tonight has been excruciating in the pain department and has made us want to talk about pain management in the US.
we recently started at a new practice to receive pain management care, and were honest about taking a family member's pain meds when in excruciating pain. to this, the nurse got angry and rude, telling us we absolutely cannot do that again and it's "against the law." I told her I hope we don't have to. they didn't send us home with anything but an appointment for two weeks out, either.
our primary care provider knows about this and has not said anything one way or the other. we have many issues but the biggest is stage FOUR endometriosis, which is the sole cause of every "worst pain ever felt" record we've had. it's infinitely frustrating to be stuck in a cycle of letting myself be in horrific pain because I'm told to not take other's medication, (sometimes) caving in and taking pain meds that aren't ours, asking for help from medical professionals only to be given nothing, repeat. what kind of life is it to live this way?
sharing pain meds, actually most (if not all) meds, is a poor + disabled community tradition at this point. if we as a community were given adequate care and ample resources like we so desperately need, this wouldn't be an issue! chronic pain patients deserve BETTER.
