One In Three People With Chronic Pain Have Difficulty Accessing Ongoing Prescriptions For Opioids

One in five Australians live with chronic pain lasting three months or more. Common causes include back and neck pain, headache, and joint pain.

Opioid medicines – such as oxycodone, morphine, fentanyl and codeine – are essential medicines and provide relief to many people with this type of pain.

However, opioids can also cause side effects and harms including dependence and overdose, which may be fatal.



Over the past decade, measures have been introduced in Australia to curb growing rates of opioid use and harms. But this has come at the expense of access for some people who genuinely need them.


In our new study, one-third of participants prescribed opioids long-term for chronic, non-cancer pain had difficulties getting ongoing prescriptions.



Tightening access​

In 2018, codeine was made a “prescription-only” medicine. In the same year, Australia’s Chief Medical Officer wrote to doctors prescribing a lot of opioids to encourage them to consider reducing their prescribing.

States have also introduced prescription monitoring programs, allowing providers to see whether their patients are getting opioids from other doctors or pharmacies.

Screen Shot 2022-09-19 at 16.40.24.png
In some states, doctors and pharmacists can check if patients are getting scripts elsewhere. Shutterstock

We’re underaking a long-term study of just over 1,500 Australians prescribed opioids for chronic non-cancer pain. We started asking questions about accessing opioid prescriptions in our 2018 interviews with participants.

These weren’t prescriptions for new pain conditions, but ongoing prescriptions for people who had been using these medicines for four years, on average, and living with pain for ten years, before the study.

Opioids can cause significant harm​

Over the past 30 years, the amount of opioids (doses per Australian per day) dispensed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) has increased four-fold.

There has also been a 15-fold increase in opioid prescriptions dispensed on the PBS between 1995 and 2015. Australia currently ranks eighth among countries using the most opioids.



As opioid use has risen, so have harms. Opioids are the main drug involved in drug-induced deaths.

Pharmaceutical opioids are now involved in more deaths than heroin. Pharmaceutical opioids also contribute more to poisoning-related hospital visits than heroin, with hospitalisations doubling since 1999.

So what did our research find?​

In our study, one in five people reported problems relating to accessing doctors.

As opioids become more restricted, people may need to visit their doctor more frequently because they’re given smaller pack sizes and fewer repeats. They may be put in a position where they’re unable to get prescriptions if doctors aren’t available.

Opioids can cause dependence and tolerance with continuous and long-term use. However, sudden interruptions to opioid medicine supply may place people at risk of experiencing unpleasant withdrawal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, flu symptoms, and muscle cramping.

One in ten people in our study reported their doctor wanted to reduce or stop opioid medicines against their wishes.

Screen Shot 2022-09-19 at 16.42.03.png
Ceasing opioids needs to be undertaken carefully. Shutterstock

Patients and doctors need to work together​

More doctors are practising “opioid tapering” (reducing opioid doses over time), especially in the United States, following the release in 2016 of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for chronic pain.

However, there were soon reports of opioids being ceased without reducing the dose first, which risks withdrawal. This prompted the CDC to warn that applying guidelines without adequate care could harm patients.

Worryingly, studies have linked stopping or reducing opioids with death by suicide and overdose, even for people prescribed opioids at low doses to begin with.

These studies also found people who stopped opioids were more likely to visit the emergency department or be admitted to hospital for mental health crises, illicit drug use and overdoses.



For some people, reducing or stopping opioids will be the right thing for them, clinically. Some studies suggest stopping opioids can be done without increasing pain.

Some studies suggest pain may even improve when opioids are stopped. However, participants in these studies are usually enrolled in special pain programs. These programs are notoriously difficult to access in Australia and it is common to wait months to years for services. Increased investment in pain services and programs is needed.

There is also a need for opioid tapering to be undertaken in a collaborative way, with patients and doctors working as a team to achieve agreed upon goals.

Balancing benefits and harms​

Since we conducted our study, new restrictions introduced in 2020 reduced the quantities of opioids that can be prescribed on the PBS. For most opioids, doctors can only supply quantities and repeats for up to three months at a time.



Screen Shot 2022-09-19 at 16.43.45.png
Opioid harms need to be recognised and addressed, as does pain.
Shutterstock

When it comes to using opioids for chronic non-cancer pain, it’s important to balance both benefits and harms. Potential opioid-related harms need to be recognised and addressed. At the same time, adequate treatment of pain is essential, and we need to make sure people don’t suffer harms due to changes to opioid access.



