Doctors: Prescribing too many Painkillers? (how we can do better in 2013)
Are painkillers not being given to patients who really need them? Or are they given out like candy to patients who don’t need them?
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The answer is very likely “Yes”.
A recent article by Sophie Borland in the UK claims We’re a nation of painkiller addicts: Doctors writing 62million prescriptions every year. Often, the article states, doctors sign pages and pages of prescriptions given to them by the nurse without checking the details. Many patients are “addicted”, and many won’t tell their doctors how many drugs they’re actually taking.
Yes, we are right to be concerned about doctors who assume patients are “addicted” to painkillers (usually the actual definition of “addicted” is somewhat vague), and so refuse to give medication to patients that could really benefit.
At the same time, patients taking the wrong medications, or medication they don’t need, is a serious, growing problem.
So how can a doctor find a balance? There are patients who are taking medications that are doing more harm than good. There are others who can’t access the medications they truly need.
I don’t believe this issue will be solved by new laws restricting drugs, or by insurance companies creating more policies.
What is really needed are patients who know how to communicate with their doctors, who have organized their medical history (and family medical history) and who keep track of their symptoms and treatments. And we need doctors who will take the time to listen to their patients, take their patients seriously, and take time to find solutions instead of saying take two and call me in the morning for every headache.
Calling all doctors and patients in 2013 – will you take the challenge? It might mean more time, it might mean less money, it might mean taking the long view instead of looking for short term results. But it also might mean that more people that need to be treated will find a solution this year.
More thoughts to ponder:
- How to talk to your doctor (from HeadWay issue #052)
- How to be a better Headache or Migraine Doctor – what patients want from their doctors
2 January 2013 @ 12:37 pm
The down side of this call is that I am finding doctors becoming more reluctant to prescribe pain killers when they are appropriate. I am lucky, my family doctor has changed his policies but they have just become one in which I must see him every three months. Really, we do need a way for doctors to know what prescriptions you are taking – of any type. We would get better treatment with more unified prescribing of all medications. We need to make sure that we aren’t keeping appropriate narcotics from the appropriate people.
3 January 2013 @ 12:25 pm
I agree. I had to fight pill addiction twice due to this. I get chronic atypical migraines, and have tried 15 controller meds to no avail. They need better stuff for us atypical types
14 January 2013 @ 10:56 am
I don’t think it’s right to call for a general reduction in doctors reducing the numer in pain medications they Rx. That’s no different then what the FDA and DEA are doing. Doctors need the freedom to look at each patient as an individual without the government breathing down their back. There are some chronic migriane patients who have tried dozens of treatment and preventives and sometime for a breakthru migraine a strong pain med is needed.
Also there is a difference between addiction and dependence on mediction. Chronic Pain patients depend on their medication to function in life the same way diabetics need insulin and heart patients need their BP meds. Addiction is when some needs to take more and more of a drug to get a fun high. That is not what is happening here!!
We already do have a system to check what meds people are taking. My doctor can go online, type in my name and all the pharmacys I’ve been to and all the meds I take pop up. It’s a good system.