All these shows are overly-dramatic (soap operas?), taking once-in-a-lifetime cases or insane accidents and pretending stuff like that happens nonstop. It doesn’t.
They like to dabble in current events. I’ve even had an article I’ve written for the Trib featured as a storyline 2/
They like to dabble in current events. I’ve even had an article I’ve written for the Trib featured as a storyline 2/
on Chicago Med! But New Amsterdam this week took something I deal with every day of my life & didn’t fictionalize it – they portrayed it as real as it is – and then relentlessly attacked chronic pain patients in this country.
Premise: The director wanted something monumental 3/
Premise: The director wanted something monumental 3/
done to address the #opioidcrisis. The main character, Max, was to do something – including something illegal – to "fix" it. He called together 1% of the hospital’s doctors, a group responsible for 79% of the pain med rxs. Says opioids are a molecule away from black tar heroin 4/
and HOW DARE THEY?!?
“You know they have a legitimate use,” 1 doc says. Another says, “but they ask for them by brand name.” That was the extent of their defense (although the brand name comment is backhanded and not so much an actual defense but more an indictment). Max goes 5/
“You know they have a legitimate use,” 1 doc says. Another says, “but they ask for them by brand name.” That was the extent of their defense (although the brand name comment is backhanded and not so much an actual defense but more an indictment). Max goes 5/
on to say they’re not the most EFFECTIVE treatment but the most EFFICIENT. Right, because when you literally daydream about taking an ax to your leg and cutting off the useless, atrophied, fireball of pain that was your leg, you’re so down to quibble semantics. No one said 6/
“BUT THEY’RE IN PAIN!” No one said, “some pain requires medicine this strong,” or, “studies show opioids are called for in patients with chronic, intractable pain.”
Since the doctors write 79% of pain scripts, he says they have a year to reduce it by 79% - or THEY’RE FIRED! 7/
Since the doctors write 79% of pain scripts, he says they have a year to reduce it by 79% - or THEY’RE FIRED! 7/
Now I’m through the roof angry. Like the plot Chicago Med stole from the front page of the Trib, this happens in REAL LIFE. In MY. REAL. LIFE.
Max's boss on the show was as frustrated as I was, watching it – for very different reasons: she thought he didn’t go FAR ENOUGH!!! 8/
Max's boss on the show was as frustrated as I was, watching it – for very different reasons: she thought he didn’t go FAR ENOUGH!!! 8/
Summarily, unilaterally eliminating countless pain patients prescriptions’ in one obscene minute wasn’t enough?! That’s ruining countless lives. For every 1 pain patient, it’s safe to say at least 1 other person suffers, too. If I told you all the things my husband does for me 9/
the kids, and the good of our family, women would literally show up on my doorstep naked trying to steal him. He’s that much of a saint; I didn’t know 1 person could do that much in 24 hours.
Forced tapering (lowering the # of pills each month) is happening. Forced immediate 10/
Forced tapering (lowering the # of pills each month) is happening. Forced immediate 10/
elimination of rx is happening. If high blood pressure was fixed with your rx, can you imagine your Dr cutting it by 30 pills? Can you imagine her saying, “Glad that worked so well. We’re taking you off it as of today.” That's lunacy. But it’s happening, all over the country. 11/
It began in 2016 when the CDC put out “guidelines” as to how opiates should be prescribed. But immediately, doctors across the country took them as law and started forcing patients to taper or dropping them altogether. By then, pain doctors had been under intense scrutiny for 12/
prescribing practices because of a group of bad docs who were fueling the crisis. Ppl in med school stopped wanting to specialize in the field because it’s so tough. There are fewer Drs. Those left are overloaded & have the luxury of being able to break up with patients they 13/
don’t want. These often are ppl who’ve been on meds long-term & are on high doses; ppl who haven't responded well to all the surgeries Drs. are always suggesting. They get dropped & there are either no other pain docs nearby/ other docs won’t take them. They're now in crisis. 14
They'll go through intensely awful withdrawal and return to their lives of excruciating, debilitating pain. Their quality of life is gone, if they survive (not hyperbole, people have died from being forced off meds that work, and others have committed suicide out of despair). 15/
I know it's easy to forget there are so many ppl in legitimate pain. I know it's easy to look only at the crisis and see the obvious way to stop it but to overlook the implications of what may seem like a clear choice. But we exist - for now. We're hanging on by a thread. 16/
It's scary. Scary enough for me to write a novel on twitter. scary enough for me to want @NBCNews to see it and know how incredibly irresponsible that storyline was & how many ppl it hurt. promoting the idea that there's never a reason to prescribe opioids is wrong and cruel. 17/
what's worse, in another portion of the show Max tried just ripping up his contract w/ pain med providers. It is bad enough to attack #CPPs who rely on this medicine all the time. But many hospitals now are adopting this policy of not giving pain meds after major surgery! 18/
Again, that will have a real-life effect on ppl. Grandma's dying of stage 4 cancer, has an operation to remove the tumor & is given Tylenol. crime victim has his face bashed in. Tylenol. wife has an emergency C-section to deliver her baby, is given Tylenol. Even if it doesn't 19/
affect you now, it certainly could in the future. It should matter to everyone. It should matter now, not when these policies are put in place nationally and it's too late. not when you break your arm and can't sleep for a week because of the pain. sorry for the lengthy rant 20/
this is literally life & death for some. I'm fortunately not one of them - I would live without my meds. But I'd cry myself to sleep every night, knowing the sorry excuse for a mom I'd become if I could do even LESS than I can now. It will make my kids hurt as much as I do. /end
