4 ms·

As bad as pill mills are, wouldn't 'Pain Management' clinics rate high in this query since they give out pills to manage legitimate pain? I have multiple herni

by chime 9y ago

As bad as pill mills are, wouldn't 'Pain Management' clinics rate high in this query since they give out pills to manage legitimate pain? I have multiple herniated cervical disks and am going in for surgery soon because the pain is debilitating and unbearable. Among other specialists, I saw a pain management doctor to understand my non-surgical options. Many people with my condition choose to not get implants or disk fusions and instead opt for steroids, epidurals, and opioids. Legitimate doctors at pain management clinics will rank high on these lists if they have a lot of really sick patients who don't want neurosurgery.

ransom1538 9y ago
Yes! 'Pain Management' would be a high subscriber. But being the top 5 in the US? Maybe, but that is pretty strange - definitely worth a DEA trip. 'Family Medicine' in the top 40? Hm....
- freedomben 9y ago
  "A DEA trip" is not a small thing. It's a terrifying thing. It can be the end of your livelihood if you're a doctor, even if you've done nothing wrong. There is no shortage of stories about that happening (and what about the hundreds of patients who are suddenly left stranded with debilitating chronic pain?)[1]. I wouldn't call for you to have an "IRS trip" or some other jack-booted government agency, nor do I think you should call for the DEA to visit other people. It's this type of attitude that is literally killing pain patients [2]. But then again, I don't think it is any of my business what other adults want to put into their own bodies, so even if some doc office were a pill mill I wouldn't care. [1] Here's one off the top of my head: https://www.painnewsnetwork.org/stories/2017/12/28/tennant-patients-live-in-fear-of-dea https://www.painnewsnetwork.org/stories/2017/12/28/tennant-p...). [2] https://www.painnewsnetwork.org/stories/2017/9/4/how-chronic-pain-killed-my-husband https://www.painnewsnetwork.org/stories/2017/9/4/how-chronic...
  - ransom1538 9y ago
    Really? A Dentist recommends 16311.0 opioids during an epidemic and someone shouldn't at least check receipts? I don't think people should loose livelihoods, but, let's at least look at an excel sheet right? Check out the office make sure people are not piled into the streets waiting for drugs? http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/02/rise-and-fall-of-nycs-biggest-pill-mill.html http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/02/rise-and-fall-o...
- pmorici 9y ago
  In a sorted list someone has to be on top.
- matheusmoreira 9y ago
  There's absolutely nothing wrong with prescribing opioids to people who may benefit from their use. What's wrong is putting the interests of big pharma above your patient. This kind of corruption damages the trust that people place in the medical profession. That's why the doctor lost his license. The article even says: >You in effect sold your medical license to a pharmaceutical company The DEA should have nothing to do with this. Treating doctors like potential drug dealers is going to make them extremely anxious about prescribing any kind of drug with high abuse potential. They invested hundreds of thousands of dollars and years of their life on their medical license and residency programs; do you think they're going to risk it with the threat of the DEA busting them? The DEA getting involved is going to directly harm patients with chronic pain (opioid users) and people with ADHD (amphetamine users).
deleted 9y ago
[deleted]
tylersmith 9y ago
I hope you at least tried steroidal epidurals. I had 2 fully herniated lumbar disks and was unable to even get off the floor for 6 months but I've gotten mostly back on feet without surgery.

by chime 9y ago

ransom1538 9y ago

Yes! 'Pain Management' would be a high subscriber. But being the top 5 in the US? Maybe, but that is pretty strange - definitely worth a DEA trip. 'Family Medicine' in the top 40? Hm....

freedomben 9y ago
"A DEA trip" is not a small thing. It's a terrifying thing. It can be the end of your livelihood if you're a doctor, even if you've done nothing wrong. There is no shortage of stories about that happening (and what about the hundreds of patients who are suddenly left stranded with debilitating chronic pain?)[1]. I wouldn't call for you to have an "IRS trip" or some other jack-booted government agency, nor do I think you should call for the DEA to visit other people. It's this type of attitude that is literally killing pain patients [2]. But then again, I don't think it is any of my business what other adults want to put into their own bodies, so even if some doc office were a pill mill I wouldn't care. [1] Here's one off the top of my head: https://www.painnewsnetwork.org/stories/2017/12/28/tennant-patients-live-in-fear-of-dea https://www.painnewsnetwork.org/stories/2017/12/28/tennant-p...). [2] https://www.painnewsnetwork.org/stories/2017/9/4/how-chronic-pain-killed-my-husband https://www.painnewsnetwork.org/stories/2017/9/4/how-chronic...
- ransom1538 9y ago
  Really? A Dentist recommends 16311.0 opioids during an epidemic and someone shouldn't at least check receipts? I don't think people should loose livelihoods, but, let's at least look at an excel sheet right? Check out the office make sure people are not piled into the streets waiting for drugs? http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/02/rise-and-fall-of-nycs-biggest-pill-mill.html http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/02/rise-and-fall-o...
pmorici 9y ago
In a sorted list someone has to be on top.
matheusmoreira 9y ago
There's absolutely nothing wrong with prescribing opioids to people who may benefit from their use. What's wrong is putting the interests of big pharma above your patient. This kind of corruption damages the trust that people place in the medical profession. That's why the doctor lost his license. The article even says: >You in effect sold your medical license to a pharmaceutical company The DEA should have nothing to do with this. Treating doctors like potential drug dealers is going to make them extremely anxious about prescribing any kind of drug with high abuse potential. They invested hundreds of thousands of dollars and years of their life on their medical license and residency programs; do you think they're going to risk it with the threat of the DEA busting them? The DEA getting involved is going to directly harm patients with chronic pain (opioid users) and people with ADHD (amphetamine users).

deleted 9y ago

[deleted]

tylersmith 9y ago

I hope you at least tried steroidal epidurals. I had 2 fully herniated lumbar disks and was unable to even get off the floor for 6 months but I've gotten mostly back on feet without surgery.