great story in the NYT today re Nebraska doctor having to tell his chronic pain patients he must

[nichomachus]

57. The problem is doctors who overprescribe opioids

I have a good friend who was on heavy doses for serious back problems. He was in excruciating pain and could barely walk. So they had him drugged to the gills -- with good reason.

Finally, he had surgery that solved the back problems remarkably -- no more pain. But by that time, he was hooked on the opioids. None of his doctors dealt with that. In fact, his primary care doc kept renewing his prescriptions. My friend had learned all the right words to say to get the prescriptions, as many people who are hooked do, but the doc never caught on.

Finally, the roof caved in. My friend's partner -- who was not from the US and had limited English -- called me in a panic in the middle of the night. My friend had finally freaked out. He was running around the house talking about suicide. His partner hid all his pills, but he didn't know if he'd taken any or how many, although he did have an empty bottle. I showed up and it was a disaster. He wouldn't listen to me. He was pushing me out of the way, talking about killing himself, screaming, opening and closing cabinets and drawers, throwing things around the house. I was frightened -- and I'm a former EMT. I've seen a lot of shit.

Finally, I had to call 9-1-1. The cops and medics came. They decided they needed to take him in and put him on a 72-hour psych hold in the hospital. He did get off the opioids, but I blame the doctor for just writing script after script after script even after the back issues were resolved.