I am in exactly that situation myself.
Without going into too much detail, I have chronic pain issues that *cannot*
be addressed with surgery, NSAIDS, TENS or any other method besides narcotic meds.
They give me functionality and some mobility that would otherwise not be there.
My dosage is enough to be effective, but I never get a high or rush out of it.
And I am being told that because people who don’t need this stuff are killing
themselves with it, my life must radically change - for the worse.
And I’m madder than hell about it.
Been on them for years and function well. I need them but don’t abuse them. I guess we can look into heroin if they cut us off. s/
It took 3 years to find him. I was in horrible pain. I took a double dose of Opana and 15 mg roxies for break through .pain, I also had at least 20 epidurles. I pain never went away but it lowered it enough that i didn't kill myself.
I never ever got a buzz or good feeling from the drugs. When the post surgery pain was going, I weaned myself out all the pain meds with no help from anyone.
My PM doc said I still needed meds. Yes, he was a quack. My PCP said she wasn't qualified.
I did go on line and red about how successful heroin users quit and I followed some of their protocol.
It worked and I have been drug free for way over 5.5 years.
The government wanting to remove Opana from the market makes me sick. I know people in real pain need these drugs.
I also know of addicts that are using kratom to come off heroin. It's natural and much less addicting than methadone or suboxion that doctors put heroin addicts on.