Pain Management Clinic

cracker

I went to a hospital three hours away for a clinic. Turned out to be a discussion only with a PA (Physician's Assistant). All he talked about was narcotics - I take one. He asked me if I gave away or sold mine.

I was highly insulted and think I will report him. Doctors here are terrified to prescribe narcotics, and many people suffer unnecessarily because of that.

Is this true in the UK? 

clp

No not so much.  They are worried you may travel up the pain ladder as opiates become less effective over time so you want a higher dose but they will work with you.  I am on zomorph - long acting morphine and oramorph - liquid short acting morphine and I am not treated any differently to anyone else.  On top of this I have valium for now and again muscle spasm use.  We can also buy codeine and paracetamol or ibuprofen over the counter.  I was asked for this at a Walmart pharmacy and immediately felt like I was an addict.  However we don't have antibiotic ointment, fexofenadine or naproxen over the counter so swings and roundabouts... I keep up to date on the opiate debate in US but think it's the nature of the system.  In the UK GPs are monitored very closely in their prescribing on an national basis so outliers are spotted quickly so we don't get the problem of pill mills.