Today I caught TWO doctor "shoppers" who had massive amounts of narcotics prescribed from multiple sources.
I always am compassionate with such patients. I tell them I CAN'T give them narcotics, but I'll help them in any other way I can.
People with real pain, who aren't diverting or abusing never kick up a fuss.
BTW, these databases are ONLY for professionals to access. Pharmacists and doctors/providers.
It's illegal for some random person to go snooping around.
And YES it can be a lifesaver. If someone is actually taking these pills in these amounts, it would burn out their livers due to the Tylenol component alone.
Wish this was used more often.
Sorry to admit this about my profession, but many docs either don't check the PMP, or worse, just don't care.
It's rotten medical practice.
How would these docs feel if one of their patients died due to negligence?
Both of us have neurological impairments {she's an incomplete quad} which makes use of antidepressants a higher risk for adverse reaction. I took quite a few antidepressant of the month by several doctors for what was diagnosed as General Anxiety Disorder. They all made it worse especially my sensitivity to certain sounds.
Two years into treatment I found a book called Phobia Free and a doctor linked many anxiety disorders to Cerebellar Vestibular related damage likely from severe life long sinus allergies in my case. It makes sense if my sensory processing system was damaged antidepressants would saturate my damaged sensory processing system thus triggering more anxiety. The disorder alone is severe enough to produce Myoclonic seizures in my upper Torso antidepressants made that worse as well. Certain sounds and certain visual effects set me off. Phobic induced anxiety? No. Not in my case.
I started out on 2 MG Xanax a day. Big mistake as it only works half the time. Finally I found a doctor who understood it and he took me off all AD's and kept me on Xanax but cut the dose to .5mg four times a day. Now it works enough to where I can somewhat control it.
When some doctors see the Xanax prescription and I tell them how long I've taken it they freak. I have to explain to them what is actually wrong. My primary care doc understands as does my allergist. My primary care doc writes the script now for me and my wife.
My biggest gripe about these crackdowns is it has in the past made it difficult to find a doctor to write the script. If you loose your doctor you can't just go to an ER and say hey I need Xanax. LOL. On the other hand the extra meds we had accumulated over the years got us through a six month stretch of no primary care doctor. I do not consider a three - six month on hand amount of any medication used long term and as directed without abuse as bad or wrong but rather in these time a wise move. No one but immediate family and our doctors know we take it.