[hestipod]

I fight this urge every day because of pain and have great empathy for both you and your wife. I was left in constant pain by badly done and, ultimately unneeded surgery. I have been off and on medication for many years now and have fought the system the entire time. I was recently cut off again after a long term doctor retired and the new options are all fairly hostile to pain patients.

The thing that is the hardest is that ultimately the best pain control for me is a safe and calm lifestyle and decent healthcare in the right conditions I can survive without medication, but with the loss of health and money goes your access to that lifestyle and healthcare, increasing the need for meds, at a time and situation in which you can least get them. I've tried nearly everything, at least that I can access, and that access, mainstream and alternative just gets worse here in the USA. I just need a small flat and a simple life in a city with connections and resources. I am stuck in the opposite.

I had a great, once in a lifetime, accomodative job opportunity abroad from a member here that I couldn't get to because of worsening pain and life stability and I sunk further as a result. Should have just gone and failed and gotten it over with rather than suffering more in worse conditions. It's a pit of quicksand once you get in it. It's hard enough in countries with good systems, but in the USA it's hopeless. I am now stuck in rural nowhere in so much pain with no good healthcare and transport and a horrid quality of life. I am over the debate and the "opiod crisis" and people's judgement here...I just want out and stable if thats even possible anymore, or it over. Tired of suffering every day.

[cwkoss]

Many underserved chronic pain patients are turning to growing their own, seed tea, and kratom. Might still be able to find decorative dried pods as well.

Dextromethorphan and grapefruit juice can potentiate to stretch out doses in times of drought.

Sorry to hear that our medical system is failing you. Truly immoral.

[bpaddock]

The FDA is on a Kratom witch hunt now. Must remove anything that helps people.

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/public-health-focus/fda-and-...

[aitchnyu]

Seed tea could kill, right? https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18489677

[cwkoss]

Yes, as can all opioids (or drugs in general). Biologicals are particularly challenging in this regard as potency can vary wildly. From what I've read, the people who use this regularly try to make very large batches to standardize and then titrate up slowly with every batch. It seems the son in that link was used to taking huge amount of washed seeds and then got an unwashed batch - so in a sad ironic way, the company's attempts to keep people from getting high led to his death.

Definitely risky, and not something I'd ever suggest for recreational purposes. Also important to know that many opiate tests look for non-intoxicating metabolites that are directly available in the poppy, so doctors may overestimate the amount of morphine the individual consumed: leading to overprescription in replacement therapies or overdose treatments, both of which can be dangerous.

[lonelappde]

The US solution to this problem is to sue to the surgeon and retire from the settlement

[hestipod]

I didn't downvote you. I tried to sue after hearing from multiple doctors abroad how badly it was done and how I never needed it, but it's not like people think from TV and "common knowledge". It's hard to win malpractice. Most cases are not frivolous but people think they are all money grabs. The doctors and their insurance companies do things like insulate surgery centers in friendly counties and under special business arrangements etc. There are small caps and extremely short statutes of limitations on many things. Even if I had won 100%, which rarely happens according to the lawyers, after all was said and done I might have gotten 10,000usd max...and that's nothing for taking away a future. People don't understand the reality of medical errors and malpractice. Patients always lose.