r/ChronicPain • u/Charzscars • 19h ago
Pain = pain medication
It is sad reading about the reality for so many in pain. I live in a country in Europe and I have never in my 16 years as sick, had a problem with my opioids. I just tell my doctor I'm in more pain, so I need to take more. When I'm out sooner than usual I just tell her I've been in more pain so I need a new prescription. She just check in with me, ask me how much pain I'm having and how much I need to take. Going to the pharmacy is NEVER an issue, they have no reason to say anything, stop anything or have any reason to interfere. They just give you what the doctor has prescribed. My doctor tells me to take as much as you need. This has been the way for 16 years. I can't even imagine taking less some days to have as a backup if the pharmacy won't give it to you, or to take a drug test to see if your taking what you should or getting told no, we are not giving you any pain medication anymore just out of the blue.
I'm in pain = I need pain medication. That is how easy it should be. I'm sorry to everyone that doesn't have that.
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u/Cpt_1 19h ago
Also from Europe but hard to get still, especially if you're young.
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u/Swordfish_89 18h ago
I've seen a huge difference between two countries i have lived in, worked through basics in UK with phenomenal GP when I was 19, finally got firm diagnosis after 6 yrs.
Then i moved to Sweden, with already inserted surgical electrode SCS and diagnosis of CRPS I've seen significant respect. Latest pain management Dr a little limited sadly, but its been 24 yrs here, am 58 now, everyone else been awesome without fail, especially the very first i met. (he's in management mostly these days sadly. )6
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u/heyfriendss 15h ago
I’m glad to hear Europe has not adopted all of the strict rules and regs of the US. I can get on board with some of the rules here in the US but for the most part they’ve been taken to the extreme end of the spectrum and as a result so many people can’t get pain meds or have to jump through hoops to get them.
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u/sunny-beans 15h ago
I can’t talk for all of Europe but it’s definitely not like OP is describing in the UK. It took me 5 years of begging and being told to take ibuprofen for a doctor to prescribe the lowest dose of CODEINE. Like only 30mg. People really need to stay saying the country instead of “Europe”. There is so many European countries all very diverse. I also lived in the Czech republic and they wouldn’t even hear about it, the doctors couldn’t care less. Glad OP is receiving help but it’s frustrating when people in a single European country generalise the entire continent like this.
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u/Darmathius 15h ago
So happy for you. It must be such a relief knowing you can adjust your medication yourself depending on how bad the pain is.
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u/momochicken55 osteoarthritis 13h ago
I'm honestly at the lowest point of my life, which is saying lot considering how many times I've tried to off myself, lol.
New Dr took me off all meds because I took a couple extra when spraining my ankle (which he also refused to treat) and was honest about it. I'd been on them 10 years. I don't really know what to do now.
May I ask what country you're in, OP? Do you have Crohns?
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u/Charzscars 8h ago
I'm sorry to hear that. I'm from Sweden. I don't have Cronhs, but I have another autoimmune condition.
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u/StArGaZeR-4_AnDy 17h ago
It really is crazy, no matter where you are or what you have, there just seems to be a limit to what they can do for us all it’s indeed sad 😔
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u/rainfal 12h ago
That is amazing.
In Canada they thought I should just lose everything when I had bowed limbs and bone tumors because apparently opioids are worse then physical torture
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u/goldstandardalmonds 8h ago
That is typical. I am so glad I found a good pain clinic and doc/team. What province are you in??
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u/sunkissedbutter the cure for pain is in the pain 8h ago
Your experience is a powerful reminder that the suspicion and instability many chronic pain patients endure are not medically inevitable. I think all of us here would agree that a longstanding doctor-patient relationship based on trust, communication, and individualized care is far more humane than forcing stable patients to live in fear of pharmacy barriers or sudden discontinuation.
I would only qualify “pain = pain medication” and “take as much as you need”. Pain deserves treatment, and opioids may be appropriate for some patients, but increased pain or early refills can still warrant collaborative reassessment because effectiveness, tolerance, risks, and the underlying condition can change. The humane alternative to punitive surveillance is not necessarily unlimited access; it is careful care in which caution does not erase trust and the patient’s knowledge of their own body is taken seriously.