The needs of people who live with pain and the impact of restrictions on them need to remain at the centre of all decisions and discussions about opioids.

This article was first published on The Conversation, and was written by Ria Hopkins PhD Candidate, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre from UNSW Sydney and Natasha Gisev Clinical pharmacist and Scientia Senior Lecturer at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre from UNSW Sydney
 
Sponsored
Well,well... this article could not have come at a better time!
Having been on different opioids over a period of 15 years due to a back injury and 2 out of 3 botched back surgeries, as the result of a work accident.

In the last 2 years, I have experienced unbearable issues getting my prescriptions when my doctors have been away. You would expect that the doctor would have had this organised prior to them leaving, but they don't and in fact, usually, never even make me aware of their upcoming absence.


There is always the excuse of no other doctors at the same Medical Centre, able or willing to prescribe them, resulting in an overwhelming amount of banter, anxiety and even abuse towards me.

This has happened to me ONCE AGAIN in the past month, to the point of unfathomable tears, stress and countless/fruitless phone calls to organisations whose only decision is ‘passing the buck’, not to mention my declining health.
I now feel forced to genuinely consider taking steps towards legal action, even if it means selling my assets.
:cry::cry::cry:
 
Last edited:
One in five Australians live with chronic pain lasting three months or more. Common causes include back and neck pain, headache, and joint pain.

Opioid medicines – such as oxycodone, morphine, fentanyl and codeine – are essential medicines and provide relief to many people with this type of pain.

However, opioids can also cause side effects and harms including dependence and overdose, which may be fatal.



Over the past decade, measures have been introduced in Australia to curb growing rates of opioid use and harms. But this has come at the expense of access for some people who genuinely need them.


In our new study, one-third of participants prescribed opioids long-term for chronic, non-cancer pain had difficulties getting ongoing prescriptions.



Tightening access​

In 2018, codeine was made a “prescription-only” medicine. In the same year, Australia’s Chief Medical Officer wrote to doctors prescribing a lot of opioids to encourage them to consider reducing their prescribing.

States have also introduced prescription monitoring programs, allowing providers to see whether their patients are getting opioids from other doctors or pharmacies.

View attachment 6203
In some states, doctors and pharmacists can check if patients are getting scripts elsewhere. Shutterstock

We’re underaking a long-term study of just over 1,500 Australians prescribed opioids for chronic non-cancer pain. We started asking questions about accessing opioid prescriptions in our 2018 interviews with participants.

These weren’t prescriptions for new pain conditions, but ongoing prescriptions for people who had been using these medicines for four years, on average, and living with pain for ten years, before the study.

Opioids can cause significant harm​

Over the past 30 years, the amount of opioids (doses per Australian per day) dispensed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) has increased four-fold.

There has also been a 15-fold increase in opioid prescriptions dispensed on the PBS between 1995 and 2015. Australia currently ranks eighth among countries using the most opioids.



As opioid use has risen, so have harms. Opioids are the main drug involved in drug-induced deaths.

Pharmaceutical opioids are now involved in more deaths than heroin. Pharmaceutical opioids also contribute more to poisoning-related hospital visits than heroin, with hospitalisations doubling since 1999.

So what did our research find?​

In our study, one in five people reported problems relating to accessing doctors.

As opioids become more restricted, people may need to visit their doctor more frequently because they’re given smaller pack sizes and fewer repeats. They may be put in a position where they’re unable to get prescriptions if doctors aren’t available.

Opioids can cause dependence and tolerance with continuous and long-term use. However, sudden interruptions to opioid medicine supply may place people at risk of experiencing unpleasant withdrawal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, flu symptoms, and muscle cramping.

One in ten people in our study reported their doctor wanted to reduce or stop opioid medicines against their wishes.

View attachment 6204
Ceasing opioids needs to be undertaken carefully. Shutterstock

Patients and doctors need to work together​

More doctors are practising “opioid tapering” (reducing opioid doses over time), especially in the United States, following the release in 2016 of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for chronic pain.

However, there were soon reports of opioids being ceased without reducing the dose first, which risks withdrawal. This prompted the CDC to warn that applying guidelines without adequate care could harm patients.

