Someone close to me struggles with chronic neck pain, and has been using daily opioid medication for about 5 years with moderate success. I don’t have any concerns about addiction or abuse with this person, but state regulations have been getting so tight that there’s a chance their pain management clinic will stop prescribing altogether. I’m worried about how they will live with their pain if they lose this option.
I’ve heard a lot of conflicting information about the effectiveness of opioids for long-term pain management, but I’d love to hear from people’s personal experiences with this. Folks who have transitioned away from using daily opioid medications for managing chronic pain, what was your experience like? How are you doing now?
2 comments
Have you tried cannabis?
I used to take daily opiods for degenerative arthritis in my knees from a high school injury. After a few years, I stopped cold turkey and never took it again.
I take Kratom 3 times a day and augment with asprin, acetaminophen, and occasionally cold compress in the evening. I have tried to give up the kratom several times, but in less than 3 days, I can tell how effective it has been.
The pain is there pretty much all the time. Some days I almost forget about it. Some days, I don’t want to stand or walk. Those days, I use ice and take it easy.
I have an active job that I love. I force myself to do activities like backpacking. I force myself through it. I try never to complain. I find the pain is the worst if I sit around. I know that one day, I will lose the ability to do these things. So, I breathe it in while I can… and I do it *without* the fog and addiction of narcotics.