There is a huge downside to this. I do not abuse my meds, I often don't take as many as I am prescribed each month because if I don't hurt, I don't medicate, but my friends and family members DO abuse them. I lost one friend of 13 years this year because he stole pills from me, got caught and then lied about it. I caught my mother-in-law red handd, a fist full of my pills in her hand. I have another friend who got hooked after shoulder surgery. While he gets even more meds than I do from his doctor, and at higher doses, he has a big ol' pill and pain patch orgy for the first week and a half of the month, and then spends the next 3 weeks begging pills off of me or ordering shit from Pakistan or buying pills in Mexican pharmacies or from street dealers. He is one bad jones away from buying Heroin.
These drugs are life savers for many, but I've seen so many people turn into their worst selves over them, it makes me sad. I have to hide my pill bottles from my wife's mom and always when strangers visit. I finally put my foot down with my friend, telling him no more, he cannot just count on me to get him through after every binge. He swears he's going to rehab (what are they gonna tell him that he doesn't already know? Once you get through withdrawl, just don't take more! How can a grown man who says he doesn't want to take something keep taking it? It doesn't sneak up in the night and scurry down his throat...) of course only AFTER this next month's prescription, you know, just to get through the holidays.
I know I drink a lot, so I'm hardly in a position to preach about substance abuse (and I advocate total drug legalization to boot!) but for your own sake, be careful with opiates if you ever need to take them, and don't share your prescriptions with your friends because it's bound to come between you. I'm venting here, but I'm just frustrated and discouraged. I am working with a massage therapist and looking into accupuncture in order to get myself off of these things. I've been losing weight and exercising (ironically, I can do it only because I have the meds), which should help relieve some stress on my shoulder...I've also been trying to spend less time in front of the computer to give the arm a rest. My goal is by my 30th birthday to be off the patches and only taking meds occasionally for bad flare ups (or bad hangovers
) instead of daily. Cheers! Here's to Booze, my favorite drug!PS-Feel free to add your responses, stories, anecdotes etc. I am not just venting, but also looking for feedback.
