An Open Letter To Physicians

Physicians, I realize you are a busy bunch.  But please, a moment of your time.  Yesterday, my sister was admitted to a detox program - the drug - heroin.  Why am I telling you this?

Because six years ago my sister went to a physician and disclosed to that Physician that she was an alcoholic in recovery.  The Physician still prescribed three highly addictive medications for her: Adderall, Klonopin, and Norco.

 

I realize the physician's dilemma. The patient is still in pain - and for goodness sake, I am not trying to be a doctor.  But, really?  Prescribing and addictive medication to an alcoholic is like giving said alcoholic a license to abuse drugs.  A fundamental shift in medical science needs to take place -- addiction and alcoholism are diseases and they need to be treated as such.   They are not choices. You can't just choose to not be addicted to something, it's like saying you aren't going to be allergic to something.  It's as if you prescribed a diabetic a diet of all sugar.  Why not suggest a patient with lung cancer start smoking.  Essentially, this is what you have done be prescribing an addictive medication to a declared addict.   

My sister's case followed the path I have seen so many of my fellows from Alcoholics Anonymous take - until it ended with medical doctors refusing to fill her prescription medication.  Heroin is stronger and cheaper and it doesn't come with all the doctors' visits.

But what is a physician to do?

First of all please read our chart and look before you suggest a potentially addictive treatment.  Being in pain is hard.  We need you to be on our side and support our desire to stay sober.  If you aren't with us, you are against us and we will need to find a new doctor.  I've done it.  My sobriety is my responsibility.  

Second, open up your PDR app on your iPhone or in your EMR and find and non-narcotic alternative for the medicine you want to prescribe for our ailment.  And if there really isn't another option - like that morphine drip after surgery - then at least we know you will be sensitive to our intense desire to have a second surgery just to get more morphine.

If we do end up slipping through the cracks and getting some narcotics and you catch us asking for our sixth refill for our sore throat - confront us.  Have the courage to say no.