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level.
Loved one is seriously ill and REQUIRES pain medications Loved one becomes addicted but cannot function without the medications Loved one's need for medications increases and doctors will not sufficiently medicate to alleviate all pain.
This isn't my issue but I was wondering if anyone has this situation where the addict must take the drug or suffer incurable pain? Just wondering what does one do in that situation? I know in other countries they just provide the needed level of medication, and sometimes provide the drugs for addicts who don't have physical pain.
Personally, I feel that people are going to do what they're going to do and better to supply the medication than deal with the withdrawl/drug getting behaviors. Usually the problem is cost - because it's illegal, fear of being caught - which would change if it was legal, and health - which we kill every day with cigarettes and food which are perfectly acceptable. So my question is...as long as the addict isn't putting anyone but themselves in danger (dui, etc.) should they just be professionally medicated?
i'm kind of with you on the legalization issue--- I don't think we've done so well with legislating against drug abuse. and I also feel that legal drugs are just as troublesome as illegal-- that whole "better living through chemistry" mentality makes me crazy.
I used to work with patients who needed lots of pain meds. Having a preexisting addiction increased their dosage needs-- we just dealt with it-- and let the patient deal with the addiction issues later. There is better understanding about pain control now than in the past-- but there are also a lot of misconceptions. Some doctors understand this better than others.
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In the long run the pessimist may be proved right, but the optimist has a better time on the trip.- Daniel L. Reardon
You will probably get very different responses from all of us.
As I think about this my response may change, but the first thought that came to my mind as I read your last sentence
"as long as the addict isn't putting anyone but themselves in danger (dui, etc.) should they just be professionally medicated?"
I thought about all the times my AH was using, taking prescription drugs, not always obtained illegally, but definitely not taken as prescribed - how he thought he wasn't causing harm to anyone. But in reality, me, his wife and our 5 daughters were very much in danger by this use. I could go on for days telling why and what kinds of danger and the effects that we are still trying to recover from. I'm sure if he was in a good place, he could tell you the damage it did to him also.
I have heard relatives share about terminal cancer patients deal with the extreme pain toward the end of their lives that the pain meds don't even come close to covering. What would be a good answer to that situation - I don't even have a clue.
So, I guess I don't have an answer to your question.
Hopefully someone else will have some better input.
Peace, Rita
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No matter what me and my God are going to be ok, even better than OK -
This is a good question CG, and liable to illicit various responses. In some foreign countries where drugs are not illegal, they can actually get a good day's work out of a heroin addict by medicating him. Stops by the clinic, takes the meds, and off he goes to a productive day.
I feel that what are now illegal drugs ought to be decriminalized. DOing so would effect an immediate end to the drug cartels, illegal trafficing, and most important of all, violent drug crime. There go the gangs in the cities, whose violent actions are mostly involved with drugs; adios. Bye bye drive-by shootings for the most part. Adieu to a lot of robberies and drug-related murders. Most all crime would take a hit, if you will pardon the expression, and the streets would once again be safer for all of us.
And, for God's sake, let a terminally ill suffering person have his marijuana plants. These legislators who continually say, "no" to the legalization of medical marijuana have never felt unbearable pain. If they had, they would be growing in every pot they could find.
Shall I touch on assisted suicide? Welcome home Dr. Jack Kevorkian!!!
Diva
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"Speak your truth quietly and clearly..." Desiderata
LOL Diva... My sentiments exactly... I believe that we would clear out about 3/4 of our prison population (and a lot of jobs for uneducated so n so's which is why I believe it doesn't happen) if we legalized. Not only that but I agree with the heroin statment about medicating the poor fools and letting them get to work and pay taxes for said medicating programs!
Seriously, I took care of my grandmother the last three months of her life. She was 92 and got cancer. What a kick in the ass that was, but I digress.
We were very lucky and had a doctor that only did pain management with terminal patients. As much morphine as she was allowed to have without us actually killing her (prison etc) we made sure she got.
Alcohol is a legal drug, look at how much damage it does. As for decriminalizing some of the other stuff, of course it would reduce crime, the government would tax the product etc etc.
So, I guess I have nothing. I am in chronic pain, take medication once a day to be able to sleep mostly because I want to be able to function cognitively. More than this and I might not have as much pain but don't know how I would function.
Good question
lilms
-- Edited by lilms at 16:24, 2007-06-06
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Two things: 1. Recovery is a process, not an event.....and.... 2. You only get to go around once. Leave em laughing and make it worth your while
Most doctors do not even want to work with an A. Some don't even believe it is a disease.
My A had a brain surgery. Left with horrendous headaches. His regular doctor would not give him enough med to stop the pain.
He suffers from insomnia from a tinnitis that would make anyone crazy.
Once he was on heroin and he seemed like himself. I did not even know he was on it. He did not use it to get hi, he used to self medicate.
When he was on meds back to work, he was doing very well. But as time went on and he began going to his doctor here, they stopped medicating and he got worse and worse.
It always made me so mad that he could not get medical help becuz he was A.
For awhile I held his meds and gave them to him. It worked very well. But it is very hard as he is still an A,still manipulative, sneaky and lied. I had to hide all meds, I had to always have some hidden in case I forgot to give him his daily stuff and I went to work, so he could call and I could tell him where it was for that day.
If heroin was legal, it would cut some kind of crime and then open up others. It would be "controlled" by the government. It is actually easier on the body than methadone. I have heard from many it is almost impossible to kick. It actually gets into your bone marrow.
My AH has horrible migraines, his mother had them and her mother too. But do you think he could get help? no.
