Recent tragic events have stimulated intense dialogue regarding the use of prescription drugs. Whether you are in the office break room, at the community pool, or in your living room watching CNN or Fox News, this topic seems to seep into the conversation. Listening to these conversations and observing the media coverage made me reflect on conversations I have had with patients over the years.
I cannot tell you how many times I have asked an LSI patient if they took the prescribed medications after surgery, only to hear them say, "I don't want to take these pain pills because I am afraid I will get hooked on them." While I am certainly not an expert on prescription drug addiction, I strongly believe that using these drugs for the prescribed purpose and adhering to the instructed dosage significantly decreases the likelihood of addiction.
Fortunately, due to the minimal invasive nature of LSI's procedures, some patients do not require pain medication, and as such, there is no consequence for failing to take the pain medications. However, in the event that you are experiencing residual pain from any surgical procedure, there is generally no harm in taking prescribed pain medication, as instructed by your physician.
Certainly, the preliminary details surrounding recent events raise additional concerns regarding personal responsibility and professional ethics. In my opinion, individuals cannot renounce personal responsibility, nor can we absolve physicians of professional and ethical responsibility. Therefore, combating this problem requires collective effort. So, I implore individuals and physicians alike - do the right thing!
I cannot tell you how many times I have asked an LSI patient if they took the prescribed medications after surgery, only to hear them say, "I don't want to take these pain pills because I am afraid I will get hooked on them." While I am certainly not an expert on prescription drug addiction, I strongly believe that using these drugs for the prescribed purpose and adhering to the instructed dosage significantly decreases the likelihood of addiction.
Fortunately, due to the minimal invasive nature of LSI's procedures, some patients do not require pain medication, and as such, there is no consequence for failing to take the pain medications. However, in the event that you are experiencing residual pain from any surgical procedure, there is generally no harm in taking prescribed pain medication, as instructed by your physician.
Certainly, the preliminary details surrounding recent events raise additional concerns regarding personal responsibility and professional ethics. In my opinion, individuals cannot renounce personal responsibility, nor can we absolve physicians of professional and ethical responsibility. Therefore, combating this problem requires collective effort. So, I implore individuals and physicians alike - do the right thing!
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