Worryingly, studies have linked stopping or reducing opioids with death by suicide and overdose, even for people prescribed opioids at low doses to begin with.

These studies also found people who stopped opioids were more likely to visit the emergency department or be admitted to hospital for mental health crises, illicit drug use and overdoses.



For some people, reducing or stopping opioids will be the right thing for them, clinically. Some studies suggest stopping opioids can be done without increasing pain.

Some studies suggest pain may even improve when opioids are stopped. However, participants in these studies are usually enrolled in special pain programs. These programs are notoriously difficult to access in Australia and it is common to wait months to years for services. Increased investment in pain services and programs is needed.

There is also a need for opioid tapering to be undertaken in a collaborative way, with patients and doctors working as a team to achieve agreed upon goals.

Balancing benefits and harms​

Since we conducted our study, new restrictions introduced in 2020 reduced the quantities of opioids that can be prescribed on the PBS. For most opioids, doctors can only supply quantities and repeats for up to three months at a time.



View attachment 6205
Opioid harms need to be recognised and addressed, as does pain.
Shutterstock

When it comes to using opioids for chronic non-cancer pain, it’s important to balance both benefits and harms. Potential opioid-related harms need to be recognised and addressed. At the same time, adequate treatment of pain is essential, and we need to make sure people don’t suffer harms due to changes to opioid access.



The needs of people who live with pain and the impact of restrictions on them need to remain at the centre of all decisions and discussions about opioids.

This article was first published on The Conversation, and was written by Ria Hopkins PhD Candidate, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre from UNSW Sydney and Natasha Gisev Clinical pharmacist and Scientia Senior Lecturer at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre from UNSW Sydney
 
As my doctor can only get a monthly authorisation for my pain pills this means I have to PAY to see my doctor at least once a month. I arrange a different doctor when she goes on leave. As the substitute doctor can look at my records to see what I need. I would love to get off the opioid that I am on & go onto medical cannabis but it is still too expensive for a pensioner. No one has ever died because of using cannabis. So it seems to me to be a great alternative for us oldies, but the government in their safe haven of Canberra where they can grow their own for their own use really don't care how much pain we oldies have to suffer. Be it financial or actual pain.
 
I have diabetic neuropathy which there is no cure for and originally, I was prescribed Panadeine Forte.
Now I can't get a script for it after trying several doctors. It's not like I was taking it regularly, only when it became unbearable. I know people like to take drugs regularly so now I have to suffer to protect them which isn't fair.
 
I have severe chronic pain due to hip and back problems, and Tramadol (an opioid) is the only medication that helps. My doctor is great, but I have had problems if I have to see someone else when he is away. Some doctors have questioned me as though I am a drug addict! I had one doctor tell me to just "focus on something else"! Unless a person has experienced severe CHRONIC pain, they have no idea how debilitating and overwhelming it can be. I hate taking opioids and have cut back as far as possible, but I simply cannot function without some pain relief.
 
I have severe chronic pain due to hip and back problems, and Tramadol (an opioid) is the only medication that helps. My doctor is great, but I have had problems if I have to see someone else when he is away. Some doctors have questioned me as though I am a drug addict! I had one doctor tell me to just "focus on something else"! Unless a person has experienced severe CHRONIC pain, they have no idea how debilitating and overwhelming it can be. I hate taking opioids and have cut back as far as possible, but I simply cannot function without some pain relief.
Fully understand you... xxx
 
Well,well... this article could not have come at a better time!
Having been on different opioids over a period of 15 years due to a back injury and 2 out of 3 botched back surgeries, as the result of a work accident.

In the last 2 years, I have experienced unbearable issues getting my prescriptions when my doctors have been away. You would expect that the doctor would have had this organised prior to them leaving, but they don't and in fact, usually, never even make me aware of their upcoming absence.


There is always the excuse of no other doctors at the same Medical Centre, able or willing to prescribe them, resulting in an overwhelming amount of banter, anxiety and even abuse towards me.

