Evidence based treatment of opioid dependent patients

[dyslimbic]

http://www.cpa-apc.org/Publications/CJP/current/cjp-sept-06-van-den-Brink-IR.pdf

[lou]

do you mean people who are dependant on drugs e.g cocaine ect

[Cry Tears]

Wonder how to get the link?
Does this mean that people who use long term opiod pain managment are addicts?
How does one handle pain day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year?

Should they not be given pain meds only because they don't have a cancer diagnoses....
therefore not qualifying for pain managment?

Doctors thinking has changed drastically regarding pain managment.
Although there are a few who still beleive it wrong to treat pain unless its cancer or post surgical.

Pain is pain no matter the cause and needs to be delt with.
Its just so sad that the DEA dictates who gets what and how much they are allowed to receive.
They breathe down heavily on pain clinics threatening pulling the rug out from under them at any moment.
The governments fingers even in our pill bottles! Maddening!
Cheryl

[Laura]

Does this mean that people who use long term opiod pain managment are addicts?
I couldn't get the site to come up either, but the answer to your question is, IMO, no. This forum is devoted to those who end up becoming addicts, using drugs for emotional pain vs. physical pain. Some can use drugs for chronic physical pain without becoming addicts, some can't, because they suffer from the disease of addiction. Only each individual can decide which category they fall within.

[Harryinny]

Big difference between Addiction and Dependence. If taken as directed for pain, and after long term use, Pain meds lose there "High" and work on the pain. If a person is truely in physical pain, then Depending on your pain meds should not be looked apon as addiction.

It becomes addiction if you start Useing the meds in a way not intended, or if you find yourself taking more than you actually need to control the pain Just to get that mental "high" that use to be present when first taking the medication.

The thinking of Becomming Addicted VS Dependent on Pain meds to treat the many failed back surgeries ive had, kept me On a low dose of Instant Release med that worked about 2 hours and then i was in constant pain until the next dose, fearing that if i took more than perscribed, id be what i feared most.

After 6 years of this cat and mouse game, i have fineally gotten the help ive sought, and hopefully in the near future, ill be able to have some part of my life back because of Extended Release Meds. If i become dependent on them to live a limited normal life, then so be it. The ups and downs and the fillers in the other med i feel were going to kill me and my merrage. It wasnt worth it so i fought the stigma and sought help.

Its the people who contioue to use something after the symptom of cause has gone away that give the PM doctors a bad name and its the reason alot of people cant get the relief they so deserve.

Addicted? Nope. Dependent? Yup.

Harry

[airedog]

What if the meds are taken as prescribed but old addictive patterns return? King Baby/narcissim, evasion of responsibilities and accountability, loss of attention span and all those other good things.

[dyslimbic]

http://ww1.cpa-apc.org:8080/Publications/Archives/CJP/2006/september/cjp-sept-06-van-den-Brink-IR.pdf