Archive for April 2016
This is Why People With Addiction Use Counterfeit Drugs
Prescription medications, by definition, must be prescribed by a doctor. Many people in pain are reporting that doctors are becoming increasingly wary of prescribing opioid medications. This leaves patients in the lurch. People will often do almost anything to obtain medicines for their pain or to feed their addiction, even if it means buying counterfeit…
Read MoreThis Is How Prince’s Death Begins Conversation About Addiction
The Conversation Is About Compassion and Addiction When I published my recent blog, Prince and Why We Need More Compassion About Addiction, I began by saying that we didn’t yet know why Prince died. The facts weren’t in, and I didn’t want to draw conclusions until I had more information. I still don’t have all…
Read MoreThis is the Opioids Paradox for Chronic Pain Patients
Our wise elders had a saying: moderation is the key to happiness. Unfortunately, there is little moderation where opioids are concerned. They are both over-prescribed and under-prescribed for patients in chronic pain. This results in what I call the opioids paradox. Read the whole post here on my book blog: The Painful Truth
Read MoreWill New Opioids Restrictions Reduce Overdoses?
Politicians and some government officials tell us that the new CDC opioid guidelines will reduce deaths due to overdoses. But, based on the evidence we’ve seen so far, that is unlikely. The latest CDC report shows a continual increase in opioid-related overdose deaths despite about a 25% decrease in the number of opioids prescribed. This…
Read MorePrince and Why We Need More Compassion About Addiction
We don’t yet know why Prince died. The facts aren’t in, and I don’t want to draw conclusions until I have more information. That said, some entertainment media outlets (TMZ, Variety, and more) are reporting that Prince was treated with naloxone, which is the antidote for opioids including heroin, in the days before his death.…
Read MoreWill the New Opioids Restrictions Help to Reduce Overdoses?
New CDC Opioid Guidelines Politicians and some government officials tell us that the new CDC opioid guidelines will reduce deaths due to overdoses. But, based on the evidence we’ve seen so far, that is unlikely. The latest CDC report shows a continual increase in opioid-related overdose deaths despite about a 25% decrease in the…
Read MoreWho Is to Blame When Athletes Get Addicted to Heroin?
“I remember, the first pain pill they gave me, I felt really good. I actually felt very calm. I felt a sense of confidence that I never felt before. I knew it was going to be the start of something,” said a former high school football star to Soledad O’Brien on an episode of…
Read MoreThis is the Opioids Paradox for Chronic Pain Patients
Our wise elders had a saying: moderation is the key to happiness. Unfortunately, there is little moderation where opioids are concerned. They are both over-prescribed and under-prescribed for patients in chronic pain. This results in what I call the opioids paradox. Opioids Prescribed In Excess In fact, opioids sometimes are prescribed in excess. Much,…
Read MoreCan Marijuana Really Treat Pain or Is It Snake Oil?
When the news first broke about comedienne Whoopi Goldberg’s latest venture, selling products that include marijuana to ease menstrual cramps, I thought: Holy cow! Here’s an excellent example of why the DEA needs to reschedule marijuana. It appears to be a wild frontier with efforts to turn marijuana into the latest snake oil. Like snake…
Read MoreEnormous Gender and Ethnic Bias in Pain Treatment
Sometimes, it embarrasses me to be a medical professional. I honor and respect my colleagues, and typically, I’m proud to call myself a physician. But a recent Washington Post story about the enormous biases medical students have regarding pain treatment has troubled me deeply. The Washington Post story reports that a majority of medical…
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