opioids
Pre-existing Conditions Deserve Affordable Treatment
However, reversing the ACA at any time would be devastating for millions of Americans who have an SUD or pain. Both SUDs and pain would be considered pre-existing conditions.
Read MoreThree Minutes to Change the World
Those who follow my work on Linked In, in social media and in medical journals will be aware that I am a sharp critic of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and its 2016 Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain to adults with chronic non-cancer pain
Read MoreThe Victim of a Created Crisis — Left Behind
There have been just north of 68,000 overdose deaths in the United States in 2018. The largest new healthcare crisis in America.
Read MoreWhen Anger Is Destructive
People can be forgiven for getting angry in the moment. If they have experienced a personal loss from prescription opioids, it’s reasonable for them, in their grief, to blame opioids or the doctor who prescribed them. But it’s harder to accept their vengeances when they draw a false equivalency between prescription opioids and illicit drugs.
Read MoreWe Are At War: People With Chronic Pain Must Prepare
Think of COVID-19 as another natural disaster, and anticipate the same potential problems. Begin your planning immediately by talking with your doctor.
Read MoreAlternatives to Conventional Opioids
My colleague, Richard Rauck, M.D., Pain Fellowship Director at the Wake Forest University of Medicine, and I presented a Continuing Medical Education (CME) symposium at the meeting on atypical opioid options. We discussed the strengths and weakness of three atypical opioids—tramadol, tapentadol, and buprenorphine—that clinicians may consider for the appropriate patients.
Read MoreWhy People Do Not Dispose of Unused Opioids
Many people clearly want to hold onto their unused medications. This is not new. However, the problem may worsen because, more than ever, patients who are in pain fear that they will not be able to get the medication they need.
Read MoreKaren Smith’s Story
Many people in pain want to share their story, and they ask me for help in doing so. Sometimes, I mention people who are in pain when I am speaking in public or talking with the media. Occasionally, someone tells me a story that is so poignant and eloquent that, with permission, I publish it.…
Read MoreA Veteran’s Story in His Own Words
Policymakers have changed the way patients who have chronic pain are treated. The 2016 CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain has had a domino effect on policies throughout the country. Unfortunately, veterans have been particularly affected. I have heard of many vets being told they no longer would be prescribed opioids or benzodiazepines.…
Read MoreThe Reason People Become Addicted Is Multifactorial
Debunking the Myths About Why Opioid Addictions Develop
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