My current doctor recently cut down my pain meds from 6 pills a day down to 3 pills. And now I must have my blood drawn for drug tests before the doctor will write a prescription for a refill. Crazy! I am NOT an addict and NOT a criminal. I just want relief.

My doctor will only write pain med prescriptions for a 28-day supply, even though there are 30 or 31 days in a month. I run out of pain pills the last week of every month. No one should have to live this way. I am also required to have a doctor’s appointment every 2 months to talk about my pain before he will renew my prescriptions.

My experiences have led me to believe that the doctors do not believe chronic pain patients when we tell them we are in pain. Winter is the worst time for me. My pain levels are generally 8 or 9 in winter, even when I’m on pain meds. Summer is my best time, the pain levels can drop to a 3 or 4.

Yet even if I log all my daily pain levels and show it to my doctors, they act like I was just having a bad day. One doctor actually said that to my face!

My last three doctors made me sign a pain contract stating that if I ever go to another doctor and try to get pain meds that I will be dropped as a patient. Scary thought. I have never done anything like that and have no intention of doing that, but the fact I had to sign a contract made me feel like a criminal or an addict.

I am in control of my actions. I am not an addict who will do anything for pills.