Caught in the middle

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The topic of increasing opioid use and the dangers of it has been in the news often lately. Opioids, or certain pain medications that can be addictive and contribute to other drug use in the end. But I am not going to lecture you today on the safety of your medications. Many of my patients are so familiar with the warnings that opioids come with that they have become the experts themselves.

What I would like to address today is the other side of the coin. The patients who do not abuse their medication, who take it as prescribed, who feel judged every time they read an article in the newspaper discussing “these horrible drugs”. Those who do not disclose their medications to their friends or their loved ones anymore, for the fear of being lectured. Those who dread the visits to the doctor because they know their medication list will be scrutinized. Those who do not necessarily want to take pain medication, but rather have to because they are left with no other options.

The Pain Management Program at the Teton Valley Health Care has been created to keep in mind folks like you. At some point, patients who are in the program will see me, a mental health nurse practitioner. This is not because we think that you abuse your medication, and lecturing you is not the point either. Studies show that patients who had an all around care in regards to their pain had the best outcomes in treatment of the pain and other illnesses that may accompany this.

The next time you have an appointment coming up with us, try not to dread it. We are not here to judge you. We will remind you about the safety of your medications, yes of course, because this is our job, just like reminding you about the repercussions of smoking nicotine. So let us. We are on your side.

Comments

  1. Deavon SchlueterMarch 9, 2023 at 9:52 PM

    I've been battling mental health since I was a preteen. Over the course of years seeing many different providers and being treated as just another client to push through the system has been a long road. Always being put on medications that didn't work because the provider assumed that they would do to being viable solutions for other patients. Drug addiction became a part of my life in my teen and 20s. After sobriety and meeting Anna for the first time she really cared she really listened and she sought out solutions that actually worked for me. I am more than grateful for this amazing woman I can almost say that she saved my life. Thank you Anna for being who you are and true to your work. You're the best.

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