This has happened to me ONCE AGAIN in the past month, to the point of unfathomable tears, stress and countless/fruitless phone calls to organisations whose only decision is ‘passing the buck’, not to mention my declining health.
I now feel forced to genuinely consider taking steps towards legal action, even if it means selling my assets.
:cry::cry::cry:
I agree! As an ex-nurse, I am well aware of the dangers of opiate addiction and the “ criminal” ramifications of “ Street value” abuse. We are well aware of the slippery slope of dependence, but when your Dr goes away, without notice, the lack of an alternative arrangement is both humility and very stressful! ( I can see how overdoses would increase, due to debilitating pain) It is certainly something that we not doing for kicks! Just to have some quality of life. If you are going to one chemist for your scripts, there should be no stigma not anything to hide. I never thought 33 years ago that I would no longer be even able to walk around a shopping centre!
 
I agree! As an ex-nurse, I am well aware of the dangers of opiate addiction and the “ criminal” ramifications of “ Street value” abuse. We are well aware of the slippery slope of dependence, but when your Dr goes away, without notice, the lack of an alternative arrangement is both humility and very stressful! ( I can see how overdoses would increase, due to debilitating pain) It is certainly something that we not doing for kicks! Just to have some quality of life. If you are going to one chemist for your scripts, there should be no stigma not anything to hide. I never thought 33 years ago that I would no longer be even able to walk around a shopping centre!
Even though I have always used one chemist ONLY, who keeps the scripts, he has not got authorisation to retrieve that script from the doctor. All the other meds, yes, but opioids have to be obtained by the user only.
 
I am in chronic pain 24/7 and have been for years and it's getting worse. I have tried everything up to and including CBD oil, all to no avail, spending hundreds of dollars for no relief. I did persuade my doctor to try morphine and he gave me a very low dose patch. No benefit. We then moved to the next level low dose patch and I couldn't tell the difference and the pain was still there. He has refused to prescribe anything more powerful as he says it would be a slippery slope. Whilst I agree with him on one level another part of me says well they make more powerful doses so why not try, the only winner would be a cessation of pain. After six years of continuous pain I finally have an appointment with a surgeon - this coming December! Now I know things got put on hold due to Covid but when did we get so far behind? Working on that timeline it'll be 2025 before any operation so what am I meant to do meanwhile? Constant pain is really draining. :(
 
As my doctor can only get a monthly authorisation for my pain pills this means I have to PAY to see my doctor at least once a month. I arrange a different doctor when she goes on leave. As the substitute doctor can look at my records to see what I need. I would love to get off the opioid that I am on & go onto medical cannabis but it is still too expensive for a pensioner. No one has ever died because of using cannabis. So it seems to me to be a great alternative for us oldies, but the government in their safe haven of Canberra where they can grow their own for their own use really don't care how much pain we oldies have to suffer. Be it financial or actual pain.
My doctor bulk bills if I am only getting a new prescription
 
I am in chronic pain 24/7 and have been for years and it's getting worse. I have tried everything up to and including CBD oil, all to no avail, spending hundreds of dollars for no relief. I did persuade my doctor to try morphine and he gave me a very low dose patch. No benefit. We then moved to the next level low dose patch and I couldn't tell the difference and the pain was still there. He has refused to prescribe anything more powerful as he says it would be a slippery slope. Whilst I agree with him on one level another part of me says well they make more powerful doses so why not try, the only winner would be a cessation of pain. After six years of continuous pain I finally have an appointment with a surgeon - this coming December! Now I know things got put on hold due to Covid but when did we get so far behind? Working on that timeline it'll be 2025 before any operation so what am I meant to do meanwhile? Constant pain is really draining. :(
You have 100% of my understanding in your situation.
It's ridiculous not to increase the dose... after all, a minimal dose is almost always useless... it should only be used initially, then slowly increased in time.

I was on morphine patches (full dose) for over 9 years, Best relief ever until... NO...!!! I didn't turn into a maniacal addict... I slowly built up an immunity and therefore, had to change medications... Nothing, to date, has worked even half as well as the morphine, including cannabis oil through a professional (actually had the least effect of all... not to mention the exorbitant cost).
My sincere best wishes for your upcoming surgery. ♥️
 
Last edited:
I don't know exactly how it works as it's complicated. However, I know that Oncologists and any medical Specialists are allowed to prescribe pain Opioids. Oncologists and Specialists send reports to the patient's GP in order to prescribe them as well. However, the medical system only allows that particular GP to prescribe it. No other GP is allowed. I could be incorrect, but without a Specialist advising the GP, the GP doesn't get paid for doing this Matrix tick off Opioid pain report to the Govt. It takes time and there's no Medicare number for it, so no payment. This could be the reason why GP's aren't keen.
It's a very complicated system. It needs a Politician's family member to need Opioids, whereby the family member's GP is away on holidays and no other GP will subscribe it for them.
 
