HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Legislators! Some think opioid dependence = addiction and alternative treatment is enough.

Support Forums
>
Chronic Pain
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 7/7/2019 8:05 PM (GMT 0)
In the last week I have been watching State and National legislators, and Hospital and Insurance Administrators proudly saying in special announcements that they want to stop all access to opioids longer than a week because they equate dependence with addiction; and also they are saying that it's proven that alternative treatment, chiropractic, acupuncture, and physical therapy work just as well. No proof offered however.
Posted 7/7/2019 9:25 PM (GMT 0)
Have you been getting this from the media ? Never depend on the media for completely accurate information. The do not report things in context. That changes everything.
Posted 7/8/2019 1:12 AM (GMT 0)
I'm watching the actual administrators making whole speeches, not just reading or listening to reports from the media. Of course, what I say is a report. We should all check the facts - listen to your own legislators and hospital/insurance administrators' actual speeches.

Older press release. Not as strongly worded as the speech I watched a couple of days ago.
https://www.highmark.com/hmk2/newsroom/2019/pr041619opioids.shtml

Sorry I haven't been able to find the actual speech that got me upset a couple of days ago. I'm scared that under-educated non-medical people want to usurp my doctors' treatments.
Posted 7/8/2019 2:27 PM (GMT 0)
Alcie, when this mess first started, we were all scared of what was going to happen. I finally stopped watching & reading this sort of thing because it was not helping me at all. I do not have my head in the sand about things, I stay up on what my state is doing & the CDC. I decided the what if road was not very productive for me, living in fear like that. If my meds get cut off, what will I do? I don't know, but for now I try to eak out a little enjoyment in life while I can.

Yes, they all preach & push the alternative approach. I would love to have the money I have spent over 20 years investing in every one of those modalities.
Posted 7/8/2019 7:57 PM (GMT 0)
It is disturbing that people in authority preach to the public these untruths - that alternative treatments are equivalent to and just as good as real medicine. It's fake news.

If anyone has links to real scientific proof that alternatives are not effective I'd like to read them.
Posted 7/8/2019 8:30 PM (GMT 0)
Alcie, I don't know, my neck & back problems started back in the late 80's. Back then I did the alternative care, a lot of PT over the years, heating pads, acupuncture, chiropractic care, massage therapy & the list goes on & on. A lot of this was on me, insurance did not pay for acupuncture or massages. In those days I was not given given pain medication right away. Over time this stuff can stop working like anything else we try & do. I went into pain mgt when it first started where I live. I live in a very large city with a teaching hospital about 30 minutes from my house. This was in the early 90's. This dr did all of the conservative care too, he was conservative with medications. He kept me working & that was my goal. I get worked up hearing how all we need to do is basically take an aspirin & call me tomorrow attitude.But, at the same time, I'm not going to let them ruin my today, tomorrow or next week if you know what I mean.
Posted 7/9/2019 10:17 PM (GMT 0)
How well alternatives work depends on a number of factors. How the study is conducted is also key. Studies and reports that reply on self reporting are not reliable. Unfortunately, some people believe them because they say what they want to believe.
Posted 7/11/2019 2:34 AM (GMT 0)
This is becoming a doctor vs doctor thing. My PM doc is upset at how "people in positions of power" are speaking un-truths. It is very sad. She has been fighting, and I have been so happy to have a doctor who is trying to fight the false info. Unfortunately, too many are against the meds (and I have ran into doctors who are anti-opioid too, many times... I get they are strong meds but I feel guilty saying I am on them because I have gotten looks from doctors and PAs before).

That being said, I am happy she is trying to get me on Belbuca while she can still prescribe the Nucynta without getting in trouble. She is trying to be ahead of the game, which is so smart. I am still only about half the highest dose of Belbuca, but I do think it will be able to handle a majority of my pain relief with maybe needing Nucynta for "break through" pain (or what I would consider my morning pain.... get that under control, then keep it controlled the rest of the day with Belbuca... that is the goal).
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply