CDC Opioid Guidelines Are Not Rules or Laws

By Mark Helfand, DDS, Guest Columnist

I am a 62 year old dentist who had to retire 20 years ago due to Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS). It started in my right forearm and has spread to all four extremities. Recently it has spread into my shoulders, fingers, knees and thighs.

I have seen numerous pain doctors over the years (that's another story) and have finally found a compassionate, intelligent doctor. He has the knowledge and conviction to be a physician and to treat me properly.

I feel sorry for all the other patients suffering as I do, who are being treated by people with medical degrees that are too stupid or too scared to treat their patients as they swore to do when they graduated from medical school.

Have they forgotten the Hippocratic Oath to do no harm?

The CDC opioid prescribing guidelines are just that -- guidelines -- NOT rules or laws. As a matter of fact, here is a quote directly from the guidelines:

MARK HELFAND

“The recommendations in the guideline are voluntary, rather than prescriptive standards. They are based on emerging evidence, including observational studies or randomized clinical trials with notable limitations. Clinicians should consider the circumstances and unique needs of each patient when providing care."

The so-called "doctors" (and I use the term loosely) that say they cannot prescribe narcotics anymore or cannot prescribe the same dosage, either cannot read, don't care or aren't knowledgeable enough to know what they are doing.

I have had all the past and current mainstream treatments, except hyperbaric oxygen therapy and intravenous ketamine. I have tried and been prescribed most NSAIDs and narcotics.

I am currently taking fentanyl lozenges every three hours as needed and an experimental cream with ketamine that my pharmacist read about in one of his journals.

He sent the paper to me, I brought it to my doctor, we discussed the pros and cons, and my doctor prescribed it for me.

It is helping, but I am not even close to being pain free. However, I am not "stoned" on drugs. If I was, I couldn't write this letter.

I have some semblance of a life and when the pain gets unbearable, I have the ketamine cream and can take the medication I need without having to beg some non-caring doctor in an emergency room. I have been through that and refuse to go through it again.

I genuinely feel sorry for all the chronic pain patients that haven't been as "lucky" as I am. I am cursed with this horrible, excruciatingly painful condition 24/7, but am blessed by a few angels (my pharmacist, my doctor, my niece, and 3 or 4 lay people) that help me live whatever life I have.

I hope this inspires others in my condition to search for their angels.

Dr. Mark Helfand lives in New York.

Pain News Network invites other readers to share their stories with us.  Send them to:  editor@PainNewsNetwork.org. 

The information in this column should not be considered as professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It is for informational purposes only and represents the author’s opinions alone. It does not inherently express or reflect the views, opinions and/or positions of Pain News Network.