I-WOTCH: A Better Way to Manage Chronic Pain

Full transcript

Millions of people live with chronic pain and rely on opioid medicines to get through each day, but these medications often come with unwanted side effects and may not improve pain over the long term. That is why the I-WOTCH program was created — to help people with chronic pain gradually and safely reduce their opioid medicines while learning powerful new ways to manage their pain and wellbeing. Running over eight to ten weeks, I-WOTCH combined three group sessions with peers, one-on-one nurse consultations, and follow-up phone support to guide each participant through a personalised opioid tapering plan. Group sessions covered topics like understanding pain, managing withdrawal symptoms, mindfulness, gentle movement, relaxation breathing, coping with flare-ups, and building better communication skills and emotional resilience. The results were remarkable — after one year, around 29 percent of I-WOTCH participants had completely stopped taking opioids, compared to just 7 percent of people receiving usual care, and pain levels did not get worse. Now we want to bring I-WOTCH to Australia, and we need your help — your experiences and ideas will shape how this program is delivered, including whether it could work online, to support as many people as possible.