Using Opioids and Having a Job—It’s Not Easy

Using Opioids and Having a Job—It’s Not Easy

www.nationalpainreport.com/using-opioids-and-having-a-job-its-not-easy-8840192.html

By Denise Hedley

Those of us with chronic pain are well aware of the new laws that have labeled the opioid crisis and thus punished chronic pain patients. We are all affected in one way or another, and a good number of us have had our medications taken from us. Just today, I was told to take Advil for my pinched nerve and three herniated disks in my back – oh and from now on, I’m supposed to basically live on my heating pad.

Those of us who have lived with chronic pain for quite a while are well aware of what it takes to hold down a job with an invisible illness. Most of us hide it for as long as we are able to work. We are the ones who are not addicts, of course, but there is a new threat to the chronic pain community in the form of proposed legislation and other movements that want to punish those in pain who are still able to work.

The fear of abuse is so rampant, that they want to make pre-employment and random drug screens add opioids to their lists of banned substances for the workplace. In those jobs that have safety concerns this might be understandable that they might worry about impairment. This move, however, seems more like a witch hunt.

What is not understood by many of the parties proposing these actions is that those of us who function only because we have this one tiny tool towards some degree of relief do not find ourselves impaired. We are better able to focus. For some, this relief could be the only thing keeping them in the workforce where they can have a benefits package and better insurance.

It is now recommended that prescription pain killers be considered a violation of the drug-free environment. Employee Assistance Programs (EAP) have now been advised to recommend that any employee who is using prescription painkillers be referred for treatment.

Companies who have thus far avoided drug testing programs may soon be required to begin one. There is a large movement towards taking the war on opioids into the workplace. Companies are now requiring employees to notify their employers if they are placed on prescription painkillers. Most will be required to take leave for the duration of their pain treatment while others may lose their jobs. Ironically, the company does not have the right to ask what those employees are receiving their pain management treatment for.

There have been some moves, as a result of the recent HHS task force activities, to rewrite instructions to primary care physicians as to the prescribing of opioids to those chronic pain patients with a proven history of staying within guidelines. The right to continue treatment seems like it is being excluded for those patients who are still able to work. If all of this new legislation passes, then the war on opioids is taken too far and it seems like it officially becomes a war on chronic pain.

This gives us one more reason why those of us in the chronic pain community need to be more vocal. Even if it is only one person at a time, our voices must somehow be heard.

Denise Hedley

Denise Hedley was initially diagnosed with Fibromyalgia in 2009. Her condition has worsened, and was diagnosed with bilateral RSD in January, 2019. She also suffers from Osteoarthritis, 2 herniated discs, and Systemic Lupus Erythematosis

 

 

4 Responses

  1. How strange that we now go WAAAAY out of our way (everyone carrying Narcan) for addicts but NOBODY gives a damn about us CPPs and how we are made to suffer on a daily basis. I think it is criminal on ANY Surgeon’s part to do a surgery and send their patient home on 10 percocet…and you best NOT ask for any more! WTH??

  2. I’ve gotten all my jobs with a copy of my script and having it in my urine. It’s prescribed. I think the ACLU needs to get involved here. If you are a type 1 diabetic you can become hypo or hyper glycemic and it can make you pass out or slur as if you are drunk. If someone had been successfully employed, it’s a non issue. As a matter of fact, any time I took steroids, I always got in trouble at work because my behavior and level of patience was off.

  3. Wow. Just wow.

  4. What a bunch of idiots!!!More will committ suicide,,,,more will die,,,more will forcible suffer in agony..Seriously folks our government truly wants us dead,,,Im dead serious,,,maryw

Leave a Reply

Discover more from PHARMACIST STEVE

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading