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People suffering from chronic pain said Tuesday that their voices were lost in the discussions on the opioid epidemic.
At a gathering not to punish pain in Concord, they said that prescription drugs helped them to live normally, but public perception about opioids had negatively affected them. Meetings were held in 80 locations across the country.
"It's important that patients with pain are respected," said Edie Allyn-Paige, a patient with chronic pain. "You know, every day I have to choose whether to leave the bed or not."
Granite Staters, who suffers from chronic pain, said the fight against opioid addiction had hurt them. They said that they needed low doses of prescription opioids to manage their lives.
"The pendulum has moved so much that now legitimate, documented, disease-and-pain people now have their medications limited," said Bill Murphy, organizer of the rally.
Patients reported that the doctors felt public pressure and weakened their doses. Patient Bobbi Blades said she had chronic pain for 30 years.
"I have a misaligned bone that presses on a nerve," she said.
She said that opioids have recently helped her complete re-education so that she can walk again.
"The real message is that people with chronic pain are not addicts," she said. "The use of illegal drugs is the enemy."
Protesters said they were against drug addiction, but they hope the rally will draw attention to their plight.
"Because of this low-dose diet, (people) continue to work, raise their families and their doctors feel compelled to reduce these pain medications," Murphy said.
Rally participants said they understood why opioid drug advocacy can hurt New Hampshire, but said the conversation to end opioid addiction was continuing.
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