Painkillers and opiates might be called “the good, the bad and the ugly.” Of all problem drugs, non-prescribed use of opiate-type painkillers affects all segments of our local population. Yet it’s also a problem the general population can help solve, prevent and understand.
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WASHINGTON — A high-ranking Senate Democrat is pushing for more answers on why doctors and patient advocates with financial ties to the pharmaceutical industry came to serve on a panel that advises the federal government on pain issues. Sen. Ron Wyden says he is “even more concerned” about these apparent conflicts of interest after receiving a response from the National Institutes of Health, which vetted and selected the panel members. In a letter sent Thursday to the Obama administration’s top health official, Wyden requests a series of documents related to the pain panel, including financial disclosure forms filled out by its members.
DEAR DOCTOR K: My doctor has prescribed prescription painkillers — opioids — for my severe back pain. They relieve my pain, but how can I reduce my risk of becoming hooked? DEAR READER: Simply being aware of the risk of addiction is a good first step in ensuring that you do not become addicted to prescription painkillers. I’ll explain a little bit about painkillers. Then I’ll describe some steps you can take to prevent addiction.
For Amy Howe, being the Walgreens pharmacy manager is as much about people as it is about pills and prescriptions. “Some customers I’ve had since the beginning,” Howe said. “They’re part of my life. They’ve been through my two pregnancies too so they’re always asking about my children and how they’re doing.”
DEAR DOCTOR K: A friend has a condition called gastroparesis. Could you explain what it is and how it can be treated? DEAR READER: Gastroparesis is the term used for sluggish emptying of food from the stomach into the small intestine. Normally, your stomach moves about half of an average meal into the small intestine within two hours after you eat. Within four hours, about 90 percent of your meal is in the small intestine. If you have gastroparesis, food stays in the stomach much longer.
