A realistic look at PAIN

[Guest guest]

IMHO, many surgery patients are far too sensitive about the slight

addiction issue that post surgery opiate use might cause. If you *know*

that you are an addictive personality, than you should discuss this with

your surgeon way ahead of time.

Otherwise, pain control is an important part of surgery recovery. When

people are in pain they tense, the don't rest and recovery can be extended.

In our country, there has been a backlash of moralistic views on

pain...the " tough it out or you are a wuss " attitude has no place in

medical pain control, yet it continues to be a pervasive non medical

viewpoint.

Pain is not something that can be dealt with by being tough.

Knowing that different people have different tolerances for pain is an

important part of acceptance of each other, and is as misunderstood as

is being morbidly obese.

Those of us who deal with chronic pain daily, whose lives and bodies

have changed due to one seemingly small physical problem, and who depend

on opiates to be able to live a more normal life deserve understanding

and consideration.

Yes, it's true, that we who take drugs such as OxyContin are

addicted..in a very real sense of the word. If we can't have this drug,

we not only go thru withdrawal but our bodies are racked with horrible

pain. Our lives become unacceptable. Our relationships with others

become impossible as the whole focus of life is living with pain.

Given the choice, I welcome the addiction I have to OxyContin, for it

enables me to be a better wife, better mother and grand mother and do

some of the things I love.

Having been a whole hearted participant in the sixties (from living in a

VW bus traveling with the 'Dead' to living in a commune is Venice CA) I

know the difference between being high on a drug and having pain

control. People who have pain simply don't get high...a bummer I know

but true.

If pain control meds are giving a person a buzz, then it's time to cut back.

OK enough editorializing following is an excellent like to the American

Pain Society and a memo from the president of that group discussing the

recent fears of medical and non medical people on the use of opiates in

pain control. It's worth a few minutes of your time to read it ... just

for education on a matter that may effect you sometime in the future.

http://www.ampainsoc.org/pub/bulletin/sep01/pres1.htm

thoughtfully and able to sit at a computer because I take pain medication

elle in orygun - 3+ months out and under 200 lbs for the first time

since 1968