Did anyone else watch House in a state of rage?

[aquart]

I know my mom watched to see how they would deal with it. House has chronic pain. They admit he has chronic pain. But they make him become a criminal in order to get the medication that reduces the pain.

Pain treatment in this country is criminal itself.

When the bloody hell did being an addict become the worst thing in the world? And WHY are we pretending that people being treated for chronic pain ARE addicts? If you are really in pain, the medicine is not addictive.

We understand neither chronic pain NOR addiction.

How DARE we force people to suffer like this?

[Mythsaje]

1. House's addiction certainly doesn't make him any less of a great doctor

which is something I was surprised to see on TV. I wouldn't want him as my personal physician, but I sure as HELL would want him on the team if they were having trouble with a diagnosis.

He's in pain, he functions better than okay and isn't robbing people for his medication, just give him his damned medication.

Seems like a no brainer.

[Maraya1969]

2. I agree. I was very upset with the show tonight and last week.

Chronic pain is worse than a pain killer addiction. Chronic pain can ruin your life. And there are no real pain killers that aren't addictive except the over the counter ones.

I worry about getting addicted to my pain killers and I feel strange when I ask for them but I'd rather be addicted that be in pain. I feel like I am a suspect just by saying the word.

It is stupid and absurd. I wonder what other countries do in this situation.

[Speck Tater]

3. Uh, you folks DO know it's fiction, don't you?

There is no "House" and he's NOT in chronic pain.
And in case you didn't get the memo, Bambie's mother really can't talk.

[aquart]

7. What a Bush-like reply.

Yes, House is fiction. My sister is not. Doctors freely admit that her pain will last her lifetime. She had back surgery that did not go well. Yet she is constantly shorted on necessary medication.

I assume no one in your life lives a life of endless suffering. How nice for you.

[tkmorris]

10. Of course we are

And the discussion is about the fictional character "House", as he is portrayed on a television show. The scripting of the show illustrates in a fictional environment the real-world perception of chronic pain and it's treatment and sufferers. It's a case of the art (TV show) imitating life (how people actually feel in the real world about these types of situations).

Oh and by the way, your attitude sucks.

Edit: This was supposed to be a reply to fiziwig btw. Sorry Aquart.

[aquart]

11. Of course we are...what?

And I'm fine with my attitude.

[tkmorris]

12. See above

My reply wasn't for you, it was to fiziwig. Apologies.

[cynatnite]

4. Hubby was weaned off his pain meds...

it was a slow process for him. Difference between hubby and House...Hubby wanted off the drugs.

We watched the show tonight and I was a little pissed at how they handled House. Only way to get him off the drugs...was for him to be willing to be off the drugs.

[aquart]

5. Was your husband still in pain?

[cynatnite]

6. Yep, but it was slowly going away...

Hubby's condition was different, but he still wanted off the drugs. House didn't want to stop and would only do so if he was willing. Forcing a guy like him wouldn't have worked, IMO.

[aquart]

9. House's choice is drugs or pain.

He isn't faking the pain. When he was briefly out of pain, he was also off the drugs. When the pain came back, he took the pills again.

All they are promising House with rehab is to give him less effective drugs so he won't be an illegal "addict." That's both cruel and outrageous. WTF does it matter if he does become an addict if it stops the pain? It's more moral to be in pain? How very nice of us to make that judgement.

[cynatnite]

13. No, I totally understand that aspect...

They can't perceive the chronic pain he's in so it's easier for them to sit back and make the judgment. But if they're looking at it from the perspective that House is an addict, they went about it completely wrong in the first place. If someone is physically addicted, which House is, BTW, you can't force them off the drugs unless they want to be off the drugs.

House's choice is to be on the drugs. The reason I say this is because I knew people in chronic pain that didn't want the drugs and never took them. They found other alternatives in managing their pain even though it never did take it completely away. This was severe chronic pain they were dealing with and they absolutely did not want narcotics in their systems.

Besides, I do think House does have a problem that needs addressed. He was popping pills like crazy after getting his vicodin back. He kept on by mixing that and alcohol. Then was barely conscious on the floor after puking. He was damn close to overdosing. This is a knowledgeable doctor who was letting the addiction control him rather than taking the meds with an ounce of common sense.

[aquart]

14. Yes, I was pretty disgusted by that.

I know I'm going to get an earful from my mom about it, too. She'll probably never watch the show again because I know she will consider that to have been a gutless and untruthful copout.

[symbolman]

18. Here's the BAD part

YOU Can't get something like Hydrocodone WITHOUT TONS OF Tylanol in it, and so instead of just dealing with addiction your LIVER IS BEING POISONED by the levels of the addition.

The Pharms are so interested in Moving Tylanol in quantities that they are destoying LIVERS of patients who JUST want pain management.

