Opioid Addiction: A Woman's Story of Struggle and Recovery

ABC Ballarat

Topic: Drugs

Friday, July 17, 2026, at 6:00 am

Natasha Trajkovski stopped taking opioids over two years ago.

Natasha was 21 when she first got opioids.

After a C-section, Natasha got stage 2 endometriosis and had constant pain.

Her doctor gave her low opioid medication, but she needed more over time.

The medication helped her at first.

Natasha took tablets to be a mom and not have pain.

Natasha did not know what was happening when she first stopped opioids.

In a year, the medication did not work, so she changed doctors.

Her new doctor sent her to Simon Gordon, who did a laparoscopy.

Simon Gordon found stage 4 endometriosis, but some patients question his methods.

Dr. Gordon said he only does surgery when it helps the patient.

The surgery did not help Natasha, and she kept taking opioids.

Natasha took 800 milligrams of opioids daily and got more from a friend.

In 2024, Natasha had another operation with Dr. Gordon, which made her pain worse.

Natasha decided to stop taking opioids.

She went to a new doctor and a rehab facility in Geelong.

Natasha is grateful to her new doctor.

Natasha has been off opioids for two and a half years.

Many Australians struggle with opioid addiction.

If you need help, call a helpline.

Opioids block pain signals.

There are different kinds of opioids, like oxycodone and morphine.

Opioids are given to patients in severe pain.

In 2024, 12.6 million opioid prescriptions were given to 2.9 million patients.

There were 635 opioid-related deaths and 501 heroin-related deaths.

Some doctors prescribe too many opioids.

Adam Straub is an addiction medicine physician.

His clinic got 170 referrals in six months.

Adam Straub supports opioid agonist therapy.

The clinic is busy and tries to see new patients quickly.

The clinic used to serve a small area but now serves more.

The clinic treats 347 patients now.

Over half of the patients have chronic pain.

Doctors used to prescribe opioids too much.

Pharmaceutical companies promoted opioids.

There was not enough monitoring of opioid use.

Patients can get too much opioid and need more.

The brain changes with long opioid use.

Opioids can stop working for pain.

The solution is not just to stop opioids.

Stopping opioids can leave patients with nothing.

One patient's doctor cut his opioids, and he got very sick.

Opioid doses should be reduced slowly.

Doctors should explain the risks of opioids.

Patients have lived with pain and may be scared.

There is a stigma around opioid use.

Opioid use is becoming more discussed.

There is a push to stop prescribing opioids.

A new program helps doctors stop prescribing opioids.

The program gives doctors education and tools.

The program is online or in person.

Research is changing how we think about opioids.

The program helps doctors and patients.

If you know more, contact Coco Veldkamp.

Addiction can happen to anyone.

Natasha was 25 and did not think she would get addicted.

Natasha supports measures to prevent addiction.

Addiction does not care who you are.

Natasha wishes there were more safeguards.

Natasha wants to help others by sharing her story.

Natasha is studying to be a nurse.

Natasha does not want others to go through what she did.

Friday, July 17, 2026, at 6:00 am

See more ABC stories.

Top Stories

Family Law

Federal Government

LIVE

Oil and Gas

Analysis by Michelle Grattan

Top Stories

Family Law

Federal Government

LIVE

Oil and Gas

Analysis by Michelle Grattan

Just In

Telecommunications Services Industry

Friday, July 17, 2026, at 12:10 pm

Music Industry

Friday, July 17, 2026, at 12:08 pm

Domestic Violence

Friday, July 17, 2026, at 12:00 pm

BREAKING

Friday, July 17, 2026, at 12:14 pm