Sadly, this crisis is only going to get worse when, in Jan. 2019, medicare will only allow 90 milligrams of morphine for chronic pain. Between now and that time I will be cut back from 760 milligrams of morphine a day to 90. I was originally at 900. I had been on that dosage for 8 years without having to increase. The doctor who originally prescribed that dosage had started at the lowest dose possible until I found relief and could live somewhat normally. He has since retired and the doctor that I have now, after reviewing MRI’s, getting 2 opinions from surgeons who basically said that I was beyond repair, not operable. I have multiple spine issues along with scoliosis, oseoarthritis, osteoporosis, spinal stenosis, degenerative joint disease, fibromyalgia and most of the cushioning between my vertebra is gone and is bone on bone.
Until this Opiod crisis I was functioning and thankful to be out of most of the pain. I remember clearly what it was like before my symptoms progressed to the point of pain management.
Each time they cut back on my dosage I am unable to more and more basic daily tasks. I feel that January, 2019 is a death sentence for me. At the very least it is an imprisonment as I will be bedridden.
The government focused on opiate deaths but disregarded the living chronic pain patients needs. All this accomplished is more unnecessary deaths!
Is there anything we can do before the final cutbacks and our pain takes over our cognitive thinking along with our bodies?