Effective Drug Rehabilitation

Question by Josh: how old do i have to be before i can be prescribed a pain killer?
…almost 4 years ago i was involved in two [medium] auto accidents. i injured one knee in the first and the other in the second. (for the record neither accident was my fault). after almost two years from the first accident I was finally prep’d for double knee surgery… the meniscus in both knees had to be cut and my patella on both legs was scraped. the pain level before the surgery was almost unbearable at times. stairs were a nightmare and even getting up off the toilet was nothing but misery. i couldnt function like my normal self. there’s nothing like acute pain to bring you to your knees (no pun intended. i have to find humor in it to maintain composure). the pain had not just stayed in my knees but spread down my legs. My shins became hyper sensitive and then came plantar faciitis in my feet. i couldnt step on a quarter in my bare feet without high levels of pain.

after the surgery i followed all recovery procedures. within 3-4 months i was no longer walking with a limp. i felt great!! then my car broke down and i had to bicycle to work… or lose my job. well…. guess what happened? yep, i’m limping again. 1 1/2yrs later, my pain level is up (not quite like before the surgery, but getting there) and misery is setting back in again. the pain wakes me up several times a night and i am now moving rather slow again. the total time of unnecessary pain is now about 3.5 yrs. ibuprofen and aspirin are really not useful much. my knees do not really swell and that is why (i think) dr’s are feeling scared to help me. i had to go to 3 different ortho’s to finally find a dr who would operate. after the operation they showed me the pics from inside my knee and then, it was very obvious why i was in pain. my knees are crunchy and the pics looked like the inside of my knees were hit with a cheese grater.

my question is how do i get some relief? i am passed the point of ice packs and ‘home remedies’ and herbal concoctions. all i want is hydrocodone. this is what was prescribed to me before. i’m not asking for any “high-potency” narcotic or a bunch of them. one doctor told me i wasnt old enough (i’m 34) to be prescribed pain medication. how old do i have to be before i can start to live normally again? i’m just too tired and wore out to go through this without any help again.

please advise
to answer #1
you gave me a web site to jobs and careers…
how does that help me?
to Sally MD
thanks. I’ll give that a try. Anything is better than going to the doctor (nothing personal). I need to check into any allergic type reactions it may have. My doctor gave me some med one time that was supposed to block nerve pain (which i had) and i was sick as a dog for 2 days. I never took it again. Hydrocodone is an old drug that has been around for years. originally as a cough suppressant? Any who… living in pain sucks, it ruins your life. I will be 34 in 28 days and the last 3 and a half years have aged me faster than the last 10. Addictive, absolutely yes it is! Living my life with less pain is very addictive.

Best answer:

Answer by alastrione
There is no specific age at which pain meds are given. If you feel you need pain meds and the doctor won’t give them to you then you need to seek another doctor. When it comes to pain meds, doctors are trained to say no. You need to go to a doctor trained to diagnose the need for ongoing pain medication, and who are willing to prescribe it.

I recommend either a Pain Management Specialist or a Physiatrist.

I have given pain meds to newborns. Need not age determines use.

I hope you find some relief.

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