4 ms·

This is the direct result of the "crackdown." It only increases diversion to the black market by directly increasing demand. My own grandparents have had to bu

by oxide 10y ago

This is the direct result of the "crackdown." It only increases diversion to the black market by directly increasing demand. My own grandparents have had to buy pain pills in the past. Doctors are terrified to prescribe painkillers to those in need lest they be prosecuted by laymen who think they know better. Pain is being under-treated now more than ever. My ER has a massive info-poster in the lobby explaining why I won't be receiving dilaudid, fentanyl, or oxycodone. Opiates are in the news every other day, either prescription abuse or fentanyl-laced heroin stories in local and national paper as well as cable news. What good has it done? There will always be abusers. Like DRM only hurting paying customers, stricter regulations and lawsuits against doctors ironically only end up hurting non-abusers. Dependent folks, like my grandparents, who get a massive quality of life increase thanks to these drugs, especially considering the lifetime of abuse they've put their bodies through, and been through. That's who ends up getting the shit end of the stick. Not the junkie. Someone's Grandma. A vet.

zkms 10y ago
> It only increases diversion to the black market by directly increasing demand. My own grandparents have had to buy pain pills in the past. Yes. I know people with chronic illnesses (of many types) who've had to resort to various black markets for opioids, all this stupid "diversion control" and trying to shit-test patients in the ED to see if they're "drug-seekers" actually has a deep and nasty cost. Of course someone who presents to the ED with a physical condition that causes immense pain is, inherently, going to be a "drug seeker". So now people need to be all "tsundere" about that (i-it's not like i WANTED you to prescribe me opioids, or anything, BAKA!), and pretend that they don't know what drug/dosage works for them (apparently, it's only opium-seeky people who know anything technical about opioids) even if they're well-versed about what works for them and their medical condition. It's a very nasty and adversarial state of affairs, that screws over everyone. The DEA (and other flavours of doorkickers) targeting doctors and deputising them as law-enforcement agents who have to decide between the evil undeserving addicts and the deserving patients in pain is what has created this affair. Blame the prohibitionists, as this is a problem of their own making -- the crackdowns on "pill mills" and "overprescribing doctors" is what denies people a safe and legal source of pharmaceutical-grade opioids and forces them onto the black market of illegal, overpriced, and fentanyl-contaminated opioids (which leads, of course, to the deaths that are used to justify even more crackdowns). Crackdowns on "over-prescribing" invariably lead to people who experience chronic pain being denied medical access (or being subjected to extremely invasive and degrading treatment to weed out "drug seekers"). The DEA cracking skulls over opioids and investigating doctors is literally the only reason illicit fentanyl (and its even more dangerous analogues like carfentanil) even is a thing. I am so very doubtful that more door-kicking and prosecutions will miraculously work after decades of it making shit worse.
- Jhsto 10y ago
  While working abroad in the States, I was prescribed benzodiazepines for panic attacks. When I later came home, I went to see a GP and asked whether I could receive a refill for a medication that was running out. I told that I had used it as my last resort to alleviate panic attacks when I was unable to control my feelings otherwise. I had another abroad trip coming, so I said I would feel secure to have that last line of defense with me. The GP asked what that sort of medication might have been, and I presented the drug as "benzo" called $US_BRAND. The doctor looked at me for a moment and said that as you are using that term, benzo, you are aware of its abusive use. In no circumstances can we prescribe the drug same drug for you, since that would include doctor supervision before, during and after its consumption. After that the GP wrote something with the keyboard and proceeded to ask me how exactly was I able to get these drugs. I told the scenario after which I has been prescribed the drugs. The doctor responded that it sounds maltreatment to prescribe the said drug in such circumstances and that my story sounds odd. He said that he cannot prescribe me any drugs at this time. I'm now concerned what the doctor wrote to the state wide system and whether that might affect my treatments in the future. Either way, this whole paranormality over "drug seekers" is insane -- the GP did not even suggest seeing a specialist or offer alternative drug. He just declined and became anxious which I read as he wanted me out of his office as soon as possible. He was young, I give you that, but it makes me wonder what kind of horror stories do they tell about my kind of "drug seekers" in the med school.
  - biofox 10y ago
    I had a similar experience before when trying to get painkillers in the UK. There's a deep institutional narcophobia here. Thankfully I was eventually able to get a prescription for an effective opioid, after an NSAID-induced bleed almost killed me. The experience made me write up an Advance Decision (Living Will) to make it clear that if I'm ever unable speak for myself, I want my pain or mental distress to be adequately treated. The thought of being in severe pain or anxiety, and being left to suffer, terrifies me.
    - DanBC 10y ago
      It's not "narcophobia", it's a desire to actually treat pain effectively without leaving people i) still in pain and ii) addicted to a harmful medication.

