Discussion: How My Chronic Pain Shaped My Views About Abortion

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Discussion for article #227843

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So true. There’s still a huge medical constituency that views pain-control as “drug-seeking”. And a regulatory environment where doctors who have chronic-pain patients are often under legal scrutiny. (Which also ties in with the general winner-take-all culture where someone who can’t “power through” everything is considered a less-worthy person.)

And, anecdotally, another tie-in: pain after an abortion procedure treated with regular-strength tylenol.

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Interesting and troubling similarities between the judgments and other challenges faced by women seeking abortions and those faced by patients suffering from chronic conditions. I think trust and compassion are helpful prescriptions for anyone navigating a complicated health issue.

FWIW, Katie McCurdy shared some interesting notes and images this morning in a blog post about visualizing the context and complexities of patients managing chronic conditions that may be of interest in this regard.

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And, anecdotally, another tie-in: pain after an abortion procedure treated with regular-strength tylenol.

Just more punishment for women - my dentist offered my choice of Vicodin or Tylenol 3 for a root canal.

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The difference is that there really are drug addicts who claim to have chronic pain, precisely because they can fake it and get prescriptions (though usually they don’t have to be very convincing because the doctors are complicit). Not that that makes it any easier to genuine chronic pain sufferers, but it is a real problem. With abortion, there’s no one trying to get a scam abortion who doesn’t need one.

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Ah, but… how many people are there with chronic pain, versus how many who are drug-seeking?

This is somewhat akin to the argument that it’s more important to focus on false accusations of rape, than of actual rape.

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Having a mother who is in chronic pain and late stage Alzheimer’s, it is a constant fight to keep the focus on her care and not the blame and anger generated by an inhumane system and family ignorance.

Thank you for your thoughtful and humane work. I hate to say it, but we have a long way to go.

A link for those in need of input:
http://patient-centeredcare.org/inside/abouttheguide.html