Feeling hurt and pissed off at friends

To answer WWYD, nothing really, what can you do? Telling them they are wrong probably won't make a difference as it was so arrogant of them to suggest this in the first place. Maybe be extra cautious around them in future, maybe decline invitations to hang out with them.

I think you definitely need to talk to your Dh and see why he didn't stand up to yoy. maybe he was drunk and tuned out, maybe he knows Jimmy can be an asshole about this stuff and didn't want to have a massive row and ruin everyone's night. Maybe he agrees with them on some level and didn't want to say it to you. I think its important that you know how he feels and likewise that he knows why you may not be asking Jimmy over for dinner any time soon.

As a rule due to experiences like yours, I don't discuss my health condition with anyone that doesn't have one.

One helpful friend told me "just learn to deal with the pain". They were happy with this advice until they suffered chronic back issues.

Ask this friend what meds you should take when in his presence as he's a pain in the arse.
You're in no way a junkie that's a ridiculous comment to make, he better hope he never has to take meds for pain then.

He's watched Dopesick and now he thinks he is a doctor.

Jimmy and Angela can fuck right off!

Chronic pain sucks. Having to take pain meds to function, also sucks.

I'd have asked Jimmy where he got his medical degree, and then told him to fuck off.

I have several Dr friends... absolutely NONE of them would comment on my treatment in that manner, in fact they would only comment if they were seriously worried an error had been made and it would be something like 'can you check that X is the right dose/med, I have xyz concern'... not 'you're a junkie and an addict, you should stop X'...

What you take is between you and your specialist/consultant/GP, particularly between you and the person who prescribed it. No one else.

This pretty much nails it

Bloody hell no one knows the pain of back and verve pain unless you've been through it, ignore him! At least it means you're able to get out and about ... and if you were addicted you'd be craving them, unable to cope with anything without them - not just taking them when necessary

Opinions are like butt holes and everyone has one.
My mum has severe chronic pain. She cut opioids herself and went back to other pain meds as they weren't really working due to building a tolerance. She tries to keep morphine for really bad days. And cocodamol for her bad days and manage with paracetamol on her less painful days. Difference is she has worked this plan with her dr and none if us as family have ever commented on how she manages her pain. That's between her and her Gp

What the hell has it got to do with him? And shame on your husband for not sticking up for you. Shame on your friend too.

Some men are so ready and willing to minimise women's pain. It is absolutely none of their business what you're taking and why. Your only error here was to indulge their opinion. These people are not friends.

I've been taking codeine for 30 years following an accident. Like you I take only what I need and neither the dosage nor the number taken has increased.

Chronic pain is a mystery to anybody who doesn't suffer from it.

Ah yes, or having a more alkaline diet, or juice diet, or fasting, or just not stressing as much, or resolving childhood trauma.

I do agree it's ideal not to take medications if you don't have to but they definitely have their place.

Your "friends" need to fuck right off (YANBU) though you need not to depend on their opinion in such personal matter (YABU).

My mum lived off swigs of Oramorph (opiate) for years because of 5 crumbled vertebrae. Her final years would have been agony if she paid any attention to your 'friends'. She would have told Jimmy where he could shove his sanctimony in no uncertain terms.

It’s not even the disrespect for me — it’s the sheer stupidity of pontificating about someone else’s chronic pain and associated treatments, and leaping to a spectacularly silly conclusion based on no apparent evidence. I mean, are they usually this dopey?

Is he in the medical field and aware of what pain and problems you have.

I would reassess if I wanted to keep Angela and Jimmy as friends after they've behaved so disrespectfully and disgustingly

This. You can do without sanctimonious idiots in your life.

Unless both Jimmy and Angela have had your injury and recovered from it, and they are trained medical professionals with a speciality in the discipline of medicine that your injury would come under for diagnosis and treatment plans - guess what - they don't have a say in your treatment plan!!!!!!

Take the medication.

If you can, keep at your GP asking to see a specialist because you can't live a life where you have to start the morning taking ibuprofen or paracetamol or something stronger just to get through the day. Eventually you'll need more and more and more to treat the pain.

Definitely try to see a specialist though.

Wait till they bring out the suggestions of yoga and kale smoothies or that big Pharma is the reason you're given painkillers. Very common experience for those of us with chronic health issues. So many people think we could fix ourselves if we just followed their guaranteed to cure us advice.

I had a conversation about pain killers with the doctor that diagnosed my life long conditon, he worked part time between his practice and the addiction centre at the major hospital nearby as one of their specialists and had absolutely no problem with giving opioids to people we chronic health. He said of course we get 'addicted' to being in less pain, who wouldn't get addicted to that. Pain killers don't work for me neither the nerve kind or the more traditional ones, anyone who thinks someone should live this way when they have a choice not too can fuck off and then fuck off again. Its easy to be sanctimonious when you're not the one suffering.

I would reassess if I wanted to keep Angela and Jimmy as friends after they've behaved so disrespectfully and disgustingly.

No one should have to suffer chronic pain and you're not an addict for actually needing painkillers.

You don't mention that Jimmy is a doctor in a relevant speciality so he can fuck off.

I understand the concerns about prescription drug addiction but your treatment is between you and your doctor and Jimmy should mind his own business.

Lucky Jimmy to never have experienced debilitating pain.

Can't stand stuff like this. It's a total lack of empathy

No one should have to suffer with unbearable pain. And certainly no one but your doctor should comment about what means you use to deal with that pain. Apart from it being no one's business, it's bloody rude.

Agree with a pp, unless he has a recent medical degree and his Mastermind specialist subject is your condition, don't pay any notice. People love to share their wisdom on other folks health issues when they know bugger all.