by oxide 10y ago

zkms 10y ago

> It only increases diversion to the black market by directly increasing demand. My own grandparents have had to buy pain pills in the past. Yes. I know people with chronic illnesses (of many types) who've had to resort to various black markets for opioids, all this stupid "diversion control" and trying to shit-test patients in the ED to see if they're "drug-seekers" actually has a deep and nasty cost. Of course someone who presents to the ED with a physical condition that causes immense pain is, inherently, going to be a "drug seeker". So now people need to be all "tsundere" about that (i-it's not like i WANTED you to prescribe me opioids, or anything, BAKA!), and pretend that they don't know what drug/dosage works for them (apparently, it's only opium-seeky people who know anything technical about opioids) even if they're well-versed about what works for them and their medical condition. It's a very nasty and adversarial state of affairs, that screws over everyone. The DEA (and other flavours of doorkickers) targeting doctors and deputising them as law-enforcement agents who have to decide between the evil undeserving addicts and the deserving patients in pain is what has created this affair. Blame the prohibitionists, as this is a problem of their own making -- the crackdowns on "pill mills" and "overprescribing doctors" is what denies people a safe and legal source of pharmaceutical-grade opioids and forces them onto the black market of illegal, overpriced, and fentanyl-contaminated opioids (which leads, of course, to the deaths that are used to justify even more crackdowns). Crackdowns on "over-prescribing" invariably lead to people who experience chronic pain being denied medical access (or being subjected to extremely invasive and degrading treatment to weed out "drug seekers"). The DEA cracking skulls over opioids and investigating doctors is literally the only reason illicit fentanyl (and its even more dangerous analogues like carfentanil) even is a thing. I am so very doubtful that more door-kicking and prosecutions will miraculously work after decades of it making shit worse.

Jhsto 10y ago
While working abroad in the States, I was prescribed benzodiazepines for panic attacks. When I later came home, I went to see a GP and asked whether I could receive a refill for a medication that was running out. I told that I had used it as my last resort to alleviate panic attacks when I was unable to control my feelings otherwise. I had another abroad trip coming, so I said I would feel secure to have that last line of defense with me. The GP asked what that sort of medication might have been, and I presented the drug as "benzo" called $US_BRAND. The doctor looked at me for a moment and said that as you are using that term, benzo, you are aware of its abusive use. In no circumstances can we prescribe the drug same drug for you, since that would include doctor supervision before, during and after its consumption. After that the GP wrote something with the keyboard and proceeded to ask me how exactly was I able to get these drugs. I told the scenario after which I has been prescribed the drugs. The doctor responded that it sounds maltreatment to prescribe the said drug in such circumstances and that my story sounds odd. He said that he cannot prescribe me any drugs at this time. I'm now concerned what the doctor wrote to the state wide system and whether that might affect my treatments in the future. Either way, this whole paranormality over "drug seekers" is insane -- the GP did not even suggest seeing a specialist or offer alternative drug. He just declined and became anxious which I read as he wanted me out of his office as soon as possible. He was young, I give you that, but it makes me wonder what kind of horror stories do they tell about my kind of "drug seekers" in the med school.
- biofox 10y ago
  I had a similar experience before when trying to get painkillers in the UK. There's a deep institutional narcophobia here. Thankfully I was eventually able to get a prescription for an effective opioid, after an NSAID-induced bleed almost killed me. The experience made me write up an Advance Decision (Living Will) to make it clear that if I'm ever unable speak for myself, I want my pain or mental distress to be adequately treated. The thought of being in severe pain or anxiety, and being left to suffer, terrifies me.
  - DanBC 10y ago
    It's not "narcophobia", it's a desire to actually treat pain effectively without leaving people i) still in pain and ii) addicted to a harmful medication.