Answer Summary

Members bonded over the shared struggle of being chronic pain patients who feel abandoned by the medical system in the wake of opioid... Read more

Members bonded over the shared struggle of being chronic pain patients who feel abandoned by the medical system in the wake of opioid restrictions, expressing frustration that legitimate sufferers are being punished while fentanyl remains the real culprit in overdose deaths. Several members shared what has helped them survive, including finding compassionate pain specialists through referrals, switching to Suboxone with gabapentin when opioid tolerance built up, trying cannabis and CBD oil, reframing unbearable pain as very uncomfortable, and leaning on prayer and faith for strength. A recurring theme was the profound isolation and desperation that comes from living with untreated chronic pain, met with deep empathy from others who understand that fight and the fierce determination to keep searching for relief and doctors who will listen.