Sorry in advance this is a long post, just stop reading when you have had enough.

I have been on Tramadol, Endone & Tapentadol (Palexia) 100mg SR tablets for approximately 21 yrs for chronic pain due to sciatica, bulging discs, spondylitis & arthritis in my back & neck. I have found it difficult having to attend the GP so often just to get prescriptions. Luckily there is another GP at the clinic when my usual one is away. It is financially hard as my hubby & I do not get any concessions so GP & Specialist visits plus prescriptions are full price.
Arthritis is also in many other parts of my body as well. I have had both knees replaced, several left shoulder surgeries (fractured proximal humerus requiring plate & screws to repair it), bursitis, arthritis & rotator cuff), several right hip surgeries (bursitis plus tendon & ligament repairs).
I had decompression & laminectomy surgery on my lower back L2 - L5 in 2016, this assisted with pain management but did not resolve it. Since then I needed to have injections into the lower spine & neck, also needed rhizoloysis to burn the nerve ends. These did not resolve the pain so in 2020 I had a spinal cord stimulator inserted into my lower back, this has assisted in helping control some of the pain along with the Palexia. In 2022 my spinal specialist referred me to a pain specialist to see if it would be viable to have a 2nd stimulator in my back for the thoracic spine & neck plus to see if we could try something different for pain meds. She said due to the amount of arthritis in my body going off the meds would not be viable & a 2nd stimulator would help. So I had the surgery last May which has helped along with the meds.
I have kept up with seeing my pain specialist & in March this year we discussed rotating between SR Tapentadol, Buprenorphine Patches & SR Tramadol. I was keen to try the patches.
I saw my GP last week & have started on the patches, one patch lasts for a week. It takes a bit of getting used to as the medication distributes through the skin. I think this way will be easier as no prescription authority has to be obtained from Canberra so I will be able to have some telephone appointments rather than having to attend the surgery every month.

I wish everyone all the best with your pain management.
Take care & stay safe 💐🙏❤️💙
 
I am in chronic pain 24/7 and have been for years and it's getting worse. I have tried everything up to and including CBD oil, all to no avail, spending hundreds of dollars for no relief. I did persuade my doctor to try morphine and he gave me a very low dose patch. No benefit. We then moved to the next level low dose patch and I couldn't tell the difference and the pain was still there. He has refused to prescribe anything more powerful as he says it would be a slippery slope. Whilst I agree with him on one level another part of me says well they make more powerful doses so why not try, the only winner would be a cessation of pain. After six years of continuous pain I finally have an appointment with a surgeon - this coming December! Now I know things got put on hold due to Covid but when did we get so far behind? Working on that timeline it'll be 2025 before any operation so what am I meant to do meanwhile? Constant pain is really draining. :(
I feel for you 100% & truly hope the specialist you see in December puts you for surgery as a priority case.
If only your doctor could understand your pain properly & give you the higher dosage patch to try.

Please take care & I hope things progress positively for you 💐🙏
 
One in five Australians live with chronic pain lasting three months or more. Common causes include back and neck pain, headache, and joint pain.

Opioid medicines – such as oxycodone, morphine, fentanyl and codeine – are essential medicines and provide relief to many people with this type of pain.

However, opioids can also cause side effects and harms including dependence and overdose, which may be fatal.



Over the past decade, measures have been introduced in Australia to curb growing rates of opioid use and harms. But this has come at the expense of access for some people who genuinely need them.


In our new study, one-third of participants prescribed opioids long-term for chronic, non-cancer pain had difficulties getting ongoing prescriptions.



Tightening access​

In 2018, codeine was made a “prescription-only” medicine. In the same year, Australia’s Chief Medical Officer wrote to doctors prescribing a lot of opioids to encourage them to consider reducing their prescribing.

States have also introduced prescription monitoring programs, allowing providers to see whether their patients are getting opioids from other doctors or pharmacies.

View attachment 6203
In some states, doctors and pharmacists can check if patients are getting scripts elsewhere. Shutterstock

We’re underaking a long-term study of just over 1,500 Australians prescribed opioids for chronic non-cancer pain. We started asking questions about accessing opioid prescriptions in our 2018 interviews with participants.

