From the prescriber
Sued by widow of patient who committed suicide 12/19,
He has been tapering for months.
Successfully came off fentanyl.
No one else in the state would prescribe for him.
After Dr xxxxx was convicted ,
I notified my remaining 8-9 patients on opiates that I could no longer do this for them.
Gave them notice,
Promised to help for two more months as I retire from practice, due to the hostile regulatory environment.
pt was initially sanguine,
But a few days before his death got very suicidal, his son wrestled a gun away,
Was placed on a hold,
Then released.
He cancelled an appointment with me Sunday
Died by Tuesday, self inflicted gsw.
So awful.
Now
Sued for NOT treating a patient
Apparently some family members of pts that are being weaned from their opiates and things go “sideways” for the pt’s outcome have found attorneys that will sue for a prescriber stopping to prescribe opiates for a opiate dependent pt with chronic pain.
maybe it is time for prescribers to start having as much or more fear of the pt’s and/or their survivors when they are taken and/or weaned off their opiates ?
Filed under: General Problems
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Excellent post Lissa!
I was, in the beginning understanding for what physcians were going thru….however now, I do believe a couple of things….the Doctors and health care community need to stand up TOGETHER and say enough. Otherwise it is going to get worse for not just them- for their patients. How many suicides, or accidental deaths due to use of non advised or mis administered medications and those who will turn to illicit meds or drugs. people are suffering and the numbers the gov’t and media are putting forth are not accurate or are not interpreted to the public correctly. President Trump said last week…shutting down opiates are what the effort is about, Not treatment or rehab for those who are in need. (could that be because the numbers and details of persons seeking rehab will show the flaw in their narrative?) and According to A. Sessions we all need to take OTC meds and toughen up, suck it up. I don’t even know how to respond. So with the increase of suicides, the families and lives torn apart, the deaths from misuse of “safe” OTC pain meds destroying internal organs- even potentially killing unknown numbers. Where does this stop? A physician takes a oath “To Do No Harm” and also “Physician, Heal thyself” this has many meanings…no a Doctor is not expected to perform surgery on himself or even self prescribe. Perhaps, one meaning is…Stand Up For Your Patients! I was told by someone close to me, whose spouse is in the medical profession…’It’s about a paycheck.’ …what do you say to that, where are the ethics? Becoming a physician, health care professional etc is from my POV is expensive however not usually done for monitory superiority. It is an undertaking of care and concern, the desire to help…not to abandon patients in need. If they can put a patients life or quality of life on such a lower rung than that the oath implores…what are we all going to become. Stand up Physcians with the same fervor being used when turning patient’s away, knowing the suffering they will endure… so I ask this question…e have trusted you, will you, will we stand together or will you give into the tactical cruel pressure?
Reminds me of a scene from a favorite movie…(paraphrasing)The outnumbered good guys (ironically the law) take on the bad guys (representitive of today’s bureaucratic Gov.’t) …albeit, Out Numbered yet Righteously Standing Together- “You can’t get us ALL” …if the Physcians all stood together and said NO….what would the Gov’t. do with out their Doctors? We’re not asking you to give up everything…that’s what is being asked of us many patients. Quality & Dignity of Life! You can’t buy that and you can’t just ‘wish or think’ it away.
Our Veterans didn’t refuse to stand up- yet they are being treated so badly as well as all chronic pain sufferers- through no fault of their own. They are not misusing, selling and are not addicts. When did dignity & quality and of life become inconsequential? When will cigarettes be outlawed. The numbers of those who smoking kills so far outways the numbers of individuals that OD on actual prescription pain medication, when used in accordance with their Doctors advise. Even the numbers of Americans made deadly ill/ & die from ‘secondhand smoke’ are by some estimates well into the 40k range…per year. Oh can you image the rioting in the streets in such event? I sincerely ask…implore the medical community, especially the physicians; Whom we have trusted with our one and only life – our quality of life with our spouses, families, children and grandchildren( this affects them all so very many people. Please stand up for your patients, for yourselves, for your profession…We need you!
Metiforically movie clip below: The good guys (Physcians) vs bad guys (Govt)…Stand together with patients and other care givers….I can’t imagine this is the medical practice/career you worked so hard for!
Remember they are being bullies now, but we are stronger together…we’re being forced to endure the malice of the bullies.
* Metiforically speaking* The (#1) clip below: The good guys (Physcians) vs bad guys (Govt)…Stand together with patients and other care givers….I can’t imagine this is the medical practice/career you worked so hard for!
https://youtu.be/co5xVHsMRV0
With mutual respect, please don’t throw us away, we trust(ed) you and we will all lose so much more than what will be gained through this targeted abuse.
They ought to sue CDC, Sessions and Kolodyn for creating this mess and threatening Drs into not prescribing. Shit rolls down hill, start at the top!!