Fortunately IB and naproxen work nearly miraculously for me. But I can see where people can get addicted, because they do work less effectively on some people and sometimes you NEED pain relief.

I am not carrying any narcan. Those in that position have self-imposed their own death.

I generally don't take anything other than acetaminophen or naproxen since even a "light" narcotic like tramadol is enough to make me sick to my stomach.

It really is unfortunate that the government lay the blame on the opioid crisis squarely on the physician. Yes, there are pill mills out there but by and large, most physicians are trying to appropriately treat pain. There are much more severe penalties on physicians now if they're suspected of overprescribing.

Take, for instance, this case:
Murder trial begins for alleged ‘pill mill’ doctor after string of patients overdose on painkillers She was eventually convicted of murder.

Yes, there was "loose" prescribing practices from this physician but no one forced the kid to cross state lines to find this physician then go back home and take a lethal dose of alcohol and pain killers. Now the doctor is convicted, not for involuntary manslaughter, but MURDER. That sets a scary precedent that only hurts legitimate patients in need of pain control, such as rburg.

That's enough to shake any physician to his/her core. What if a physician prescribes a few day's worth of pain killers for a sore knee and the guy ends up drinking alcohol, then is found dead? All those years of hard work, and his freedom--gone. His livelihood and the livelihood of his family--kiss that goodbye. Who would take that risk?

The government doesn't believe in personal responsibility, but instead creates victims out of criminals and criminals out of the law-abiding. This, unfortunately, is true with guns and most other things that the government get their "sanctimonious" hands on.

rburg, I feel your pain. Literally.

When I was 17 I had oral surgery due to an impacted incisor. They had to remove the baby tooth, remove the gum to expose it, expose the tooth buried in the bone, chisel a channel in the roof of my mouth to its final position, then pack it to heal.

The Oral Surgeon didn't believe in giving people under 18 anything stronger than extra strength Tylenol. I don't remember it but my parents said when I came fully out of the anesthesia and the drugs they had on board I was screaming so loud the neighbors were coming over. They called begged the Dr for something stronger and he told them no. They called the family Dr. for help and he referred them back to the Oral Surgeon. Even the local pharmacist, a family friend couldn't help. I remember the last few days before it subsided and it sucked.

Sorry man.... hang in there. You'll live, but it sucks for a while.

If you tell the doctor that the pain meds are for an abortion, you can get them no questions asked. Remember it is unconstitutional for the government to get between a woman and her doctor.

So what does a person due that can't take ibuprofen because of it's effects on the kidneys.

I am now under the care of a kidney group of doctors because a GP had me take ibuprofen when my ankle was crushed...I can't take Aleve or ibuprofen without doing more damage to my kidneys and was told take Tylenol which is useless as a pain killer.

Should have sued the GP for the kidney damage caused by the ibuprofen and on going costs I've been paying the kidney group

Oh, and high doses of Tylenol will damage your liver.

Our Govenor, who despite running as a Republican, is one of those "do SOMETHING" types, has promoted and signed a law limiting narcotics to a 5 day supply.

Nitwit.

I rarely prescribe people narcotics for dental pain unless there is a giant abscess or obvious secondary cellulitis. I’m in the ER setting so it’s different. I’m not doing real dental procedures on dental pain patients...maybe draining an abscess once in a while or doing some nerve blocks. Most drug seekers come in complaining of back pain or dental pain.

The medical community is being blamed for the opiate epidemic so a lot of us are being cautious. It sucks when people who aren’t drug seeking are caught in the middle. With that said Americans statistically are pussies when it comes to pain. Immediate pain relief is as American as apple pie. In other parts of the world NSAIDS are it...even post operatively. Cancer patients are one of the few exceptions who get narcotics. The US consumes 80% of the worlds opiate prescriptions. Let that sink in. Just like Americans want their McDonald’s fast, their WiFi fast, their cars fast, they also want their pain treated instantly. It’s cultural. I remember touring a Nicaraguan hospital while doing a medical mission there. patients in the trauma unit with broken limbs had to hold their own IV bags up in the air because there wasn’t enough poles to go around. They were lucky if they got Tylenol. Not to mention there was like one nurse for 25 patients so it probably too forever to get any meds.

Sorry for your pain. Been there and don’t want to be back.

My narcan is now for me or any innocent who gets accidentally exposed. No longer killing myself to get to OD calls. The FD can rush if they want.

Last guy the FD brought back (for like the dozenth time) I told the kid if we get another call for him I’m ramming the ambulance so neither of us will get there.

All these first person accounts are meaningless. Every procedure is different, everyone’s ability to control pain is different, and responses to medication vary among patients.

Many years ago I was injured when my jeep went end over end and I ended up with the back rail slamming down across the small of my back. Came so close to fracturing my spine that I was paralyzed from the waist down for 3 days.

When I got out of the hospital the doctor prescribed codeine for the pain. Told me to take one when the paid got so back I could not stand it. If the pain did not get tolerable in 30 minutes, to take a second one. Under no circumstances to take a 3rd. Gave me a bottle of the pills which as I recall held a couple hundred.

