Tennessee Officials Take Steps To Reduce Prescription Drug Abuse

I certainly agree with this action and must say that it is about time that somebody got involved with trying to control this big problem around here. The current situation is out of control and requires immediate attention.

Since I moved over here, I too have had a hard time getting pain medication prescribed to me. I didn’t realize that drug diversion was such a huge problem over here in East Tennessee.

But from what I’ve encountered so far in the past year, yes, there is a huge problem here. 

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure that one out. But, with the amount of pain killers that are diverted around here, you begin to wonder if the whole system doesn’t need a serious revamping.

If an individual is in true pain, they actually have a need to have pain medication available to them. In the case of true pain, nothing that a Doctor can prescribe you will relieve much more than 30 per cent of the pain.

However, after a certain point, any relief is better than nothing.

I know, first hand since I’ve tried it both ways. With and without pain medication. After much searching, and we had to look very hard, we finally found a Doctor who agrees with me on this issue.
Yes, I have to put up with urine testing, pill counts and attend Pain Management Classes, but the end result, at least for me, has been the difference between living a somewhat normal life and being house bound.

The only person who knows what kind of pain I am having is, myself. Nobody can control my pain level except me.

Once I got my Doctor to understand that and that I was serious about this, I found that the doors opened up for me.

To all you people out there abusing the system to “get high”, shame on you. To the ones that are diverting your pain killers to the dope dealers for profit, shame on you as well. To those crooked individuals in the Medical Profession, double shame on you.

Between those three groups of individuals, they have just about ruined it for the rest of us. Those of us who really are in severe pain and must rely on pain management. Rest asured that eventually you will get caught and have to pay the piper for your actions.

For those of you out there who are having trouble getting prescribed something to relieve your pain, my best advice to you is that you just hang in there. You will eventually find a Doctor that is understanding and will ensure you get some relief.

No that isn’t Doctor shopping either. It’s simply finding a Doctor who hasn’t been burned by the other knuckleheads out there.

However, do the right thing once you do build up that trust with your Doctor. Follow the Doctors directions for use, don’t divert your medication, don’t sell it for profit, keep medications safeguarded to stop unauthorized use and don’t abuse your medication or the system.

Take your medication as directed until you and your Doctor find the dosage that works for you. And, if you find that you no longer have a need pain for management, tell your Doctor and get weaned off the prescribed medicine.

Just sign me: Been There, Done That And P.O.‘d At The Entire System