Posted by Anne Thomas (208.250.112.244) on July 29, 1999 at 14:29:53:
Prior to a diagnosis and a medication that worked for me I had seen alot of MD, oral surgeons, physical therapists, and neurologists as many of you have. I found it quite easy for those who could towards the end of a visit write me a refill on anything that I was low on esp narcotic painkillers (I had eaten through so much codine seeking releif my intestines forgot they were supposed to work), having become a professional patient as well as a social worker I was amazed that not one doctor ever, ever questioned if I have/had a hx of addiction . I was never asked during the interviewing process or before he/she wrote me a new script. I think I was asked once do I drink alcohol. Persons in recovery for addiction issues may feel empowered enough to refuse a script for potential addictive drugs. I myself had Morphine IV for a severe attack and thought "hey, I'd love to spend the rest of my life like this, and so should everyone else". I often think of persons, many like many of us, desperate, despondent, depressed, who may have past or potential addictive tendencies who are at risk to become addicted to pain medications. The indocin I take I try to take the minimal but if I have plans I don'nt want wrecked, (dinner, movies, hey even romance) I will take the medication rather than end up so angry at myself for not taking it as prescribed every 8 hrs. Is it just the doctors I have seen, or have others never been questioned about addiction before being handed a script for narcotics. For some doctors I think writing scripts is like a parent giving a toddler a tootsie pop and saying "Here you go all better, go play outside". Anyone afraid they are hooked to a med? I used to tell my husband esp before I had kids that I addiction of a drug is a small price if the trade off is I can keep this pain at bay and have a life.