Anonymous — Ohio, Chronic Pain Patient

I lived with severe nerve pain for nearly 15 years. It wasn’t easy, but my treatment plan gave me stability — I could walk short distances, take care of my home, and even watch my grandkids. My doctor always said we’d found the right balance. Then last year, everything changed.

He told me new regulations and insurance restrictions meant he couldn’t continue my prescription. His hands were tied. I remember sitting in the car afterward, crying for the first time in years, not just from pain but from fear — fear that I was going back to square one.

Within months, my world got smaller. I stopped going out, couldn’t sleep through the night, and started feeling like a burden to my family. Every clinic I called turned me away when they saw my history. I felt invisible — like the system didn’t care if I was hurting as long as their numbers looked good.

One night, I searched online for people like me and found Less Prescribed. Reading other voices — people describing exactly what I was living — was the first time I felt understood in a long time. I realized I wasn’t alone, and that what happened to me wasn’t my fault.

The stories gave me strength to speak up. I printed a few articles from the site and brought them to my next appointment. It helped my new doctor see my perspective — not as an addict, but as a patient in pain. We started fresh, with a plan that balanced caution and compassion. It’s not perfect, but I’m functioning again.

I still visit the site whenever I feel hopeless. Every story reminds me that I’m part of something bigger — a community fighting to be heard.

★★★★★