Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Several days ago in Southern California a female doctor was sentenced to life in prision for second degree murder; several of her patients had died from overdoses of drugs she had prescribed for them. One patient travelled from Arizona in order to get drugs from her.
Is it too easy, too hard, or about right to get drugs through legal channels? Obviously doctors who abuse their prescribing privileges are in the minority, but should standards be tightened or left where they are?
Is there concern that patients needing pain medication for legitimate, medical reasons will have trouble getting it?
A personal case in point: Four or five years ago I had hernia surgery and was sent home with a bottle of 30 pills of a narcotic pain reliever. I took eight of the pills over a two-day period after which I didn't need them anymore, leaving 22 pills left. The door was open for me to sell them illegally or use them recreationally myself. Since I wasn't interested in either, I just kept them. It took years for me to use the 22 pills - for the odd headache here, a dental procedure there, and so forth. In my view that was over-prescribing, leaving the door open for abuse.
I wonder if things have changed, or perhpas will soon change? Should they change?
Most doctors are in my opinion scared to give narcotics out. I imagine they are watched very closely by the likes of the DEA who are monitoring doctors throughout the country who potentially over prescribe. Personally it's come to the point where all and or most drugs should be legalized to combat the problem especially marijuana in which would prevent and end many opiod dependencies once and for all if available on the recreational level.
If doctors are "watched very closely" then it's a rather recent thing. Two or three years ago the Los Angeles Times printed an exposé on doctors who ran pill mills. Only after patient deaths were these doctors investigated. In one case, the "patients" met the doctor in a café, where he had his Rx pad ready to use. In another case, an undercover law enforcement investigator was asked by a doctor, "Are you having pain?" The undercover cop answered in the negative, whereupon the doctor repeated the question, this time shaking his head "yes" in order to elicit the "correct" answer. The cop said "yes" and was given the Rx. That's all pretty disgusting stuff, in my opinion.
I think they are given out too freely. I had surgery Friday, told the doctor I did not need the narcotic pain killer,he sent it anyway. Told the pharmacist I didn't need it, nope they sent it home with me anyway. While I am in pain, ibuprofen is doing a fine job of relieving it.
So now I am stuck with a bottle of stuff to get rid of.
This is totally regulated now. Now you are required to get a paper prescription from the doctor's office for each pain prescription, and they are not refillable. Its a real pain. My husband had a hip replacement and it was no fun to have to drive to the office once a week for the prescription. Its ridiculous.
Now, he has a pain management doctor, because of arthritis in a few places, and they make him take a pee test at every visit, as if he was a common criminal.
The percentage of doctors who are running "pill mills" is probably pretty low. I think the controls are fine and I know the DEA does check. It's frustrating to know of people who really do need those pain meds and can't get them because a pharmacist has determined that it's "too many". It's kinda like the insurance companies determining what is the best care for my condition - they aren't talking to me, they aren't judging my situation individually.
I think changing regulations would be futile because who is going to enforce it? I guess that could be some new jobs the government could create, right?
The percentage of doctors who are running "pill mills" is probably pretty low. I think the controls are fine and I know the DEA does check. It's frustrating to know of people who really do need those pain meds and can't get them because a pharmacist has determined that it's "too many". It's kinda like the insurance companies determining what is the best care for my condition - they aren't talking to me, they aren't judging my situation individually.
I think changing regulations would be futile because who is going to enforce it? I guess that could be some new jobs the government could create, right?
I would say most people do not need narcotic pain relief. I have never needed it and I have had some very serious injuries, surgeries and given child birth twice without pain meds. I was induced with pitocin with my first child and still didn't need pain meds or an epidural.
Ibuprofen works for me without that loopy feeling that the narcotics cause.
I also think they are over prescribed. I had a very similar situation as the OP stated, and still have all but one (yes, only took one) from a dental appt. a year ago.
Legalizing/prescribing maryjane is a much better option than the scary thought of getting addicted to opiates, imho.
I would say most people do not need narcotic pain relief. I have never needed it and I have had some very serious injuries, surgeries and given child birth twice without pain meds. I was induced with pitocin with my first child and still didn't need pain meds or an epidural.
Ibuprofen works for me without that loopy feeling that the narcotics cause.
That's good for you. OTC stuff, ibuprofen, advil, etc did not work for me when I had herniated discs and couldn't walk or get out of bed.
And just because you take them for pain, doesn't make you an addict. I've had a prescription for them for years and rarely take one more than once a week or so. Since I've had back surgery, the need is significantly reduced.
Some people have high tolerances for both pain and medications.
I think that proper disposal of unused narcotics is a genuine problem, because even in a large metropolitan area, I'm finding it difficult to arrange for the remainder of a post-surgical Oxycodone prescription. That said, I also believe that adequate pain relief is important for recovery, and I would not want to see patients refuse narcotics out of fear that taking them is tantamount to drug abuse.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
