How My Doctor Created and Supported My Addiction to Pain Killer Medication

How My Primary Doctor Became My Primary Drug Dealer

A few years ago, like most people, I found myself feeling a little run down. I went to my primary care physician and read her my list of complaints, which ranged from neck pain, lower back spasms, neck cramps and numbness in my hands. She followed all the proper steps, sending me to specialists as well as for diagnostic procedures such as MRI's and blood work.

When my test results came back they showed minimal issues, which are probably common to most people whether they feel symptoms or not. I had iron deficiency anemia and a slight case of disc herniation in my back. After going to specialists for both problems, they treated me and assured me I had nothing to worry about.

At the time my line of work was extremely physically demanding and the pain grew more and more unbearable. The constant aches and pains led to a depressed mood and overall sense of apathy. I was constantly awake at night because I was uncomfortable in my bed, and rarely got a full night of sleep. I felt as though my body was beginning to fall apart and my mind was going to be next. I went back to the doctor.

She strongly believed I had Fibromyalgia (which is another article/debate in itself) and was also suffering from the fact that I was 20 pounds over the normal weight range for my height. She took out her pad and wrote me a slew of prescriptions, claiming they would all help ease my problems that were doomed to coexist with me my whole life. I was 26 at the time.

The first prescription she gave me was for some diet pill I had never even heard of, Tenuate. She explained that it's been around since the 1960"s and would help me take some weight off and therefore relieve some of my pain issues. Trusting my doctor, I took it.

After a few weeks of speeding my way through life, I started wanting the pill just to keep me going. It was starting to help me take some weight off since I wasn't eating anything do its ability to cause me to feel sickened at the thought of food consumption. I decided to stop taking the pill after realizing it was too habit-forming and a cause for worry. By now the pains in my knees and back were causing me to lose much needed sleep at night. I went back to the doctor.