I think that is a CRIME personally.

Other countries like Scandanavian ones, just think, "Okay, well, you'll be in chronic pain all your life, so who fucking CARES if you are addicted, as long as you have QUALITY of life."

Wish the goddam Pilgrims running our society would all walk west until their hats float. Pisses me off that if I have to take pain meds for a chronic condition that they make you feel like a criminal and that it's a BIG PARTY going on. Nothing could be farther from the truth, being addicted is no picnic..

Too bad there are No "Empathy machines" to hook up to doctors and politicians so they could feel the pain some of us go through for ONE DAY, might change their tune if THEY FELT IT.

[madokie]

23. 23 months now on hydrocodone

for PAD. one pill every 6 hours as needed for pain. I remember the days when I would take pain meds for the buss, little did I know then that in time I would be taking them each and every day, trust me it ain't no fun as you know. I worry about the tylenol more than anything else. When I started on this regimen my liver functions were good, good enough for my doc to comment to my wife that boy his liver is in good shape, not so sure now though. and this was after a life of much drink and smoke, yep the years of partying and carousing is going to kill me yet

[aquart]

24. Me, I can't touch anything with Tylenol or Motrin in it.

I'm due to have surgery and I'm in a total panic over the painkillers. They're talking about codeine but I know codeine gives me nightmares and nausea. My sister's drug of choice is percodan. If they give me that, I can send her whatever I don't use. But they really don't want to. They'd rather leave me screaming than give me an adequate painkiller. I've had this surgery before, on my other foot, and I know I have two weeks of hell to look forward to, then months of isolation and hampered mobility.

[wiley]

8. Thank You!

[lvx35]

15. great one.

"When the bloody hell did being an addict become the worst thing in the world? "

Seriously, great point. when I was addicted to smoking, so many self righteous pricks condemned me in so many ways...I only finally quit by reading Allen Carr's book "the easy way to stop smoking" because it allowed me to see the brain washing in myself that was supported by the same self righteous pricks that condemning me for it. Treating addicts like bad guys does NOTHING. Its a problem and to move beyond they need support and respect.

[sweetheart]

16. The white house in a state of rage?

I misread your headline, read the entire op, and wondered why it didn't mention bush.

But during that pregnant interval, i could read what i was expecting to read,
what would not suprise me in the least.

The white house occupant is suffering from chronic reality problems, and the lot of
them is folding under pressure, like a submarine imploding under the force of popular
disconent... bolted in to their limos with millions of people slapping the exterior.

What do such pathologies do when they feel cornered, but lash out in a state of rage.

And this was what i was expecting to read as the conclusion of the op? Since bush
can't lash out domestically, he *must* manufacture something abroad, or he's as buried
as a pig at a hawaiian babecue.

Bush is lashing out domestically, with 7 millions fallen afoul of the justice ssytem
because of the drugs war, lashing out against the poor who would mass on the mall
against him, 7 millions who will be released from prison forever homeless and consigned
to poverty under bush's new concentration camp system.

Your headline is right, the rage is very dangerous with a churchill imposter on the loose.

[symbolman]

17. I was watching that show with great interest

as a Pain Person myself I'm INCENSED that we are treated like CRIMINALS for NOT wanting to hurt, and to use a drug that's been around for thousands of years (instead of Gabapentin, which made my skin crawl and I felt like a mental patient, used for Seizures and epilepsy) -- when what's at STAKE is QUALITY OF LIFE.

So what if take a drug so that I am still motivated to Paint my house, fix plumbing, write a book, work on my cheap car, etc, when otherwise I'd just sit in my chair all day unable to MOVE, unmotivated, wishing god would just take me, or make the fucking pain GO AWAY.

I have a doctor that SCREAMS at people in his office in public, accusing them of "Doctor Shopping", and has verbally attacked ME with 4 people sitting right there in the waiting room, when I've come in for a 'Pain Vacation' shot, which I need to do about every 4 to 6 months because the meds I'm taking only DULL the pain, and now and then I NEED to FEEL NO PAIN at ALL, sort of recalibrate.

Would they treat a diabetic that way?

But we as Pain Folks also need to understand that the FEDS LEAN on these docs at the same time, THEY can go to jail just for actually KEEPING US FROM PAIN. Tricky situation.

For those pain people reading this, I'd like to WARN you about a new use for a medication, METHADONE. They are using it for Chronic pain, and while it's cheap and plentiful, DO NOT GET STARTED ON IT. If you've ever tried to kick pain meds and suffered for it, you will NOT BELIEVE how INSIDIOUS Methadone is. I got fooled by the Doc, asked him, "Isn't that the stuff they use to get heroin addicts OFF of heroin?" Thinking that IT wasn't so addictive.

