Welcome Guit30 – I’ve lived with back pain for 16 years now – along with a long list of other conditions. Finding treatments that help and physicians who are willing to take the time to really dig in and help you find the right combination of treatment that will help are definitely challenges. I haven’t had access to medications in many years. Like FredFriend, I use physical and massage therapy plus self-managed pacing to help control my pain. I have encountered these issues when I take an elderly lady I care for to get prescriptions after surgeries, etc. I use it as an opportunity for a teachable moment. It’s a chance to educate people that people who live with pain are just trying to find treatments that help them and sometimes that’s a medication or a medication in combination with other treatments and sometimes not a medication at all. Everyone is different and should have access to the treatments that their pain care team finds will be most helpful.
