Did you see that Burt Reynolds was in treament for pain medication detox, and was out today. He had been using pain meds, like all of us in pain. Why don't they talk about all the "illegal drugs" that all the celebrities are taking, and not focusing on legal pain meds now!? What a crock!

Burt had surgery and says he got hooked on them. I don't think he was abusing them like what I think of when I think of people abusing them ya know? I hope that made sense.

And for him to be out so quick, he wasn't so bad off anyway. He's what...pushing 80? He probably needs some form of pain relief.

While I admire his intention, all he really did is put the 'drug' abuse issue back in the spotlight.

Tee~

It was said one of the late night comedy shows I was watching that Loni Anderson commented when she was asked "Payback Is A B!@#$"

Wish I would have seen that. They were married for quite some time.

Yea, I thought it was a bunch of crud to say he was in for pain meds abuse! Give us a break already, you know!

well if thats what he went in for. then is he suppose to make something up? maybe say he was using to much ambien instead? or something else?

its not like they dont follow these people around wherever they go and take pictures of them.

He was the one who wanted people to know about his problems with prescription painkillers so that other people would be aware of the potential risks associated with them.
He realized that "he was in the prison of prescription pain pills."
The Hanley Center did not disclose any information about his stay in rehab.
Since it was his choice to bring this to the public's attention, are you critical of his decision for some reason?

No I thought it was the PRESS, once again, making an example of another celebrity. I applaud Burt for is efforts to help himself and to make it aware to other people if that is what you say he is doing. He's a cool guy.

This link sounds bettter:

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/sns-health-burt-reynolds-rehab,0,4482237.story

This one is more critical in Subject:

http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-re...buse-117277.php

The point is that he is helping himself. People in real pain, now the new law, are getting the shaft is all. That's the pointof it all.

I can't help but feel taht every time a celebrity "comes out" about their trouble with RX pain meds, it just gives the Feds more ammo in their fight to deny these meds to those of us who have CP.

I agree Gene,
Why do they have to advertise that they are going in for treatment? Can't they just go in to private hospitals for celebs like some of them do and keep it quiet?
Geez, I'm going to my PM tomorrow and have no idea what he is going to do. "Take 2 aspirin and call me in the morning/"

I never followed Burt Reynolds or know what he did in his prime, but better for him to tell of his travails than to let the media get there first. Burt Reynolds might as well be Enrico Caruso to the typical young person. Nothing tragically hip about his revelation.

For decades, there were no cell phone cameras, helicopters overhead, tweets, text messages and other instant communication providing up to the minute details. When celebrities enterered "Maple Hill", always due to "exhaustion", it wasn't the big news it becomes nowadays. It was a mere footnote in the news for a day or so.

I don't begrudge the old guy for talking about the positive steps he took upon recognizing he had a problem.

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FWIW, I'm overhearing constantly repeated 'teasers' about the new threat to middle/upper class youth, which is the only time it's newsworthy. "It's flourishing and appealing among middle class youth, it's deadly, super potent, often adulterated, cheap, easy to obtain due to a glut in the market and highly addictive. Details at 6 PM....."

An alleged comeback of heroin is "hip" among middle class young people.

Substances with potential for abuse only become newsworthy when it leaves the ghetto it appears and instances can found in the middle/upper classes or among the Gliterrati.

Hundreds of the poor can die from fentayl laced heroin, but who cares?

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These "trends", exaggerated or not are cyclical. It's been that way over 40+ years I've seen drug patterns come and go. They tend to be atavistic in nature. The youngest see what damage the "trend of the day" did to their older siblings, abandon that substance and find a substitute "high" in short order.

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Sadly, the media exposure will perk the interest of young people to look into heroin.

Perhaps, OTOH, it will take some of the stigma off medication that Chronic Pain patients have so often had to do without in recent years.

No, it isn't right no matter how you cut it!

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It ain't the way things should transpire, but the "talking heads" will resort to extreme hyperbole if the suits believe it will bring in viewers and ad revenue. The public eats it up.

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BTW, I haven't been well of late, so I haven't been around.

patient2all

I see your point. I think the worse fears are the one's that OD on the drugs that are actors. When they die from it, then it becomes an LE problem. Burt is going to get help and really there is not that much coverage on it.
Hope you get better P2all,

Taz

Tuesday, on Oprah, Dr Oz is going to be talking about "prescription pill intervention". This ought to be interesting...

