The Culpability of Doctors in Creating RX Drug Addicts

[hawkeye2009]

Originally Posted by imcurious

I have been thinking about this for a long time. It seems so obvious that doctors are culpable in creating prescription drug addicts . . . yet, it continues . . . why?

Are they deliberately attempting to create addicts in some kind of collusion with drug companies (pharmaceutical companies typically employ hot young women to call on male doctors and give them lots of free samples . . . does this create an incentive to want to prescribe those drugs?)

Are they simply ignorant and don't realize that the drugs they are prescribing are addictive? The doctors I know don't even ask if people have issues with addiction . . .they just go ahead and prescribe massive amounts of strong, addictive drugs.

Personal anecdote: My doctor is part of a large HMO. I consider her to be a very good doctor . . .but she has 1500 patients, give or take. The few times I have been in to see her, she offered me very strong prescriptions, all of which I took but never filled . . . I feel this is typical, operating procedure - to prescribe powerful drugs without giving it a thought.

I wonder, at the end of the year, how many of this doctors patients will become addicted? 10% 20% 50%????

Where is the training and just plain common sense in prescribing addictive drugs?

1. Most physicians are not trained in addiction

2. there are screening "tests" which indicate patients who are at high risk for addiction

3. when addiction is discovered, weaning, detox/treatment should be initiated

4. the use of narcotics for chronic pain is accepted, but controversial

5. when prescribing these meds, demonstrate improvement in function, as well as pain

6. confirm with family members that function has increased and pain improved

7. if modest doses of meds are not effective, then high doses will not be either

8. don't worry about "addiction" in cancer patients

9. young age, history of previous abuse, and sexual abuse are the higest indicators of addiction


This is why they call it pain management, rather than pain chaos.

[donsabi]

It is obvious that the OP was never in enough pain to fill a prescription. That questions just how much pain was the OP in.

It is easy to point fingers when you have no understanding or experience. For many people there is no other choice but addictive pain meds. Of course there are and will be those that abuse these medications just as they abuse alcohol.

I remember reading a case where a older patient who was dying of some cancer and was being treated by a young doctor. As this old man lay dying the doctor refused to administer a pain reliever. The man died in excruciating pain. When the family questioned the doctor about this the doctor stated that he was concerned the old man would become addicted.

I have never met with one doctor who pushed addictive meds. In fact most doctors I have met initially were checking me out to see if I was a drug abuser.

A question to those against doctor prescribing pain meds; how would you treat a patient who is obviously in pain? What about a person with a heart attack? Would you withhold morphine? Or would you simply let the patient suffer?

[HappyTexan]

Originally Posted by donsabi

It is obvious that the OP was never in enough pain to fill a prescription. That questions just how much pain was the OP in.

It is easy to point fingers when you have no understanding or experience. For many people there is no other choice but addictive pain meds. Of course there are and will be those that abuse these medications just as they abuse alcohol.

I remember reading a case where a older patient who was dying of some cancer and was being treated by a young doctor. As this old man lay dying the doctor refused to administer a pain reliever. The man died in excruciating pain. When the family questioned the doctor about this the doctor stated that he was concerned the old man would become addicted.

I have never met with one doctor who pushed addictive meds. In fact most doctors I have met initially were checking me out to see if I was a drug abuser.

A question to those against doctor prescribing pain meds; how would you treat a patient who is obviously in pain? What about a person with a heart attack? Would you withhold morphine? Or would you simply let the patient suffer?

Why are some arguments always put to the extreme.
Is anyone advocating getting rid of all drugs for all reasons here ?

Does your morphine terminal cancer patient fall into the same category as the teenager that can't sleep so they get an Rx for pills ?

[MrTudo]

Originally Posted by dman72

For all intents and purposes we've legalized heroin dealing, because these pills are basically synthetic heroin.

If I have to swipe my license to buy Claritan D and I'm limited to how much I can buy, why isn't the same thing happening for opiods? They should only be prescribed to people with cancer, or people who've recently had surgery. Opiod pain relievers are not long term solutions to pain, so why would someone with a chronic bad back be prescribed an opiod? Doesn't make sense.

Why should you have to swipe anything to buy claritan d is my response to your asking why it doesn't happen to people obtaining a prescriptoin for opioids. Only for people with cancer? Really? Is that your position? So people like me who are in pain from the minute I wake to the minute I go to sleep, pain levels ranging from a 5-8 and I should do what? Surgery that's surgeons have already said would likely make me worse? How dare you?! Believe me there's a lot more than swiping a license at least in Fla and if you're a near 60 year old patient.

They are the ONLY solution for long term pain in the state of Fla. And surgery, almost forgot that.

I could tell you stories but it's not appropriate for this thread.

It's a very screwed up situation and the people who are being mistreated the most are the people who are in the most pain and who need help the most.

[Old Gringo]

... about how many patients go to a clinic demanding certain prescription meds because they're influenced by the nonstop barrage of TV ads from the pharmaceutical corporations?

[MrTudo]

I suffer severe chronic pain. I have degenerative disc disease in my neck ( cervical spine ) now for a little over 3 years. They had me taking 6 10mg percocets a day.

I added cannabis to the equation and now with help from physical therapy and cannabis I've been able to reduce my opioid intake by 75%+ as now I take 1-1.25 pills a day instead of 6. With that reduction also comes a reduction in all the other fun things attributed to taking pain medication such as constipation and the need for laxatives thereby destroying your insides too.

The onky crime about cannabis is the fact it's illegal. However notice how where the brains are, places like san jose california and other parts of silicon valley where the brains of the world flow, has more cannabis dispensaries than anywhere on earth. Conversely where the least intelectually productive people are ( you can figure that one out yourself but I'll give you a hint, we live in one of them ) it's highly illegal. What a coincidence huh? lol

We will sell our home and relocate our business which has taken us 30 years to build and move to California because of the legality of medical cannabis there next year. Going to give this felow John Morgan a shot and see what happens on 2/1/2014 but that is definitely my deadline.

P.S. Oh and doctors in states like Fla are DEFINITELY culpable in my opinion and I can cite numerous examples but am in too much pain to type any longer. Those of you in Fla please search for people united for medical marijuana and get on board! Also search for Robert Platshorn, the Silver Hair Tour and enlighten your parents and grandparents.