I really feel for chronic pain patients, having suffered from chronic (however not as severe) back pain myself for many years. However, the propensity of Ameri

I really feel for chronic pain patients, having suffered from chronic (however not as severe) back pain myself for many years. However, the propensity of American doctors to prescribe heavy-duty opiods is unheard of in pretty much the rest of the world. My cousin lives in the the U.S. and has top notch health insurance. After an accident and the subsequent surgery on her leg, she was certainly in pain but as European she was completely flabbergasted that she was offered Oxi for that. She vehemently declined and basically got by with 800mg of Ibuprofen per day for two weeks. In Europe, doctors go for opiods outside the hospital setting if and only if all other options have been completely exhausted (incl. expecting the patient to tolerate some amount of pain for a limited period of time). I think the doctine in the American health care system that patients have to be completely free of pain at all times does much more harm than good.