Veterans Getting Hooked On Prescription Drugs

Sounds like a complex problem...

I'm sure many of the vets coming home have more than just pain issues. Many come home with PTSD/Depression/Anxiety...etc etc etc.

From my understanding...it is believed they'd rather Rx cheap opioids...instead of some meds that help with pain that are a bit more expensive?...and maybe don't want to spend a lot of money on PT/Yoga/etc etc?

Not sure.

What's worrying is that there was a slight tone of negativity against opioids. There was a tone that since opioid use dropped in some place(Minneapolis?) it was an amazing feat. Not trying to say that Opioids should be Rx so heavily...but this worrying of over-opioid use just makes ME worry that it'll continue to add fuel to the fire that is sweeping this nation concerning the belief that opiods are evil.

HOWEVER, if the VA docs are truly over Rx'ing opiates/painkillers instead of a having a multifaceted approach to pain(such as PT, nerve pain medication, injections, possible surgery if needed, etc etc) then they need to fix it.

I have heard of how lenient VA docs Rx opiates. My dad is a retired coast guard mechanic, and he is constantly Rx vicodin AND barbiturates. His mood is erratic sometimes(not violent). Goes into depression a lot...but my Mom and Dad have something against Therapy/anti-depressants and surgery.(he has shoulder/ back pains).

I could rant on how my parents are hypocrits...but whatever.

I feel my PM team is a hell of a lot better than my Dad's VA docs(even if I rant/vent about my PM doc/PA from time to time...I feel they are least are giving me a multi-faceted appraoch to managing my pain. Could be worse. A hell of a lot worse. Even when I sometimes want something a bit stronger, I'm glad they don't just send me away with more and more pills.).

Sorry for the long post :)

Really appreciate the video

Hope things change for the better at VA hospitals(and the rest of the country) when it comes to Pain Management. Our vets really deserve the best...but usually get the butt end of the stick.

Post Edited (MrJNT) : 2/26/2014 6:56:55 PM (GMT-7)

Military life is so different from the outside world, the military doctor's are not always the bests. Things need to improve for our Vet's and they deserve better doctor's...
On the flip side this is not happening every where and I think the draw on this story line is one sided, it's more complex then what they are showing, yet they always focus on the bad...
I had a very bad primary doctor on the military base. However, my daughter had a great military cardiologists...If and when you can see a specialists they are good, but it's getting beyond the primary doctor's...WhiteBeard can also tell y'all his treatment thru the military...changes are needed...
My hubby is retired USAF so we know...
But also, by bringing this up will they also go after non military doctor's in a witch hunt...

Not all VA hospitals are the same. I am lucky to have my VA hospital close to a University teaching hospital and the doctors who teach there also work for the VA.

My PM is top notch and uses PT, Psychologists, many different procedures, and different pain meds depending on the situation. they also have a class you have to attend about dependency and addiction before you start treatment.

Along these lines they also have a class on PTSD/Depression and do a 1 on 1 evaluation to find out which of their therapists will be best suited for each patient.

I have seen the bad and the very good side of VA and sure wish they all could be like the one I am lucky to have near me. My team work very well with each other and consult each other all the time.My team consists of my GP, PM, Psychiatrist, psychologist, and a neuro team.

Take care,
Bill