These weren’t prescriptions for new pain conditions, but ongoing prescriptions for people who had been using these medicines for four years, on average, and living with pain for ten years, before the study.

Opioids can cause significant harm​

Over the past 30 years, the amount of opioids (doses per Australian per day) dispensed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) has increased four-fold.

There has also been a 15-fold increase in opioid prescriptions dispensed on the PBS between 1995 and 2015. Australia currently ranks eighth among countries using the most opioids.



As opioid use has risen, so have harms. Opioids are the main drug involved in drug-induced deaths.

Pharmaceutical opioids are now involved in more deaths than heroin. Pharmaceutical opioids also contribute more to poisoning-related hospital visits than heroin, with hospitalisations doubling since 1999.

So what did our research find?​

In our study, one in five people reported problems relating to accessing doctors.

As opioids become more restricted, people may need to visit their doctor more frequently because they’re given smaller pack sizes and fewer repeats. They may be put in a position where they’re unable to get prescriptions if doctors aren’t available.

Opioids can cause dependence and tolerance with continuous and long-term use. However, sudden interruptions to opioid medicine supply may place people at risk of experiencing unpleasant withdrawal symptoms such as nausea and vomiting, flu symptoms, and muscle cramping.

One in ten people in our study reported their doctor wanted to reduce or stop opioid medicines against their wishes.

View attachment 6204
Ceasing opioids needs to be undertaken carefully. Shutterstock

Patients and doctors need to work together​

More doctors are practising “opioid tapering” (reducing opioid doses over time), especially in the United States, following the release in 2016 of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines for chronic pain.

However, there were soon reports of opioids being ceased without reducing the dose first, which risks withdrawal. This prompted the CDC to warn that applying guidelines without adequate care could harm patients.

Worryingly, studies have linked stopping or reducing opioids with death by suicide and overdose, even for people prescribed opioids at low doses to begin with.

These studies also found people who stopped opioids were more likely to visit the emergency department or be admitted to hospital for mental health crises, illicit drug use and overdoses.



For some people, reducing or stopping opioids will be the right thing for them, clinically. Some studies suggest stopping opioids can be done without increasing pain.

Some studies suggest pain may even improve when opioids are stopped. However, participants in these studies are usually enrolled in special pain programs. These programs are notoriously difficult to access in Australia and it is common to wait months to years for services. Increased investment in pain services and programs is needed.

There is also a need for opioid tapering to be undertaken in a collaborative way, with patients and doctors working as a team to achieve agreed upon goals.

Balancing benefits and harms​

Since we conducted our study, new restrictions introduced in 2020 reduced the quantities of opioids that can be prescribed on the PBS. For most opioids, doctors can only supply quantities and repeats for up to three months at a time.



View attachment 6205
Opioid harms need to be recognised and addressed, as does pain.
Shutterstock

When it comes to using opioids for chronic non-cancer pain, it’s important to balance both benefits and harms. Potential opioid-related harms need to be recognised and addressed. At the same time, adequate treatment of pain is essential, and we need to make sure people don’t suffer harms due to changes to opioid access.



The needs of people who live with pain and the impact of restrictions on them need to remain at the centre of all decisions and discussions about opioids.

This article was first published on The Conversation, and was written by Ria Hopkins PhD Candidate, National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre from UNSW Sydney and Natasha Gisev Clinical pharmacist and Scientia Senior Lecturer at the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre from UNSW Sydney
My doctor a couple of years ago mentioned this to me and I told him then to stop prescribing all pain killing drugs, but that within two days I would be in hospital when asked why I told that I was in pain just sitting talking to him and that I didn't want anything stronger as I wanted to be aware of the pain so that I wouldn't do anything silly and also that at my age addiction wasn't anything I worried about. Also while I'm ranting some socalled dogooders who want to pontificate while never living with pain, come see me I've got a louisville slugger I'd like to introduce them to?
 
My mother was prescribed opioids after a stay in hospital for an upset stomach, when she was having trouble sleeping due to nerve spasms. She felt she needed to constantly take them.
I suggested she take a half dose of valerian before bedtime instead, as they're a good nervine, and she gave up opioids and gradually got back to normal. That was over ten years ago, and she still feels well.
 

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