Addiction

Rx for Change: Throw Away Your Opioids

By Charlea T. Massion, MD, and Adriane Fugh-Berman, MD | Sep 12, 2018 | Comments Off on Rx for Change: Throw Away Your Opioids

Adriane just had dental surgery and the surgeon provided a prescription for Tylenol with codeine. When she told him that opioids were not better than over-the-counter (OTC) painkillers for dental pain, the surgeon argued, “But it’s such a weak opioid.” And then he said, almost to himself, “Well, I guess it does turn to morphine in the gut.”

Rx For Change: Obfuscating Opioid Risks

By Charlea T. Massion, MD, and Adriane Fugh-Berman, MD | Sep 21, 2017 | Comments Off on Rx For Change: Obfuscating Opioid Risks

Back when we were in training, more than 30 years ago, opioids were considered dangerous drugs that could cause addiction and life-threatening respiratory depression. Medical students were taught that opioids were very useful for end-of-life pain (especially for cancer, which can cause excruciating pain) and that they were important for a few days after surgery or a severe injury.