Posted by Spriggy on March 8, 2005, at 12:03:04
In reply to Oops, above post to cubbybear, not Optimist!!!! (nm), posted by ed_uk on March 8, 2005, at 10:53:04
My doctor literally would offer me pain medicine ANY time I came in. It was a joke me and my husband had.. If I went in with a hangnail, she would say, " what would you like for pain? Vicodin?" To which I would say, " that's okay, I'll just use ibuprofen."There were a few times when I had the flu (and once when I broke my ankle) when I took her up on her offers.
BUT, the funny thing, now that I am suddenly dealing with mental health issues, I notice when I went in with a 102 fever and horrible body aches, she said, " take two ibuprofen for pain." where before she was throwing prescriptions at me.
I suppose she thought I might swallow the whole bottle at an attempt to kill myself.
I wonder if there is signal or code on our charts (that take psych drugs) that says, " DO NOT GIVE ANY PAIN MEDICINE...EVER"
But we have a good doctor at our church that we sometimes call if we are sick and don't want to pay the copay. He will call in cough syrup with codeine and such if he knows we are really sick (he does still check us out at church). So that helps.
Even here lately, I've considered asking him for the prescription for Lamictal (but he's a pediatrician so I don't even know if he can legally do it).
Also, my father who has the following:
1) Degenerative disc disease - he has had FIVE back surgeries in 3 years and has a titanium rod in his back.
2) Diabetes
3) hepatatis C
4) heart disease (pace maker and 3 heart attacks)
5) Nerve damageMy dad can BARELY walk.. I mean, if he can get up on his own to use the bathroom, it's a GOOD day.
And becuase of his past drug abuse problems, doctor's would not give him anything. I understand he has drug abuse issues but they have given him 3-6 months to live- they KNOW he's in pain.. HAVE SOME COMPASSION.
So when they called in Hospice to care for him, Hospice said, " This is so ridiculous. This man has hardly any time left and we will not let him have it in pain."
So they provide him with Oxycontin and my dad can laugh, walk, and actually LIVE the few months he has left thanks to the medicine.
I guess it would be a tough call if I were a doctor. You don't want to encourage a habit or abuse, but you also don't want your patient in pain.
I think they just have to go with their gut and be more attentive to how their patient says they feel.
poster:Spriggy
thread:468106
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20050308/msgs/468230.html