I, too, don't fault Burt Reynolds for telling the media about his problem. I just wish that when people like him, who clearly had a need for the med, would spend as much time talking about how these meds are a necessity for some people and that just because they developed some problems is no reason to restrict access to the meds when people clearl are in need.

the average person doesnt wake up in pain everyday. so they dont know how it is to live like that. they just assume that anyone that has pain (outside of terminal cancer) is just suppose to deal with it.

agreed, and it is a sad, sad thing... i am almost 40 and my family does not understand a damn thing. I don't even tell them what i am prescribed so i do not have to defend myself. so i am "in the closet" regarding what and how much i take. only my wife knows. and to be honest, i hate having to do it.

The whole stigma is really disturbing. My last pain clinic appt. was a little scary. My Dr. started talking about how she was concerned about me not getting "out there" (I'm really quoting her Bris) and that's why she was so willing to help me because she thought it would help me to get back into working or doing something of benefit to society. She went on to say that if I was just staying home there was no point to taking opiates. I was surprised to hear her talk like that, and it makes me think that I better have something good to report to her next time, or maybe I'll get cut off. Maybe if I don't feel well enough to volunteer I'll tell her I did anyway. Geez, I feel like I need to read between the lines and act accordingly to keep getting pain relief. And then here comes Burt Reynolds and Robert Downey Jr., Drew Barrymore, Mackenzie Phillips, Rush Limbaugh, blah blah blah. What a bunch of dippy celebs can do to the name of pain relief.

Tuesday's Oprah will be painful to watch. Dr. Oz will vilify opiates and people will freak out as per usual. and the beat goes on and on..... Cher should've left her lips alone.

I find I have gotten to the point where I can hardly stand to talk about this issue anymore. It seems like anytime opioids are mentioned on a TV program (I'm talking about fictional dramas, not news or talk shows), the meds are portrayed in a negative way. Not one show, at least that I have seen, has portrayed the plight of the CP patient.

I think that's a good point. It's always a negative portrayal.
Chronic pain seems to be an extreme rarity in society's mind. Besides the fact that pain, as an ailment, get's no respect.

OK Nova you got me even more scared for my appt with my PM today. That's what I have been thinking about for the last 2 days. Seems like every time it gets close to see the PM, you always wonder because of everything going on with abuse and the celebs, that when you walk in, your going to get cut off or cut down.
I've got less than 2 hours before I have to be there.
Cross my fingers that it goes good.

Taz

I hope all goes well for you, Taz!

Ditto on what Gene said Taz. Best of luck today sweetie. Think positive thoughts.

I heard a story the other day about a friend of a friend who recently had a testicle removed (through the abdomen)due to testiculare cancer and the surgeon sent him home from the hospital with a RX for TWO DAYS worth of pain meds! Can you believe that cr@p!

I had a friend who had the same surgery and the doc said b4 he went in, don't worry it's like cutting your thumb. I don't know, but I DON'T think so.

Can't remember what my friend rec'd for meds was a long time ago. But he did not complain about it so I am guessing it was adequate. Course this was over 10 years ago b4 the big hysteria.

I watched it today. I record it and watch it when I exercise. So I am assuming it was from last week.

It was really, really painful. I really like Dr. Oz but I did not hear ONE mention of how opiods have their place, nor did I hear ANY distinction between addiction and dependence.

Pissed me right off it did.

(((SIGH)))

Smart docs know that if they listen to their patients and help them through the tough pain times, maybe their patients will feel secure enough to venture out and work towards getting better. As we all know, it takes ALOT of overcoming pain to go to dr appnts and tell the docs how screwed and scared we are of worsening the pain. Sometimes I am scared to do my PT exercises coz I am afraid of the pain. How hard it is to do activities where one might ask us to perform a function we can not do because of our pain. How hard it is to count pills and check refill dates. It sucks and at least our docs can support us by believing us and working w/us and giving us the meds we need to get our business done.

My PCP has done this for me, and tomorrow, I am gonna tell her I am ready for a drop in pain meds.

So why doesn't OPRAH report on that? I am so ticked. And Dr. Oz, I am so disappointed.

I am sure they were just focusing on the masses and not us CPers, but doesn't every other media source already do that.

Come'on Oprah, I thought you weren't scared of the issues and Dr. Oz, I thought you were into medical truths.

Guess not.

I posted this earlier on another thread:

Oprah has a "vicodin" addict on right now. This person is on "500mg HYDROCODONE" then went to "750mg HYDROCODONE". Where did she get 500mg Hydro tabs??????? She (and Oprah) just lost credibility with me. It's 500mg Tylenol and "probably" 10mg Hydro.

They have to exaggerate to get the sesationalism!!!

Exactly. Even the rich are slaves to the almighty dollar. Better to make a buck with the sensationalism than show all sides. It is so dissapointing as GtheB said earlier.

Now THAT'S a pain in the ballz.

TAZ--- What happened today with your PM? Are you crying or revoicing? Please tell!