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I'm a paramedic and have worked in a few doctor offices over the years....
None of the physicians I have ever worked for have received a "kick back" for prescribing any type of medication whatsoever; be it for diabetes, heart, cholesterol, pain, menopause, etc. Drug reps stop by doctor offices to give the doctor/staff information about the medications they represent, any updates on these meds and information on upcoming meds.
As far as the "addictive" meds; doctors aren't snowballed by the "it's not addictive" jargon. Generally, most good doctors give patients the benefit of the doubt and try to help their patients pain. Sadly, doctors who don't understand addiction don't realize how easy it is for some of us to get addicted to these meds. Then, we want more because that dose isn't helping...most narcotics will only "satisfy" a person for so long before it becomes not as effective.
I have seen a lot of patients who are legitimately on enormous amounts of narcotics...do I agree with it, not exactly. Within reason. However, it is quite easy to see those persons who are addicted to the meds and use them wrongly.
I will never forget when I got caught up on percocet after a severe back injury (from work). I was on valium for 3 weeks and the following 6 months or so, on percocet. The first 5ish months I used my meds as they were prescribed...however, I didn't wait for my scripts to run out...I refilled them as soon as I could... On the percocets, my pain was "gone" of sorts, I still had some pain, but NOTHING like it was without them....then I started noticing the euphoria when I took 1 or 2 more than I was suppose to take. Then I noticed my patience level, gone...continued to take a "few more" here and there, until I was popping 10 or more at a time. When the script ran out I KNEW I had to be done...or else....
I'm a recovering alcoholic, been sober (at that time for 13+ years). I knew I was getting really close to losing everything if I continued. I was getting scared. My depression from my injury was unbearable (ended my career) and the physical pain was horrific; but I didn't get a refill, in fact, my first day without percocets I went back to my ortho doc and I admitted what I had done. I told him I wanted to detox off it and see where I stood. I was going to PT at the time and confessed to my therapist also. He tried helping me with pain relief as much as he could too. After a week and a half of hell, I went back to my doctor, humbled, and begged for something to help relieve the pain...and he worked with me.
I now have a pain relief course that helps. It doesn't make the pain go away, but it makes it bearable to endure life daily. Been on it now for 4 years. No euphoria. No desire to take more than I'm suppose too. I have learned a lot from going through that experience and have been able to talk with our patients that I felt were having the same problem. It also helped me a lot, when I got sober I was 17....I'm now 34 and for me the hell of addiction was far out of mind...it's really clear again and I used that experience to also quit smoking. Which was worse...I think it was the percocets definitely physically and emotionally, though I had smoked for over 1/2 of my life, averaging 2+ packs per day...
Sorry for the long share...felt I needed to "qualify" myself...
Blessings,
Jen
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