In Pain

A Bioethicist’s Personal Struggle with Opioids

De: Travis Rieder

Narrado por: Travis Rieder

A bioethicist’s eloquent and riveting memoir of opioid dependence and withdrawal—a harrowing personal reckoning and clarion call for change not only for government but medicine itself, revealing the lack of crucial resources and structures to handle this insidious nationwide epidemic.

Travis Rieder’s terrifying journey down the rabbit hole of opioid dependence began with a motorcycle accident in 2015. Enduring half a dozen surgeries, the drugs he received were both miraculous and essential to his recovery. But his most profound suffering came several months later when he went into acute opioid withdrawal while following his physician’s orders. Over the course of four excruciating weeks, Rieder learned what it means to be “dope sick”—the physical and mental agony caused by opioid dependence. Clueless how to manage his opioid taper, Travis’s doctors suggested he go back on the drugs and try again later. Yet returning to pills out of fear of withdrawal is one route to full-blown addiction. Instead, Rieder continued the painful process of weaning himself.

Rieder’s experience exposes a dark secret of American pain management: a healthcare system so conflicted about opioids, and so inept at managing them, that the crisis currently facing us is both unsurprising and inevitable. As he recounts his story, Rieder provides a fascinating look at the history of these drugs first invented in the 1800s, changing attitudes about pain management over the following decades, and the implementation of the pain scale at the beginning of the twenty-first century. He explores both the science of addiction and the systemic and cultural barriers we must overcome if we are to address the problem effectively in the contemporary American healthcare system.

In Pain is not only a gripping personal account of dependence, but a groundbreaking exploration of the intractable causes of America’s opioid problem and their implications for resolving the crisis. Rieder makes clear that the opioid crisis exists against a backdrop of real, debilitating pain—and that anyone can fall victim to this epidemic.

Hits close to home

As unfortunate as it is it was uplifting to hear this story of struggle and triumph from a medical professional perspective. So many times it feels like we are the only ones experiencing every thing he described in the book. To know that we are not alone keeps the drive alive one day at a time. I'd like to hear the story from his partners perspective as that's the role I am in and hear how she survived this time in their lives. Inspiring.

Excellent Book to be read by Health Care Professionals, Politicians, and Patients

Excellent book providing insight on acute pain leading to dependence. It explores the flaws of our healthcare system as well as the 3 Opioid Epidemics. The book is well written and narrated. As a former plastic surgery resident and currently an Acute Pain Medicine Fellow (via Anesthesiology), this book was an eye opener to our obligations to patients when deciding to start them on any medication.

This book should be read by all—especially all members of the healthcare profession, politicians, members of Congress, senators, and even patients.

I love the fact that the author presents some reasonable solutions.

An essential read in a time of crisis

This brave, important book belongs on the nightstand of anyone touched by the opioid crisis—that is to say, most Americans. In direct, lucid prose, the author interweaves the harrowing story of his own struggle with opioid dependence with philosophical, clinical, and policy-oriented reflections on the roots of the broader opioid crisis in the US. Rieder’s role as both a professional ethicist and a pain patient places him in a unique position, and the book is laced with careful but substantive suggestions for ways to change everything from medical prescribing to drug laws to our own attitudes about race, addiction, and blame. A stunning achievement.

The reality of pain

Travis does a justice to all alike myself whom have suffered from pain & the medicinal worlds failings in assisting, managing & treating pain. With gripping moments about the difficulty to find a professional to listen & then help, to the withdrawal nightmare Travis goes through. This book/audiobook is a must for anyone whom has any interest on this topic, or has someone in their life facing battles in this area. Thanks for your vulnerability & for telling your story Travis. It has significantly helped me during a very challenging flare up patch with my Chronic Pain, Fibromyalgia.

In Pain

I loved this book. A detailed personal story of a journey thought the medical system coupled with well thought out, well reasoned discussions about addiction, dependence and the social and healthcare implications. It is a great contribution to those of us who work in this field but should be read by everyone.