cantthink

Now that I have decided to get help with my substance abuse, does that mean I will forever be labeled a drug user on my medical records? I will never be prescribed any drug if it has any potential for abuse, even its not even classified with my doc?

Stride34

hi cantthink

A doctor would not have access to this information-- so you would have to tell them you have a history of substance abuse, which is highly advisable to do. Any good doctor with their patients best interests in mind would -- and should-- be very hesitant prescribing abuse meds with this knowledge. It doesn't mean in severe cases that it can't be prescribed, but it should be only for that.

Best of luck, and don't worry too much about these questions right now, just get healthy!

CarolD

I do tell any new doctors about my expereinces with addiction.
I have no idea what is on my medical records but have been
prescribed short term pain meds for broken bones.

Welcome...

liv1ce

I think for a lot of us there is, at least initially, a hope, a flickering thought that some day some how we can use again "like a normal person can.". We harbor the hope that if we can just clean up our act "a little bit" that the obsession will go away and we won't be addicts anymore.

I agree with stride in that now you just need to get clean and healthy but eventually need to adress the fact that if you are an addict then you are always one and can never use. Many of us here have proven that over and over again as you can see with a little reading of the posts. Personally I had the "short term" pain med given me by my physician who was aware of my history and when the carefully doled out prescription was done I found ways to beg, borrow and steal it for 3 years.

dreamscape

My doctor files are littered with my substance abuse. I just dont care and that sits fine with me. ( 4 months clean and sober)