Had an incident that really, really caused my back pain to explode. Took the pill, 20 minutes later a second. maybe half an hour later I took a 3rd. No longer had any pain. Got called to the orderly room for something or other, and the 1st Sgt took one look at me, asked me about the pills. Told him and he promptly got somebody to drive me home. I slept for more than 12 hours.

Never took another one.

I have always had a somewhat resistance to pain meds. Takes at least a double dose of aspirin on the rare occasion I need one.

While I have some sympathy for those addicted to opiates, that sympathy is limited to those who get hooked from medical prescriptions.

Those who hook themselves by taking them for the "rush" or whatever, no sympathy.

I have a family member who had severe back injury while in the army. They got him hooked on opiates. Hooked to the point that he ended up using all the prescription meds, and buying more off the street market.

He got himself off them all and he refuses to take pain meds at all now. Scared he will get hooked again.

To piggy back on this- my personal opinion as a long practicing medical professional is the whole mess can be laid at the feet of joint commission! Back in the late 80’s early 90’s they were the ones jabbering about doctors not controlling pain make pain the fifth vital sign you must address pain we are watching you ! Now everyone wants to blame medical practitioners who were pressured into giving more pain medication.
Now the backlash has resulted in copious useless regulations. Not a single one (limiting my prescribing to a five day supply, forcing me to do annual opioid training, the widespread use of narcan , etc) will have any positive effect on the problem at all, just make it harder for people with legitimate needs to get it.
Much like gun control in places like New York and California it is legislation designed to show the public the government is “doing something” which in reality has no impact on the root problem.
Also interesting as managed care and gov regulations closed mental hospitals and stopped paying for 28 day inpatient drug treatment programs the problems and consequences have worsened. It appears the government creates a problem ( spending tax dollars and burdening honest people) tries to “solve” it with more regulation and tax dollars which creates a new one to be solved again with more regulation taxes and increased numbers of government employees.

my nephrologist says that I can have a couple of
acetaminophen a week for my tennis elbow.


"So what does a person due that can't take ibuprofen because of it's effects on the kidneys."

you may consult your kidney doctor, as well..

does narcan work on little timmy at the ice creme store if he bites on a peanut that he should not have? ( allergys)

Hope you feel better, Dick! Toothaches are the worst! Get well!

quote:

Originally posted by bendable:does narcan work on little timmy at the ice creme store if he bites on a peanut that he should not have? ( allergys)

Ummm....no

It's an opioid antagonist, not a treatment for anaphylaxis.

It now has been 2 weeks since my oral surgery and my Dr. gave me Tramadol.
Not sure what that is exactly but it worked for my pain and I had plenty of it. Not much pain now, but aspirin works now. I wish I would have had about 4 more of those, but got thru it.

quote:

Originally posted by jhe888:

quote:

Originally posted by PD:
I concur with the OP. I’m at that state in life where I’m going through some very invasive ortho and dental procedures. FUCKIN JUNKIES!! The unreasonable amount of pain I’m forced to bear is directly related to the actions of FUCKIN JUNKIES. Not to mention all the other criminal activities they are involved with.

NO ONE IN GOVERNMENT should have the right to tell a doctor how to practice medicine.

There...I said it

No, it is DIRECTLY related to decisions made by the regulatory authorities. In turn it is INDIRECTLY related to the fact that junkies misuses narcotics, prompting the medical regulators to limit access.

Bad regulatory decisions are causing this problem. Junkies are part of it, but they aren't the direct cause.

What are you saying? The irresponsiblity of the junkies is causing the government to impose laws and regulations that has a detrimental effect on law-abiding patients who need pain relief. I’m saying fuck the junkies and let the doctor decide how to manage pain.

So, what are y’all suggesting we do about this…? Is it really just to let them all die?
That’s certainly one strategy but I don’t think it’s gonna work. Hasn’t worked yet. But if we going with that route, all them drunk boozers out there should probably be taken out too.

quote:

Originally posted by PD:The irresponsiblity of the junkies is causing the government to impose laws and regulations that has a detrimental effect on law-abiding patients who need pain relief. I’m saying fuck the junkies and let the doctor decide how to manage pain.

Unfortunately, a fair number of these "junkies" started out with a legitimate Rx. That is what has led the government and State Medical Boards to come down on all physicians and dentists.

quote:

Originally posted by SIGnified:
So, what are y’all suggesting we do about this…? Is it really just to let them all die?
That’s certainly one strategy but I don’t think it’s gonna work. Hasn’t worked yet.

I wouldn't presume to have an answer for this, SIGnified. I just know that I reject the idea of living in a society which is in such a condition that the burden of attempting to counteract the behavior of these habitual drug users is placed upon the man on the street.

Imagine the civil liability for some layman administering a drug to an unconscious person.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:Imagine the civil liability for some layman administering a drug to an unconscious person.

Agreed. Unless someone witnessed the overdose or you see a cartoonish syringe marked "heroin" on the ground next to them, there are WAY too many other things that could be happening.