I have been on pain medication since the late 1990s. First it was OxyContin until my my co-pay became $300 every 2 months. My only insurance is original Medicare so I have to choose a "Part D" plan every year that will work best for what has to be taken out at the beginning of the year and then each co-pay. Thankfully Medicare helps me go through that process.
My Part D plan at that time (of the increase for the co-pay) told me my other two options were either Morphine or Methadone. I chose the latter and learned later that Methadone is the preferred option. I take the lowest dose I can but it takes the edge off the pain caused by syringomyelia. I recently moved to Arizona and it is harder than hades to find a physician who takes on patients who are on pain medication. I found one but he turned out to be a jerk so now I have to find another one. I also found out something that I did not know before and perhaps many of you know it already? There are several "Medical Marijuana Shops" that any individual can go to and for $150 a year you can purchase any cream or ointment or oil to help with the pain while not giving you the "high" that smoking marijuana gives you. You are given a card and then shop in the shop. After paying $150 it is much less. I am tired of trying to find a physician who will take on a patient who is on a needed pain medication that I have been on for umpteen years. When I was living in a small town in Pennsylvania with my sister and brother-in-law I had a position that was awesome and had no problem writing out my prescription. The only thing they had to be done was to pick up the prescription every month at the office in person. Anyone else having this problem? ~Lori C4/5 complete quad, 36 1/2 years post Tucson Arizona -- "Petting, scratching and cuddling a dog could be soothing to the mind and heart and deep meditation and almost as good for the soul as prayer." ~Dean Koontz
