Does anyone else think that people who get tons of pain meds without pain make it harder for those of us who suffer from chronic pain? I think it puts drs in a position to give less out of fear. Some think fibromyalgia doesn't warrant pain meds. If they had it for 1 week, it would change minds. Frustration of living in pain.

Drug seekers definately make it difficult for us who suffer chronic pain.  I have had 6 surgeries in the last 13 months and it makes coping with pain more difficult. Just to name a few, I had 2 ankle surgeries last year, one surgery required ligament reconstruction and digging a few holes in the bone and cartilege in hopes that the stem cells will regenerate and will take 2 years to possibly heal; and I have recently undergone gallbladder surgery that ended up in complications and required 2 ERCP's and still counting, so I am continstantly in pain and cry alot.  Doctors are reluctant to provide pain medication and I thinks its because they are afraid of losing their DEA license. When I speak to my surgeons about this, especially my recent gallbladder removal and the ERCP's  i am undergoing (I have 3 stents in my bile duct right now), they want to refer me to pain management. Its insane!  And then pain management wants to run more test - MRI, CAT scans, etc, and I have been through hell with all those test already because of the gallbladder and its costing me more medical bills!  So, yes, I think drug seekers make it very difficult for those of us dealing with pain, harder to receive proper care.  And I HATE narcotics as they make me sick, but it seems to be the only way to deal with the pain issue and be able to take care of my children and daily household duties.  I am in the process of being referred to another pain management doc, again.  Considering the massive surgeries I have under gone within the past year, isnt it obvious that I am not drug seeking?!?!    

Hello! i just read what you wrote, and that is the same thing I have been saying!! I was going to Northern Pain Management for awhile and the doc got is licence revolked at the moment. I am so upset!! I could finally take care of my children!! and now they took me off all the meds I hated but helped me with my children, and my regular doc will not help me!! I am besides myself with pain!! All I do is cry the past 2 days,and my family is again getting angry at me, well at the pain mostly

I have severe Fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel, degenerate disc disease in my thorasic and lumbar part of my spine. a tiny hernia as of last year it was tiny, and osteoarthryts in my lower back. The doc said my spine was arthitic too. I am in bed and can get out to go to the bathroom and I have to hurry back to bed and the pain that was subsided was back vicously just because i stood up. My weight does not help anything, but I can't lift weights anymore as of the past two years, so I never took off the baby wieght and gained alot from not eating, or binging on sour patch kids. Well good luck to you.-