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- 3/17/19 UPDATE -- We've updated the permissions for our "Football" and "Commit to the G" recruiting message boards. We aim to be the best free board out there and that has not changed. We do now ask that all of you good people register as a member of our forum in order to see the sugar that is falling from our skies, so to speak.
Comments
I had 2 major surgical procedures and a semi-major procedure. Each time I was given a prescription for an opioid at discharge. I never had them filled. If I were asked at the time, "do you want a major league Rx for pain", I would have said, "only in case".
I think part of the solution (to the extent that it is patient/provider induced) is to have a method to provide pain relief on demand at/post discharge. Secondly, would be for providers to set expectations that pain "atomic bomb" level relief might not be necessary - an off the shelf pain reliever might be enough.
Also patient related is that millions of patients are discharged with opioid pain meds, and as broad as the problem it is, the problem is only a small fraction of the potential numbers that could be "hooked". Need to ponder that. Why is that?
On the supply side there was/is a problem of opioid drugs coming from overseas (China). FBI's J. Edgar Hoover couldn't stop heroin from Sicily in the 1950s. Think there may be an issue there that can be part of the problem - priority, human resources, technology, counter-intel, etc.? I do.
Reports on a US drug company out of control with supplying certain pharmacies that operate as retail/wholesale spigots of street drugs. Incredible!
Finally, there are no standards for treatment of drug addiction. None. There is a typical drug treatment insurance coverage - usually 28 days. And yep, those drug treatment programs last, oh I'd say, about 28 days. What happens during that time is "magic", or may as well be.
I have to think that somehow the problem is not being carefully considered from all angles. I'm sorry for those who have the addiction. We'll always have some but should not have the wild numbers we appear to have.
Look buddy I've seen some of your other posts. Nobody can tell you anything. My doctor and I are both quite aware of the addictive nature of opioids. I have been in pain management for about 4 years, my doctor has been in practice for 15 years. As a paramedic I have a more than average understanding of drug addiction. Crack, heroin, and alcohol are by far more prevalent than pain medications in the field. Car fentanyl from China is just another opioid that the DEA can't stop. I've worked with the DEA. Any field agent who is truthful will tell you they can't stop it. I was on a fentanyl patch for about 18 months . It's not as evil as you would like everyone to think. I was on a 100 mcg patch prior to my last back surgery. In post op the nurse had to give me double the normal dose of fentanyl IV to control the pain. I went off fentanyl and onto morphine IV in the hospital. I went to oxycodone 10 mg at release. I went off it after the 14 inch incision in my back healed. 2 years after that 2 more discs collapsed. I've been in pain management since then. I get injections when I need them. I'm done debating this. You and @ghostofuga1 come walk 100 yds in my shoes. You probably won't even get out of bed.
@Catfish I have no argument in this thread. I just pointed out that heroin was also an opioid along with prescription medication which was pointed out that was not the indifference being discussed.
I would not walk 10 feet in your shoes, nor anybody else's. I prefer my own.
@Catfish I'm not attacking you or your doctor. He seems to be doing a good job managing your pain which is no easy task. All I'm saying is that opioid addiction from prescription drugs is more prevalent than you are making it out to be and we need to do better job monitoring it and preventing it. I keep repeating in different ways that opioids have a place in healthcare and pain management. I'm not quite sure why you think I want to steal your pain meds?
@FirePlugDawg around 25% of people prescribed opioids misuse them and 10% of patients given opioids become addicted and abuse opioids.
@Catfish I'm sure you're wary of unsolicited advice from strangers on the internet with no real idea of your condition, but have you ever tried yoga? Admittedly my body pain doesn't even scratch your universe, but I found that yoga helped me immensely with my body pains, especially my feet and calves
@Catfish I know your pain. My husband's situation mirrors yours except he hasn't had surgery yet. The high risk of being paralized isn't something he's ready to deal with yet. He goes for shots in his T6,7, and 8 in the morning. Second set of shots this year. Another few days of blood sugar running 500.
Very good reasons to develop a new method that has them available when needed, but not prescribed willy nilly.
Side note: I had eye surgery and was NOT given a Rx for pain. Had the pain ++, and the doctor's after hours service didn't work. I am not litigious, but could have made something off that. My concept would be that I should have been able to deal with a pharmacy for the pain med directly had I needed it. This is not a wild concept. Pharmacies have your Rx info readily at hand via a internet database/service called Surescripts (may be others?). Proposal: Doctor prescribes the opioid Rx. It goes to the Surescripts database from which the retail pharmacy can retrieve the Rx based on a patient's request and fill the Rx. (Typically Surescripts get the info after the Rx is filled). Only change from current system is that the provider would send the Rx to Surescripts directly, but only for opioids, and only where major pain is not expected.
****, I wish I was as badass as you are dude. You are a super hero. This is the kind of crap that runs people right off this forum.
There is an enormous difference in dealing with pain associated with a procedure and dealing with level 7 to 10 pain 12 to 18 hours a day 7 days a week.
Thanks.
I was called to inventory a military pharmacy from time to time. One time, some (controlled) drug - call it x as I don't recall what it was - was missing. A young pharmacist said he always took x when he had his bad headaches. I think it is easy for some people to make excuses as to needing to have a potent pain killer. There is a large personality component to drug abuse. Some are more prone to do it than others.
Anyone can become addicted and it's incredibly hard (probably impossible) to predict who. There are genetic and psychological components associated with addiction but it's not strong enough to say "X person will become addicted." Some people actually need opioids for chronic pain. It's a last resort but some people with debilitating chronic pain just don't respond to any other treatment. That's why lots of people are working to develop effective painkillers without the side effects of opioids.
I was gonna try to respond to you, but you are obviously quite a bit smarter than I am. I can't sit here and deal with you jackasses just running me down. I refuse to go out on disability until I can't walk anymore. You liberal morons would much rather I went on the government dole where there is a chance you could convert me to your thinking. THAT ain't gonna happen cap'n. I really enjoyed coming here and talking UGA football but it has become a stomping hole for anyone who does not walk the liberal line. Go do some real work that destroys your body everyday, maybe you'll know what it feels like to be a real man. OUT.
@Catfish good luck with everything man. I really do hope things get better for you. God bless