Well, once I was prescribed it and used it at low doses for a while I didn't like it so I thought I'd just go cold turkey, and I have NEVER been so SICK in my life - some Heroin addicts say it's harder to KICK Methadone than it is Heroin!!

I vomited until the blood vessels in my eyes blew, chills, deep bone aches, fever, involuntary kicking, insomnia, the list goes on, and it took me Three whole damn months to get that monkey off my back. I'm pretty proud that I was able to get it completely out of my life and cringe now when I even hear the name of it. It was created by Hitler's guys as a cheap morphine, and is called the HELL DRUG, and it is.

DON'T take it, use anything else you can, pay a bit more but PLEASE avoid it, it's HORRIFIC.

And if the prescribe you Xanax, think twice about that as well, that shit eats HOLES in your brain after long term use.

With arthritis of the spine for ten years I've tried everything from Gabapentin, to whatever the latest left handed molecule pain relief from a lab anywhere in the world, and settled for good old Hydrocodone, as I've kicked that before with a few weeks when I'm not in need of it.

Funny, they have a Bumper crop of Opiates in Afghanistan, and WE have to battle for minimal amounts to keep ourselves functional.

I didn't see the beginning of HOUSE tonight, how did he get in this mess? WHO is after him, trying to jail him? I was amazed that a tv show would even EXHIBIT a Doc downing Vicodin, all that time I thought he was chugging asprin, silly me :)

[Wiley50]

19. As A Wearer of a Fentanyl Patch For Last 3 1/2 Years

Who tried to move from TN to VA summer before last
and spent 4 months trying unsuccessfully to find
a doctor willing to continue my treatment ( They
are all scared of losing their prescribing license
or going to jail for decades) and having to move
back to TN simply because I have an understanding
doctor here. I understand the situation.

I don't watch TV but it kinda sounds like the story
of Richard Paey down in FL, except he wasn't a Dr.

FYI- The American Pain Association is a great advocacy org
with a great website that has a forum that works like DU
I'm too sleepy to look up the link tonight
Just Google it.

[rock]

20. I agree

The addiction is just not that important compared to the relief from pain.

[ms liberty]

21. Yes - I was totally pissed off

This storyline has some real problems. First of all, House is on pain meds for chronic pain. He successfully got off the meds when his pain was relieved before, so he's not addicted to the meds for the high. Chronic pain is a serious problem, and treatment of it has been abysmal because of our attitude in the country about drugs.

The cop part of the storyline angers me too. I've been saying for a few weeks that House needed to get a lawyer and get a restraining order on that cop. He's been harassing him, plain and simple. Where are the hospital's lawyers? That cop is on a personal mission to destroy House, it's not about House's use of pain meds. And a local cop is not going to be the one to run a major investigation on a successful doctor in a large teaching hospital in his city. And a legitimate investigation of that scale is not going to be run by one cop, using his vacation time, and attempting to extort other doctors in order to get them to cooperate. And those doctors should have lawyers to stop that rogue cop. What, we're expected to believe that those doctors are all so STUPID that they'd talk to this rogue cop WITHOUT THEIR LAWYERS PRESENT?

I don't know where the hell they're going with this storyline. I think it was NOT well thought out, and I have to wonder if they talked to ANY experts at all. All I can say is that I've felt betrayed by a show that was original and fresh, and told some hard truths without any sugar coating. Now it's like they've got some kind of PC disease, and they're making up for not following the 'correct' line of thought.

[trumad]

22. Exactly

I love the show but I hate this contrived story line. One detective froze all the Doctors bank accounts? Give me a break. He stopped the one Doc--Doc Wilson from writing prescriptions. Basically, one detective on a vendetta is shutting down this hospital.

Where are the hospital lawyers---and a hospital like this would have major political protection.

The more I think about it, the more I think that this is one of the biggest bullshit story lines to come along in a long time.

[aquart]

25. My sister is on the phone right now.

She says, " I have Never gotten high from painkillers that I used to manage my chronic pain, except for the natural little lift on the rare occasions that the pain actually stops. My life could be so much fuller, richer, and more active if I could be prescribed what I need to manage my pain properly.

Even when I did have adequate access to painkillers, on the rare good days of no pain or little pain, it wouldn't even occur to me to take an aspirin, let alone a narcotic."

Lately, she has been offered anti-depressants for her pain. She ain't depressed. She's in pain. She's also enraged at being offered the wrong medication for her problem.

She roars out of bed every morning absolutely convinced she will be fine, and on the days she can get things done, she sings with joy. On the other days, when she can't do anything, she's not depressed, she's ANGRY because if she had what she needed to manage the pain, she could still be productive. (She was always a workaholic.)