catholic health system, yet the values set forth when you work for them to provide care are not relevant when dealing with the long term care of the “hurt” worker. It is hard for me to understand this train of thought; I grew up as a devout Catholic family and enjoy working with this health care system with a few disagreements. I took my oath of the patients first, care for them and support them from when they were going to be a patient with us it was a serious problem See I worked in the Radiology Department but not the part you think about it, Interventional Radiology(IR). I.R. Is where you can find a tube thru your legs to clear a blood clot in the vessels or a feeding tube being checked out. I saved the patient from injuries and lost a career along with the rest of someone who is not in pain. Now they are have denied the prescription drug Naloxone a drug that is used for an overdose situation. They have filed for. The physical therapy to be denied along with the rest of the Opioid prescription because they do not want to pay. I would love to end the case but they say that they are not able to get the funds for the Medicare set aside funds; seems Impossible but what do I know. January 8, 2019, they told me that I have to be weaned off all the prescription drugs because of some doctor who doesn't know who I am decided it. I have been working on lowering the opioids but there is no way I could function with nothing, I am tired of the people who are not included in the medical team for me but they determined the care.