7:24am November 17, 2013

➸ Who Is Responsible for the Pain-Pill Epidemic?

neecygrace:

cripples-r-us-swag:

How did doctors, who pledge to do no harm, let the use of prescription narcotics get so out of hand?

OOOHHH MAN…

This is the kind of shit I’m talking about. Just constantly referring to treating pain as an option, and apparently a worse option according to this author, claiming to be a doctor.

“Doctors have a hard time saying no, whether a patient is asking for a narcotic to relieve pain or an antibiotic for the common cold. We are predisposed to say yes, even if we know it isn’t right. Some of us just don’t want to take the extra time during a busy day to explain why that prescription for a narcotic isn’t a good idea. Some of us also use the promise of prescription narcotics to persuade patients to keep their medical appointments, or to take their other medication”

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?! What fucking world does this woman live in?

Why are chronic pain patients always the fucking villains in this story?

I read this on another social media site and this was my response to it there: This is ridiculous, once again blaming everyone but the ones that choose to abuse or the ones that choose to sell them illegally for profit. This is victimizing those with chronic pain that rely on medication to function and have a quality of life they couldn’t have otherwise. I have run into many people online during this recent debate who honestly believe that it is better that someone live in constant pain than there be a potential for someone to use pain medication inappropriately. This idea of not holding people to personal responsibility is becoming almost epidemic and damages us as a society.

I can’t even bring myself to read the article. Especially after seeing some recent criticism of the FDA even approving a new drug intended for cancer patients, because abuse potential.

I will say that I don’t even blame the relatively small number of people who do misuse prescription drugs, nearly as much as I blame the ones who would much rather see large numbers of people live with unrelenting untreated pain than think that maybe someone, somewhere might be gaining some kind of benefit while Undeserving. Most of the rest of the rhetoric there is just concern trolling. And criminalising people’s actual drug problems instead of showing some compassion there does the opposite of helping anyone.

Doctors’ prescribing practices were under enough scrutiny five years ago where I grew up that my mom couldn’t get anything like adequate pain relief for her cancer without entering a hospice program. She actually wanted to pursue further treatment, but could not reasonably do so, because of the pain. I was given NSAIDs for actual vertebral fractures from helping move her around. (And needed to keep doing it anyway.) Things are only getting worse in the US, and nobody should have to live like that. It’s inhumane. That’s even before we get to the suicide problem from inadequately/untreated pain. It’s a mess.