Comments on: Is the doctor or patient responsible for celebrity drug overdoses? http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/09/doctor-patient-responsible-celebrity-drug-overdoses.html Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:14:00 +0000 hourly 1 By: Doc99http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/09/doctor-patient-responsible-celebrity-drug-overdoses.html#comment-112139 Doc99 Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:40:40 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=40166#comment-112139 There's plenty of responsibility to go around when a celebrity overdoses on prescription drugs. MJ had many enablers. However, ultimately, the customer is NOT always right. The Inmate shouldn't run the asylum. There’s plenty of responsibility to go around when a celebrity overdoses on prescription drugs. MJ had many enablers. However, ultimately, the customer is NOT always right. The Inmate shouldn’t run the asylum.

]]> By: Happy Hospitalisthttp://www.kevinmd.com/blog/2009/09/doctor-patient-responsible-celebrity-drug-overdoses.html#comment-112133 Happy Hospitalist Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:38:39 +0000 http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/?p=40166#comment-112133 Every patient with chronic pain on chronic narcotics and chronic benzodiazepines for their chronic anxiety from their pain is addicted in one way or another.. A physiological response to chronic use is tolerance and the need for escalating doses to maintain the same therapeutic effect.Now, if the argument is that treating chronic pain and anxiety related issues should not involved the usage of drugs that by their own nature create tolerance and addiction, be prepared to have millions of Americans suffer.These celebrities with millions of dollars don't need a doctor to prescribe their pills. They tell their body guard to go find them some pain pills and it happens. Go down to any major city in this country and you can find this stuff on the black market. They don't need a doctor to get a hold of this stuff.I personally believe that all drugs, including narcotics and should be available without a prescription. The controlled nature does nothing but drive up costs and creates an underground black market. Folks who wish to have doctors recommend treatment options should seek medical care. Those that wish to treat themselves should have every right to do so and suffer the consequences of their actions.We allow two of the deadliest drugs, tobacco and alcohol, to be sold with essentially no restriction.I admit probably 50 drug over dose patients a year (just me) for everything from Oxycontin to Ambien to Seroquel to Insulin. Making a drug restricted will not make it less harmful. It just makes it more expensive. Every patient with chronic pain on chronic narcotics and chronic benzodiazepines for their chronic anxiety from their pain is addicted in one way or another.. A physiological response to chronic use is tolerance and the need for escalating doses to maintain the same therapeutic effect.

Now, if the argument is that treating chronic pain and anxiety related issues should not involved the usage of drugs that by their own nature create tolerance and addiction, be prepared to have millions of Americans suffer.

These celebrities with millions of dollars don’t need a doctor to prescribe their pills. They tell their body guard to go find them some pain pills and it happens. Go down to any major city in this country and you can find this stuff on the black market. They don’t need a doctor to get a hold of this stuff.

I personally believe that all drugs, including narcotics and should be available without a prescription. The controlled nature does nothing but drive up costs and creates an underground black market. Folks who wish to have doctors recommend treatment options should seek medical care. Those that wish to treat themselves should have every right to do so and suffer the consequences of their actions.

We allow two of the deadliest drugs, tobacco and alcohol, to be sold with essentially no restriction.

I admit probably 50 drug over dose patients a year (just me) for everything from Oxycontin to Ambien to Seroquel to Insulin. Making a drug restricted will not make it less harmful. It just makes it more expensive.

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