Dr. Common Sense: I so very much respect and appreciate the medical students who are devoting their futures to helping patients like me. My doctor has saved both my life and my husband's by finding our cancer in time for an intervention. Since I understand you feel strongly about physicians prescribing opioids for pain I would very much like to share my story with you and ask your advice as to what you would do, as a physician, if you were faced with a patient with my history. I have Chronic Mylogenous Leukemia, exacerbated by gastiritis from the strong medication I need to take to keep me in remission. I can no longer take many medications, such as NSAID's and others, like Mobec, for osteoarthritis. While I was hospitalized for a port insertion I developed MRSA, so surgery is out of the question for someone with my compromised immune system. In the meantime, I have no cartilage left in either knee, but cannot have knee replacement surgery; have a torn rotator cuff and six compressed cervical vertebrae with two herniated cervical discs for which I also cannot undergo surgical intervention. I also suffer from fibromyalgia, which has been diagnosed by a board certified physiatrist, who is a pioneer in the field and has had many pubished papers in medical journals. I have tried all the typical medications for fibro, such as gabapentin, Horizant, Lyrica, Neurontin and Savella, however, they either have had intolerable side-effects or no effect at all. I have tried physical therapy, hydrotherapy and many naturopathic alternatives, such as chelation, removal of mercury dental fillings and organic juicing, etc. I have removed gluten from my diet. Having said all this, the only thing that has been successful in addressing my chronic pain is opioid therapy. I do not get "high" from my medication; it has simply enabled me to function in order to drive, for example, take care of my family, raise my special needs daughter, and help my husband, who suffers from migraine headache. What would you tell a patient like me who comes to you with this history (including EEG's, MRI's, X-rays, Physical Therapy, biofeedback, massage therapy, chiropractic and numerous tests and procedures)? When I was first diagnosed thirty years ago, and before my symptoms exacerbated, I walked three miles per day; I underwent experimental prolotherapy, arthroscopic surgery and had no medication except Motrin for many years. My liver was overloaded, but has since recovered. Would you send me away telling me I was addicted to the pain medicine that I am dependent on, but have not abused and has allowed me to function? What would you suggest I do? Everything I've attempted to refrain from opioid therapy has not been successful. There are things such as stem-cell therapy, but they are not covered by insurance, as is the case with many other aids, such as massage. Prolotherapy, although helpful, was finally denied by my insurance. Thank you for taking the time to read this long diatribe. Chronic intractable pain is a nightmare and I hope you never suffer from it. My opioid therapy has been reduced by half in the last 18 months and now I am bedridden. I hope your generation will find a cure for these life altering illnesses. I send this with all due respect.
