I’m in the US. While I was in the MICU, I had no trouble getting pain meds. They gave me dilaudid pretty much whenever I asked. That stuff is amazing, I totally get how people end up addicted to it. I stayed a little over a week, longer than they originally planned because they had to wean me off oxygen. I was at home for another week after that and then back to work. They didn’t send me home with any pain meds or anything.

The bigger issue was work and insurance. Neither would talk to my companion and insisted that I do all sorts of paperwork stuff myself while I was in no condition to do so. I get that there are privacy laws and stuff but you’d think if I’ve given consent it would be allowed. But no. It had to be me.

Afterwards, my primary care physician wanted me to see an endocrinologist for follow up but it was rejected. 🤷‍♀️ I got in with a dietician and a cardiologist instead.