Pain Killer

My wonderful hard-working fiancé had to have emergency oral surgery this weekend and it brought up a topic that seems to always bring me back to reality of just how messed up our health care policies are in the United States.

Now let me start by saying that just because I do not feel we should just toss a pill at any issue that arises, that I feel there should be no medication. There is absolutely a time and a place for them! And right now, this is that time and place for my man! Though he is taking it like a champ and has hardly used any of it.

For his recovery he was given an oral medicated rinse, several days of Amoxicillin to kill his nasty infection, a handful of Oxycodone and a big jar of prescription strength IBuprofen. Everything seems to make sense right? Because of course he needs it, he's in pain!! What doesn't is that they gave him a refill of the prescription IBuprofen available for refill until the end of the year....what?!

Unless he comes to you saying that something went wrong and you can still see a cause for further medication why would you automatically offer a refill? I know..."it's just IBuprofen" but it's not. This is something that happens daily, prescriptions are just tossed around in this country like it's candy. "According the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), in 2016, over 11 million Americans misused prescription opioids, nearly 1 million used heroin, and 2.1 million had an opioid use disorder due to prescription opioids or heroin. Over the past decade" (see source 1).

Lets repeat that OVER 11 MILLION AMERICANS MISUSED PRESCRIPTION OPIOIDS in 2016!! What?! In July 2017 Aspen North in Colorado posted a blog about the insane numbers associated with prescription drug use (see source 2 for details) and the numbers are astounding! First opioid on the list? OXYCODONE!

When will we start looking at the facts and making a change for our families health?! Stop allowing our doctors to refill unnecessary prescriptions!

Until next time.

Source 1: https://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/legislative-activities/testimony-to-congress/2017/federal-efforts-to-combat-opioid-crisis-status-update-cara-other-initiatives

Source 2: https://www.aspenridgenorth.com/blog/21-colorado-addiction-facts-may-surprise/