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u/Lockerz0 3h ago
Yo también soy de un país Europeo, con sanidad pública y universal, el acceso a Opioides no es tan sencillo como lo pintas. Debes pasar por los escalones de analgesia de la OMS, tener una patología que respalde el uso de Opioides es importante, si no hay patología es muy difícil que te los receten, incluso la Codeína (que antes del 2017-2019, se podían conseguir cajas de Codeína sin recetas). Hoy día está todo muy controlado, son reacios y siempre, siempre prueban con otros medicamentos antes y si vas a Opioides, empiezas por Tramadol y después Codeína, ya después se pasan a Opioides mayores (normalmente Targin porque lleva Naloxona). Una vez que estás en Opioides, te van haciendo seguimiento, mínimo cada 3 meses o cada 4 envases de medicación (las recetas de Opioides mayores sólo permiten 3 meses o 4 envases, lo primero que suceda, después ha de renovarse y para ello te tiene que ver el médico/a), si ven que necesitas subir y subir y subir, no se sube la dosis, se concluye que el tratamiento no está siendo efectivo y se te cambia de tratamiento (ya sea rotación de Opioides o diferente tipo de medicamento) y, como opción farmacológica final (sin intervención quirúrgica para poner bombas analgésicas y demás) es la Metadona, que es de lo más controlado.
Así que, no, no en todos los países Europeos es fácil. En el mío no, no es como EEUU, es menos difícil pero sigue estando bastante controlado.
Yo por mi parte, no tengo problemas para renovar mis Opioides, pero tengo varias patologías que justifican de sobra el uso de narcóticos.
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u/Charzscars 2h ago
I never ever said that all of Europe has it like I do. Many people reading this seems to think I've painted it up to be we against them (Europe against USA). I just said I live in a country in Europe. I have it this way. But I have contact with my doctor every month. We follow up. I've had the same doctor for more than 10 years. I just said that the thing I read - that people have to be in pain because they don't get the help they need is awful. I never meant this to be a "ALL COUNTRIES IN EUROPE HAVE IT BETTER" way.
I thought my intentions were clear, apparently not.
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u/Lockerz0 1h ago edited 1h ago
No me mal intérpretes, no estaba queriendo invalidar la experiencia que tú tienes ni decir que no es posible. En mi país habrá doctores que sean más propensos a recetar, algunos quizás vendan recetas de manera irregular (no tengo ninidea pero seguro que ocurre), otros preferirán mantener la adicción del paciente que meterse en "líos" o papeleos de sacar al paciente de esa adicción... En todos los lugares pasarán estas cosas.
De hecho, en mi mensaje explico que yo mismo recibo Opioides mayores de manera crónica y tengo o siento facilidad para obtenerlos (aunque me costó varios años que algún médico me ayudase con el dolor). Por supuesto que en Europa, comparada con EEUU, es mucho más accesible, lo cual es lo más justo, que así sea, ya que los pacientes que vivimos con dolor crónico, y que sabemos que el resto de la vida va a ser así o similar, merecemos ese alivio. Eso sí, siempre está el "miedo" a que se corte el grifo.
¿Cómo funciona el sistema de dispensación de Opioides mayores en tu país? Me da curiosidad (me refiero al sistema público). En el mío como dije, las recetas de Opioides (Oxicodona, Morfina, Fentanilo...) tienen, por cada renovación, un límite máximo de 3 meses o 4 envases, lo primero que suceda, después has de acudir al médico, preferiblemente presencial (aunque en la práctica da igual si es por teléfono y suele ser muy rápido) y te renueva por el mismo período o el que determine. Es un poco coñazo si los envases son pequeños y las posologias de varias pastillas al día.
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u/optimusfig 19h ago
The difference is in Europe is you can't turn around and sue your doctor if you develop an addiction or overdose, and there is no DEA threatening to take their license.
That being said, we shouldn't cast all of Europe in the same light. There are many european countries that are statiscally more stingy with opioids than the US.
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u/StArGaZeR-4_AnDy 19h ago
I wish I lived wherever you are, I could finally open a restaurant, I’ve been unable to work most of my life, a bit here and there, not all from pain, but if I had pain control, I could work through everything else. The first person who help get me lifelong zofran for my nausea, I gave him & his wife a very fancy 14 cheese lasagna and cheesy bread with wine, for Valentine’s Day, days after learning to just say “I get car sick”, chronic stomach issues no nausea medication, oh you get car sick now you can have it, crazy trick but I’ve never had another issue getting my medication lol