We all want the same thing.

Access to pain meds that we have used safely and effectively for years. Decades in the case of us old folks.

We all know we are being made scapegoats and being blamed for the fake as*ed. Rx “opioid epidemic”.

This blame was a well orchestrated campaign of misinformation, disinformation, lies, half – truths, obfuscation, manipulated data + stats.

We are years behind in fighting back.

The lies need to be exposed.

Not going to happen unless we get mainstream media and medical professionals on our side.

There is zero chance of a quick fix for this.

It took years for those who started this war on chronic pain patients to pull this off.

It didn’t happen overnight.

It can not be changed overnight.

There is simply no chance whatsoever that we’ll get meds Rx’d at doses that allow us to have some quality of life in the near future.

That’s reality.

There are very, very few medical professionals standing up for us.

The anti opioid zealots have successfully weaponized state medical and pharmacy boards, insurance companies, and .gov agencies against us.

I think we can all agree that the end goal for all of us is to have effective pain control.

We’re all different.

Different meds, at different doses are what works for each of us.

Arbitrary and capricious limits on doses, set by anti opioid zealots, based on emotions and personal opions – not facts and science -harms all of us.

This is not a you’re wrong, we’re right, we proved it, so repeal the ” guidelines” and stop demonizing us fight.

It is , always was, and always will be a long, protracted war for us to receive adequate pain treatment.

Wars are won by winning a succession of small battles.

Wars are won by becoming allied with those who you do not neccessarily agree with on everything.

I’m generally of the no retreat, no surrender, give no quarter, no compromise school of thought.

Ask anyone who knows me what the tats are on my right arm 😁

However, that ain’t gonna win this war.

***this is NOT directed to any individual***

I stated that I support Beth Darnall because she stood up for CPPs in Oregon.

I got lots of sh*t for it.

I still support Beth Darnall.

Yes, she has made statements and taken positions many disagree with.

No, she did not issue a statement saying we all need to have the meds that we know work well for us.

She has clearly stated, multiple times that opioids are the only effective treatment for many of us, and that we do well on the meds. ( paraphrased)

She did stand up for us when no one else did.

I’ll bet $100.00 right now that she got a lot of static from co workers and colleagues for standing up for us.

All of us should support anyone who stands up for us.

I get it that we all want the medical professionals to just go all out, no holds barred scorched earth, let ’em have it full force on the anti opioid zealots.

I’d love to see it happen.

Not gonna happen though.

Those in the medical field who do stand up for us are risking jobs and careers just by going against the narrative.

Please give them credit for doing so.

I can count those in the field who do stand up for us and have fingers left over…

This isn’t just about Beth Darnall.

It’s about anyone who questions the anti opioid zealots, and takes our side.

Even if you feel they aren’t giving us 100% support – they are in fact giving us support.

They deserve to have that support acknowledged by us.

Example…

You can disagree with 80% of their views.

That still means they are giving us 20% support.

5 people giving 20% support is 100%.

We can’t win this all at once.

We have to take the 20% wins, let them add up, then win 100%.

Lots of small battles won is the only way we win this war.

We have to stop the ” he / she doesn’t support the exact same solutions I do, so I don’t want to hear what they have to say”

Dr Schatman got so fed up he quit Twitter.

I had plenty of disagreements with the man, but he was simply pointing out reality most of the time.

He backed up his statements with facts+links to credible sources.

That’s something everyone should respect.

We have to take whatever small victories we can get, then advance from there.

If we continue to disparage those who are trying to help us – in their own way, with their own ideas- we will lose.

We all should be open to hearing differing opinions on our lack of a cess to pain meds.

We should all also call out those promoting opioid hysteria.

However – we need to do so in a civil manner, using facts, and cite our sources for those facts.

*** yeah, I’m guilty of not being exactly civil to anti opioid zealots***

We really need to work together, and be a cohesive, united force.

We don’t have to agree 100% with those trying to help, but we should all stop, think, and accept the help we do get.

Win the small battles – we win the war.

Sweat the details after we make progress.

Making progress is what counts.

So…

How about we all try and make some progress in this fight?