Did he finish the sentence? That he'll start doing blood tests on you...to make sure you have that amount of drug in your bloodstream, because if you don't, then you're selling it instead of taking it.

He pretty much said that he trusts me, but that the medical practice (he's part of a big network of medical stuff) pretty much requires it at a certain point.

I should have clarified; I don't doubt that he trusts you, but yeah, once patients start increasing their dose, then doctors (or their uber-network) start suspecting drug diversion, rather than considering that patients who take opiates develop a fucking tolerance to it. It's like actual medical knowledge about the reality of how drugs work isn't even important.

I ought to ask my dad if he has to get tested. I don't think he's ever mentioned it, and he has a really high dose of oxycodone. Maybe his doctor thinks a 73-year-old man isn't going to sell it. And he never needs to refill early, so that might be a factor.

Oh, no, Strix, I'm so sorry. Condolences to your family.

What the fuck is up with this week.

I skipped to the end of Natter, but thank you, thank you all so much. I gave D a Xanax and some soup, and we're waiting for his mom to call back.

Well, he's napping and I'm planning ; should have given that lightweight a half. But it's probably for the best he's sleeping instead of crying or fretting while we wait for paula to call.

I am overwhelmed. Thank god a crisis brings out the best in me.

I'm really sorry, Strix.

Re drug testing, I'm afraid it's worse than that: when they test you they are also checking to see that your opiate levels aren't *higher* than they should be. I.e. "If we've decided you're in so much pain that you need this high dose, we need to make sure that you aren't getting pain relief somewhere else you filthy addict!"

Oh, Strix, my condolences.

Betsy, Hil, SA and others, I don't know if you're on FB, but msbelle just posted this depressingly timely call for contributions:

What factors affect your health and well-being, besides access to doctors, hospitals and other medical care? An NPR reporter wants to talk to you about these issues, possibly for broadcast using your full name. Please email nprcrowdsource@npr.org about your experience and write “well-being” in the subject line.

(eta: I am copy'n'pasting instead of linking you to the NPR Facebook post because, unlike ita, I am merciful in my links. Suffice to say, it takes all of three posts before people start shouting about Big Pharma and toxic drugs and how you can cure diabetes with cinnamon oil.)

(You're welcome.)

when they test you they are also checking to see that your opiate levels aren't *higher* than they should be. I.e. "If we've decided you're in so much pain that you need this high dose, we need to make sure that you aren't getting pain relief somewhere else you filthy addict!"

I can understand that strictly from the POV of the dangers of overdosing, BUT that needs to go hand-in-hand with a way to safely treat that level of pain.

I get that drugs are diverted for illegal use (although some diversion is to *other* people living with pain who can't get treatment, so.). I get that people can overdose on meds that are legally prescribed. I get all of that. But what the healthcare system is currently doing is still not working.

t edit I know that's preaching to the choir.

Seriously people, this is taking me back to the days when keeping up with Natter was nay impossible. And yet I have to read all the posts.

Goodnight for now. Way past my bedtime. Soothing dreams.

And yet, the doctors cannot be consistently bothered to discuss the potential for dependency BEFORE a post-surgical patient has taken the pain meds precisely following the instructions on the label for long enough that a physical addition occurs. Young man at work face-planted off his skateboard months ago - broken jaw, surgery, massive pain.. and when he came back to work, he was constantly sick trying to come off the medication. At that point he had figured out his body was addicted, and he was doing everything he could to manage his pain responsibly. He certainly was not getting any reasonable level of knowledge and support from his doctors. I suggested Emetrol for the nausea, which helped him a bit.

At that point he had figured out his body was addicted, and he was doing everything he could to manage his pain responsibly.

I am that patient. I only took percocet for 6 weeks before my back surgery -- but it was the maximum amount prescribed. I never missed a dose.

Because the surgery was so successful, I had zero pain when I woke up in recovery, so I stopped the percocet cold turkey, because no one told me not to. I had no idea I caused myself withdrawal.

My primary care doctor, who knows not only my history but my family history, told me, "You have an addictive physiology. Look at your family." And gave me a scheduled to taper it off, and it sucked, but less than cold turkey.

The kicker, though, was that my brilliant surgeon, who is the reason I can walk today, reacted to me telling him about the withdrawal by saying, "None of my other patients have ever had a problem stopping meds. Are you sure you weren't just sick?"

How do doctors who prescribe this stuff NOT KNOW what it does?