MIRecovery

I believe there is a common misconception that medical professionals know about addiction. I personally have experienced a doctor that basically blew off accute withdrawl which can be fatal. No warnings, no meds, just tough it out which I did. Obviously I did not die because I am still here and sober.

There have been multiple times on SR and in my AA exposure that I have heard incredibley bad advice given by medical professionals who know nothing about addiction but act like they do.

I do not want to discourage medical advice because good advice is critical and available but there are a lot of professionals out there prescribing treatments that are counter productive.

What have other's experienced?

legna

In todays world, amidst all the lawsuits and rampant addiction, I think most medical professionals are loath to prescribe any narcotics, even when they are medically called for. If they are wrong, the most that will usually happen is that the patient will suffer more - which might be just what they need to keep from picking up the first one. If they are right, which is far more likely, the patient will not use the drugs to get high.

My heart stopped twice in withdrawal from the shock to my already weakened body, but I am still here and the memory of that withdrawal remains strong. Today, over twenty years later, I am not certain that tapering would have been the best course of action for me and am grateful that it happened the way it did.

Natom

Fortunately all of my doctors have been great. I have helped them however. I identified myself as an addict in Narcotics Anonymous. It's on my medical record. Any advice or prescription medication is based on this. I didn't see a doctor when I went through my withdrawal but I know people who have and the advice given has ranged from fantastic to shocking. Unfortunately I don't think much training is given to UK doctors about addiction and substance misuse in general.

My personal experience within the NHS was quite bad. I had overdosed on a variety of medication. I was taken to the hospital and left in the waiting room drifting in and out of consciousness for about 5 hours on a Friday night. Now Fridays are when the hospitals are full of drunks. They didn't have a bed for me. They took some bloods, gave me 10 minutes with a psychiatrist and then chucked me out at 4am with no money, and I had to call my mum to get me. All of this was because they knew I was an addict.

Natom.

Fandy

Are you are fluent in pharmacology, IDK.

Truthfully, I would rather trust my life with a board certified physician and an experienced ER team than than heresay from others in telling dramatic stories.

the Hippocratic Oath is taught in medical school for a reason, in American medical schools we also teach Humanism and Professionalism. All physicians who are licensed and practicing carry malpractice insurance as does any hospital. I assure you that the welfare of the patient comes first, not worrying about how many scrips they write.

I hope this thread doesn't discourage people from getting help from a doctor or hospital.

MIRecovery

Find a good Doc that has experience in Addiction they are out there!

escapist

I detoxed without help. I went to see my Doc two years ago about alcoholism. I was honest with her. She gave me Campral. It did not help. So I continued drinking until two months ago. I suffered but I am here and sober.

Xune

I specifically asked for a psychologist with a background in addiction.

My doctor has close to 30 years working with addicts, in prisons, hospitals, psychiatric institutions and hundreds of addicts in private practice.

I am very fortunate to have his expertise to help me.

ru12

Here here Fandy! Well said.

Fandy

as a PATIENT you are not going to have an in depth discussion with your physician about your course of treatment options when you are having a seizure in an ER on a saturday night. (at least not in the NY, NJ area at a Level One trauma center). You can trust the team that triages you, runs the labs (cos you will probably lie about what you have taken and how much you drank) and keeps you from further damage or not come in.

But at least you will be alive to complain about the "poor choices" the *uninformed* doctor made in your next meeting.

MIRecovery

This is the type of experience that makes a huge differance. All I am saying is if you have a substance abuse problem a family Doctor may not be your best choice unless they have specific experience in addiction

Fandy

Your doctor is not clairvoyant....If you did not TELL her it wasn't working how could she prescribe a different course of treatment....

continuing to drink was a better choice?

(i'm not familiar with Campral, sorry)

MIRecovery

And guess who is sober today?

Sasha4

But is the clue not in the 'I asked for...' part.

Personally I believe you have to help yourself.

You cannot eat 60 pork pies a day then cry to your cardiologist that your arteries do not work.

You cannot sunbathe unprotected then cry to your dermatologist that your you are a wrinkly dried up prune.

You have to take some responsibility yourself.

Primary care docs also have knowledge in lots of area's to treat whatever arrives through the door. They are supposed to do the basics then refer on to specialists.
Some primary care doctors may never treat a case of ovarian cancer in their careers to give an example. It is just beyond what they deal with.

Its also how and where patients present.
If its an overdose or acute withdrawal skills required are not sitting and counselling but making sure the patient does not stop breathing or start fitting.

I should also imagine that not many medics are drawn to be addiction experts. I cannot see that it is that exciting compared to cardiology or surgery can you?

I also think that maybe until you have travelled down that road yourself or with someone, you can never fully understand and there still remains a stigma. After all no-one ever seems to do sponsored marathons for AA or NA. No-one ever has a raffle to raise funds for addiction. Addiction medicine does not seem to get a lot of time devoted to it does it?

But then again if addiction is not openly talked about and kept secret, perhaps things will always stay the same.

Doctors are only human too.

I don't know, I think I am rambling now.

Coldfusion

I went to the ER on Halloween night. My wife told them I needed fluids. They took blood and urine, and ten minutes later brought me TWO bags of IV fluid. After getting an EEG , I saw a doctor and social worker. (Ka-ching: $4,591).

I then was transferred to a crisis / detoxification program, where I spent a week. They had nightly AA meetings, and recommended AA after I came home. I think we will not have to pay anything, but it was certainly no luxury rehab.

Get the right help from the right place. This may not be easy, and might even take a little planning. (It is a six-hour trip to a good hospital from here, and I was ready to jump out of my skin if I did not drink, so we had to arrange for an airplane. There was a fellow in detox who did NOT plan in advance. He stumbled drunk into an alley, fell down and hit his head, then awoke on a medi-vac helicopter--and he was TERRIFIED of heights and flying.)

Fandy

sorry, my thanks button seems to have disappeared, but thanks Sasha.

MIRecovery

My only point

Dee74

I nearly died from my detox - and from my fear of seeking medical help.

I spend a lot of time here trying to convince scared frightened people that seeing a Dr is a responsible thing to do.

Frankly any discussion that might dissuade even one person from doing that has me shaking my head...

It's really quite simple - if you're not satisfied with the treatment or advice you're getting, get a second opinion....

but, if you think you need it, or there's the slightest concern... do seek help.

This thread is closed.