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Fears chronic pain sufferers may fall through the cracks if medication is banned without alternative

Fears chronic pain sufferers may fall through the cracks if medication is banned without alternative therapies better funded – inews
Following NICE’s draft guidelines advising paracetamol, ibuprofen, aspirin and opioids are not given for chronic primary pain, the Royal College of GPs said sometimes medication is ‘the only thing that brings relief’.
Painkillers allow me to (kind of) function and have a quality of life. If doctors take this literally and refuse any form of medication this will cause so many people to suffer.
You can read the full article here: Fears chronic pain sufferers may fall through the cracks if medication is banned without alternative therapies better funded – inews
Do you experience chronic pain? How do you feel about this news? Are you happy with how your chronic pain is currently being managed? Let us know in the comments below!
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Replies
I suffer with chronic pain in both knees, legs and feet and literally no meds work!
I am on Gabapentin for the pain which has been prescribed to me for the past couple of years but it barely does anything.
Swimming is the only thing that eases some of the pain, but since the baths have been shut the pain has increased massively, especially since my mobility has decreased!
Ive got used to the pain now though, I've not been pain free in my legs for 17 years and I've ran out of options of what to do and I think my doctors have Aswell!
TK
I have to say the prospect of taking away the medication that gives me some kind of life is terrifying, if I have to live a life with chronic pain and no way of easing it, I truly don't think I would bother.
I have had chronic pain since the birth of my first child 24 yrs ago when the Registrar literally broke my pelvis in order to deliver my child. My pubic bone has never realigned or lessoned the gap of about 4cm. The point Im making there is that I now suffer with movement in all of my pelvic joints, that shouldn't occur, this has created growing pains over the years. Now osteoarthritis has set into my spine and hips.
I have received several brief courses of acupuncture (once a week for six weeks) which does not even scratch the surface of the pain. I have had several corticosteroid injections in my spine and both shoulders. If I'm very lucky I might experience several weeks of reduced pain in that particular area. Whenever I can reduce my medication in a day then I do try to. I have in general, over the years, reduced the amount of medication I take quite a lot as I am aware of the potential damage to my liver. I don't feel I could reduce any further than I have already.
If I am in a position of not being able to receive my medication through my GP then I do think I would turn to the black market (which sadly makes me sound even more like an addict). The added concern then is, what are you really buying? For me it is pain relief or bedridden in chronic pain and then there is only one thing left to do. I don't say that with any kind of flippancy and I don't suffer with depression. Just saying how it is for me.
I will say I have found great relief from having a water bed as it is obviously warm and soothing but as it carefully moulds around your body I don't feel the pressure points I feel on a regular mattress. I also find using a body wrap heat pad very soothing and it helps to relax muscles in my back that tend to spasms from pain.
I appreciate chronic pain is caused by many different things. I send my prayers and good thoughts to you all and hope we all find a way through this.
For now though, I will try not to worry about what might occur and will focus on what is occurring now.
Best wishes to all
Cindy
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I was addicted to co codomol and I had to bee weened off them and my dr referred me for pain management but I was lucky I worked in pharmacy in boots chemist brecon and we were allowed to refuse to sell Co codomol
For years drs handed out pain relief like they were sweets and now it has dire affects and caused alot of problems
But they do need to find an alternative treatment because there are alot of prople suffering I was lucky I have a good doctor
I got heated blanket, cooling blanket, weighted blanket, I really want to get away from a normal mattress anything take the pressure away.